Walking
To reduce traffic and help other people enjoy the Wensum Valley, please reach these walks by foot, bike or public transport where possible. Thank you!
Use these links to skip down the page to the topic you want -
Circular Walks, Disused railway lines, DEFRA Countryside Stewardship Walks, Guided Walks
Circular Walks
At
Hoe, near East Dereham, we have devised a circular walk of
6km (4 miles) on footpaths, country lanes and farm tracks, passing
through heath, wood, and arable land. Contact
us for a leaflet (does not include information on path surfaces or
obstacles).
In Norwich, a 7-mile circular walk is possible from Barn Road
to Hellesdon Road, using the Marriott’s Way and the
riverside path. Shorter routes can also be devised.
Contact
us for a leaflet (includes some information on path surfaces). Routes in our ‘Green Spaces near Norwich Leaflet,’ which covers
the valley from Norwich to Taverham, can also be made into
circular walks. The leaflet details how to reach attractive parts of
the Wensum Valley on foot or by bike from Norwich, including a range of
woodlands, lakes, marshes and riverside access. Contact
us for a leaflet (includes some information on path surfaces and
gradients).
There are Norfolk County Council circular walks in the Wensum Valley
at: Fakenham, (two circular walks, of 2 and 3½ miles, around
Fakenham and along the banks of the River Wensum).
The Raynhams (5½ miles, taking in mixed woodland, wet meadows, well wooded arable lands and historic buildings).
Swannington (4 miles long and incorporating country roads,
commons and historic houses).
Ringland (a pleasant 2½ mile walk around country lanes and tracks with extensive views of the Wensum Valley).
Maps can be viewed and printed from the Norfolk County Council Countryside Access website. Descriptions of the Ringland and Swannington routes include detailed information on path surfaces and any obstacles.
Winch's Way is a 5 mile circular walk named after Mr Richard Winch, chairman of Swannington with Alderford and Little Witchingham Parish Council for over 40 years. It takes in some beautiful countryside including Alderford Common and Upgate Common. A leaflet published by the parish council is available from Swannington Farm to Fork - Farm Butchery, Church Lane Swannington or contact us for a copy. The leaflet includes fascinating information on natural and historical features en route.
More information and a printer-friendly map of the route can also be found on the parish website.
Maps of 15 Norwich Fringe Health Walks have been published in a
booklet, including circular walks in the Wensum Valley at Costessey
(taking in Gunton Lane Recreation Area and Marriott’s Way) and Ringland
(“challenging hilly walk around the pretty village of Ringland through
the surrounding countryside”). The booklet includes
information on path surfaces and gradients of each walk. Send a stamped addressed
envelope to Norwich Fringe Health Walks, The Gate Lodge, The Training
Workshop, Swanton Road, Norwich, NR2 4LR.
Of course there are many more circular walks in the Wensum Valley - why not use an Ordnance survey map (a scale of 1:25000 is best) to work out some routes of your own? Also look at the DEFRA Stewardship Walks section below that includes some permissive circular walks.
Disused railway lines 
Parts of two disused railway networks lie in the Wensum Valley. The
Midland and Great Northern (M&GN), which ran from Norwich to Cromer;
and the Great Eastern Railway (GER), which ran from Wymondham to Wells.
Both lines were the subject of Beeching cuts in the early 1960’s,
which led to the networks' subsequent demise.
The M&GN is now known as the Marriott’s Way and can be used for
walking, cycling and h
orse riding. It is hard surfaced from Norwich
(Barn Road roundabout) to Aylsham (21 miles), passing through the Wensum
Valley at Norwich, Hellesdon, Drayton, Taverham, Attlebridge and Lenwade.
The exact route can be found on the Norfolk
County Council Countryside Access website where you can also print
out the map in sections. Alternatively you can Contact
us for a (less detailed) leaflet. The route can also be found on
relevant Ordnance Survey Maps available from bookshops and tourist
information centres.
The GER is undergoing restoration work to re-establish it as a working railway, with a bridleway and permissive access alongside the line between Broom Green and North Elmham.
At County School Station, North Elmham, you can read what our ‘Ghosts on the Line’ have to say for themselves. This is a short walk through time from County School Station to the Saxon Cathedral at North Elmham (1.6km / 1 mile long). It follows the disused railway track and goes through grazing meadows where four characters from the past speak about their time in this area. Contact us for a leaflet.
DEFRA Countryside Stewardship Walks
These walks are on private land, courtesy of the landowner. They
range from complete circular walks to links between existing public
footpaths. Go to the DEFRA
Countryside Stewardship Walks website and select Norfolk. Maps of
the walks can be viewed and printed.
Walks in the Wensum Valley are (alphabetically)
§
Cottage Farm Near Elsing - A permissive bridleway created to provide a pleasant off road link with existing public footpaths and minor roads.§
Dillington Hall Near Dereham - A permissive ride providing a circular off-road route, with pleasant views over surrounding farmland.§
Lyng View Point Near Lyng - This short walk allows the user to leave the Public Right of Way network to the south of Lyng to climb to the summit of this hill. Good views across the surrounding countryside can be enjoyed, as well as the pleasant surroundings of the old pasture it passes through.§
Pudding Norton Farm, Sennowe Estate Near Fakenham - This network of bridleways offers safe, off-road access for walkers and horse riders following field margins and links with farm tracks to form circular routes. Open access on a field adjacent to Hempton Common also provides a local amenity§
Sennowe Estate C Near Fakenham (Great Ryburgh) - a circular route for walkers and horse riders around an arable field close to the village of Great Ryburgh§
Sparham Hall Near Lenwade - two new circular footpaths linking with an existing public footpath that runs along the northern boundary of Sparham Pools Nature Reserve.
§
Woodgate Farm Near East Dereham (Swanton Morley) - a circular walk via the Penny Spot Beck (tributary of the Wensum), where there is open grassland to walk over and enjoy. The path runs on grass margins around the perimeter of the fields.
Guided walks
We can lead guided walks in the Wensum Valley for clubs, groups or schools free of charge. Contact the Project Officer for more information.
‘Walking the way to health' is an initiative of the British Heart Foundation and the Countryside Agency. The Norwich Fringe Health Walks promote walking for health in our local communities by providing safe and supervised environments in which to walk. There are currently three per week including a number of different routes in the Wensum Valley at Hellesdon, Costessey and Ringland.
Contact the Health Walks Coordinator on 01603 423377.