On the outskirts of the city, Norwich Fringe Project creates public access to areas where conservation of wildlife and the landscape can exist alongside quiet recreation. The
Norwich Fringe web site lists 26 locations in and around the city with opportunities for short walks. There are also downloadable leaflets with information about longer hikes of between 4 and 7 miles (6-11 km).
Another good starting point is the
Norfolk Countryside Access web site which has details of circular walks of about 4-6 (6-10 km) miles in the Norwich area. You can choose from outings such as a woodland walk at Horsford and St. Faiths, a stroll along the country lanes and footpaths of Salhouse, or the experience of the panoramic landscape of Halvergate Marshes.
Covering the whole of the county, the
Eastern Daily Press web site has a very extensive list of short, medium and long walks. They vary in length from around 3-11 miles (5-18 km) with dozens of starting points in towns and villages in the Norwich area. You can also find details and maps for walks in areas of open access provided under the Countryside Stewardship and Environmentally Sensitive Areas Schemes on the
DEFRA web site
Within the Norfolk Broads there are over 190 miles (300 km) of footpaths. The Wherryman’s Way is a 35 mile recreational walking route from Norwich to Great Yarmouth, following the course of the River Yare. A dedicated
web site describes the background to the route and has a downloadable leaflet.
Other long distance paths within the area include Marriotts Way, a 21 mile (34 km) route from Norwich to Aylsham. This path is on former railway lines and is also suitable for horse riders and cyclists. Aylsham lies on another long distance walk, The Weavers’ Way, which runs for 61 miles between Cromer and Great Yarmouth. See the
Norfolk Countryside Access web site for details.
Also from Aylsham is the more modest 9 mile (14 km) Bure Valley Path to Wroxham. The walk follows the narrow gauge Bure Valley Railway line that links the two towns.
There are a number of longer paths that set out from south Norwich into the countryside. “Kett’s Country”, a 21 mile (34 km) route to Wymondham, commemorates Robert Kett, leader of Norfolk’s Peasants’ Revolt in 1549. The Tas Valley Way takes you on a 25 mile (40 km) tour of small villages between Norwich and Attleborough. The
Norfolk Countryside Access web site has details of both these walks.
A longer path still is Boudica’s Way, 38 miles (60 km) between Norwich and Diss. An information-packed leaflet showing the route and giving information about every stage of the footpath is available from the Tourist Information Centre at Diss (01379 650523), or from South Norfolk Council’s Leisure Team (01508 533684). The Angles Way walk connects with Boudica’s Way (and the Weavers Way) as it passes through 77 miles (123 km) of the Waveney and Little Ouse river valleys along the Norfolk-Suffolk border. Contact Diss TIC for a leaflet about this route.
If you like to combine walking with birdwatching or just enjoy superb wildlife habitats, here are some more ideas.
Norfolk Wildlife Trust has a number of nature reserves with opportunities for short walks, such as those at Ranworth, Hickling, or Lower Wood (at Ashwellthorpe, near Wymondham). The
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) also has large nature reserves locally. At Strumpshaw Fen, Berney Marshes and Surlingham Church Marsh, for example, you can get out into the fresh air and see spectacular wildlife in beautiful countryside. Also near Surlingham, there is public access to footpaths at the Ted Ellis Trust’s
Wheatfen Reserve.
Wherever you decide to walk, enjoy the very special environment of the Norwich area, and please remember to follow the
Countryside Code