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Weaver's Way, Norfolk - 1. Cromer to Aylsham

Weaver's Way, Norfolk - 1. Cromer to Aylsham


Postby jonathan - norfolk » Sun Oct 30, 2016 12:32 am

Date walked: 30/11/2016

Time taken: 3 days

Distance: 37.25 km

Ascent: 230m

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The Weaver's Way is a footpath of between 55 and 61 miles (depending on your route and sources of information) that runs from Cromer (where it connects with the Norfolk Coast Path) to Great Yarmouth (where it connects with the Angles Way). These routes, together with Peddars Way (met at Knettishall Heath), form a circular route of just over 225 miles/260 kms.

Weaver's Way is now well signposted, although older maps may still indicate the older route (revised somewhat in 1997). Some of my circular walks make use of sections of both the original and current routes. Although Weaver's Way starts and finishes at coastal towns, it passes through much farmland and grazing marshes, frequently making good use of former railway lines and paths alongside Hickling Broad, the river Thurne and Breydon Water. It also passes through several market towns, including Aylsham, North Walsham, Stalham and Acle, where it may be possible to find, and book, accommodation. The route is fairly flat, without serious difficulties (although some sections are exposed and remote), a strong walkers may find two or three days sufficient to complete it.

An excellent little guide book to the route has been published by The Ramblers Association and is one that I would whole-heartedly recommend to anyone intending to complete the route, should you be able to get hold of a copy.

Since my circumstances don't currently allow me to put on a rucksack and walk from one end to the other, in a single continuous journey, (always my preferred way of completing a long distance route) I propose to tackle the route by a series of much shorter walks; where possible by either circular walks, or being dropped off by some kind person at one end of a section and walking to my car parked at the other. Where needs must, then it will be by walking out and back completing some sections in both directions.
The result, inevitably, will be that I walk much further than the nominal 55 miles, but will see much more of the adjacent countryside and villages on my travels. I see that as a positive thing.

Given that I shall do sections as and when convenient, rather than in any particular order, and that I shall probably end up doing between 20 and 30 short walks by the time that I eventually finish, I shall record my walks in four separate walk reports as follows:

Weavers Way, Norfolk 1: Cromer - Aylsham
Weavers Way, Norfolk 2: Aylsham - Stalham
Weavers Way, Norfolk 3: Stalham - Acle
Weavers Way, Norfolk 4: Acle - Great Yarmouth

Once I've done two or three walks in any given section I'll upload the report and edit and update it as I make further progress. I'm in no hurry though, but some of the circular walks may be of interest to those taking walking holidays in the area.

Cromer - Felbrigg linear route
For me, this was a short pleasant walk from The Meadow Car Park (short stay, by the pitch and put) down towards the sea front and the pier. The walk starts from a sign shared with the Norfolk Coast Path National Trail and then returns through a picturesque part of the town back to The Meadow and then picks up an excellent footpath out of the town. It's well sign-posted and soon leads uphill to fields and woods. At Felbrigg I returned to the car, but there are toilets and a good café/restaurant by Felbrigg Hall for those who need facilities.
It's 3.5 miles /5 kms to Felbrigg Hall as described.

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Felbrigg - Sustead (linear route) 8.87 kms (5.51 miles) 88m
Previously completed in the course of several short local walks. I'll upload the better of these at a later date.

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13.11.2016 Sustead circular
This a very pleasant walk, which may be started from the village sign (shown - room for two or three cars) or the church (which allows the road to be left on the return and the obvious footpath taken across the fields). The village itself has many attractive and interesting buildings but it is the medieval church that really warrants a visit. The base of the tower is Saxon, there is clear evidence of Norman additions (apparently it is recorded in the Doomsday Book) and there are 13th and 14th century additions and modifications. Leaving the church behind the route crosses fields, follows a quiet road and then takes an ancient trackway towards Felbrigg Hall. I followed the Weaver's Way path to the lake and then returned via the lodge to the road which I followed back to the village sign. Taking the footpath back to the church (if you parked there) is probably the nicer option. The "out and back" to Hall farm was merely to connect with the route described below. The circular route is about 3.5 miles/5.5 kms.

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Hanworth - Sustead short circular route
This is a short alternative route that also takes in Metton and its church. Allow about 90 minutes. The route takes in a section of the original (pre 1997) route of Weaver's Way, returning by the current pink way-marked route. Parking is available at the Memorial Hall at Hanworth. After turning out of the hall follow Emery's Lane until the Weaver's Way sign on the left. After passing through a "hole" in the hedge and a stile the yellow circular route waymarks are followed NE and then N. Eventually the tower of Metton Church can be seen and the footpath leads straight to it. Metton Church is small and simple, but not without interest. Turn left at the road and then left again at the T junction. The current route of Weaver's Way is clearly marked and followed down a track on the left. Bear right by the pond and left of some farm buildings when surrounded by "private" signs! (It is well way-marked, if not immediately obvious). Once reached, the outward route is followed S to the minor road (Emery's Lane), turn right back to Hanworth. 3.5 miles /5.5 kms +/- 50m This route may easily be combined with the preceding route to give a walk of about 7 miles.


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Hanworth Common - Felbrigg longer circular route
This route takes in sections of both the pre-1997 section of Weaver's Way and the current route creating a circular route that includes Hanworth Common, Metton, Felbrigg Hall and Sustead.
This route is 8 miles/12.75 kms +90m

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The walk may be shortened by taking the footpath to Felbrigg Church, omitting the section around Felbrigg Hall (itself an excellent short walk) but one which may be done separately (as I've done on countless occasions over the past 20 years). However, only about 1 mile/1.5 kms is saved.
Starting and finishing at Metton Church, leaving WW to walk NE towards Metton, turning left (SE) at the T junction and then staying with the road as it bends left (east) into the village, reduces the walk much more significantly to just 5 miles/7.75 kms.

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30.11.2016
Thwaite Aldborough Hanworth walk
I actually started this walk from All saints Church, Thwaite mainly because I normally find that country churches generally have good parking by them, as was the case today. As it turned out the church was also by far the most interesting feature of a very pleasant countryside walk. The dog-friendly pub at Aldborough (opposite the common)also provided some welcome sustenance. I was also fortunate to enjoy a fine, fresh, late autumn day with clear skies and bright sunshine.
The complete route is 7.1 miles/11kms +/- 95m (the return trip for just the section to the north of the church is a total of 5 miles / 8 kms, )

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13.11.2016 Erpingham link
Pleasant enough section, done as an "out and back" to link the two adjacent sections. It is 2.75 miles/4.5 kms for the return trip.

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07.10.2016
Blickling to Aylsham See separate post Weaver's Way, Norfolk - 1 a. Blickling to Aylsham

Done as an afternoon's "out and back" walk starting and finishing at Blickling Hall (parking, refreshments, excellent circular walks) 2 ¼ miles of WW (4 ¼ miles / 7.33 kms the return trip). I had previously done several circular walks from Blickling Hall which had taken in sections of WW to the north. I'll endeavour to upload the best of these at a later date. This walk was something of a short "mopping up" exercise, but a pleasant enough excursion for that, taking in excellent views of the front of Blickling Hall itself.

Total 10 miles/ 16.25 kms to date - Further updating/editing to come.

Since first writing this report, circumstances have enabled me to walk this section, from Cromer to Aylsham, in one stretch using public transport. It's about 16 miles/26.5 kms, involves about 625' / 200m of ascent and descent and took just over 5.5 hours actual walking time in good weather on 24th October 2019.
Last edited by jonathan - norfolk on Tue Nov 05, 2019 12:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
jonathan - norfolk
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Re: Weaver's Way, Norfolk - 1. Cromer to Aylsham

Postby Faceymark » Tue Jul 18, 2017 9:25 pm

Hi, hope you can help we are about to start the last part of the weavers way, over 2 days would you know roughly how long it will take walking from Hickling to Acle then Acle to Yarmouth, hope you can help
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