Hiking in England: Peddars Way

We are hooked on hiking National Trails in the UK.  This was our 4th, after Hadrian's Wall, Pembrokeshire Coast Path and the Thames Path.  For this blog, I separated the 2 very different parts of the hike, Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path.  I'll put some logistics at the bottom of this page if you're interested in details.

 

One thing we like about hiking here is that it's really a pub crawl.  We hired an accommodation service that books our lodging and arranges for our luggage to get to our next place.  Then we just carry day packs (lunch, raincoats, sunscreen, camera, binoculars, etc.) and walk.  No tents to carry.  No heavy packs.

We took the train from London to Thetford, home of Thomas Paine (who knew?) We bought lunch stuff at Sainsbury and had a walkabout around town.  Thetford is also the location of the British sitcom, Dad's Army.  There was a ruin of an abbey and a Roman wall to see.

                                         

A cab dropped us off at Knettishall Heath at the trailhead.  Then we walked 46 miles to Holme-Next-the-Sea over 3 and 1/2 days. 

  

Peddars Way is flat and straight, mostly following the route of an old Roman road.  It was a walk of peddlers and Roman soldiers and foreign conquerers and there are remnants all along the way. 

  
When you hike with your spouse, you're guaranteed to witness some bull.  The trail passes acres and acres of farms, including enormous hog farms.  April is piglet season and you could hear their squeals.

The trail comes near to Sandringham, but we were too busy to tea with the Queen, even on her Platinum Jubilee year.  Fortunately, she was able to give us careful instructions on how to care for ground nesting birds.

We saw the 5 Songline stones along the way- a contemporary multimedia project.

 

We had some delicious pub food in the evenings, including meat pies, fish and chips, lamb shank, sweet potato soup and assorted chips and peas and puddings.  Full English breakfasts were provided at our accommodations and included with the price; eggs, toast, streaky bacon, sausage, blood sausage, fried tomatoes, baked beans and juices, tea, fruit and yogurt.  We lunched beside the trail from our packs.

 

It wasn't the most exciting trail we've ever hiked, but we hiked some 15 mile days so it got us in shape.  Also, the quiet walk, the passerines singing and the locals we met made it a quiet, pleasant walk. We reached Holme-Next-the-Sea and turned left to hike to Hunstanton to begin the Norfolk Coast Path, the second and very different next section.

Logistics:

We booked our trip with Suzy Watson's Explore Norfolk.  She contracted with Hike Help for luggage transfer.  We stayed at the Wereham House in Thetford, Phoenix House in Little Cressingham, Dabbling Duck in Great Massingham, King William IV Pub in Sedgeford and Ellinbrook House B&B in Hunstanton.