Peddar's Way and Norfolk Coast Path

Blakeney on the Norfolk Coast Path, photo: BritainonView

This National Trail is effectively two routes. The Peddars Way runs northwards through the Norfolk countryside to near Hunstanton, following a Roman road that may have been built along the line of an even older trackway. The coast path section then runs eastwards via Sheringham. Connections with the Weavers Way and Angles Way allow a long circuit of Norfolk to be completed.

The Way was first discussed as a possible long distance route in the 1960s as part of a vision for a lengthy series of routes along ancient trackways across southeast England. The route along the Roman road was thought to be too short for a National Trail in its own right and so was combined with the coastal path and opened in 1986. It now forms the last link in a chain of routes including the Wessex Ridgeway, Ridgeway National Trail and Icknield Way between Lyme Regis and Hunstanton (see the Ridgeway page and Greater Ridgeway guidebook below for more information).

There are many sections of the National Trail suitable for people with special access needs. Information from the National Trail office or Norfolk Coast AONB

Connects with Angles Way, Hereward Way (see E2), Icknield Way, Nar Valley Way, Weavers Way

Highway Authority Norfolk

Parks and countryside Norfolk Coast AONB

Click here to find bed & breakfast accommodation on this path

Tourist Information Centres

• Cromer 01263 512497
• Great Yarmouth 01493 846345
• Hunstanton 01485 532610
• Sheringham 01263 824329
• Swaffham 01760 722255
• Wells 01328 710885

Holiday providers include Celtic Trails, Contours, Freedom, Walking Holidays Britain

Public transport. The Peddars Way bus operates seven days a week from Easter until the end of September, running from Thetford (with rail connections to Norwich, Cambridge and London) via Knettishall and numerous stops along the Way to Swaffham (with bus connection for King's Lynn and onward rail connections). For more details see the National Trail website (below). The CoastHopper bus connects Hunstanton and Sheringham, also linking with other services to Wells, Fakenham, Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Cromer, Sandringham, Walsingham and Kings Lynn, and cheap one day tickets are available. The North Norfolk Railway or "Poppy Line", an independent railway, runs from Sheringham to Holt via Weybourne (about 2km from the path) though services may be irregular especially out of season: see www.nnrailway.co.uk. One Railway's Bittern Line runs parallel to the coast between Sheringham and Cromer before turning inland to Norwich with connections to Ipswich, Birmingham and London. A Bittern Line Rover ticket covers this train and the CoastHopper bus. For more details see the visitor section of the North Norfolk AONB project website. [03/05]

More about public transport

Explorer maps 229, 236, 250, 251, 252
Landranger maps 132, 133, 144

Publications

Available from the Ramblers' Association:

• Walking the Peddars Way & Norfolk Coast Path with Weavers Way guide and accommodation list edited by Ian Mitchell, ISBN 1 901184 71 4. Norfolk Ramblers, £2.70 + p&p: Order here!
  An excellent and concise guidebook combining maps, route descriptions, accommodation and practical information for both trails.
• Peddar's Way & Norfolk Coast Path by Bruce Robinson, ISBN 1 85410 852 2.  Aurum £12.99
  Official National Trail Guide with OS 1:25,000 map extracts

• Langton's Guide to the Peddars Way & Norfolk Coast Path by Andrew Durham, ISBN 1 899242 00 7. Langtons £6.95
• The Nowhere Road: A fresh look at Norfolk's Peddars Way by Bruce Robinson, ISBN 0 9523379 3 2. Elmstead £12.99.
  Not a guidebook, but background and history on the Roman road, its relation to surrounding prehistoric tracks, the Way in modern times and the creation of the National Trail.
• The Greater Ridgeway from Lyme Regis to Hunstanton by Ray Quinlan, ISBN 1 85284 346 2. Cicerone £12.95 + p&p.
  Compact guide describing 583km/363-mile route along the Wessex Ridgeway (Lyme Regis to Avebury), Ridgeway National Trail (Avebury to Ivinghoe), Icknield Way (Ivinghoe to Knettishall Heath) and Peddars Way National Trail (Knettishall Heath to Hunstanton) with OS 1:50 000 map extracts, route descriptions and background information. See the Ridgeway page for more information.
• A Norfolk Songline, An exploration of the layers in the landscape of the Peddar's Way in story, poetry, song and photographs, by Hugh Lupton, Liz McGowan & Helen Chadwick. Book £8, book and CD £12, book CD and teacher's pack £14 from Hugh Lupton.  

Contacts

• Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path National Trail Office The Old Courthouse, Baron's Close, Fakenham NR21 8BE, tel 01328 850530
  www.nationaltrail.co.uk/peddarsway