Wells-next-the-Sea to Stiffkey (Stage 4 Norfolk Coastal Path)

It has taken us quite a while to get back to the Norfolk Coastal Path, well where we left off anyway. We have been back and walked along sections we've done before but hadn't managed to do any new parts until today.

Wells-next-the-Sea Harbour

We parked up in Wells with the intention of walking at least to Stiffkey. It's only a short section but having been for a longer walk the day before we thought we could either continue on, turn around and walk back or catch the bus depending how we felt. The walk isn't the most exciting sadly. Once out of Wells you can't see the sea at all, just miles of endless salt marshes. There were a few birds around but mostly egrets so generally it wasn't our favourite section and this probably contributed to me feeling tired so I was quite glad to reach Stiffkey after about 3.6 miles. 

Salt marshes

Oyster catcher & Curlew

Egret

We walked up to the village but couldn't see anywhere immediately to grab a drink, although the signpost mentioned a pub but we were too early anyway, so we decided to catch the bus back to Wells and spend a couple of hours there.

There aren't really and directions to this walk, if starting in Wells then follow the quayside east and away from the town, taking the little pathway as directed behind the fishing huts. Then just follow the well-trodden track firstly along the flood bank and then as it goes down to the edge of the marshes. There are a few pathways off going out onto the flats but unless you know the area and the tides it can be very easy to get cut off!

Stiffkey marshes

Once at Stiffkey car park take the road on your right up into the village if catching the bus back.

Our walk was 3.73 miles

See the route on mapometer

Terrain: Mostly flat grass or sandy stone. Tarmac at either end.

Habitat: Coastal, salt marshes.

Facilities: Parking, toilets, shops at Wells. Parking and pub at Stiffkey

Wicken Fen Figure of 8

This 4.7 mile route at Wicken Fen is a combination of two shorter routes which can be taken alone. There are many other route options around the reserve.

Wicken Fen is the National Trust’s oldest nature reserve and is home to 9000 species. It is a wetland area and as such is prone to being very muddy in places in wet weather. There is however a short raised and accessible boardwalk route.

Wicken Fen

The reserve is free entry and there is a large car park, free for NT members.

1. Leaving the car park turn left and walk towards the reserve.
2. With the café and visitors centre on your right follow the gravel cycle way ahead. Continue on as the cycle way bears left.
3. Go over the bridge on your right and immediately turn left.
4. Follow the cycle track a few metres and take the path on your right.
5. Go through the gate and continue along the grass pathway. Look out for the wild Konik ponies which often graze in the adjacent field.
   
   

   

   Konik ponies at Wicken Fen

   
   
6. Continue on the pathway as it bears right and eventually up onto a bank.
7. Go right, keeping the water on your left and follow the bank until it bears right. Go back over the bridge and continue back along the cycle track to the visitor centre. This is the end of the first half of the walk.
8. Either go around the centre or through and follow the board walk towards and past the wind pump.
   
   

   

   Wind pump, Wicken Fen

   
   
9. Continue on the boardwalk until you reach a hide on your right. Go left and then right.
10. Follow the grass track – depending on the season this could be a passage through high sedge. 
    
    

    

    Wicken Fen

    
    
11. At a ‘cross roads’continue straight over along the summer trail and follow the pathway through the sedge and reed beds.
12. Bear left at the end and then right. Keep the water on your right and continue along the straight grass track. There is a hide on your left about half way down.
13. Bear left at the end still keeping the water on your right and going past the tower hide follow this until you reach the boardwalk.
14. Cross to the boardwalk on your left at the wind pump and go right through a small wooded area. Follow the boardwalk until you reach the visitor’s centre.

Wicken Fen

Our route was 4.7 miles

See the route on mapometer

Terrain: flat apart from short climb up the bank, gravel cycle way then grass tracks. Can be very muddy in wet weather, boardwalk sections.

Habitats: Fields, wetland, reed beds.

Facilities: Toilets near car park and also behind the café. Café and visitor’s centre. Cycle hire and boat trips (seasonal), pub in Wicken village.

Quy Water Circular

A lovely little 4 miles starting and finishing at the NT’s Anglesey Abbey which can also be visited if open.

Parking is available in the NT’s car park (free for members).

• From the car park walk away from the visitor’s centre down the left hand side of the overflow car park. Follow the path until you reach a tennis court and walk diagonally towards the court and follow this path along the back.
• Walk alongside the allotments and turn left at the end. Follow this path until you come out at the end of a road. The back of the mill is on your left and a bridge on your right. 

• Go left around the side of the mill and follow the grass track along the edge of the water which should be on your left.

• Keep following the water’s edge for approximately 2 miles.

• When you reach the road turn right. When you reach some cottages on the left continue right  and then take the track on the right signposted to Quy Fen, Lode and Horningsea.

• Follow this track for about a mile or so until you reach a woodland on your right and enter the woodland at the break in trees.
• Follow the path through the woodland. Continue straight through until you come out with the water in front of you.

• Turn left and follow the path alongside the water (now on your right) towards the mill.

• Turn right to go back around the mill and follow the footpath back past the allotments, tennis court and to the car park where you started

Our route was 3.9 miles
See the route on mapometer
Terrain: Mostly flat, gravel, grass and dirt tracks (can be muddy in wet weather)
Habitats: River, farmland,
Facilities: Café and toilets at Anglesey Abbey

Croyde and Baggy Point Circular (3 miles)

Croyde is a small village in North Devon, popular in the summer with holiday makers and surfers. The bay is overlooked to the west by Baggy Point peninsular (owned by the National Trust) The route on the map starts at Ruda holiday park because we were staying there but there is a National Trust Car Park in Moor Lane. The NT link above also has the route in reverse.

The route uses some NT paths and some of the South West Coast Path with the first mile being a moderate incline.

1.     If coming from the village or beach walk up Moor Lane along the footpath on the left hand side. Cross over where the footpath ends to the stile opposite. If you have parked at the NT car park the go left out of the car park away from the peninsular, past the NT café until you come to a stile.

2.     Go over the stile and follow the track up the hill.

3.     You have two options through the small copse, either will bring you out at a convenient bench to sit and admire the view and catch your breath.

Croyde Beach

4.     Follow the track diagonally left to the corner of the next field and then along the stone wall (which should be on your right).

5.     Continue straight on into the next field and follow the path as it turns left.

6.     Turn right at the next field and again follow the edge until you reach a stile looking out over the sea.

The end of the NT pathway

7.     Go over the stile and down towards the South West Coast Path. The beach of Putsborough is immediately right sweeping to Woolacombe sands and Mortehoe peninsular. On a clear day the Welsh coast is visible.

Woolacombe Sands and Morthoe Point

8.     Take the South West Coast Path to the left and follow this as it goes around the headland.

9.     Go past the coastguard climbing mast and go right following the path down towards the end of Baggy Point. Lundy Island should be visible.

Baggy Point

10. Return back from the point and this time take the path to your right.

11. Follow the SWCP as it hugs the cliffs with Croyde beach ahead of you, continuing until you reach your start point.

Croyde Beach

Our route was 3.2 miles

See route on mapometer

Terrain: Moderate incline. Stiles. Grass tracks. Loose stoned paths.

Habitats: Coastal, farmland, heathland.

Facilities: Toilets at Croyde beach. Cafes and toilets at start/end of route and at Ruda. Further facilities in Croyde village.

Ickworth - Off The Beaten Track (5-6 miles)

Ickworth house and park belongs to the National Trust.  It is free to walk in the extensive grounds.

This route is taken from the website (Off the Beaten Track walk).  I have copied and pasted their instructions as they were pretty good. We ended up walking a bit more due to the field in the section 8 being overgrown (hubby had shorts on and didn't relish being bitten!) and no diagonal path being obvious so we went carried on rather than turning left and followed the wood around the field until we reached the stile .

We also stopped off at the Walled Garden to see the spectacular wild flower meadows. I think from some of the seed heads we might have been a week or two late for the peak but it was still stunning nonetheless.

Wild flowers in the Walled Garden, Ickworth

Lunch was at the restaurant. Slightly disappointing after great previous visits. They have changed the menu and it is not table service any more which means big queues at the counter and a long wait for our food, which seemed overpriced now compared to other NT places we visit.

Route:

1. From the Porter’s Lodge visitor centre take the path opposite towards the Albana Wood, follow the path going through two 5 bar gates. Just after going through the second gate take the path to the right at the small ‘Albana Wood’ stone. Stay on this path until you reach the large green Trim Trail sign, then turn right following the trim trail.

2. As the trim trail goes down a left hand slope and you reach a junction, turn right off the trim trail and leave the woods into an open field. Follow the path down the side of the field with the trees on your right and cross the brook on the wooden bridge.

Sheep at Ickworth

3. Once across the brook, turn right on to the wide track, and shortly through a 5-bar gate. Follow this track until you reach the next 5 bar gate where you will see a cottage beyond the gate and a bridge to your right. Do not go through the gate but turn left and walk up the hill until you intersect the main track and turn left towards Dairy Wood Cottage.

Dairy Wood, Ickworth

4. As you approach the cottage, turn left across the grass and go through the gate in the corner of the field into Dairy Wood. Stay on this track and don’t take any turns or junctions. You will exit the wood briefly and keep on the track as it re-enters near the edge of the wood. The next paragraph covers the loop into Twist and Horsepool wood, so if you wish you could carry straight on, missing out step 5 and re-joining the walk just a few metres further on at the start of step 6.

5. Very soon after you have re-entered the wood look for a barely discernable track/fork to your right. Follow this track which has a ditch on your left as you go gently up hill. Just before you exit the wood cross the ditch to your left and follow the track through the woods. Take the right fork when you intercept another path and you will eventually meander next to some stagnant ponds to your left (great habitat). Keep going until you reach the main path cross roads; turn left for a short distance and left again on a ‘main path’ effectively doubling back into the same woods. Keep on this path until you exit the woods.

Dairy Wood, Ickworth

6. As the path leaves the wood, you will see a clear path between the cropped fields going downhill. Follow the path between the fields to the wide track at the bottom and then turn right. Stay on the wide track for a while. Shortly after passing the ‘White House’ on your right you come to a cross roads. Go straight across the cross roads (stone bridge to your left/cattle grid to your right) following the grass track.

Ickworth Park

7. With the Walled Garden and Canal lake on your left, turn right through the gate approximately at the centre line of the gardens (opposite the summer house), and head up the hill towards the wood-line of Lownde Wood. On reaching the wood, turn left and walk along the front of the wood with the Canal and gardens at the bottom of the slope and to your left.

8. After approximately one third of a mile, you will reach the meeting of a number of fences and gates; go through the gate into the field beyond and then immediately left into the adjacent field. Go diagonally across this field to the opposite corner and cross over the stile onto the path and turn left back towards the walled garden.

Ickworth Park

9. Follow this track until you reach the Walled Garden and turn right keeping the wall of the garden to your left.

The Walled Garden, Ickworth

10. At the end of the Walled Garden take the main road past the church and back up towards the Rotunda and gardens. Go through the 5-bar gate turning immediately right, and enter the Italianate gardens. Enter the West Wing via the orangery and stagger to the restaurant where you definitely deserve a cake or pudding or two.

The official route on the Ickworth website is 5 miles
Our route was 6.25 miles
See the route on mapometer
Terrain: Grass and dirt tracks mostly, moderate climbs in places. Latch gates, kissing gate. Can be muddy in places in wet weather.
Habitats: Meadows, fields (animals grazing), woodland, lakes.
Facilities: Toilets and cafe at Porter's Lodge entrance and at the Rotunda. Rotunda toilets can also be accessed at the back.  Toilets also near the church.