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

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

Rampton - Westwick Circular (6.5 miles)

This walk is a pleasant, and flat, 6+ miles starting in the village of Rampton, going along the guided busway and then through farm land in Westwick to Cottenham Lode, known locally as The Cut before returning to Rampton again.  Parts of the walk are through pasture, arable land and a farmyard so please respect the property, keep dogs on leads near livestock, stick to marked paths and close all gates behind you.  It goes without saying also that parts of this walk can be muddy, especially through the farm.

Starting at The Black Horse pub in Rampton cross over the road and turn right at the edge of the green, then turn right again and walk up King Street.

Guided Busway

Follow King Street right to the end and turn left along Cuckoo Lane.  Walk past some stables on your right and a scrap yard on your left and take the track on the right called Reynold’s Drove.  Follow the track past a bridge on your right, continue until you reach the crossing with the guided busway and take a left along a wide tarmac path.

Follow this straight smooth path, watch out for cyclists using the pathway too, until you eventually reach a crossing with the main road – look out for the painting of a Blue-tit on the house on your left.

At the main road go left towards the tiny hamlet of Westwick and cross over the road entering into the field through the gate. (There is the option here to shorten the walk by about ¾ mile: do not enter the field but follow the road out of Westwick until you reach Lambs Cross Farm).

Fields, Westwick

Once in the field follow the natural path straight on to the end then around to the left. Go through the gate and turn immediately left onto a bridleway.  Follow the path around the edge of the field, continue following the field edge until you can see the main road in front of you, continue along the track to the right running alongside the road until you reach a concrete parking area.

Cross the main road towards the sign for Lambs Cross Farm and follow the track towards the farm house.  Continue past the farm house and through the yard.

Lambs Cross Farm, Westwick

Go through a gateway (bear in mind this is a working farm so please stay on the path and allow for farm vehicles). Follow the track ahead as it slopes upwards. Continue on past fields until eventually you come to a bridge.

Cottenham Lode (The Cut)

Go over the bridge and keeping the water (Cottenham Lode, or The Cut) on your right continue on until you reach another bridge and the main road.  Cross the road and turn left and continue into Rampton.  Go past the green on your left until you are back at The Black Horse pub.

Our route was 6.4 miles

See the route on mapometer (6.1 miles)

Terrain: Flat, tarmac, grass. Can be muddy. Some gates.

Habitats: Villages, busway, meadow, farm yard and arable, river.

Facilities: The Black Horse public house, Rampton. No public toilets on route.
DOWNLOAD the step-by-step route

Rampton to Cottenham Circular via Cottenham Church and Archie's Way (6 miles)

This walk takes parts of other shorter walks between Rampton and Cottenham with a couple of additions to add on some miles. As with lots of these walks if you check the map you can combine and/or remove some sections depending on requirements.

Starting at The Black Horse Pub in Rampton walk towards the village green and carry on out of the village, past the Village Hall on your right and the church on your left. 

When you reach a white bridge take the footpath on the left alongside the water.  On the map this is marked as Cottenham Lode but you may hear locals refer to it as The Cut.  Follow the grass footpath as it bears right and continue onwards with Cottenham church in front of you.  When you reach a roadway and another bridge cross over the road and continue through the gate that is ahead of you.

Cottenham Church visible from Cottenham Lode (The Cut)

Follow the footpath keeping the water on your right, go through two metal gateways until you reach a road.  Turn right and follow the road past a white house on your left.  Carefully cross over the main road to the path on the other side and continue right towards Cottenham, stopping at a bench in the churchyard on your left for a rest if you wish.

The dark fertile fen soil alongside Cottenham Lode (The Cut)

With the church behind you continue on down the High Street.  You will pass The Jolly Millers pub on the left.  When you reach a small grass area at a mini roundabout take the right hand turn down Broad Lane.  Follow the road past houses and then after the industrial units take the right hand turn.  If you go into the new housing estate you have gone too far.

Continue down the track past a small nature reserve on your right and then a farm on your left.  You will now reach the second of the bridges you saw earlier and you have the option of turning left and going back along The Cut the way you came (this will reduce the walk by about a mile or so) or continuing onwards down Great North Fen Drove, the narrow concrete roadway ahead.  The rest of these instructions take this second route.

Follow the Drove past a small farmhouse and continue on when the road becomes a grass bridleway.  This is Archie’s Way.  Continue over the small bridge and follow the grass path as it bears right and then left.  Continue straight on and then bear right.  When you reach a concrete track turn left.

Continue along the road as it bears left and then carry straight on until you come to some houses and then bungalows.  Eventually you will reach Rampton High Street again, turn right and the Black Horse Pub is on your right.

Our route was 6 miles

See the route on mapometer

Terrain: Flat, grass footpaths or concrete/tarmac, can be uneven in places and muddy when wet. Some gates.

Habitat: Rural, farmland, waterways, village
Facilities: Black Horse pub Rampton, Jolly Millers pub Cottenham. Other shops and pubs in Cottenham (off route)

Coton Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire (4 miles)

Coton Nature Reserve is fairly new, about 10 years old in fact, and covers over 300 acres of farmland including arguable one of the best views of Cambridge – something of an achievement in this flat part of the country!

The reserve has lots of walking possibilities and the reserve map plots a few routes.  We wanted something a bit longer so combined a few of them taking in most of the reserve.  There are also possibilities for longer walks continuing outside the reserve on footpaths.

We parked up in the Martin Car Park, just off junction 12 of the M11.

Coton Nature Reserve

Route:

Take the gateway round the pond on the right to a concrete track and head away from the entrance road.

When you come to a gap in the hedge on the right follow this track round the field (following the orange walk on the reserve map), along the motorway edge and when you come to a small bridge on your left go over.

Carry on straight ahead until you come to a gateway and go out crossing the road.  Go into the next field, turning left and along the track that takes you up a slope.

Rifle Range

As you go up you should see a rifle range in front of you.  (There is a footpath that goes to Barton that crosses the range but if the red flag is flying you must not cross.)  Turn right at the signpost hut and continue up Red Meadow Hill.

At the top turn right and walk along until you come to some steps, take the steps and go through the gate to the top of the hill.  Here you can see across to Cambridge picking out Kings College Chapel, the University Library tower and St John’s Chapel along with the chimney of the Museum of Technology.  It is said that on a very clear day you can see Ely Cathedral.

Views towards Cambridge from Red Meadow Hill

At the top of the hill go left through the gate and turn right and walk back down along the side of the field.  At the bottom bear left and cross the bridge and turn left onto the permissive footpath of Rectory Farm. 

View towards Coton coming down Red Meadow Hill

Follow the track and turn right at the end, walking along the edge of a small woodland area.  At the end of this track turn right again at the signpost and walk along the field going straight on at the end and then right into a woodland.  Follow the narrow path through the trees until you come out back onto the field and turn left. (You can miss out the wood here and continue alongside the field)

Follow the track to the end and then right until you reach a gate on your left. Go through the gate into Manor Field crossing straight ahead. Go past the water recycling centre and out of the gate at the end.

Continue on until you reach the road, crossing here carefully. Go into the next field and walk straight on until you come to Clarke’s Bridge. Cross the bridge and go through the gates.  Walk a few steps and take the gateway on your left.

You are now following the pink walk on the reserve map.  Walk ahead and take the gate on your right into Rowan’s Field.  You can either go straight ahead here towards the cream house or go left around the young woodland.  Either way go past the house and right along side the field.  The recreation ground will be on your left through the hedge.

At the end of the hedge turn right and walk down the concrete track.  Go through the gateway at the end and bear right through the gap in the trees and then left. 

Follow the path bearing left until you meet the concrete track again.

Turn right and walk back towards the car park.

Our route was 4 miles

See the route on mapometer

Terrain – Mostly easy going on grass tracks. Slope and steps up to Red Meadow Hill. Gates and bridges. Some muddy areas. Could be animals grazing.

Habitat – Small pond, farmland, stream. Meadows.

Facilities – Car park, no toilets or refreshments. ThePlough at Coton.

Whittlesford - Sawston Loop (2.8 miles)

This is an easy little circular walk with plenty of options to extend out into either village if you wish.

I started on The Lawn in Whittlesford but of course it can be started anywhere on the route.

There are two road (Sawston by-pass) and two rail crossings and care should be taken at these points.

Starting at the pavilion on The Lawn take the road past some bungalows until you come to a path on your left.  Following the path go through the churchyard.

At the end of the churchyard take a right turn.  This is a designated cycle route so keep an eye out for cyclists.  Follow the path until you reach the river (Granta) on your right and eventually come to a blue bridge.

Looking back toward Whittlesford from the cycle bridge over the River Granta

Cross the bridge and continue, bearing left on a track and then right as you reach the railway crossing. Cross the railway then bear right and cross the road at the designated crossing then carry on straight into Sawston.

Carry on until you come to a fork in the road and here bear right down Mill Lane.  Continue on.  You will pass a fire station on your right and some allotments and a rec.  Continue on until you come out in the centre of the village.

Turn right and follow the main road.  Continue on past shops and pubs until you reach a footpath sign on your right.  Take the narrow footpath and follow until you once again reach the by-pass and the railway again.  Cross both.

Once over the railway continue straight on crossing a white iron bridge.  Follow the path past some fields and a pill box on your right.  Continue on the roadway up a small slope and then on the path past the primary school.

Continue until you reach The Lawn again and turn right following this road back to the pavilion.

My route was 2.8 miles

See the route on mapometer

Terrain: Easy flat, mostly tarmac.

Habitat: fields, woodland, river, urban

Facilities: Shops, pubs and restaurants in Sawston (on route), shop and pub in Whittlesford (off route)

Whittlesford Village Loop (2 miles)

Whittlesford is my old home village so I know it well.  On this particular day I was intending to take North Road in a northerly direction but as it was a northerly cold wind and had started to sleet I changed my mind and took the walk the other way round.  I have given the directions as I walked below but as is often the case there are lots of small variations on the map.  The walk starts off at the village green (The Lawn), passes the village church, through the village and on into the Millennium Wood before turning back towards the church.

There is parking on The Lawn off of the main road but I started my route from the pavilion on the other side.

1.  With the pavilion on your left take the road on the right passing some bungalows.  When you reach a large tree on your left take the left hand path and go straight ahead bearing right for the church.

St Mary's & St Andrew's Church, Whittlesford, Cambridgeshire

2.  Go through the church yard of St Mary's and St Andrew's and follow the path ahead  For this walk ignore the path on the right, keep going forward passing the cemetery. Follow this wider pathway (known locally as The Baulks) to the gateway at the end.

3.  You are now on the main road - North Road.  It is here that I decided to change direction around the loop so I turned left, followed the path, crossed the road at The Tickell pub and turned right onto the High Street.

4.  Go past the shop and on up the High Street, following the road as it bears round to the right.

5.  Take a turning on your right called Vicarage Lane and walk to the end.  The road becomes a footpath.  Follow this path straight across the field until you come to the edge of the Millennium Wood.

Catkins in Millennium Wood, Whittlesford

6.  There are three possible paths around and through the wood, all link up to each other but I took the middle path through the trees.  Follow this past a bench on your left and bear right. Follow until you come out of the trees with a farm on your left and the main road in front of you.

Millennium Wood, Whittlesford, Cambridgeshire

7.  Cross the road to the path and go right.  Follow the path passing The Bees in the Wall pub, and then the village sign until you come to the end of The Baulks again.

Village Sign, North Rd, Whittlesford

8.  Turn left up The Baulks and continue until you come to a small pathway on your right before reaching the cemetery.  Take this pathway until you come to a gap.  You can either go straight on or turn right and follow the roadway.  Either way you will come out on Church Lane.  Take a left and walk up the road alongside a red brick wall.  When you come to the end go right, then left and you are back at the bungalows and the pavilion is in front of you.

My route was 2 miles
See the route on mapometer.com
Terrain: Flat, tarmac, grass track, gravel through the churchyard.
Habitat: Grass, fields, woodland
Facilities: No public toilets on route. Shop on High Street, pubs - The Tickell and The Bees in the Wall.