Angles Way to Fen Rivers Way link
The route that comprises the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path, then the Weavers Way and then the Angles Way is described as a 'walk around Norfolk' - but it omits West Norfolk, where we live. So we decided to extend the route a little. By using the official 'Angles Way link path' from Knettishall Heath to Thetford (much of which is shared with the Icknield Way Path - and which goes a distinctly long way round), then following as close as possible to the Little Ouse River via Brandon and Lakenheath Station to Brandon Creek (part of this route is shared with the Hereward Way) it is possible to link with the Fen Rivers Way, which then runs to Kings Lynn. All that then remains to be found is a route from Kings Lynn to the start of the Norfolk Coast Path at Hunstanton.
Our Angles Way to Fen Rivers Way link also enabled us to walk the entire length of the Little Ouse River, from its source (which we encountered on the Angles Way) to its confluence with the River Great Ouse at Brandon Creek and to 'walk home' - both fun and satisfying. To be honest, we'd not expected the path to the west of Brandon to be very interesting, but it was fascinating and very enjoyable walking. The Little Ouse is a lovely river, and we passed attractive fenland (including RSPB Lakenheath and the SSSI at Botany Bay).
We saw lots of wildlife including swans, herons, deer and a fox. There are a surprisingly large number of house boats on the river and we saw other people occasionally, mostly in boats. However this is an isolated part of the world (which is part of its attraction of course). The river passes through mile upon mile of fenland - with classic black soil - and finding access to the middle sections of the route was a bit of a challenge. We used the train whenever possible, including one from a station (Lakenheath Station) where the service only stops 4 times a week in each direction.
I suspect that much of the route that we followed is coincident with the Iceni Way, which is described as 'an 80 mile route from Breckland to the coast along the Little and Great Ouse valleys' - so perhaps we should have just bought the leaflet about the Iceni Way from the Ramblers Association. However it is fun to work out a route for yourself occasionally, rather than just following instructions. Our route from Knettishall Heath to Brandon Creek would be about 40 miles if walked in one go (plus 7.5 miles back to the source of the Little Ouse). Because we had to get to and from parking places and stations and sometimes walked out and back to a single parking place, we walked about 58 miles in total (plus 16 miles in getting to the source of the Little Ouse).
We walked from Knettishall Heath to Thetford in summer 2011, and we had previously walked from Thetford to Brandon with our friends Kate and Rob Gordon, back in May 2009. We completed the route between Brandon and Brandon Creek in a series of short legs in December 2011 and January 2012.
Pottering on Knettishall Heath
For more photographs of Angles Way to Fen Rivers Way link click here.
Jordanwalks Angles Way to Fen Rivers Way link pages last checked 8th December 2019.