Knettishall Heath to Little Cressingham

We’ve been planning for some time to walk the Norfolk Coast Path again, over several consecutive days. However we had not planned to re-walk the Peddars Way path – but suddenly that seemed like a good idea too! Today’s first one-day leg covered four of our short legs from 2006.

It was the autumn equinox and a sunny day – the morning’s very attractive slight mist dispersed quickly and it got progressively warmer. We left one car in a lay-by on the B1108 near Little Cressingham (grid reference TL882998) and the other at the point where the Peddars Way starts (or ends), with the Icknield Way Path heading in the opposite direction (TL944807). We started walking around 9.30am, through attractive woodland, still mostly green but with occasional hints of autumn – very different from when we walked this section previously, in spring 2006, when the highlight was daffodils!

We crossed the Little Ouse River and so passed from Suffolk into Norfolk then, after walking across more open countryside, we crossed the A1066. We passed the Thorpe Woodlands campsite and crossed the River Thet. Then, after passing a pig farm, Brettenham Heath and one of the car parks we used back in 2006, we crossed the A11 and the railway line.

The Hereward Way parted company with us and headed off to the left, and there were Forestry Commission workers felling trees – quite impressive (though they had to stop as we walked past). We left the woodland and emerged onto a track past agricultural buildings, where I remembered yappy dogs from when we were here in 2006. The dogs were still there, but we met their (very friendly) owners, so I’m left with far more positive memories of this little section.

We emerged onto the A1075 at East Wretham (called Stonebridge on the map) and turned right, then left along a road signposted ‘Battle Area’. This section was slightly less impressive than I remember it from last time – the scenery was still attractive (past horsey houses then into woodland) but there was a rather off-putting smell (no it wasn’t the onion harvesting we passed at the East Wretham end of the road, it was muck spreading at the Galley Hill end).

Past another of our parking places from 2006, we turned onto a track in company with National Cycle Route 13, and a few groups of cyclists passed us. We were feeling distinctly hungry, but decided to wait and have lunch at Thompson Water. The track now passes mile after mile of MoD land on the left-hand side and it is delightfully unspoilt. On the right hand side we passed a new poultry farm, then woodland, and eventually we could see Thompson Water through the trees. To get to Thompson Water we turned right, briefly on the Great Eastern Pingo Trail not the Peddars Way, then right again to the lake itself. We had lunch sitting on a bench, with views of the lake and dragonflies for company – delightful.

We continued along the straight line of the Peddars Way, with the track through the trees narrowing to a footpath, and eventually we emerged onto a permission path on the Merton Estate. Past Home Farm we turned left and then right, and emerged onto the B1108.

It’s about a mile from here to Little Cressingham, and last time we omitted this section, believing it to be walking on a relatively busy road. However the path actually goes behind the hedge and it was lovely, with views to Threxton Church. We were soon back at the car in its lay-by just before Little Cressingham.

Following leg of Peddars Way