Part 5: Sheringham to Norwich

Sheringham to Norwich

PART FIVE

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Overview map Part 5

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Rebellion Way route Chapter markers National Cycle Network National Cycle Network route number

The last leg of the Rebellion Way follows the freshly surfaced path alongside the Bure Valley railway into the heart of the Norfolk Broads at Hoveton and Wroxham.

Part 5

Sheringham to Norwich

Distance: 76km (48 miles)

Overlooking Sheringham

Be aware

• There’s a main road crossing south of Sheringham • Steep/slippery climb onto Beeston

Regis common • Busy traffic in Hoveton/Wroxham and Norwich • Look out for walkers on the narrow section of the Bure Valley Path

Highlights

• Panoramic coastal views • Beautiful estates and stately homes at Felbrigg and Blickling • Bure Valley railway path • The heart of the Norfolk Broads • Varied back road, gravel and singletrack riding • Hidden landscape and architectural gems

Scene setter

We’ve saved the most diverse section of the Rebellion Way for last and it’s packed with fascinating places and features all the way into Norwich. Starting from the coast at Sheringham you’ll be onto gravel almost straight away. You’ll climb all the way up onto Beeston Regis common off-road too, so be prepared to push if it’s slippery or too steep. The spectacular panoramic coastal view from the top is a real surprise though, as is the easy but fun singletrack that takes you through the woods. The next highlight is the beautiful house and estate of Felbrigg Hall, and then a mix of gravel and back roads take you to the ultimate Englishness of Aldborough. Deserted back roads and hidden stream crossings join the timeless village dots around to the beautiful bike-friendly estate of Blickling Hall.

From here it’s on to the town of Aylsham, where you join the recently refreshed Bure Valley Path to chuff alongside the steam railway towards the heart of the Norfolk Broads at Hoveton. The route takes a mini tour of the unique Broads landscape around Ranworth, and then it’s a final reluctant turn towards Norwich for a quiet roll in, contemplating not just the amazing sights of the last section, but this whole fascinating route. You’ll even cross Mousehold Heath, which was at the heart of the Kett Rebellion, before dropping back into the historic city centre on traffic-dodging cycle paths.

Uncommon views

Make sure you’ve topped up your energy levels at Sheringham, as the first few kilometres of this section are all uphill, and steep by local standards too. Pulling up out of town you drop down a bridleway to cross the main road and then continue off-road up past the horse sanctuary. The ground can be soft and slippery up through the woods, so be prepared to hop off and push if you need to. We promise the panoramic views out over the Deep History Coast are definitely worth it. If you’re not convinced, you can do this whole direction on road with a simple diversion via West Runton, but if you do that you’ll also miss out on the fun, twisty singletrack through the wooded heath which takes you past the site of the old Roman Camp and ancient iron workings. Then you’ll drop down off the Cromer ridge, carefully across the main road and down the splendidly named and wonderful to ride ‘Lion’s Mouth’ gully before turning through the gates of Felbrigg Hall. This National Trust estate is well worth a tour, and it’s also a wonderful piece of park road to ride. A brief section of relatively busy road takes you to the next section of gravel down to Marble Hill, with a pair of charming gate houses that you’d never find otherwise.

Deep History Coast

The North Norfolk coast is formed from a hard rock base and an upper layer of glacial debris that sandwiches an incredibly rich layer of Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) fossils and artefacts. So far these include the oldest evidence of humans in north-western Europe (350,000 years earlier than previously thought) and the most complete fossilised mammoth found in the UK. Both these finds are celebrated by the giant mural on Sheringham sea wall. The coastline here is eroding rapidly, constantly uncovering fascinating remains from the lost world of ‘Doggerland’ beneath the North Sea and furthering our knowledge of deep history. You can play a part in recording this fascinating past landscape by downloading the DHC Explorer App on your phone and submitting GPS tagged photos to the archive.

Picture perfect

Then it’s a gentle roller coaster along forgotten dust-centred back roads past moated farmhouses and old halls south to Aldborough. This was where we had our most English experience of the whole recce ride as a cricket match was in full flow on the beautiful green outside the village pub. It’s another pub you need to look out for after rolling through more time-forgotten farms and hamlets. Leaving Aldborough, the meandering route will take you past the Saracens Head pub as you wander westwards, looping round the edge of Wolterton Park with its Hall and ruined church. Then you head southwards towards the young River Bure and the charming village of Itteringham with its wonderful community shop. Shortly after leaving Itteringham comes another notable Norfolk climb (it only rises 20m but it is on loose gravel) which brings you to the highpoint of the beautiful Blickling Park. From here it’s a lovely kilometre-long descent to the café, pub, car park and stunning Tudor Hall of Blickling itself. This is your last opportunity for a stately home tour or proper posh afternoon tea on the routes too, so fill your boots with fancy if you feel the need.

Beeston Regis Common

The north end of the glacial debris that forms the 100m-high Cromer ridge is covered by the National Trust heathland nature reserve of Beeston Regis Common. This area has always been quarried for gravel and minerals and various ages of mine remains can be found. There’s also a ramparted fort at the midpoint of the ridge which doesn’t have a confirmed date but has always been referred to by locals as Roman Camp.

Felbrigg hall

This National Trust-owned house, dating from Tudor times, is not only architecturally beautiful but also home to a wonderful collection of different treasures including architectural drawings, wallpaper, paintings and very ornate French furniture. It sits in a beautifully landscaped park estate which has several very quirky places to stay such as Mustard Pot Cottage, Cromer Lodge and apartments in the old stable block. Being a National Trust property, it obviously has a cracking tearoom as well. While cycle access is unrestricted, the house is only open on certain days, so check beforehand to avoid disappointment.

Blickling Hall

The earliest origins of Blickling Hall are unknown but it was a mighty manor house by the 15th century and became home to the Boleyn family, whose daughter Anne was one of Henry VIII’s infamously beheaded wives despite being mother of the first Queen Elizabeth. The current Jacobean hall was built in 1616 and sits at the centre of a large, landscaped estate with famous formal and informal gardens and several random architectural surprises. The National Trust has also built dedicated multi-use trails around the estate to help visitors work up an appetite for the two cafés on site.

Aldborough

Voted one of the top ten villages in the UK by ‘The Sunday Times’, Aldborough could easily be a template for the perfect English village. The large, triangular village green has a cricket pitch in the centre and is ringed by the medieval Black Boys pub, a remarkably well-stocked village shop, a doctor’s surgery and even a massage therapist. That makes it a perfect spot for a stop and snack refill, or even a rub of tired muscles from the 300km you’ve clocked up so far.

Itteringham Community Shop

This oasis of essentials and local produce has been the hub of Itteringham since 1637 and became a volunteer-run Community Shop in 1994. As a much-loved stopping point for local cyclists and passing tourers, it was recently accredited as a Cycle Friendly Place by Cycling UK. The shop has been supplied with equipment including tools and bike security gear, so the friendly shop folk will be able to repair any small issues as well as refuel you before you head on towards Blickling and Aylsham.

Aylsham

The story of Aylsham on the River Bure starts in prehistory and the area was busy with industry in the Roman period. The current town is rooted in the very early Anglian period (500 AD), and by medieval times it was a very rich cloth and wool trading town. The market is still very busy today. The picturesque, mostly Georgian town is also the self-appointed centre for Norfolk’s ‘slow food’ movement, dedicated to delicious, locally sourced ingredients.

Full steam ahead

That’s not to say that the mainly Georgianbuilt, foodie and market hub of Aylsham hasn’t got some lovely places to stop, but you might find the return to real life seems extra busy after so many miles of almost deserted time-travel gravel. You’re soon away from anything but the chance of a chuff alongside a steam train though as you roll into the Aylsham terminus of the Bure Valley Railway. Much of the cycle path that runs alongside the railway has been recently upgraded too. Breezing past old stations, over and under bridges with only the occasional walker to politely pass is a pleasant rest from the normal twist and turn navigation of rural Norfolk. There are still some narrow sections and small parts which can be damp after wet weather, though, so don’t be totally distracted by the passing villages and beautiful countryside. If you want to shortcut the route at this point you can also take the line in the other direction and loop around straight into Norwich. Otherwise the track drops you right into Hoveton and Wroxham, the ‘Capital of the Norfolk Broads’ and the final really big change in both the landscape and the character of your surroundings. After so long since the last sight of the sea, the huge quantity of pleasure boats reminds you how water-based this county is. It’s also the perfect place to hire one yourself and explore the fascinating maze of meres and channels that make up the huge Broads area spreading east and north. The huge amounts of holidaymakers also make it a bright and lively shock to the system after the rural wanderings since Sheringham, but if it’s ice cream or fast food you’re after (there’s even a McDonald’s) as a change from National Trust tearooms you won’t be disappointed.

Take a quiet loop into this unique lowland landscape past breweries and yet more unspoilt villages before the final roll back into Norwich.

Bure Valley Railway

The Bure Valley Railway is a wonderful example of people pouring their passion into a project. This volunteer-run attraction chugs and chuffs over 100,000 passengers the nine miles between Aylsham and Wroxham every year. The multi-use track that runs alongside the old Great Eastern track has recently been resurfaced too, making it a fantastic traffic-free link to the capital of the Norfolk Broads. Do be careful of other users though and always stop and say hi to make sure we get more facilities like this in future.

Wroxham and Hoveton

‘The Capital of the Norfolk Broads’, these two villages sit each side of the crucial bridge over the river Bure before it expands into this incredible and unique landscape. While the Broads might have large expanses of incredible, dramatic isolation, this epicentre of the holiday and boating businesses is a very busy and lively place. The local ‘Roys of Wroxham’ retail empire and all sorts of fast (and slower) food spots make it a great place to top up energy

levels for the last bit of the ride. Or you could take some time out and join the swans and other diverse wildlife on the water by hiring a boat yourself. As well as the heritage railway to Aylsham, it’s connected to the national rail network. If you want to explore the Broads more by bike, it’s also a Cycling UK EXPERIENCE hub with three different routes reaching into the heart of this fascinating area and its thousands of years of history.

experience.cyclinguk.org/norfolk/wroxham-and-hoveton

Panxworth Church tower

Bridge over the River Bure

Biking the Broads

Don’t worry if it’s all a bit much though, as once you’ve sneaked along the short section of main road over the bridge you’ll drop straight back into rural bliss on and off-road as you track the edge of Wroxham and Hoveton Great Broads around to Woodbastwick. Here you’ll even find an award-winning brewery to start your final-furlong celebrations early before rolling on to Ranworth with its ‘Cathedral’ and rare wildlife-packed Broad. A quick loop past old barns full of reeds stored for thatching and an ancient farm track and woodland loop alongside South Walsham Broad brings you to the spooky solo church tower of Panxworth.

Norfolk Broads

While the wetlands of the Broads have a primeval, deep history feel, they’re actually the result of medieval peat excavations by local monasteries which then flooded as the sea levels rose. The 120 miles/200km of navigable waterways made them a useful transport artery from the coast deep into Norfolk at Hoveton and Wroxham for centuries. Since the arrival of the railways in the 19th century, it has primarily been a very popular area for boating holidays and was given National Park designation in 1988. It also contains several nature reserves and SSSIs.

Ranworth

The first thing you’ll spot in Ranworth is the 30m-high tower of St Helen’s Church which earned it the title of ‘Cathedral of the Broads’ and gives views all the way to the coast from the top. Ranworth also has a picture-perfect pub and a café and moorings at the edge of Ranworth Broad, which is managed by Norfolk Wildlife Trust and includes several SSSIs which are home to many rare species.

Woodbastwick

Viking-named Woodbastwick is one of the most perfect villages on the Rebellion Way with untouched cottages surrounding a big village green with a well in the centre. While the well doesn’t work anymore, the award-winning Woodforde’s Brewery is perfectly placed to quench your thirst and even holds a music festival in summer.

Final furlong

Then it’s the last section of signature gently rolling back road as the road signs tick off the last few miles to Norwich. Time to relax and replay so many memories of the wonderful adventure you’ve hopefully had under the vast skies of this unique and very underestimated historical cycling paradise.

Wild geese

Kett's Heights

Jinking north into Rackheath dodges the suburbs and rolls you through Norwich’s green heart at Mousehold Heath where you might even pause to acknowledge the last bit of rebellious history that gave this route its name. Then it’s time to saddle up one last time and roll down into the heart of Norwich itself, ready to treat yourself to a well-earned tour of the castle, cathedral, museums and of course the wonderful food and drink opportunities that this celebrated centre of ‘good living’ prides itself on. To finish your ride on a suitably rebellious theme, we recommend going up to have a look at the woodland area now known as Kett’s Heights, from where Robert Kett and his ‘army’ besieged the city in 1549. It’s a beautiful, secluded spot and provides a great view over Norwich.

Kett’s Rebellion

We started this route with the story of Boudicca’s Rebellion, but there’s another very important and short-lived moment of significant ‘commotion time’ (as it was known locally) in Norfolk’s history. Kett’s Rebellion dates to July 1549 when local tenants started destroying fences that wealthy landowners had used to close off previously common land. One of these landowners – Robert Kett of Wymondham – listened to his tenants’ concerns and instead of fighting the rebels he offered to lead them. Gathering a 16,000-strong militia from the surrounding area and Norwich itself he stormed the city and then defeated the first Royal Army sent to quell the unrest. Unfortunately for Kett, the second Royal Army was a tougher opponent and he ended the year hung from Norwich Castle walls as a ‘decorative’ deterrent.

Mousehold Heath

While it’s now only a small area of heath and woodland surrounded by the suburbs of Norwich, Mousehold Heath once stretched right out into the Broads beyond Woodbastwick. It was used as common ground for grazing and wood cutting during the prehistoric and Roman period until it was almost bare by medieval times. Over time that left space for a priory church, a chapel, a horse racecourse and a military barracks. It also played a significant part in Norwich’s anarchic history, hosting large gatherings during ‘The Peasants’ Revolt’ of 1381 and it was also where Robert Kett’s ‘army’ camped when they occupied Norwich during Kett’s Rebellion. It was still the scene of riots and unrest in the mid-19th century, but now it’s a peaceful wildlife conservation area on the edge of the city.

Access for all

While Kett’s story may have ended badly, the fight for access to the countryside in England still resonates today. Only 22% of public rights of way have access for cycling, and the bridleway and byway network is often fragmented and inconsistent, making it difficult to put together a route. Cycling UK is continuing its work begun in 1968 when we secured access to bridleways for cycling and in 2003 with cycling’s inclusion in Scotland’s Land Reform Act (2003). We want to see increased off-road access for cycling, to make it easier for people to get outdoors and explore the countryside. Developing new routes like the Rebellion Way forms part of our vision for more connected long-distance trails, to show the benefits that off-road routes can bring.

Forest track near Sheringham

You’ll finish with a head full of fond memories of an often overlooked but wonderful county, and legs much fresher than they would be riding this far anywhere else in the UK.