Peddars Way – Little Cressingham to Castle Acre

Date: Sunday 4 May 2014

Distance: 11.5 miles

Footpaths: Peddars Way National Trail

http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/peddars-way-and-norfolk-coast-path

Time: 5.5 hrs with stops

Counties: Norfolk

Weather: Warm & Sunny – some cloud

Terrain: Mostly very quiet unclassified roads and grassy paths

Clothing: As per Knettishall Heath to Little Cressingham but with no need for fleece and trousers converted to shorts

Maps: OS Landranger 144 & 132

Books: Trailblazer Guide to Peddars Way & Norfolk Coast Path

Travel

No transport needed – On foot only

Rest Stops

Picnic lunch stop – we resisted the lure of the McDonalds at the A47 crossroads and found a grassy verge a little further up the path

Dinner at The Ostrich, Castle Acre.

www.ostrichcastleacre.com

Dogs welcome in bar area & garden

Beef Roast Dinner – good quality meat with well cooked veg

Half an Ostrich Ale

Pubs/cafes passed but not visited

The Blue Lion – North Pickenham. Not open as we passed.

McDonalds – A47. Can’t take dog inside or walk through Drive Thru (not that we tried)

Accommodation

Old Red Lion, Castle Acre www.oldredlion.org.uk

1 night, double courtyard room, private bathroom including whole food vegetarian breakfast – £35

Alison was a lovely hostess, very friendly and chatty, knowledgeable about the local area. Very welcoming, quirky alternative style of accommodation but the room was beautiful and very contemporary. Next door to castle remains. Great self serve vegetarian/vegan breakfast with homemade bread and delicious peanut butter. Beautiful gardens but had to keep the dog away from the resident cat. Wish I could have stayed for some yoga – hope to return for one of Alison’s retreats.

Notes

Mostly paved roads – not very forgiving on sore legs

Few fields of livestock close to North Pickenham. Luckily full of horses and not cows.

Met lots of friendly people out today and did parts of the path with other local dog walkers.

Crossing A47 not too bad as traffic slowed by roundabout.

Dog poo bins in North Pickenham & Castle Acre.

No toilet stops so had to make do with a wild wee close to our picnic spot.

Castle Acre was a lovely village – we missed the rubber duck race on the river which was finishing just as we arrived but we spent some time walking around the castle ruins and would definitely return to visit the priory.

Good village shop in Castle Acre to stock up on supplies.