Built
The Romans developed the route between about AD 47 – 70 (Just under 2000 years ago) from an existing Bronze Age track (which would make it 4000 years old!)
This is the earliest Roman Road in the Norfolk.
Roman engineers tended to make their roads take the shortest most practical route, but in general they paid careful regard to obstacles.
Pre Roman Times
Peddars Way was originally called Palmers Way - pilgrims (carrying palms) used to use it to travel from Ely to Walsingham.
Another reference said a short section of the road was used by Pilgrims including Royalty, travelling backwards and forwards to Walsingham.
Destination
Possibly originally linked to Colchester.
Supposed to be from Stanton Clare in Suffolk to Holme which is 50 miles.
Now it starts in Knettishall in Suffolk to Holme which is 47 miles.
There is a Norfolk legend that says the road turned at Ringstead and ended at St Edmunds Point, Hunstanton
Sunday 30th January 2005
Knettishall – Wretham 6 Miles
We collected Jen and left for Knettishall near Thetford it was a foggy start but on the way it cleared up and turned into a lovely warm sunny day. We got there and started about 9.30am it started in lovely pretty woodland, the scenery and weather was perfect. This eventually turned into swampland, where we followed a broadwalk to and over the River Thet, where we had our elevenses. We saw a lot of dead rabbits.
Late morning I got bitten by a large long haired brown dog, on my wrist, it was very painful and broke the skin.
We passed through Brettenham Heath where we had lunch.
We passed the A11 and the main London to Norwich rail track. Then we passed through farmland, and went through some smelly muddy track. We eventually finished our 6 mile walk at Wretham about 3pm, found the next part of our walk and waited about 20 minutes for Bob.
We got home, I was shattered, my legs hurt the dog bite was throbbing.
Sunday 6th February 2005
Wretham – Little Cressingham 8 Miles
Today is part 2 of our Peddars Way walk today we do from East Wretham to Little Cressingham a total of 8 miles. I was worried because I haven't walked that distance before, I got on better than I expected. It was a good easy walk we went through military zones and heard lots of gunshots, there was some lovely scenes, we saw snowdrops out and lots of daffodils nearly out. We passed Thompson Water and the Pingo Trail.
There was a warning about Giant Hogweed along part of the trail, saying to beware because if you touch the leaves the sap could sting, the Hogweed grows upto 5 metres tall and the leaves can grow upto 1 metre across. (There is a picture, but it is the wrong season to get the full effect)
It took us about 5 hours.
During the walk we saw two plaques in totally different places, there was no reason for them, they were in the middle of nowhere, with no date or who put them there being mentioned.
The first one was vertical with the writing vertical, with a spiral in the top right hand corner.
The verse read:-
The footprints of our ancestors
Familiar as our own faces
Remote as fossils
Written on clay
And wash away
Over and over
Over and over
Maybe this refers to people who lost their lives building the road???The second one was horizontal and read:-
Surveyors have made their lines
On the land trapping Albion
In a net of roads
A taut web on the edge of empire.
Albion I believe is Roman for Britain, as this is a Roman road, it fits, and it seems to refer to the Roman mapping of the area.
Sunday 20th March 2005
Little Cressingham – A47 7 miles
It started off misty and damp, although the mist remained throughout the day, it dried up.
We were dropped off at Little Cressingham at about 10.30am, and started our walk, most of the walk was over metalled surfaces unfortunate, and wasn’t following the original Peddars Way which had been lost over the years, we picked up the original Peddars Way again the other side of North Pickenham.
We saw lots of wild daffodils and Catkins, we saw baby lambs and calves, we saw a lamb chasing a pheasant which was a picture to see.
Many signs of Spring on the way.
We passed the River Wissey where Jen insisted on stopping to play Pooh Sticks.
We hand lunch in North Pickenham, then the walk continued on a grassy green lane called Procession Lane after Pilgrims who used it, this now was following the ancient Peddars Way. The walk was very hard it was mainly on metalled surfaces and progressed uphill gently all the way, it was very hard work.
Towards the end of the walk we came across an abandoned car which had been set alight to.
Then we saw a plaque (see photo) with the following words on laid out as they were on the plaque:-
The
Piety
Of
Every
Man
And
Every
Wo-
Mans
Whisp-
Ered
Prayers
Clasped
In the
Grain of
Wood and
Stone and
In the Grace
Of ancient
Air
Sunday 15th May 2005
A47 – Castle Acre 5 miles
Through several reasons we have had quite a long break doing the walks, and we were both eager to get back to them.
This is the shortest leg of the walk, but it was the only way we could organise it.
The day was glorious, weather was lovely and sunny with clear blue skies, the birds were singing, we could smell all the greenery of spring, we stripped down to tee shirts it was so warm. We saw lovely yellow fields everywhere with oil seed rape flowering, it looked quite spectacular.
It wasn’t the best section there was a lot of Mettalled surfaces. When we had our elevenses we were joined by some cattle who came to watch.
Just outside Castle Acre we came to a deep Ford, with signs saying not suitable for cars which people ignored, for a moment we thought how do we get past, then spotted a footbridge round the edge of it, some children were playing and paddling in the Ford while having a picnic lunch, this Ford was part of the River NarWe saw some fantastic views of the Castle Acre Priory.
Then I met up with Ann Dodd we used to sit on Play Groups and PlayFund committees together years ago.
We had lunch in a spectacular spot overlooking the River Nar.
Just after lunch we went over a small wooden bridge over a stream just off the River Nar and met this boy about 10, who was pointing out tadpoles and small fishes to us.
We then proceeded into Castle Acre, a lovely village, where Bob met us before we reached our meeting place.
Sunday 22nd May 2005
Castle Acre – A148 (Harpley Dams) 7.11 miles
This was not the nicest part of the journey, we went constantly uphill, and for half the journey it was on metalled roads.
The weather was fine.
Near the end of the journey we came to a plaque which read:-
From
Blackwater
Carr to
Sea Gate
Since
Tithe Plough
First
Broke the
Bread of
Land
Pightles
And pieces
Plots &
Pastures
To Everyman
His Stony Acre
This obviously had its roots in agriculture.We were completely exhausted when we were done.
Sunday 19th June
A148 (Harpley Dams) – Fring Road 5 ½ miles approx
It was Hot Hot Hot today about 90degrees (30c)
It was a lovely walk it meandered up and down gentle hills, we rarely saw anyone.
We passed lovely wildflower meadows, beautiful hedgerows that were inundated with life, insects, butterflies, birds.
At one point we saw some baby ducklings not very old on the path, but they scattered and we missed taking a photo.
Although it was a beautiful walk it was very tiring because of the heat, we intended to get to Fring Cross at Sedgeford, but had to cut the walk short, by about 1.5-2 miles.
Sunday 26th June
Fring Road - Holme 7 ½ miles approx
It was not as hot today.
It was another lovely walk, lots of wildlife and insects in the hedgerows, with lots of wildflower meadows. It wasn’t long before we reached Fring Cross, which is where we should have been collected last week. Fring Cross is an old Ford, where Heacham River used to cross, and there used to be a Cross there which is long gone.
We walked through Ringstead, this is the only place on the whole walk that we passed a shop, we bought an ice cream, I also met and spoke to Pete Mullins.
We continued the walk and passed another Plaque which read:-
And I
Being Here
Have Been
Part of
All this
Caught &
Thrown
Like sun
On Water
Have Entered
Into All
Around Me
We then reached the A149 and continued on to and passed The River Hun, where we came upon a sign which said Peddars Way one way and North Norfolk Coast the Other, we had Finished the 47 mile walk.
This is part 1 of our walk, the next part is to complete the North Norfolk Coast.
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