We're on the wildlife-rich heathlands of north Norfolk with Peter James and the Norfolk Ramblers
The walk starts at the Kelling heath car park on Holgate Hill, or it can be started from Weyborne if using the Coasthopper bus
Grid reference: TG0988 4169
Nearest Postcode: NR25 7ER
What3words: ///simply.meal.estimates
6 miles, 9.6km
1 From the car park pass beside the metal gate follow the path to a wooded area. Keep following the path to a notice board. At the crossing paths turn left, following the path downhill. Passing a bungalow, follow the track to the road. Cross the road. Through the gate turn left, follow the permissive path which will bring you to a gate on to the road at Kelling.
2 Turn immediately right and follow the restricted byway. At the quag turn right - be careful not to go straight on here as it is a long way round the get to the beach. This is a good birdwatching area with the ponds and meadows. Follow the path which turns left, bringing you to an old boat and the shingle bank. Turn right between the fence and shingle bank; up to your right you have views of the heavy guns from the Muckleburgh collection. You now follow the fence; sometimes on shingle, sometimes on cliff path, till you reach Weyborne Hope beach car park. (There are toilets in the car park.)
3 Carefully walk down one of the car park tracks to where they meet on the road. There is a footpath starting on the right-hand side; crossing to the other side follow to the main road on the corner there is a coffee shop and, opposite, a pub.
4 If using the Coasthopper bus, you start the walk here. Take the road opposite the church; at the corner turn left on to Station Road and follow the pavement around the corner, heading up to Weyborne Station. The station is worth a visit. Take the bridge over the railway; the exit is under the bridge.
5 Turn right then left to follow the track to the road. Cross over and go through the kissing gate. At the field gate take the path that follows the fence - you will now follow the railway line. There are some great views over the fields to the coast. Follow the path - you will come to an attractive pond with fishing platforms. Keep going, following the signs for Kelling, Holt. The path goes along the platform, leaving at the far end follow the path to where the track goes uphill but you turn right at the bottom to climb the path through the woods it is quite steep and windy you will then come out onto a track beside the railway. Follow this to the crossing gates where you turn right to cross the railway with care then follow the track to the road cross taking the path opposite then take the first path on the left this winds itself back to the gate into the carpark.
Points of Interest
North Norfolk Railway
The section between Holt, Weybourne and Sheringham, plus the section to Cromer, was built by the Eastern and Midlands Railway and opened in 1887 to exploit the rapidly-growing tourist market. Initially the line was intended to go from Holt to Blakeney to serve the harbour there, with a branch to Sheringham, but when the directors realised the potential revenue from tourists visiting Clement Scott’s ‘Poppyland’ they abandoned the Blakeney scheme.
The line provided a successful service for holidaymakers and locals alike and in the Second World War became of strategic importance, serving the military training camp and artillery range at Weybourne. Armoured trains patrolled the line during both world wars, ready to defend the area in the event of an invasion.
With changing holiday and transport patterns, revenue declined throughout the 1950s and the line eventually fell victim to the infamous Dr Beeching, closing between Melton Constable and Sheringham in 1964. Sheringham Station was closed to the public in 1967 when British Rail built a platform on the east side of Station Road so that trains no longer had to use the level crossing to reach the station. The station was then leased to the M&GN Society, to become part of the North Norfolk Railway.
