This month Peter James of the Norfolk Ramblers takes us to Wreningham and Ashwellthorpe
Longs Wood Wreningham to Ashwellthorpe
Main walk 5 miles 8km short walk 3.75 miles 6km
Park in Long's Wood car park on Wymondham Road.
Grid Reference TM148990
Nearest postcode Nr16 1AT
OS map Explorer 237
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1 Leave the car park, returning to the road, and turn left. Follow the road to the left-hand corner. Turn right onto the signed track, Old Rectory Lane. At the end of the track, by a building, continue ahead to a waymark post at a field corner. Bear left to the next field corner and go over the bridge. Cross the field to a small group of trees. Turn right and almost immediately turn left and continue with the hedge on your left-hand side. Go to the next field corner and cross the bridge with a handrail on your left. Now bear right and take the diagonal path across the field to the corner of Lower Wood. Walk along the edge of the wood to another bridge, go over the bridge and turn right, still following the edge of the wood. At the next bridge go over and turn left along a field edge passing a new building on your right where you continue to the boundary fences of new houses. Turn right and then left to exit onto the road.
2 If doing the short walk turn left and follow the pavement to the church at (3). For the long walk, turn right along the road to the old village hall. Cross the road onto a track opposite that passes between houses. At the end of the track turn right onto a field edge path and follow the path around the field. Where the hedge ends, continue straight on to a crossing path and turn left. At the edge of this field turn right to follow the ditch on your left and then go over a bridge by an oak tree, and then straight over a narrow field. Go through the gap in the hedge onto a bridge and through a ‘ramblers gate’. Carry straight on across a much larger field to the far side, then turn left to walk alongside a hedge on your right. At the end of this large field go through a kissing gate. At the crossing track turn left with a hedge and a ditch on your left and a wooden railed fence on your right. Follow this ditch all the way to the road, cross over and turn left towards the church then turn right.
3 This is where the short walk re-joins the main walk. Enter the churchyard through the gate taking the path immediately to the right. Enter the garden of the house and head leftwards around the water to cross the bridge and go through the gap in the fence. Turn right, following the field edge permissive path to join the right of way path at the next corner. Follow the field edge to meet a crossing track. Turn right following the track through horse paddocks to the stables. Pass through to the main drive leading out onto the road. Turn left and follow the road to pass the school on your right. At the junction of Wymondham Road turn left. Just over 300 yards from the junction take the signed path to the right between the houses. Follow this path along the field edge to a bridge. Go over the bridge and turn left. With the ditch on your left, follow the path to the wood and continue along the side of the wood and around the end of the wood, above the old railway line, until you come to a gap in the hedge on your left. The steps go down then back up the old railway embankment. At the top of the steps turn left and then right back to the car park.
If you do not want to go down the steps continue alongside the wood to the end and go through a gap in the hedge. Turn left to cross the old railway, (there is a bridge to the right) and turn left to follow the railway embankment along the edge of the wood. At the end of the wood turn right back to the car park.
Long's Wood is a privately owned wood with permissive access; there are many paths throughout the woods joining up with some public footpaths and you can make up a walk within the woods quite easily.
Kett's Country Trail
You will notice many new fingerposts and way markers; this is for the new Kett's Country Trail, an 18-mile trail which links Wymondham and Norwich and is the newest addition to the Norfolk Trails network.
The route starts in Wymondham where the story of Kett’s Rebellion began in July 1549. It finishes in Eaton, just past Cringleford’s historic twin-arched bridge. The trail weaves along the picturesque South Norfolk Claylands countryside, an important area for nature. Look out for great crested newts, barn owls, buzzards, kites, turtle doves, kingfishers, green woodpeckers and brown hares.
You might also see hedgehogs, bats, bee orchids, dragonflies, butterflies and grass snakes. And if you’re lucky, you might spot the peregrine falcon at Wymondham Abbey.
For anyone looking for something less strenuous there are also five mini-adventures to enjoy along the way. There are waymarked circular walks at Wymondham, Wreningham, Mulbarton, Swardeston and Cringleford.
norfolk.gov.uk/out-and-about-in-norfolk/norfolk-trails/long-distance-trails/ketts-country
Recharge points
The Bird in Hand, Wreningham
This pub, also reviewed more fully in this issue, is a large pub with a great menu for either a light snack lunch, or something more substantial if you need it. It also has rooms, so if you want to make a mini-break and tackle Kett’s Way, this offers a very comfortable option.
The Orangery Tea Room, Ketteringham Hall
A little further away is the Orangery Tea Room, a lovely spot which is part of the historic Ketteringham Hall. It has a delicious-looking selection of treats of offer – but if you go for one of their afternoon teas you might need a very long walk to work it off!
