Guidance

Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path: National Trail

Published 24 June 2026

Applies to England

This National Trail combines 2 long-distance walking trails in East Anglia:

• Peddars Way
• Norfolk Coast Path

It goes through the Norfolk Coast National Landscape.

Peddars Way starts at Knettishall Heath Country Park in Suffolk (or Thetford Station for cyclists). It follows the route of a Roman road for 46 miles (74km) to Holme-next-the-Sea, North Norfolk, where it meets the Norfolk Coast Path.

The Norfolk Coast Path is 112-mile (180km) trail around the entire Norfolk coastline, from Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire to the county border with Suffolk, through lowland landscape.

The Norfolk Coast Path is part of the King Charles III England Coast Path. The trail has been extended in both directions to reach Norfolk’s borders. Originally, the Norfolk Coast Path used to end in Cromer.

About the trail

The trail goes between:

• Knettishall to Holme-next-the-Sea
• Sutton Bridge to Hopton-on-sea

You can choose to walk the entire trail, a specific section or two, or find local circular walks that follow some of the trail.

You can find some circular and linear walks on the National Trails website.

When to visit

The trail is open all year.

Some flooding occurs on the Peddars Way during the winter near Thorpe Woodlands in Shadwell. However, there is an alternative route you can take during flooding.

Signposts on the trail

All National Trails are signed with an acorn symbol or the trail name. You’ll see these along the trail, for example on gates and signposts.

On the Norfolk Coast Path, you may also see signposts for the King Charles III England Coast Path.

Walking the whole trail

• Length: 158 miles (254km) combined

Time to complete:

• Peddars Way – around 4 days
• Norfolk Coast Path – around 10 days
• both trails – around 14 days in total

You may want to give yourself more time to explore along the trail.

You can walk the trail in either direction. Signposts show the route in both directions so you can choose. Most long-distance walkers walk north along the Peddars Way and then east along the Norfolk Coast path.

Accessibility on the trail

The trail is varied with gentle gradients. 

Peddars Way passes through the Brecks, an area of forest, heaths and low river valleys. The trail is gentle and often on sandy tracks or paths.

The Norfolk Coast Path trail goes past sandy beaches and dunes, shingle banks, saltmarsh and mudflats.

There are no stiles on the trail, but there are steps. Improvements to widen and level out the surface have been made at Brancaster, Skelding Hill and Thornham.

What you can experience on the trail  

There are many things you can experience on the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path, including:

• wildlife – such as birds across the Wash and at Cley next the Sea
• historic and heritage sites – such as traditional Norfolk flint-built buildings and medieval churches, the sea henge site and castle and priory ruins in Castle Acre
• nature reserves – such as Holkham, Blakeney, Winterton Dunes, Titchwell Marsh and Snettisham
• local culture, food and entertainment

On the trail you can also visit cities, towns and small villages, including: 

• Kings Lynn
• Great Yarmouth
• Cromer
• Sheringham
• Wells-next-the-sea
• Castle Acre
• Hunstanton

Sections of the trail  

Knettishall Heath to Little Cressingham – 14.5 miles (23.3km)

This is the start of The Peddars Way. This section runs through quiet river valleys and dry heathland. The route links with Angles Way and the Icknield Way at Knettishall Heath.

Little Cressingham to Castle Acre – 11.7 miles (18.8km)

The trail passes a windmill, rivers and the village of Castle Acre. The Nar Valley Way crosses the trail at Castle Acre.

Castle Acre to Sedgeford and Fring – 13.9 miles (22.4km)

This is a quiet area and the north section is fairly remote. Much of the land was heath that later became farm fields.

Sedgeford to Holme or Hunstanton – 8.9 miles (14.3km)

The section starts near a Cromwell‑era ‘magazine’ (a building used as an ammunition store)  and follows a former railway line. Near Ringstead you can see exposed chalk rock and views of the sea.

Peddars Way meets the Norfolk Coast Path on this section and ends here.

You can turn west to complete 3km of the Norfolk Coast Path, to Hunstanton and then onwards towards Lincolnshire on the King Charles III England Coast Path.

Or you can turn east and follow the Norfolk Coast Path to Holme-next-the-Sea and beyond.

Holme-next the-Sea to Lincolnshire border – 30.1 miles (48. 4km) 

From Holme-next-the-Sea, heading westwards, the trail passes through Hunstanton, and King’s Lynn then goes around The Wash, with wildlife along the Ken Hill estate near Heacham and Snettisham nature reserve.  It then follows flood banks along the River Nar and continues around The Wash where you should follow signs and stay on the landward side of the flood bank in places, to avoid disturbing  birds in The Wash.  

The Norfolk Coast path ends at the Lincolnshire border but the King Charles III England Coast Path continues on to Sutton Bridge.

Holme‑next‑the‑Sea (and Hunstanton) to Burnham Overy Staithe – 16.1 miles (25.9km)

From Holme-next-the-Sea heading wastwards, the landscape changes to saltmarsh, sand and small harbours and villages. On clear days, you may see the Lincolnshire coast.

Burnham Overy Staithe to Stiffkey – 9.8 miles (15.8km)

This section continues along the saltmarsh and shoreline. The trail goes through Holkham Hall Estate and the busy harbour town of Wells‑next‑the‑Sea.

Stiffkey to Weybourne – 12.5 miles (20.1km)

The trail goes on quiet paths past mudflats and on grass paths over salt marshes. There are well-known areas for birdwatchers at Cley and Salthouse.

Weybourne to Cromer – 8.6 miles (13.8km)

This section of the trail passes the Muckleburgh Collection of historic military vehicles, with several guns lining the route. The cliffs rise here and the trail climbs to clifftops and passes through Sheringham.

The trail climbs over two hills, Skelding Hill and Beeston Hill (known as ‘the bump’) and passes sites of important fossil finds.

Cromer to Mundesley – 7.75 miles (12.5km)

Cromer is a busy town, with many shops and places for food and drink open all year round. The trail goes on the beach and clifftops, so you should look up tide times before you set off to reduce the risk of getting cut off by rising tides.

Overstrand has woodland and field‑edge paths. Trimingham has a historic church and the local radar station known as ‘the golf ball’. Active coastal erosion here means the trail is always moving inland a little. 

Mundesley to Happisburgh – 6 miles (9.5km)

The beach section in Mundesley is tide‑dependent, so you should look up tide times before you set off. The trail passes Bacton and Walcott to Happisburgh, where early human footprints were found.

Sea Palling to Caister‑on‑Sea (North Beach) – 10.5 miles (17km)

The trail goes behind dunes and through grassland and woodland. The trail passes the Winterton‑Horsey Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) with rare wildlife. You should follow any signs for diversions to help protect wildlife.

Caister‑on‑Sea (North Beach) to Hopton‑on‑Sea – 10 miles (16km)

The trail starts on a disused railway line and drops to the beach. The trail goes through Great Yarmouth, where there are many places for food and drink and leisure activities. Past Gorleston’s beach, the trail ends at Hopton‑on‑Sea. There’s an alternative high‑tide route signposted that you can follow.

Maps for the trail

You can find: 

• a map on the National Trails website – you can also download GPX data
• other maps and guidebooks online and in print
• circular and linear walks online and from the local council

Diversions or closures on the trail

If there are any diversions or closures of sections of the trail, these will be clearly signposted. You should always follow the signposts on the trail.

Prepare for your visit

Read guidance on how to prepare for your visit for information on: 

• checking the route – including for diversions or closures 
• planning your trip 
• what to prepare before you set off 
• what to do on the trail

Contact

Use the relevant National Trails online form to:

• report a problem
• ask a question about accessibility on the trail
• find out about volunteering opportunities

Contact the local council to report a problem on a public right of way, for example obstructions, poor maintenance or a misleading sign.