Brecks & Beaches
Encounter amazing, unexpected gems of civilisation amidst the wildest woods, heaths and winding creeks of Norfolk’s big sky landscapes. Historic Walsingham has attracted generations of pilgrims; today’s Norfolk visitors have more of a habit of heading to the stylish ‘Burhams’, aka ‘Chelsea-on-Sea’. Country houses fit for a queen, castles and priories, Palladian edifices and great market towns – cycle to see them all though peaceful country lanes with a charming surprise around almost every corner. Read More
England
Any Day
Bed & Breakfast
£626.00
5 Days, 4 Nights
Feb - Nov
Grade 2 (Easy)
Overview
This is a tour that explores the many facets of Norfolk, from the history and grandeur of Oxburgh Hall, to the quaint medieval town of Castle Acre and on to the ancient ports on the North Norfolk coast.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive & relax
Arrive at your hotel, just outside Watton, where your bikes will be provided after breakfast the following morning.
Day 2 From Neolithic miners to Tudor Queens
Travelling through Breckland woods and heath, you reach moated Oxburgh Hall, one of the most romantic and picturesque Tudor Great Houses in the country. (Well worth the detour is a visit to Grimes Graves, where you can descend by ladder to the Neolithic flint mines.) On to the Saxon church at Cockley Cley before arriving in Swaffham for the night. Its wedged-shaped market place, flanked by graceful 18th century buildings, make Swaffham one of Norfolk’s most attractive market towns.
Mileage: Min 9 Max 36 Rec 22
Day 3 Market towns & hidden villages
This morning you journey to Castle Acre. The tiny walled ‘town’, the atmospheric ruins of Castle Acre Priory and the Castle – the great Norman house and fortress – provide a rewarding break. Your route now takes you over the ‘roof of Norfolk’ (a towering height of 95m!) through peaceful countryside to Fakenham on the banks of the River Wensum. You stay two nights in the Fakenham area.
Mileage: Min 21 Max 33 Rec23
Day 4 Circular route options
The area of Fakenham, a traditional market town, makes a perfect base for a choice of circular routes exploring North Norfolk and the coast. At Little Walsingham, a vision in 1061 inspired the building of a replica of the Holy House in Nazareth. Enclosed in a stone chapel in the 15th century, it became a place of pilgrimage second only to Canterbury. On the Wells-Walsingham Light Railway you can ‘steam’ to the Norfolk Coast. Alternatively, you can cycle to Wells next the Sea. Here, the ancient quay, narrow streets with flint faced cottages and shops are a must to explore. The sand dunes of Holkham Bay and the sleepy creeks and back waters of Burnham Overy Staithe give you a real feel for the haunting Norfolk Coast.
Mileage: Min 16 Max 44
Day 5 Old ways & lost settlements
Returning to Watton, you travel through a myriad of pretty villages. The Norfolk Rural Life Museum and Union Farm is well worth a visit, while at the Saxon village of Godwick you can explore the well preserved earthworks which define the sunken village street and house plots either side.
Mileage: Min 27 Max 35 Rec 27
Gallery
Dates & Prices
Download PricesFor tour start days/dates, seasons and all prices, please click on the PRICES button above
PRICE INCLUDES
Ensuite accommodation as described with full English breakfast (prices based on two adults sharing)
Hire of hybrid bicycle and ancillary equipment (single pannier and handlebar bag or map holder, pump, basic tools, spare inner tube & puncture repair equipment, helmet if required)
Luggage transfer between hotels
Delivery & collection of bicycles (delivery is after breakfast on Day 2 of your tour unless we agree an alternative time)
Local assistance on call (although puncture repair is excluded)
Detailed itinerary with meticulously planned and researched routes following quiet country lanes with a choice of routes available each day (usually recommended, long and short)
Route notes, descriptions and use of good OS mapping (maps available on arrival) We pride ourselves on our detailed level of documentation which includes plenty of top tips for places to visit or for relaxing and sampling the local fare along the way. We send electronic versions of these documents by email approximately two weeks before your stay so you can plan ahead and look forward to your gentle cycling adventure. We have now switched the default navigation system to GPS – in our opinion this is now the most convenient method as it eliminates the need for frequent stops to check the map
- We provide you with access to a premium GPS smartphone navigation app (IOS or Android) and send you links so that you can download all of the route options before you leave home. We will provide a handlebar bracket for your phone if required; it is also recommended that you bring a spare battery/powerbank to make sure that your phone lasts the day
- We can also provide GPS tracks in whatever format if you prefer to load them into your own GPS Unit. Finally, we can provide a limited number of GPS units with the routes preloaded – this is on a first come first served basis – please let us know as soon as you can if you would like to use one
- We will also provide OS 1:50,000 mapping on arrival as additional support to allow for any impromptu route changes
- Traditional map-based navigation (using marked OS maps) is still available as an alternative at extra cost upon request (at least two weeks in advance)
Please note that the price EXCLUDES
Costs of getting to and from the start point
Accommodation Options
Selected 3 star hotel in Watton, an unrated boutique hotel in Swaffham and an unrated, but very comfortable village inn in the Fakenham area.
We are pleased to discuss details on request.
Request Booking
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