Weavers Way: Aylsham to Stalham

The Weavers’ Way passes through that area of the county which for many centuries was renowned as a centre of the weaving trade. Its 62 miles (100km), connecting two of Norfolk’s larger towns, present extremely easy walking through a variety of different types of country, and take the walker past or near to many places of great interest. By means of a path along a disused railway this section connects the ancient market town of Aylsham with North Walsham, which can date its origins back to Saxon times. The route then veers to the south-east to finish at Stalham, a market town on the River Ant.

 If you would rather attempt this walk in two stages, overnight accommodation can be found at a delightful Victorian B&B in North Walsham called The Coach House.

From the start point, the Weavers’ Way makes use of minor roads (well waymarked) in order to skirt the north side of Aylsham and cross the A140, after which it settles down for a spell along the dismantled railway line which used to run between King’s Lynn and Great Yarmouth (opened in 1883 and closed in 1959). This is easy walking, if not the most exciting part of the route, and many different varieties of plants, shrubs and trees can be seen along here.

The cutting before the road leading to Felmingham is a butterfly nature reserve and it is quite likely, too, that there may be an adder or two basking in the sun here (they are quite harmless unless interfered with). This whole section of the route can become extremely hot in fine summer weather.

About 0.6 miles (1km) after the Felmingham road, the Weavers’ Way divides, and you have the choice of going into North Walsham, where you could spend the night, or avoiding the town by keeping to its south via Stone Cross, Scarborough Hill, and White Horse Common. Both routes have their advantages, both are well waymarked and there is little difference in terms of distance.

The route leaves town by the old Yarmouth road, follows the pavement and turns left into Thirlby Road. At the end of the houses it goes straight ahead across the field to join Field Lane.

Turn left on Field Lane and continue to Happisburg Road, then turn right into Holgate Road. Take the first left and then turn right at the ‘T’ junction along Meeting Hill Road to arrive at the hamlet of Meeting Hill (shown as Meeting House Hill on most maps) and on, via a footpath, to meet the A149, where the route takes again to the disused railway line. To the south is Worstead, which gave its name to the famous cloth, with its huge ‘wool’ church, St Mary’s, whose 109ft (33m) tower is a local landmark.

The Weavers’ Way continues across the disused North Walsham and Dilham Canal, never a great success and now peculiarly melancholy, to the village of Honing; a quiet backwater with an 18th-century Hall, whose grounds were laid out by Humphrey Repton.

After Honing, the landscape and atmosphere of the countryside becomes more and more that of the Broads, especially around Brumstead Common, and the route eventually leads to Stalham; a bustling little town which supplies the many holidaymakers making use of Barton and Sutton Broads, and the River Ant. Note Stalham Hall towards the east end of the High Street. It is a delightful and much admired house of the late 18th century.