Briarfields Hotel

Modern Brancaster is a sleepy coastal village, albeit one with a vibrant sailing scene. This circular walk offers a rich and varied past for the heritage explorer to delve into. Why not finish the walk at one of the local pubs, which have a history all of their own?

The Brancaster Staithe walk is a contrast of saltmarsh and sailing regattas, wind and woodland. The views from the highpoint at Barrow Common are breathtaking. From here it is easy to picture traders visiting Branodunum, the Roman fort built near the shore to defend the coastline.

Thornham sits in the quintessential north-west Norfolk landscape of saltmarsh and sand flats. This route offers rich history and a vast, natural remoteness without straying too far from the comforts of cafés and pubs that offer the very best in local produce.

A 'get away from it all' explorer loop taking you from bustling Burnham Market deep into the Norfolk countryside. Through Stanhoe with its idyllic village pond, alongside Houghton Hall with the white fallow deer herd and then the iconic working Bircham Windmill. A country ride with fine views and the occasional challenging undulation along the way.

The route takes in quiet lanes and tracks across a landscape of low chalk hills which afford glorious coastal views. With a pub in the village on the longer Ringstead route, it is perfect for leisurely exploration.