HADDISCOE - 4 mile circular walk, Norfolk, U.K.

Welcome to Hikeaholics, Chay here !

We’re continuing around the Norfolk/Suffolk borders for this 4 mile circular walk. We start and finish at Haddiscoe Bridge, Station Road, Haddiscoe NR31 9JA.

We park for free on Station Road, just after turning off Haddiscoe Dam (A143). You should be able to see the footpath and sign across the road, so head over the A143 and start the trail. Always check for the blue footpath signs on each gate to ensure you are going the right way. Walk around the first gate (don’t touch as it’s greased up) and along to the next gate. Here, you veer left along the grass trail. Don’t take the first gate on the left, but continue along the grassy path. Keep going through the gates with the blue signs always staying to the left hand side until you come to the gate with a wonky sign (L shaped with 2 blue signs). We then follow the path keeping to the right hand side and exit the marshes. It’s then a quick stroll down a grassy/muddy track until you look up to Thorpe Hall. Keep going through the gates here until you enter the next field. Stick to the right hand side to find a gate, concealed at first by the undergrowth. We are now on Church Road, where we turn right (we come off the 8 mile blue signposted trail here) and head towards the church of Saint Matthias in Thorpe-next-Haddiscoe. This is a Grade I listed building and the tower was built in the 11th century. At the church leave Church Road by turning right onto North End rather than following Church Road around to the left. Follow this road until it turns into Low Road with a left turn at its end. Continue along Low Road until it veers left. Here you turn right and pick up the full 8 mile trail again. It’s then another quick right turn over the stile. We follow the grassy track to come back out onto the marshes. We now walk through 5 stubby grass fields, keeping to the right hand side at all times. In the last field the grass track veers to the left where you can see bright yellow painted railings. Here you go through an open gate and onto a track that runs parallel with the Norwich to Lowestoft railway line and the New Haddiscoe Cut behind that. Walk down the grassy/gravel track towards the bridge where you will find a World War II Pill Box. Once we are under the bridge we’re back on Station Road where the turn right and back to the car.

Hiking distance: 4.2 miles
Hiking time: 1hr 20mins
Hiking speed: 3.15mph