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Main Boards => General Walking Discussion => Topic started by: WhitstableDave on 14:58:04, 06/05/20

Title: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 14:58:04, 06/05/20
Having completed a couple of outstanding sections of the North Downs Way using Google Street View on a treadmill, as well as the entire Pembrokeshire Coast Path and Cleveland Way national trails, I started this morning on the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path national trail (or the PWNCP from now on!).

I hadn't actually heard of the PWNCP until I looked on the National Trails website for my next project. As far as I could tell, it was the only completely 'street viewed' national trail that I hadn't done yet. So basically, I didn't have much choice - the PWNCP it is!

The shape of the PWNCP is very similar to that of the Cleveland Way in that it's a horseshoe where the route heads north to the coast before following the coast south. And whereas I said that the Cleveland Way is like two very different trails joined into one, the PWNCP literally is two very different trails joined into one.

The Peddars Way begins near Thetford at Knettishall Heath, which is right on the Suffolk / Norfolk border. It heads slightly west of north in an almost straight line (it was a Roman road) to  Holme-next-the-Sea on the north Norfolk coast - a distance of 49 miles. Then the Norfolk Coast Path takes over and heads east then south from Hunstanton to Hopton-on-Sea - a distance of 84 miles. In all then, the PWNCP is about 133 miles. I'm planning on doing about 12 miles a day, so it should take me 11 days if all goes well!

Once again, I've rotated the route map to save space:

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP1.jpg)

I knew from the very start that I was going to like this trail and 12.2 miles and 3 hours later I knew I was right! This one looks fantastic! From a small car park, I set off along a lovely wooded path...

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP2.jpg)

...and about a mile further on I passed pigs. Welcome to Norfolk!

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP3.jpg)

After about 3 or 4 miles I came to the River Thet. I didn't actually see much of the river, but the path used a boardwalk for what seemed a very long way and at one point I saw water as well as reeds.

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP4.jpg)

But then the sun went in and it began to rain - this photo shows what much of the route from then on looked like:

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP5.jpg)

It's hard to explain what I really like about this path, but I'll try. The area is very agricultural, but the path never seemed to cross any fields. This path is established - it's been here for more than a thousand years and it belongs here. There was never any feeling of the path taking me onto someone's land; the path is a separate thing entirely and we're off to a great start!  :)
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: Mel on 19:46:27, 06/05/20
Brilliant  :D .  This might be the flattest treadmill trail you've done yet mindst.


Hope you get onto the beach around the Cromer area so you can look for fossilised chalk and flint rings (paramoudras)and see the stripey cliffs  O0
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: MarkT on 19:54:07, 06/05/20
I look forward to seeing how you get on as I walked the Norfolk Coast Path last year. However I did a lot of the walk along the beach so it will be good to see what your route shows. I started in Hunstanton and finished on the beach at Hopton-on-Sea and did it over 2 long weekends.


Good luck
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 13:25:03, 07/05/20
Day 2 of my treadmill trek along the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path was something of a disappointment after yesterday's excellent start. After the first few hundred yards of walking off-road, I arrived at a road and for all but about a mile or so of the 12.2 mile section the going was on tarmac. I have to say that the tarmac was mostly in the form of very quiet, pleasant lanes, but I had expected better of a national trail. 

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP6.jpg)

At about the 6 mile mark, the Street View cameraperson turned into a field (as in 'went' into one), and I thought we were done with road walking for the day. Then I thought that the path was far too unwalked to be the PWNCP and that we'd taken a short cut to North Pickenham instead of staying on the road. It turns out that the OS map shows that we were on the trail whereas the Google map disagrees. I trust the OS.  :)

It was during this nice break from roads that I chose a view to share - a footbridge over the River Wissey: 

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP7.jpg)

I livened up today's walk by doing interval training for whole of the second half!  :)
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: MarkT on 22:02:17, 07/05/20
When you reach the coast, the views will get better.
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 15:42:52, 08/05/20
When you reach the coast, the views will get better.
I'm looking forward to that!  ;)
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 15:43:41, 08/05/20
Day 3 of my treadmill trek along the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path national trail involved the straightest stretch of walking yet - as is very obvious from the route map!

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP8.jpg)

Fortunately, the first mile-and-a-half was very interesting. I liked the ford and footbridge on the way into Castle Acre...

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP10.jpg)

...and the town itself was brilliant, with its castle, town walls, priory and old houses. I vaguely remembered visiting Castle Acre about 30-odd years ago.

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP11.jpg)

But from there on it was nearly 10 miles of hardly changing scenery and not a single bend. The first few miles were on tarmac...

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP12.jpg)

...and the rest were on unmade byways. Rain threatened, but I managed to avoid the downpours:

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP13.jpg)

I'm doing just over 12 miles each day and I stop for the night wherever I happen to be. When I set off again tomorrow I'll still be going along that dead straight line!

Seeing a trig point in this landscape was a novelty - it's at 92m. Who says Norfolk is flat?  :)

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP9.jpg)

Tomorrow I should reach the sea and the Norfolk Coast Path part of the trail. Hooray!
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: Bigfoot_Mike on 17:15:21, 08/05/20
Well done for avoiding the rain. I swear the track by the trig point is not dead straight. There appears to be a slight deviation. Your walks must be some of the most interesting treadmill sessions there have been.
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: rural roamer on 17:24:08, 08/05/20
This is our nearest National Trail living in Suffolk. We have never walked it -saving it for when we can’t do hills any more! We have walked around Thetford Forest and have also done a walk at Castle Acre which we have enjoyed. I always thought the coastal path would be more interesting than the Peddars way.  We have also done some of the coast path around Sheringham as we often head up that way for an overnight stay.
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 23:29:35, 08/05/20
...
I swear the track by the trig point is not dead straight. There appears to be a slight deviation...

This is a slightly earlier view of the trig point location. It made me smile:

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP14.jpg)

Peddars Way continues straight ahead along the track (albeit with a slight wobble), while the road bends ever-so-gently to the right, which requires a sign warning of a 'Sharp deviation of route to the right'!   :)
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 15:01:00, 09/05/20
Day 4 of my treadmill trek along the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (PWNCP) and I've finished the PW bit - just the NCP to go!

As with Days 1, 2 and 3, the way was mostly straight and, to be honest, not very exciting. Thankfully though, I had less than 10 miles of straightness before I reached the coast - and a complete change of scenery!  :)

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP15.jpg)

The PW passed through a couple of very attractive villages, but for most of the time the view looked very like the image below. The way wasn't just straight, but it was very flat too. The total elevation gain for the whole of the first 10 miles was only 66ft!

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP16.jpg)

The sea at last!  :)

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP17.jpg)

Unless I got the last bit completely wrong, there's a strange quirk where the PW becomes the NCP. At the coast, I turned west and went the 'wrong way' for the 2 miles to Hunstanton and the start of the Norfolk Coast Path. I found the sign for the NCP by a memorial as advertised, but tomorrow I have to go east - retracing my steps for 2 miles. I don't really mind because it was good to see Hunstanton - and a very nice town it looks too - but it rather suggests the joining of the two paths to create a national trail was contrived. Oh well, I'll try to find a slightly different way out of Hunstanton.

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/PWNCP18.jpg)

I'm looking forward to doing some tortuous coastal walking!
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 15:15:31, 10/05/20
Day 5 of my Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path virtual walk began at the start of the Norfolk Coast Path section in Hunstanton. After 4 days of the Peddars Way, which is very straight, very flat, and very samey, I was hoping for something a little more varied. I wasn't disappointed - the landscape might still be flat, but today's walk was much more interesting and the time passed quickly because there was always something new to see ahead.

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP1.jpg)

Leaving Hunstanton on a path going past the Old Lighthouse:

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP2.jpg)

Typical of the scenery for the next 5 miles: a path (sometimes boarded) across the sand dunes on what I assume is a sea wall. To the left were sandy beaches and salt marshes. I passed a good many people out for a stroll or bird-watching along here.

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP3.jpg)

The path turned inland for about 3 miles, presumably following the ancient coastline. A pleasant bit of field-walking...

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP4.jpg)

This is Brancaster. Despite being on a coast path and passing a sign to the beach, I only caught an occasional glimpse of the sea all morning.

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP5.jpg)

The final couple of miles were spent almost entirely walking on a narrow boardwalk alongside the marshes.

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP6.jpg)

I'm looking forward to seeing more of this coastline!  :)
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 15:08:12, 11/05/20
Day 6 of my treadmill trek along the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path has taken me well past the halfway point, with about 73 of the 130 miles completed, and I'm loving the NCP part!   :) 

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP7.jpg)

I set off from Burnham Deepdale along an 'A' road, albeit a very quiet one, because the Street View cameraperson didn't follow the NCP along the coast at this point. Perhaps the tide was too high? It didn't matter much though because it wasn't too long before I was heading back to the coast - passing a picturesque mill on the way:

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP8.jpg)

Past Burnham Overy Staithe (great name!), the path continued along the top of a sea wall as it headed towards sand dunes...

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP9.jpg)

...and then I was on the most amazing beach I've seen since the Outer Hebrides. So, the best beach I've seen in England then! It went on for much further than the mile or so I was on it. Wow:

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP10.jpg)

I left the beach and headed towards Wells-next-the-Sea and was surprised by how pleasant the way was. There were lots of people around - most with dogs - and, unsurprisingly, I passed a huge car park further on. Wells-next-the Sea looked very nice, although I thought it should be called Wells-next-the-Creek because the actual sea looked a long way off!

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP11.jpg)

And as soon as I'd passed through Wells, I was back on the coastal trail with farmland to my right and marshes to my left.  :)

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP12.jpg)
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: rural roamer on 16:54:30, 11/05/20
That beach must be Holkham. I doubt if it’s often that empty! Tomorrow look out for the seals at Blakeney  O0
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: Mel on 21:23:28, 11/05/20
Just catching up.  Glad to see you've got nice weather for this walk so far  :)
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 14:31:38, 12/05/20
Day 7 of my 'treadmill with Street View trek' along the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path national trail was a 12.8 mile stretch between somewhere near Stiffkey and somewhere near Weybourne. It's been the flattest walk I've ever done - indoors or out. The total elevation gain over the first 11 miles was 5 ft! So, once again I did some interval training - one of the things I've been learning about in some of my other treadmill activities.  :)

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP13.jpg)

For the first 9 miles, except when going through the villages of Blakeney and Cley next the Sea, the path was usually on a sea wall beside marshes and the occasional creek, which made for very pleasant walking:

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP14.jpg)

Despite the name, Cley next the Sea is at least half-a-mile from the coast. I gather the village is quite famous for getting clogged up with traffic during the summer. I'm not surprised, because the paths to this point had been much busier than what I'm used to seeing. The photo shows the 18th century Cley Windmill, which I thought looked very impressive:

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP15.jpg)

By contrast, I didn't see a soul during the final 4 miles of today's walk. The terrain wasn't great for walking though, being shingle. I was curious as to why there's a fence running along the beach for miles...

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP16.jpg)
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: MarkT on 20:26:35, 12/05/20
Enjoying the updates Dave and it's good to see some pictures similar to what I took when I did the trail last year. I remember the long slog along that part of the shingle beach, it seemed to go on forever and ended up going inland away from the trail near Muckleburgh Hill just to give my legs a rest. This also enabled me to see a military base and weaponry used to protect the coast line and found a lovely little cafe/shop on the main road to Weybourne. I believe the fence along the beach is to protect a conservation area.
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 14:21:39, 13/05/20
Thanks Mark.  :)
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 14:22:06, 13/05/20
Day 8 of my treadmill virtual hike along the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (incorporating the England Coast Path!) was from the coast north of Weybourne to Trimingham, passing through Sheringham, Cromer and some other named places. This stretch of the Norfolk coast is quite built up - and there were lots of campsites and holiday parks too.

After a week of level walking, today's trek actually involved some ascent - in fact, at well over 600ft, it was more than all the other days put together.

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP17.jpg)

As soon as I'd passed Weybourne, cliffs appeared and the path went up and along the cliff edge. The cliffs looked sandy, but stable, with very few barriers or fences:

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP18.jpg)

Arriving in Sheringham, I passed what I first thought was a paddling pool, but it turned out to be a big boating lake (for model boats!):

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP20.jpg)

A little way past Sheringham - which, like all the towns and villages I saw today, looked extremely nice - I passed a trig point. It was at a place called Beeston Bump, which seems a suitable name for a 63m-high hill.

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP19.jpg)

I think that leaves about 33 miles still to go...  :)
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: rural roamer on 17:58:32, 13/05/20
I’m not sure we have ever been into Sheringham itself, will have to sometime and find that trig point. We usually go to Sheringham Park which is National Trust and will be lovely this time of year as the rhododendrons will be out. I’m surprised you ascended 600 feet!
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 18:05:00, 13/05/20
I’m not sure we have ever been into Sheringham itself, will have to sometime and find that trig point. We usually go to Sheringham Park which is National Trust and will be lovely this time of year as the rhododendrons will be out. I’m surprised you ascended 600 feet!
I've just checked and the total ascent was actually 671ft! It all adds up...  ;)
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 13:03:48, 14/05/20
Day 9 of my 11 day treadmill trek along the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path national trail was between somewhere near Gimingham to a little past Eccles-on-Sea.

I'm sure that in real life this would have been a delightful stretch, but the Street View version left a lot to be desired. The problem was that there was no 'walking' Street View for the first 7 miles, so I followed the standard Street View along the roads virtually sitting on top of the Google camera car. The weather wasn't up to much either!

Most of the last 5 miles was very pleasant indeed because the walking cameraperson was back on the job and obviously enjoys beaches. Having said that, about a mile of that was spent walking though campsites and static caravan parks.

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP21.jpg)

The path went up to the clifftop just past Walcott and the views were fantastic! What I thought might be a lighthouse straight ahead turned out to be a church.

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP22.jpg)

There were a number of inland bits and this is near Happisburgh, with a good view of the lighthouse... and a fly!

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP23.jpg)

At Happisburgh, the path went down to the beach and stayed there for the rest of the walk. It's certainly a very nice beach...  :) 

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP24.jpg)

About 24 miles to go!
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: rural roamer on 18:17:15, 14/05/20
We often go up to Norfolk and stay overnight near Horsey where you will pass tomorrow. We go to see the seals on the beach there. There’s thousands born every winter on the beach and it’s a lovely sight (safely from the cliffs). Far better than paying for a trip in a boat at Blakeney, this is free. Depending on when the cameras were there you may see them!
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: MarkT on 20:54:35, 14/05/20
I saw loads of seals near Waxham, when I did the trail last year. I was walking along the beach, climbed over some sea defences on the beach and there they were. With no one else around I just sat on on the beach, (keeping away from the seals) and watched them for about an hour. Was definitely one of the highlights of the trail for me.


Unfortunately the trail has to go through some caravan parks as coastal erosion has taken it's toll along that part of the coast, so for safety reasons the trail had to be adjusted.
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: Mel on 23:04:46, 14/05/20
Aaahhh, you found Beeston Bump  :)   


Pity you didn't get onto the beach as well to see the stripey cliffs though.


Glad the weather's still holding out for you too  :D
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 08:22:56, 15/05/20
I'll certainly keep a lookout for seals this morning and I agree that it's preferable to spot them yourself from the shore.  O0

Actually Mel, I did see the stripey cliffs. I saw them on Street View later while looking to see if I'd missed anything. Very impressive!  O0
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 12:55:46, 15/05/20
Day 10 of my treadmill trek along the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path was between Eccles-on-Sea and Caister-on-Sea, a walk of about 12.3 miles.

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP25.jpg)

From the map, you might think this was a walk along beaches, but for the first 8 miles I barely even caught a glimpse of the sea. The coast path runs along the landward side of the sand dune sea wall as far as Winterton-on-Sea (why does everywhere need to state the obvious?) and this view was quite typical for almost two hours...

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP26.jpg)

Between Winterton-on-Sea and Caister-on-Sea, the coast path really does go along the coast - sometimes on the beach, but mostly at the foot of what looked to be fast-collapsing sandy cliffs:

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP27.jpg)

I realise that in real life, I could probably have walked along the beach for much of the first 8 miles, or at least looked over the top of the dunes, but when following Street View one's choices are limited!
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: rural roamer on 13:54:29, 15/05/20
I expect the seals were just the other side of that sea wall! We used to holiday in wooden chalets at the top of the sand dunes in Hemsby when I was a child. They are long gone, I think each year the sea claims a bit more of the land around there.
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 15:06:40, 16/05/20
Day 11 of my treadmill national trail with Street View along the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path was between Caister-on-Sea and Hopton-on-Sea.

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP28.jpg)

Soon after setting off along the beach, the path went up and then alongside static caravans pretty much all the way to Great Yarmouth...

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP29.jpg)

I think the last time I visited Great Yarmouth was probably about 20 years ago. I decided to do a spot of reminiscing, so after passing the pier (which I remembered)...

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP31.jpg)

...I carried on as far as the amusement park I remembered even better!  :)

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP30.jpg)

Going to the amusement park meant adding a couple of miles to today's walk because it's a long way back to the nearest bridge over the Yare. I followed the river through quite an industrial area back to the coast.

At Hopton-on-Sea, I walked to where the OS map shows the PWNCP trailhead (my new word), but there was no sign of any sign marking the spot. Oh well.

(http://www.cruisingmates.co.uk/coppermine/albums/userpics/10054/NCP32.jpg)

So that's it - I've completed my third national trail in 5 weeks and 1 day!  :)
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: Bigfoot_Mike on 16:33:12, 16/05/20
It looks like the last stretch of the coast wasn’t as interesting as the rest. I have flown offshore from GY heliport, which was a grass field with a portacabin for a terminal. It was only a short flight to the gas platforms. I have stayed in GY in November on a work trip and that month probably doesn’t show it at its best. Much of the seafront and associated cafes was shut, although a large number of the old style penny arcades appeared to be open with no one inside them. They must have needed their own power station with the amount of lights they had burning.
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: MarkT on 16:42:52, 16/05/20
Well done Dave for completing the PWNCP, it's been good to compare the virtual route to how I done it. Shame you couldn't camp along the way, there are some good sites and pubs  :)


And yes the ending is disappointing. I approached the finish along the beach you can see on your last picture. At the bottom of the slope on the left hand side was this


(https://i.postimg.cc/W1B2yBtg/20190611-123845.jpg)


Wasn't sure what to expect but maybe some kind of sign but the start in Hunstanton, for just the NCP is the same.The trail was my first and want to do another. I was supposedly going to the Isle of Wight in June to walk around the island (not a National Trail) but that's obviously off. I wander if that's on your tread mill? Otherwise, whats next?
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 17:18:26, 16/05/20
It looks like the last stretch of the coast wasn’t as interesting as the rest. ...

I think the highlight of the PWNCP was the area between Hunstanton and Cromer because of the dunes and fantastic beaches. The PW path began well, but became a bit boring because the way was dead straight and completely flat. The last part of the NCP had some great beaches too, but it was very seaside-y and full of holiday sites.

Having said all that, Street View only provides a narrow view of the world. I'm not sure what the angle of view is, but while walking it seems to be about 45 degrees to each side. Also, sunny days make everything look much better - more alive, while dim wintery days are drab and don't do the areas justice.
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 17:26:53, 16/05/20
Thanks Mark.  :)  And thanks too for the sign that I couldn't find.   O0

Arriving at the end along the beach would have been better than having to go through yet another caravan park, but that's the way the trail cameraperson went so I didn't have a choice.  ;) 

I've walked the North Downs Way in real life and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the Cleveland Way and the PWNCP by treadmill. I think the start/finish markers for each of those can also be rated in that order - best to worst!

Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: rural roamer on 18:23:00, 16/05/20
Well done for completing yet another trail! I believe that the Norfolk Coast Path originally ended at Cromer, maybe it should have stayed that way!
Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: Mel on 21:52:37, 16/05/20
Yes, well done on completing your PWNCP  O0


Are you planning any more treadmill treks now we have been set free?



Title: Re: Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path (virtually!)
Post by: WhitstableDave on 09:10:49, 17/05/20
Yes, well done on completing your PWNCP  O0


Are you planning any more treadmill treks now we have been set free?

Thanks Mel.  :)

This morning, my wife and I will be heading out for our first walk together in more than six weeks, but I'm not ready to resume the normal routine just yet so I'll definitely be looking for my next virtual trek later.  8)