Country:
District:
Start: Market Place, Dereham town centre. Grid ref. TF 988 133
Waymarkers : The Wensum Way is well marked out by the distinctive waymarkers throughout the trail. Unfortunately, it is not depicted on current OS maps. Although the footpaths are clearly marked the permissive path between Swanton Morley and Elsing is not referenced.
(S) From Dereham town centre head Northwards out of town along Quebec Road (B1146). Beyond the housing and at the point where the road bends and junctions with another on the left, take the track directly ahead through the woodland and then onto open farmland. Continue along this until it meets a crossing footpath where a Wensum Way waymarker points both straight ahead and to the right. The way ahead goes to Gressingham where it meets with the Nar Valley Way.
(1) So take the right and keep to this path, crossing over three roads and the railway until it ends at a road junction.
(2) Carry on along the road straight ahead, past Hoe Hall and then take the lane on the left. Follow this around until it passes a wood on the right. At the far end of the wood there is a track marked as Green Lane on the OS map.
(3) Take this and keep to the track. It changes into Harkers Lane after crossing a road which leads down into Swanton Morley. Turn left on the road through the village and head North to the church where a footpath leads down to the meadows.
At this point the path, although waymarked, is a little ambiguous. It is not depicted on the OS map and the waymarker just points across the field.
(4) So, take a diagonal route (East-North-East) over to the right-hand hedgerow of the meadow. Keep to the hedgerow until there is another waymarker. This leads across the field, across the farm track to Castle Farm, and then down the far boundary, through a farm gate and down to the river. Keep to the river through to Penny Spot Beck, a water course that leads away from the river and is marked by a metal bench.
(5) The path leads away from the river and follows the beck down to the road. Turn left along the road and where it sharply bends to the left go straight ahead on the track. At the end of this track turn left on the road into Elsing, heading down to the church and the Mermaid pub.
(6) Departing the pub, head up the road on the left. Continue on this road, past the crossroads until there is a footpath on the right through the woods. At the road, turn left and follow the road onto the next piece of woodland on the right where a waymarker points The Wensum Way down a track. Keep to the track until a footpath departs on the left.
(7) This crosses a road and leads past two ponds and out onto a road. Turn left and follow the road into Lyng. Turn right onto the main road and keep to this over the river and up to a footpath on the right.
(8) This leads through the Sparham Pools nature reserve. Keep to the footpath throughout this section. It eventually exits by the side of Walsis farm, then cuts across a grassed area and down a track to the main road.
(9) Turn right, a bus stop to Norwich is located on the far side of the road. The Marriott's Way can be found by walking through Lenwade, across the river bridge and then turning left where there is access to the old railway track that the Marriott's Way runs along.(E)
Walker
Easy 
Moderate 
