Pigney Walks 1

A Community Woodland in North Norfolk

Site built and voluntary supported by computer assist

THE PIGNEYS WOOD PROJECT

A circular walk from the Vicarage car park in North Walsham to Pigneys Wood (and back!) has been established. Simply follow the clearly marked signs:

(1) Start from outside the Area Partnership office on Vicarage Street, opposite the pay and display car park adjacent to Sainsbury’s car park. The first part of the route shares the route if the Paston Way. Cross over the pedestrian crossing to the car park, turn left and walk down the hill. At the T junction you will see a sign for Pigneys Wood, turn right onto Mundesley Road. Walk along this road, passing Sainsbury’s on your right. Continue all the way to the end of the road and turn right at the Paston Way sign.

(2) Almost immediately turn left and descend the steps on to the old track bed of the Norfolk and Suffolk Joint Railway Company line. The line began as a branch to Mundesley in June 1898 built by the Midland and Great Northern Railway. Later the same year the M&GN and the Great Eastern Railway, anxious to avoid wasteful competition in opening up the Norfolk coast, formed the Norfolk and Suffolk Joint Committee to continue the line to Cromer, which finally opened in August 1906. A number of the very wealthy were encouraged to buy estates near the line and reputedly made use of it, but all this came to nothing. By winter 1923 services had been reduced to six each way and in 1953 the section north of Mundesley was closed. The rest shut on December 28th 1964. Norfolk County Council now owns the old line from North Walsham to Knapton, which has evolved as a haven for wildlife and walkers.. Follow the path to the left; descend the steps, cross Little London Road and up the other side

(3) When you reach the large fence turn right, descend the steps cross the footbridge across the North Walsham and Dilham Canal. photo in here. In 1825 work began on a canal between Antingham and Dilham that would connect the area with the port of Great Yarmouth. By June 14th 1826 the first laden wherry reached Antingham Bone Mills. Without railway competition until 1874, the canal was moderately successful but poor water flow allowed the use of no more than six small, 12-ton wherries. By 1890 a decline had set in as customers moved to the railways and by 1935 the last wherry reached Ebridge Mills. The canal soon silted up and the locks are all now derelict. In recent years a group have actively begun restoration work, clearing out locks and basically keeping the canal on the map

(4) After about 20 minutes watch out for Pigneys Wood Circular Walk sign on your right. Leave the old railway and the Paston Way here and descend the steps. You will see a Pigneys Wood information board. Go straight ahead through a plantation.