Station Walks – Thetford – Brandon WalkThe Little in Constable’sOuse Trail Footsteps… visiteastofengland.com Directions... On leaving Thetford Station turn To take in the town centre Following the signs and entering Leaving the Priory head west Continue along the river and Follow the path until you reach left down Station Road towards including its splendid variety through the recently erected along the walkway. Where the after taking the underpass of the Abbey Heath Bridge, here you the town centre. Turn right when of shops cross London Road gates you find the extensive surfaced route bears right A11 you will start to feel that you can take a detour (be careful you meet London Road to follow and down White Hart Street remains of one of the most continue following the river. are really entering the Forest. crossing the B1107 road to the the signs for Thetford Priory. before returning to the important East Anglian Pass the bridge picking up the Follow the track past the Fishing golf course) to see Thetford Priory along Minstergate. monasteries, the Cluniac route signed Little Ouse Path; Lakes marked ‘private’ (this Warren Lodge. Otherwise stay Priory of Our Lady of Thetford. follow the river bank at the applies to fishing not walking) on the north side of the river to Take time to explore the Canterbury Way overpass. as you leave the town behind Broadwater Common, where Norman Castle Mound You can cross under or over the and from here you follow the Thetford people once had (shown below). road returning to the riverside. signs for the Little Ouse Path. common rights to cut hay and reeds and to dig turf for fuel. Thetford Warren Lodge One of the best of its kind, here a Discover... ‘warrener’ once lived in this fortified building along with his nets, traps and precious rabbit skins. The Brecks landscape owes much to the vast numbers of rabbits farmed in areas such as these once open heaths. Thetford Images Thetford Brecks Partnership Brecks St Mary’s Priory Founded in the early 12th century, it owed much of its prosperity to a miraculous appearance of the Virgin Mary and became a magnet for pilgrims. Two of the greatest men in early Tudor England, Thomas Howard, victor of Flodden, and Henry Fitzroy, illegitimate son of Henry VIII, were buried near her shrine. Surviving elements include the lower walls of the church and cloister, along with the impressive shell of the priors’ lodging and, reached by a pathway from the main site, an almost complete 14th-century gatehouse. Roger Bigod had accompanied William the Conqueror throughout the Norman invasion of 1066. It was Bigod, by now an old man, who founded Thetford Priory, and who laid the foundation stone of the new church in September 1107 before he died the following week. Thetford Images Thetford Images Thetford Follow the river with the Power Follow the path and cross the Turn right towards farmland Head through Santon Following the path along the Approaching Brandon, pass Station on your right picking up bridge to enter a woodland following a grass path along the Downham, with the shop and river edge you will see Weeting businesses based on local the Little Ouse signs on the west plantation. Turn right at the field headlands, crossing a farm Forestry Commission offices Decoy (once a wildfowl trapping products with woodyards and of the station again to continue crossroads and follow the path track before entering another on your left; follow the sharp area luring ducks and geese into concrete block manufacturers. along the river. until you see an interpretation woodland. The route takes you bend in the road towards the netting cages), just visible in the Leave the river side by turning board on bats, here turn left past St Helens picnic site on the white bridge, which was reeds as a series of small ponds. right then left onto Riverside This section is permissive through a small plantation. opposite side of the river bridge featured in TV series Dad’s The route continues along the Way, then turn right reaching access kindly granted by the and down to Santon Downham Army. Immediately after northern bank of the Little Ouse the main road A1065 High Crown Estate. where facilities include a shop, crossing the bridge turn left towards Brandon. Riverside Street. Follow the pavement toilets and regional offices of the along the river side path moorings give a hint to the north, the station is over the Forestry Commission. towards Brandon. river’s past. level crossing on the right. The Power Station produces 38.5 MW Little Ouse Bend just after Santon The river was once a an important of electricity from an unlikely source. Downham is where the river is closest navigation link between Thetford, It is the largest chicken litter fuelled to the Harling Drove, a straight track Kings Lynn and the Fens. Heavy plant in the country hidden in the along which stock owners took their cargoes of seed, coal and corn were forest, located at the centre of animals to and from markets and carried along in ‘lighters’ or barges England’s poultry producing region. brought their thirsty animals to drink. towed by horses along the ‘haling path’ It consumes 420,000 tonnes of To the north is Grimes Graves the or towpath. The lightermen in charge litter each year producing a rich amazing site of Neolithic flint mining were colourful characters, dressed in fertiliser as a by-product. reachable through the Forest tracks. fur caps and red or blue sleeved Look out for flint knapped remnants waistcoats with glass buttons. There lying on the soil in this area were five artificial dams know as ‘stanches’ between Brandon and Thetford that controlled the water Ben Heather Ben Portlock Graham flow and depth. Council District Heath Forest A wide range of plants and wildlife Santon Downham Once in Brandon you may wish to can be seen along the river banks of A leafy village now but in 1668 it explore its beautiful Country Park, the Little Ouse, including damselfly, was an open sandy area with sparse situated to the south side of the town dragonfly and the elusive otter. vegetation. Mobile sand dunes that centre. Here you will find Brandon originated in Lakenheath Warren 8kms Tourist Information Centre, a tea room, away were blown through covering shop, toilets as well as its fascinating hundreds of hectares of farmland and grounds, which include a mausoleum, filling the Little Ouse River for nearly walled garden, walk and cycle trails 5kms. From here you can follow various and a lake. Forest Tracks south to High Lodge for cycle hire, restaurant and Go Ape. It’s a great base from which to explore the rest of The Brecks. Traditional grazing meadows are being created here along the valley floor using a wier system to control the water levels. Thetford Images Thetford Forest Heath District Council District Heath Forest The Brecks One of the great natural areas of Britain The Little Ouse runs through This is a very distinctive This is a landscape which The Brecks was the flint capital the heart of the Brecks, one landscape of tranquil forest, remains full of historical and of the UK, and is steeped in of the most interesting and open heathland and ecological interest. Ancient human history stretching back unusual great natural areas agricultural land. It is home to heathland once covered huge to the Stone Age. A Neolithic in Britain. many unique and distinctive areas of the Brecks. ‘Brecks’ Flint mine (Grimes Graves), birds, plants, animals and were temporary fields medieval rabbit farming and Spanning 370 miles2 940 invertebrates. Here you may cultivated for a few years and 19th century landed estates kilometers2 in the heart of the catch a glimpse of the rare then allowed to revert to heath are amongst the many clues to East of England, the Brecks has Stone Curlew, Woodlark, once the soil became human settlement to be found a fascinating history containing Nightjar or spot roaming deer exhausted. Sand storms were in the Brecks. evidence of earliest human in the Forest. once a regular occurrence. occupation. Thetford Images Thetford The effects of the last ‘Ice Age’ can be seen nowhere else in Britain and Ireland as extensively as in the Brecks. 12,000 years ago ice bubbles created Pingos and permafrost created distinctive patterns and features on the land. In the Brecks you can enjoy walking, cycling and horse riding on the ancient trackways and peaceful forest Portlock Graham Graham Portlock Graham trails. Visit one of the market towns: Brandon, Mildenhall, Whether you live in the Brecks “ Few of the lowland districts of Swaffham, Thetford and or are a visitor you will be Watton, all of which offer spoilt for choice as there is so England have more striking unique and different much to see and do in this special place. individual characteristics than experiences. the area known as Breckland .” W.G. Clarke, 1925 Graham Portlock Graham Grazing Meadows Route: Key: Thetford to Brandon Visitor Information Alternative route into town centre Toilets Brandon STaTIOn Parking Boat hire Picnic Site SANTON DOWNHAM Wildlife spotting Church BRANDOn Little Lodge Farm Public House Viewpoint Power Station Brandon Country Park ThetforD STaTIOn Norwich Road E Thetford Warren lodge ar ls St Marys Priory S Ancient Houset Museum Ministergate White Hart St King St Castle St Brandon Road THETFOrD Bridge St Norman Castle Mound O l ThetforD STaTIOn d M ark et St Mil l La St Marys Priory THETFOrD ne (Detail) Tourist Information Centre This walk is approximately 15kms (9 miles) in length with opportunities to make detours or develop your own circular walk using rights of way and forest tracks.