Nelson's Heritage Walks: 12 Holkham Hall & Wells

Turn right out of the car park, through the gates and turn immediately right along the perimeter track until the Monument is seen to the left. Take the grass path leading to the Monument (A). The inscription is to the memory of Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester. Turn north, away from the Monument, and follow the grass track ahead to rejoin the perimeter track close to the Lake. Continue along the track keeping the Lake to the left. Go through an iron gate and continue along the broad track, now leaving the Lake edge. Bear left when the "no public entry" sign appears ahead and continue ahead on a clear track to emerge from the woods just past the Church. (A) Monument to Thomas Coke, Earl of Leicester.

Turn left just past the Church and follow the grass path across parkland heading for a gate at the right corner of the wood ahead. Where the path meets the edge of the Lake go through a wooden gate and follow the track as far as the tarmac road. Turn left, passing the ancient icehouse (B) to the right. From here there is a good view of the “front” of the hall. At the T-junction follow the road left to the rear of the hall.

Walk through the car park and over the cattle grid to a junction. Turn left and follow road to the entrance gates. Immediately before the gates, turn right along the perimeter path. Go through an iron gate on which is a plaque of an Ostrich with a horseshoe in its mouth.Continue along the track to a crossroads and take the tarmac estate road to the left to the East Lodge. Go through the iron gates and continue along the track. At the main road turn right and follow a field track as it zigzags around some farm buildings before straightening up to follow a field edge south downhill. At the T-junction turn left and follow the broad path as far as the tarmac road. (C) This is the crest of the Coke family and dates from the time of Sir Edward Coke, Lord Chief justice of England around 1600. He prosecuted Sir Walter Raleigh and Guy Fawkes and was regarded as the best Lawyer in the land as he was able to digest even the most complicated parts of law. Therefore he chose the ostrich, which is reputed for its iron digestion, as his family crest.

Turn left, cross the busy road by the buttresses of the old railway bridge and in few yards turn right along the A149 Cromer Road. Stay on the pavement on the right until it runs out and then cross diagonally to the start of the pavement on the left. At the school sign take the narrow path to the left and follow it uphill to a tarmac road. Turn left and carry on uphill (Plummer’s Hill) to Buttlands. Bear left, with the grass area to the right, and go past the Church to a road ahead. Turn right, cross over the road, and take the street on the left opposite the Edinburgh Public House leading to the harbour. Turn left along the harbour wall and follow the path past the museum and then keep right along a path alongside the beach road towards the Lifeboat station. Note that the car parks in Wells and at Wells Beach would make alternative starting points.

Eventually the path meets the road close to the Lifeboat station. Turn left and walk along the seaward side of the large car park to some wooden gates close to the boating lake. Go through the gates and in about 70 yards, at the Nature Reserve information board, keep left. Stay on the Coastal Path ignoring the many paths to the right leading to the sea and to the left crossing the salt marshes. In about 1.5 miles the path meets Lady Ann’s Drive. Turn left along the Drive and walk through the parking area to the main road. Cross the road with care and continue straight ahead, past the Victoria Hotel, back to the starting point. It is also possible to do this leg of the walk along the beach but be careful of the tides. There are also paths through the trees that are easy to navigate. You can't go far wrong with the beach on one side and the path on the other. The trees provide shelter when the weather is inclement.