Walks you can reach from Wymondham by train

Highly recommended

Waterway: two thirds beside rivers and canals.

Ely Cathedral: the 'ship of the fens', a great Norman cathedral visible for miles across the flat fenland.

Oliver Cromwell's House

Ely

Time: 5h30–11h30

2 lunch spots: the Five Miles Inn (2h–4h in), or Wren Cafe (3h–6h in)

5 end-of-walk rewards: the Cutter Inn, the Drayman's Son, the Kings Arms, the Minster Tavern, or the Prince Albert

Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).

Similar walk: Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Open fenland, flat drained farmland, long straight tree-lined farm tracks, hedge-lined meadows, river banks, dykes and catchwater drains, quayside and historic city.

Ely Cathedral: the 'ship of the fens', a great Norman cathedral visible for miles across the flat fenland.

Time: 4h

Warnings: Exposed river banks.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

A short city and riverside walk linking Cambridge's two stations, taking in some of the best-known views of the ancient colleges, punting on the upper river, and riverside paths across the commons where college and town crews race their traditional 'bumps'.

Cambridge

Time: 3h

Warnings: Shared with cyclists along most of the route, so watch out for bikes.

Walk details: Mid Anglia Rail Passengers Association (PDF).

A mostly flat route that leaves Norwich over Mousehold Heath, where flint-stone paths are steep and uneven underfoot, before settling into quiet country lanes and field paths and a wide farm track. Some sections can be muddy after rain; pavements are generally wide. Several shops and supermarkets in Sprowston for supplies early on; little in the way of facilities for the final five miles after Spixworth. Frequent trains and buses run back to Norwich from Hoveton.

Time: 4h30–8h30

Lunch: Shops, supermarkets and takeaways in Sprowston, plus a cafe at Spixworth village hall around two-thirds of the way.

1 end-of-walk reward: the Kings Head

Warnings: The route crosses the busy B1150 North Walsham Road twice, including a 50mph section, with no pedestrian crossing; take great care. The flint paths over Mousehold Heath are steep and uneven.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Time: 3h30–6h30

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Reverse direction: Mid Anglia Rail Passengers Association (PDF).

Stunningly gorgeous; This is a lovely route, and by far the best of the three options. A lovely route that follows the River Ouse for most of the way through open country, then wiggles into the city centre, taking in housing, Ely Country Park and common land. Mostly off-road and flat along the exposed flood bank, with several stiles and gates and a short steep embankment; muddy in places after rain. Follows the River Ouse, passing through Ely Country Park and common land rich in vegetation and wildlife. Facilities in Ely and Littleport but little en route.

Waterway: two thirds beside rivers and canals.

Ely Cathedral: the 'ship of the fens', a great Norman cathedral visible for miles across the flat fenland.

Time: 2h30–5h

Lunch: No facilities en route between the two towns.

Warnings: Two footpath crossings of railway lines without automated barriers, one on a bend with poor visibility, so listen out as well as look. Several stiles and the likelihood of grazing cattle in the riverside fields. The flood bank is exposed to wind, sun and rain with little shelter.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Stunning route; a really lovely route, mostly through forest and fields. A mostly wooded walk through native and plantation forest on broad, clear gravel and compacted-dirt tracks, with sandy sections and a final stretch along the River Ouse on narrow and sometimes muddy riverside paths. A short road section on the outskirts of Brandon has no footpath. There is a campsite beside the River/Little Ouse with a swim spot. Deer can be seen on the route.

Woodland: a third under tree cover.

Time: 3h30–6h30

Warnings: A short section on the edge of Brandon has no pavement (walk the verge). Near the river crossing by the Weir, fallen trees must be climbed over and two small streams crossed; not suitable for those with mobility issues. Riverside paths can be sloppy. Can be muddy.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Time: 8h30–17h30

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A long, largely flat Fenland route starting along the canal, then a mix of footpaths, farm tracks, gravel and lengthy stretches of road. It is fairly exposed in places, with farm tracks that can be deeply muddy near the sewage works and includes stepped bridges and metal turnstiles. Partly follows the Hereward Way. There are several railway stations on the route, so it can be broken into shorter chunks. Look out for deer, hares, and (in places) wild greengage and plum trees.

Time: 8h30–17h30

Lunch: Cafes and pubs in Ely at the start; few facilities along the way.

Warnings: Follows a busy road for a third of the walk. Long sections follow A-roads with 60mph limits and no pavement, which are not safe for walkers; a footpath crossing near Shippea Hill is not maintained and impassable, forcing a detour. Stepped bridges and turnstiles make it unsuitable for those with mobility issues; one path near Brandon passes through thick, deep mud by the sewage works.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A flat, long route characteristic of the Norfolk landscape: an easy paved start out of Norwich along the River Yare and past an industrial estate, then country roads and farmland and woodland with a gentle climb towards Blofield Heath. Field sections can be muddy in wet weather and there are stiles along farm lanes. Few facilities en route, with Blofield Heath (roughly halfway) offering a newsagent, an Indian restaurant and a bus stop for onward travel. Look out for kestrels and other wildlife in the woods.

Time: 6h–11h30

Lunch: Noticeable lack of facilities along the route; Blofield Heath roughly halfway has a newsagent and an Indian restaurant, but otherwise bring your own food and drink.

Warnings: Some lanes (Smee Lane, Dye's Road) have no footpath, so you must step onto the verge for traffic; there are stiles and a long flight of steps at Thorpe St Andrew (avoidable); fields can be muddy after rain.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Predominantly road walking (around 90%): busy main roads with roundabouts out of Thetford, then smaller quiet roads through idyllic countryside and villages and with a section of semi-maintained forest track. Fairly accessible but not a great walking route. Passes near Snetterton race circuit (audible but not visible) and a swimming spot in the river at East Harling. Better suited to confident cyclists than walkers or children.

Time: 7h30–15h

Lunch: Quite a few places to eat in Thetford's high street at the start.

Warnings: Leaving Thetford the route is on a busy main road that does not feel safe for walking, without a continuous decent pavement.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A walk through forest and farmland that turns difficult in the final third, with a road section on the A134, field paths that are hard to find, a dismantled railway with no crossing and a dual carriageway with no central-barrier gap.

Time: 6h30–13h

Warnings: The A134 near Ingham has no footpath for about 300m, forcing you to walk in the road. A field footpath is blocked by a dismantled railway with no way across, and you must cross a dual carriageway and clamber over its central barrier, which is not safe.

Walk details: Slow Ways.