The Weavers' Way to Blickling

About trip

For the walker, Blickling Hall is probably the best of the many National Trust properties found in Norfolk. The River Bure meanders pleasantly to the north of its grounds, which are full of shady mature trees, there is a quiet lake to stroll around and the grounds are full of fascinating buildings and monuments. A Chequered History. The ancient manor of Blickling once belonged to King Harold who built the first house here. He was defeated at Hastings by William the Conqueror in 1066, who seized Blickling for himself, then passed it to a man who later became Bishop of Thetford. The manor remained in the hands of successive bishops until it passed to a line of soldiers. One of these, Nicholas Dagworth, built a moated house here in the 1390s. Eventually, Blickling came into the possession of Sir John Fastolf, widely believed to be the inspiration for Shakespeare’s Falstaff, and then passed to the Boleyn family, where it remained until Anne Boleyn’s execution by Henry VIII. The Boleyns lost a good deal of property after Anne’s dramatic fall from grace and Blickling eventually came into the hands of the Hobart family in 1616. The Hobarts made drastic changes, almost completely rebuilding the house between 1618 and 1629. Instead of following the contemporary craze for new Classical architecture, the Hobarts remained firmly traditional, and as a result the house is one of the finest examples of Jacobean architecture in the country. It was designed by Robert Lyminge, who also built Hatfield House in Essex. The building is made of brick with stone dressings, and has a pair of handsome corner towers. From Russia With Love. Blickling is a veritable treasure house. Perhaps its most famous acquisition is the magnificent tapestry that hangs in the Peter-the-Great Room. This belonged to John Hobart, who was described by Horace Walpole as painfully transparent. He therefore appears an odd choice to appoint as Ambassador to Catherine of Russia, but to Russia he went and he seems to have made a success of his posting. It was during this sojourn that he bought the remarkable tapestry depicting the Tsar prancing along on his horse with the carnage of Poltava in the background. The park has its origins in the 18th century and was once much bigger, before financial considerations forced its owners to sell off parcels of it. There was already a lake on the land, but the Hobarts had it enlarged in 1762. They built themselves a racecourse in 1773. It still stands on the Aylsham Road and is known as the Tower House (privately owned). Enjoy the lake and the 4,777 acres (1,935ha) of beautiful woods and gardens, as this walk takes you on a pleasant amble up to the north of the hall. While you're there: If you enjoy stately homes, then visit the medieval manor house of Mannington Hall 4 miles (6.4km) to the northwest of Blickling. Its gorgeous gardens are open to the public in the summer and the hall itself is open by appointment. Even closer is Wolterton Hall, built in the 1720s for the Walpole family. Both houses are owned by Lord and Lady Walpole. What to lookout for: Blickling Hall holds many treasures, but in particular you should not miss the grand South Drawing Room with its superb plaster ceiling; the Brown Drawing Room, which was a chapel in the 17th century; and the sumptuous Peter-the-Great Room and State Bedroom. In the grounds, look for the early 18th-century temple and fountain, and the 1782 Orangery. Where to eat and drink: There is a National Trust tea shop and restaurant in the hall, with a children’s menu. However, the hall and its facilities are open at differing times during the year, and are closed during the winter. The Buckinghamshire Arms stands just outside the main gates. It was originally built for the estate bricklayer Joseph Balls in 1693, but is now a pub that serves good food. Directions: Go towards the National Trust visitor centre and take the gravel path to its left, past the Buckinghamshire Arms. At the drive, turn left signed to the park and lake. Keep right and go through gates into Blickling Park. Keep ahead at a fork and follow the Weavers’ Way, eventually to go through a gate into The Beeches. Continue ahead at a crossing of paths along the right-hand fieldedge. On nearing a house, follow the path right, then left to a lane. Turn left at the lane, following its winding path until you pass Mill Cottage, complete with mill pond, on your right and Mill Farm on your left. The mixed deciduous Great Wood on your left belongs to the National Trust. Leave the woods and walk through the pretty Bure Valley for about 700yds (640m) until you see a footpath on your left (although the sign is on the right). Turn left down this overgrown track, with hedgerows to the right and trees to the left. Go up a slope to Bunker’s Hill Plantation (also protected by the National Trust), skirting around the edge of this before the footpath merges with a farm track. It eventually comes out on to a road. Turn left and then right, on to New Road, which is signposted for Cawston and Oulton Street. This wide lane runs as straight as an arrow for about 0.75 mile (1.2km), before reaching a crossroads at the village sign for Oulton Street. Turn left by the RAF memorial and its bench. The lane starts off wide, but soon narrows to a peaceful rural track. Continue along this for 1.5 miles (2.4km), passing through the thin line of trees known as the Oulton Belt and eventually arriving at Abel Heath, a small conservation area owned by the National Trust. Turn left by the oak tree, then left at the T-junction towards Abel Heath Farm. The lane winds downhill until you reach the red-brick cottages of the little hamlet of Silvergate. You are now on the Weavers’ Way long distance footpath. Pass a cemetery on your right and continue until you see St Andrew’s Church (partly 14th century, but mostly Victorian). Continue on until you reach the main road. Turn left, passing the Buckinghamshire Arms and the pretty 18th- and 19th-century estate cottages at the park gates on your right. Continue walking until you see signs for the car park, where you turn right.