King's Lynn to Walsingham

Start: Burnham Overy Staithe. Finish: Walsingham (end-point reached using the Wells & Walsingham Light Railway).

Distance: 7 miles walked plus a 30 minute train journey.

"The Church encouraged pilgrimages across medieval Europe whereby people could achieve salvation through visits to holy shrines. ... In England, Norfolk's Great Walsingham was such a destination, where in 1061 the Lady Richeldis received visions of the Virgin Mary. Walsingham subsequently became a shrine to the Blessed Virgin and an Augustinian Priory was constructed around it, completed in 1153" John A. Davis, 2020, in 'The Little History of Norfolk'.

A morning's walk along this last section of the route finally rewards you with a sandy beach at Holkham Bay. Eventually you turn to face the port town of Wells-next-the-Sea, which grows larger as you progress for almost a mile alongside the linear entrance to the harbour and the quayside. The town is a favourite for holidaymakers and has all the facilities necessary to cater for them.

While it is possible to negotiate a walking route from here to Walsingham, a quicker and more direct way is to take advantage of the Wells & Walsingham Light Railway which shuttles passengers between the two seven days a week. The station is located on the south- east periphery of the town. The trip to Walsingham takes around half an hour. After several days of hiking through the countryside, this is an opportunity to watch the scenery go past, as you prepare to tour the sights of what has been described as 'England's Nazareth'.

Walsingham appears to have been a site of some importance even during the Roman period. There is evidence of a Roman town north of Great Walsingham. At a site identified as a Roman temple, a hoard of 6000 coins was discovered. The temple may have been related to Mercury, the Roman messenger god, as three figurines of Mercury were also found.

Over a quarter of a million modern pilgrims now visit Walsingham each year. There are numerous religious sites to visit in Walsingham itself and nearby, including the ruined Walsingham Priory and the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham.

It is best to plan your visit in advance. There is a host of information, including suggested sites, walking routes and guides, available from the following sources among others:

• Discover Walsingham on Visit North Norfolk website (opens new window)
• Read an introduction to Walsingham on Walsingham Village website (opens new window)
• Visit Walsingham.org for more information (opens new window)

It is possible to return from Wells-next-the-Sea to King's Lynn using public transport. Buses run from Wells-next-the-Sea to Fakenham. Change at Fakenham. Other services run from Fakenham to King's Lynn. For more information about local bus services visit Lynx Bus website (opens new window).