Visit Ely

The Hereward Way is a long distance footpath some 110 miles in length stretching from Oakham to Harling Road Station in Norfolk.

The path is named after Hereward the Wake who led a band of Saxon nobles from a base at the Abbey of Ely, holding out against William the Conqueror. Ely was an island at the time, and three times Hereward foiled William's plans to build a causeway across the water. The third time, Hereward, riding towards William's camp, met a potter on the way who exchanged clothes with him. In this disguise, he entered the camp to overhear the Normans' plans to attack. Hereward's men were waiting in the reeds as the Normans proceeded along the causeway, where they set fire to these reeds, to defeat them. Eventually the monks grew tired of the siege, and let the Normans in by a secret way. Hereward escaped with a small band. Hereward was finally betrayed by a chaplain, and 16 Normans found his hiding place and attacked him. Nevertheless, Hereward slew them all, and only succumbed when four more soldiers arrived and stabbed him in the back.

Each end of the path has a railway station. Stations towards the centre of the path are located at Shippea Hill and Ely.

The footpath runs through Stamford, Peterborough, March, Ely and Brandon. It also goes through Thetford Forest. It links two other long-distance footpaths: the Viking Way in the west and Peddars Way in the east.

MARCH to ELY: 35 km - 21m

Rivers and horizons old and new, and endless peat fields

Can be walked in two separate days of 18kms and 17kms stopping at Welney, (or taxi to the train at Manea.)

Irregular bus services connect Christchurch, with March and Welney and Little Downham with Ely.

Pubs en route are:

• The Dun Cow, Christchurch;
• Lamb and Flag, Welney;
• The Plough & The Anchor, Little Downham; some may not be open lunchtime.

ELY to BRANDON: 34 km - 21m

Deep peat, sandy brecks and solitude

It may be possible to do this section in stages relying on Lakenheath for a train, or taxis or B & B en route, as bus services are poor. Shippea Hill station service is infrequent.

There is only one pub The New Inn at Hockwold near the route.