Marriott's Way Cycle Touring

With Sunday + Bank Holiday Monday up my sleeve and the desire to escape the shire limits, I embarked upon a brief cycle tour along Marriott’s Way, a rail trail / long-distance footpath from Norwich to Aylsham in Norfolk. The near traffic-free route follows a network of disused railway lines and offers surfaces suitable for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Accompanied by my buddy Olivia, we set out early Sunday morning and enjoyed an incredibly pleasant pedal through woods, water meadows and open country.

Remnants of the railway can still be experienced in the form of old level crossing gates, the odd standing signal post, a variety of preserved bridges. Several station houses have been retained as cafes for path users. The trail is also littered with public art, from twisted steel rail features adorning the side of the path, to a variety of concrete sculptures; a homage to the region’s connection with the concrete industry.

Despite laden bikes, the relatively flat trail offered easy pedalling and we found ourselves making good time, enjoying numerous stop-offs for food and snacks, as well as a late afternoon meal in the market town of Aylsham. The evening’s accommodation consisted of a wild camp back along the trail towards Cawston.

The next morning’s journey back to Norwich was covered in no time at all with enough time before our train journey back to Cambridge to enjoy a cooked breakfast Nowrich's own 'The Bicycle Shop'. All in all, a great weekend!