Brandon and Thetford Forest

1 From the car park, follow the signs to the town centre, emerging on Market Hill, a large square where a market is held twice a week. Cross the road here and continue along the High Street until you come to a bridge over the Little Ouse. Cross the bridge and take the first turning right along Riverside Way, then leave the road by turning right along a narrow path that runs down towards the river.

2 This is the start of the Little Ouse Path, a riverside footpath connecting Brandon to Thetford. Turn left along the riverbank to cross a footbridge and pass a landing stage that marks the limit of navigation on the river. Stay on this path for about 2½ miles (4km) as it follows the twists and turns of the river, with views of marshes, pine forest and meadows on the far bank. This is a very peaceful stretch of the walk and the silence is only disturbed by the splashing of ducks or the occasional sound of a train on the railway line that runs parallel to the river.

3 Eventually the river straightens out before sweeping round to the right in a wide arc. When you reach a bridge, climb the steps and turn right over the bridge into the village of Santon Downham. This lovely village, deep in the forest, is the headquarters of Thetford Forest Park. In 1668, the entire village was engulfed by a sand storm, once a common occurence in these parts.

4 Pass the forest centre and the village shop, and continue up the hill to St Mary's Church, otherwise known as the Church in the Forest. Turn right opposite the church to walk briefly alongside the road to Brandon, facing the village green. When the road bends left, keep straight ahead on a surfaced track leading to a telephone box and the village hall. When the track ends, continue straight ahead on a footpath into the forest.

5 Stay on this path as it bends to the right and crosses a wide sandy track. Shortly afterwards, you pass a metal barrier and follow the path round to the left. The path winds gently through the forest, passing a campsite and another metal barrier before reaching the stables and paddocks of a riding school. Follow the track past the school, but when the track bends left, turn right along a narrow path between the paddocks and the woods.
The route from here back to Brandon is straightforward. Stay on this path as it gradually widens to become a track with a flint-faced wall on the left. The track, known as Gashouse Drove, continues all the way to the High Street, passing a housing estate and then a group of large modern houses on the left. Turn left at the High Street to return to the car park at the start of the walk.