Royal ramble

Mark Sutcliffe walks through the charming woods and heathland of Sandringham Estate – the late Queen Elizabeth II’s treasured rural retreat

This is a walk by Royal demand as it criss-crosses Sandringham Estate – a magnificent 20,000-acre mixture of parkland, heathland and woodland surrounding King Charles III's rural Norfolk retreat, Sandringham House. The Sandringham Estate Club Campsite is situated within the boundaries of the Royal estate, which stretches all the way north to the Norfolk Coast National Landscape.

While Sandringham House and the formal gardens are open to the public between March and October, the parkland is accessible all year round and the woods are interlaced with bridle paths and tracks which are easily accessible. In late summer, the entire heath turns vivid purple – a stunning contrast to the deep greens of the Scots pines and bracken.

This largely flat route explores Sandringham’s extensive mature woodland before heading west to the village of Wolferton, where the Royal Family and their guests would arrive by train. The line was closed in 1969 with the station becoming a private residence which has been sensitively restored to preserve most of the original features.

Directions

1. Follow the path from the back of the Club site to reach Church Road. Turn right and continue to Double Lodges crossroads. Head straight across and continue along Donkey Pond Hill, heading towards Sandringham House. After 500m, where the road bends right, take a path on the left through woods to join the wide grassy bridle path and continue to where this meets the road.

2. 1.4km – Head slightly left, cross the road and join a woodland path running parallel to it. Continue ahead following the blue and yellow marker posts past the car park to reach the visitor centre.

3. 2km – At the visitor centre, head left past the play area and onto the wide grassy track. Continue past the Forest School and follow a path along the right-hand side of the bridle path for 700m to reach the Scenic Drive. Turn left and follow the drive between the trees for 500m.

4. 3.8km – At the end of the drive, through the gates, head right on a lane. Continue along the lane and cross a main road with care, veering slightly left to join a lane heading towards Wolferton. Continue along the lane for 400m and continue straight ahead at the Scissors crossroads.

5. 4.9km – Continue for another half-mile to the edge of Wolferton and after The Old Rectory, follow the lane right to reach the Royal Station at Wolferton.

6. 5.9km – Turn right and then, at Wolferton Car Park, head left into Dersingham Bog National Nature Reserve and follow the path left through some heathland as it arcs gradually back right along edge of the reserve.

7. 6.3km – Continue straight on along the edge of the woodland, then descend some steps, following the blue arrows. Continue along a sandy path to a fork and keep right, climbing gently back through the woodland. Continue through the gate to Scissors Car Park, then left onto a lane.

8. 7.1km – At the Scissors crossroads, cross the road and continue straight ahead along Station Road (the right-hand ‘blade’ of the scissors). Follow the lane to a junction and cross the main road again with care and continue along Double Lodges Lane. At Double Lodges crossroads, turn right into Church Road, then left after 100m to return to the Club site along the path.

Download this route and others to your smartphone or GPS device from the Club’s OutdoorActive page at: out.ac/IPp3bt

About the route

• Start/finish: The Sandringham Estate Club Campsite, Glucksburg Woods, Sandringham, Norfolk PE35 6EZ.
• Distance: 9.9km /6.1 miles
• Time: 2hrs 45mins.
• Level: Suitable for regular walkers with a reasonable level of fitness.
• Terrain: Forest tracks, grassy footpaths, some road walking. Broadly flat with the occasional steady ascent.
• Landscape: Woodland, heathland, parkland.
• Refreshments: Several options at Sandringham Visitor Centre.

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The Caravan and Motorhome Club make no warranties concerning the accuracy or completeness of the routes published, which to the best of our knowledge were correct at the time of publication. Your use of the routes is at your own risk and we accept no responsibility for the suitability or safety of any routes published. Routes may be out of date or affected by changes to the physical environment and, to the extent permitted by law, we accept no responsibility for personal injury or property damage caused by your use of the routes.