West Stow Country Park, where the walk begins, covers 125 acres on the southern edge of Breckland. The park and neighbouring Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve offer a variety of habitats — including heath, plantation, woodland, river, and lake — and claim over 300 plant species. Many of these, such as maiden pink, sand sedge, and mossy tillaea, are Breckland specialties well adapted to the region's low rainfall and sandy soil. Around 120 different species of birds have been seen, with Lackford Lakes particularly important for wintering wildfowl (including the relatively rare gadwall), while the River Lark is a thoroughfare for many migrating birds. Toads, weasels, hares, muntjac, and roe deer are just some of the animals frequenting the park, though most are shy and seldom seen. At the heart of the country park is the Anglo-Saxon village of West Stow.
From the country park, the first section of the walk goes through King's Forest, the southernmost part of Thetford Forest. Thetford, one of the very first forests established by the Forestry Commission, is now the country's largest lowland forest and premier pine forest. As well as conifers, there are belts of broadleaves, especially beech, oak, and sycamore. Clear-felling started in the early 1970s when the first plantations were some fifty years old, so the forest now presents a vast mosaic of distinct habitats ranging from newly felled sites to mature stands sheltering a wide variety of wildlife.
The bird population includes nightjars, woodlarks, and tree pipits in clear-felled areas, and woodland species such as goldcrest, siskin, crossbill, long-eared owl, sparrowhawk, and goshawk among the pines.
Part of the route through King's Forest follows the Icknield Way path. Probably the country's oldest road, the Icknield Way curves across England from Norfolk to Wiltshire following a natural line of chalk. In prehistoric times it was not a well-defined track, but rather a broad swathe of downland safe above low-lying marshes and free from dense forest, with routes frequently shifting over centuries to accommodate changing conditions underfoot.
Shortly after leaving the forest, the path comes to Wordwell, one of Breckland's lost villages. All that remains of the medieval settlement is the tiny church of All Saints, standing lonely against the sky. Built in the early 12th century and much restored in the 19th century, it retains medieval features including remarkable Norman north and south doorways with carved stone tympana. Inside, the chancel arch and font are also Norman, while wooden benches with beautiful poppyhead ends and animal carvings date from the 15th century (All Saints is now maintained by the Redundant Churches Fund).
From Wordwell, the path descends gently towards Culford, passing a tree-topped tumulus engagingly called "the Hill of Health". Culford is best known for its hall, now a school. Originally built in Tudor times by Sir Nicholas Bacon (stepbrother of the famous Francis), it was remodelled in the early 1800s for the 1st Marquess Cornwallis. Behind the hall, the church — rebuilt in 1856 — contains Bacon and Cornwallis memorials.
An attractive feature of the tree-studded park, apart from grazing flocks of sheep, is a long, narrow lake with a beautiful display of water lilies at its western end.
The way into West Stow village passes the church of St Mary, flint-faced like so many Breckland buildings. Although much restored in Victorian times, original elements remain, including the tracery of the north windows, fragments of medieval glass in the west window, and an 11th-century door (the oldest part of the building).
West Stow itself is a neat village with cottages and gardens arranged tidily behind sturdy flint walls. Standing well back from the village street on the northern side is a handsome red-brick gatehouse with octagonal corner turrets; dating from the reign of King Henry VIII, the gatehouse is almost all that survives of the original Tudor hall.
