Watton to Thompson Common and Thompson Water

Six and a quarter miles and about three hours, mostly on lane verge, farm track and the Peddars Way, running south out of the market town to the pingo-pocked common and the reed-fringed shallows of Thompson Water before returning by Merton. It starts from the free long-stay car park behind Watton High Street, which has well over a hundred untimed spaces and is only busy on Wednesday market day. Norfolk Wildlife Trust requires dogs on a lead throughout Thompson Common, where cattle, ponies, sheep and goats graze at different times and some compartments carry a temporary no-dogs restriction, and Thompson Water is the only place on the route a dog can drink.