Somerleyton Walks
Explore the area surrounding the delightful village of Somerleyton in the Waveney area of Suffolk. The circular walk makes use of the Angles Way and other public footpaths to take you on a tour of the village and the Somerleyton Estate surrounding Somerleyton Hall.
The village is accessible from Somerleyton rail station. You can catch the train from Lowestoft and Norwich directly.
The area has a fascinating history. Sir Samuel Morton Peto lived at the hall and was responsible for many of the most well known buildings in London, including Nelson's Column and the Houses of Parliament. He was also one of the pioneers of steam locomotion. The delightful model village includes the thatched red-brick estate cottages which he created for his workers.
You start the walk in the village passing the pretty cottages and village green before following the Angles Way footpath into the countryside towards Kitty's Farm. You turn south at Green Lane and head towards the river where you will pass two pretty lakes before returning to the village.
For a fee you can also enjoy a tour of Somerleyton Hall and gardens. Here you will find a walled garden, an aviary, a loggia and a 90 metres (300 ft) long pergola covered with roses and wisteria.
If you would like to extend your walk then you can follow the Angles Way north and visit the splendid Fritton Lake Country Park. There are lovely cycling and walking paths around the large lake which is 2.5 miles long.
Heading south along the Angles Way will take you towards Lowestoft where you will find the lovely Oulton Broad and Carlton Marshes Nature Reserve.
Postcode
NR32 5QQ - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locationsPlease click here for more information
Somerleyton Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Somerleyton Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Somerleyton OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Somerleyton Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
The Waveney Valley Walk starts in Beccles and visits Oulton Broad before heading to Somerleyton and the expansive Fritton Lake Country Park. There's also many other walking ideas in the valley to be found on this page.
To the west there's the worthy village of Loddon where you'll find an 18th century mill, a 15th century church and some lovely trails along the River Chet to Hardley Marshes.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Norfolk Broads Walks page.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
Marina. It was at Somerleyton Marina where Christopher Cockerell began his work on ideas to make a boat go faster, which led to the invention of the Hovercraft - Hovercraft - the first patent being applied for in December 1955.
Cottages in the village. The population numbers approximately 300. The village is an example of 19th century planning of housing consisting of thatched cottages and a village school around a newly created green. When Samuel Morton Peto took over the Somerleyton Estate in 1844 he began to reconstruct the Hall and to replan the village as a model village in the spirit of the times. The main road was diverted through the village which became centred on the village green, a horse-shoe shaped area with new houses around the perimeter, the school at one end and the village pump at the other. The new houses were designed by John Thomas, the architect of Somerleyton Hall. Peto also brought the railway to the village.
A beautiful summer scene with Swans on the Somerleyton Marshes.
Somerleyton Green
Thatched cottage at entrance to Somerleyton Park
Brickworks
St Mary’s church
Lean-to greenhouse at Somerleyton Hall