[1] This walk starts at the car park of Knapton Cutting Nature Reserve. Leave the car park and cross the road to a footpath opposite. Follow the path between fences and then bear half right across a field to a gap in the hedge. Cross the next field and turn right along the green lane of Paston Way. Paston Way is named after the village and family of Paston. Sir William founded Nelson’s School in 1606 and Clement, Earl of Yarmouth, built Oxmead Hall.
At the road turn left along one of the “Quiet Lanes” which are part of a scheme promoting these lanes for walking and cycling. At the main road in Edingthorpe Green turn right along the busy road for about quarter of a mile and then turn left along Mill Road. Keep on this lane past the sawmill and down the hill before turning left along the bridleway leading through Bacton Wood Mill Farm. Follow the track for about a mile. Towards the end of the path there is an incline through mature beech trees. At the top of the incline bear right through pine trees and follow the track to the road. Turn right along the road, cross the bridge by the disused mill and walk a shirt distance uphill to a footpath on the left.
The bridge crosses the North Walsham and Dilham canal, the only canal in Norfolk. The canal trust have cleared the mill pond above the bridge and opened up the area.
[2] Follow the signed path across fields as far as the road. Turn right to join the signed route of Weavers Way. From here the route is well signed - first left and right along Holgate Road, left along a short stretch of busy road and left along Field Lane. Pass by the woods of Field Lane and turn right across a field into an estate of bungalows. At the main road turn right towards the Town Centre. Pass the Police Station and keep straight ahead at the roundabout.
(A) At the next road junction there is a millennium memorial celebrating North Walsham’s historic associations including Nelson and the Peasants’ Revolt. In 1381 the local workers or peasants rebelled against the imposition of the poll tax. Many took refuge in the church but were killed by the soldiers on the basis that the church had not yet been consecrated and therefore they could not claim sanctuary.
[3] Turn left at the memorial and carry on into the busy market place. Keep left at Waterloo House to find the entrance to Paston School on the left.
(B) Nelson would have been among 30 boys here of which about 20 were boarders.
Carry on past the school and turn right back into the marketplace. Carry on straight ahead and at the road junction take a narrow alley, St. Nicholas Court, on the right back towards the Church. At the steps turn left and carry on in the same direction to meet the Mundesley Road. Carry on past the rear of the supermarket and the cemetery. Where the main traffic turns left, to join the main road, carry on ahead along the no through road. At the end of the road join Paston Way once more by going down steps on the right. Follow the old railway track as far as a brick bridge crossing above the line. Ignore the waymarked route here and carry on straight-ahead into the Knapton Butterfly Reserve. At the end of the reserve climb steps to return to the start.