Brilliant Breckland
With one of the most distinctive landscapes in the UK, Breckland comprises vast forests, lines of twisted Scots pines, patches of historic heathland and wide arable fields. On the edge of the Norfolk/Suffolk border Breckland is historically centred around the ancient town of Thetford.
One of the great things about Breckland is the diversity the area offers. Combining unspoilt countryside, outstanding wildlife, historical discoveries and fun activities – there really is something for everyone.
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A landscape full of surprises
The astonishing landscape of Breckland consists of an unusual mix of sand, chalk, flint and water, and it is one of the driest parts of the UK. The climate in the area is unique; colder in the winter and hotter in the summer than the British average, it has been described as ‘semi-continental’.
Thetford Forest, to the south of the Breckland area, is a patchwork of pines, heathland and broadleaved trees that provides a home to a rich variety of animal and plant life. Covering 20,000 hectares and planted just after the First World War, Thetford Forest is the largest lowland pine forest in Britain and attracts around 1.5 million visitors each year.
The Breckland heaths, now so valued for wildlife conservation, were actually one of the first great ecological disasters wrought by man. Originally covered in birch, oak and hazel woodland, the Brecks was cleared by prehistoric settlers to supply wood and to make way for grazing land.
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Alive with history
Breckland is an area brimming with history. From the first human settlement 500,000 years ago, through the times of the Iceni tribe and its flame-haired warrior queen Boudicca, to the eighteenth century radical thinker Thomas Paine, the area boasts some of the most fascinating sites of historical interest in the country.
In the 10th century the town of Thetford was the Saxon capital of East Anglia and even had its own mint, from which coins have been found as far afield as Scandinavia. By the 11th century it had become one of the biggest towns in England, ranking alongside York, Norwich and Oxford.
Oxburgh Hall is a stunning moated house built in 1482 by Sir Edmund Bedingfeld. The Hall has a magnificent Tudor gatehouse, and houses rare needlework hangings by Mary Queen of Scots and Bess of Hardwick. Now owned by the National Trust, Oxburgh Hall is a wonderful place to visit, with lovely gardens, charming woodland walks and picnic areas.
Roots of Norfolk, the rural life museum at Gressenhall, is housed in a former workhouse and looks back over 200 years to give visitors a real taste of what life used to be like in Breckland for real people.
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Riding, walking and cycling
In the heart of the largest lowland pine forest in the UK at Thetford, you will find miles of trails especially for cyclists. You can hire a mountain bike from BikeArt at the High Lodge Forest Centre and join one of the organised rides, or take your own bike and explore the forest at your leisure.
The Peddars Way, which runs for 63 Miles from just outside Thetford to the North Norfolk coast has separate riding and walking routes. The riding route follows farm tracks and minor roads and follows, or meanders close to, the old Roman road and includes part of the ancient Icknield Way. The National Trail Office can provide more details and routes.
A leaflet describing the 25 mile section between Roudham Heath and Fincham Drove (Near Swaffham) is available in a pack of horseriding routes called “Riding in the Brecks” which is available from the Brecks Countryside Project.
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Want to find out more?
In this section we've given you just a flavour of the Breckland area. You can find out lots more about places to stay and things to do by clicking on the link below. |
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Useful Links
Norfolk Hero
Find out more about Thomas Paine - a true Breckland hero.
Thomas Paine Society
Boudicca of the Brecks
Boudicca was the warrior queen of Breckland. Discover more about the leader of the Iceni here.
BBC History
Wild Woods
High Lodge Forest Centre is deep in the heart of Thetford Forest.
Forestry Commission
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