The Nar Valley Way stretches from King’s Lynn to Gressenhall, near Dereham, following the river Nar from where it flows into the Great Ouse back to its source at Mileham, and beyond.

Along the way the quiet waters of the Nar support a wonderland of wildlife and pass ruined abbeys and castles and a mill which ground human (and animal) bone. The Nar is a fine example of a globally-rare chalk stream and the whole of its length is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The 33-mile Nar Valley Way can be walked in two or three days. For a three-day adventure the first stretch covers around 12.5 miles to Pentney or Narborough.

The route starts on the historic South Quay at King’s Lynn and almost immediately crosses a bridge over the Nar as it flows into the River Great Ouse.

The path follows the river past the gate of 13th century Whitefriars (the first of several abbeys, priories and friaries along the river) and then Blubber House Creek where whale blubber, bones and oil were once processed.

The route leaves the town and busy roads and winds alongside the river through marshes and open fenland. Look out for birds including snipe, lapwing, redshank, sedge and grasshopper warblers, and for many different types of dragonflies.

At Pentney there is another abbey gatehouse and then at Narborough the path passes the former Bone Mill which once ground bones from local slaughterhouses, plus whalebones brought up-river and, historians believe, even human bones exhumed from German cemeteries and shipped over to Norfolk.

The bones were ground down to create agricultural fertiliser. The mill closed towards the end of the 19th century but over the past few years has been restored so that its water wheel now turns again.

Day two takes walkers 11.5 miles from Narborough to Litcham, beginning close to the grand house and parkland of Narborough Hall and continuing past Narborough's beautiful 18th century watermill, which ground grain rather than bone. The path winds through woodland and past Narford Lake and Park to pretty West Acre village.

Here there is a pub, an art gallery, a theatre – and the ruins of another priory. The path then follows the river Nar through woodland and across grazing marshes and meadows. Spot southern marsh orchids here in here in the summer.

The approach to the picture-perfect village of Castle Acre, complete with castle, priory and Norman gateway, is through Castle Acre Common, the most important valley grassland in west Norfolk.

The village itself includes the most spectacular of all the priories along the Nar Valley Way, plus the remains of the huge Norman castle.

After a lunch break in Castle Acre (named one of the 10 best villages in England in Country Life magazine) continue along the river past West and East Lexham to Litcham Common and then Litcham. The common is a nature reserve grazed by Dartmoor ponies and is home to many species of butterflies and birds.

The 8.5 miles of the third day from Litcham to Gressenhall passes a field of Bronze Age burial mounds just beyond Litcham, and then goes through ancient Lounds Wood to Mileham. Here the Norman motte and bailey castle, one of the biggest in Norfolk, was abandoned seven centuries ago. The village is also the source of the river Nar, but the long-distance trail continues along a Roman road near Bittering, past the remains of a moated manor house, to finish at Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse. Once a workhouse for the very poorest in society it is now a museum dedicated to Norfolk’s rural history. Alongside the imposing workhouse building is the farm used to grow food for the residents and now a living history museum, raising crops and animals, and using Suffolk Punch horses to work the land.

How to get to the start and finish point by public transport: King’s Lynn has a railway station with links to Cambridge and London and a bus station linking towns and villages across the county and beyond. At Gressenhall the Number 21 Konectbus runs to Fakenham and Dereham to connect to routes across the county.

Where to stay: There are B&Bs around Pentney and Narborough, including Little Abbey Farm in Pentney, for the first night and accommodation. Places to eat include the Ship Inn Chinese Restaurants. Accommodation options for the second night, includes The Bull Inn, Litcham, which also does meals. Alternatively, stay and eat overnight in Castle Acre to complete the walk in two days. Both the Ostrich and the Old Red Lion do rooms and food.

Where to eat: Buy for provisions for lunch on the first day in King’s Lynn – and eat on the banks of the beautiful Nar. On day two stop to eat in Castle Acre where places to eat include The Ostrich, the George and Dragon, and Wittles Cafe. On day three buy lunch in Litcham or en-route at Mileham Village Store.

More Norfolk long-distance paths include:

The Norfolk Coast Path unspools for 84 glorious miles of cliffs, dunes, saltmarshes, shingle banks, pine woodlands, wide sandy beaches and picturesque seaside settlements from Hunstanton to Hopton on Sea, south of Great Yarmouth.

The Angles Way runs through 77 miles of the Brecks and southern Broads, linking Thetford and Great Yarmouth. It meanders along the river Waveney crossing between Norfolk and Suffolk through peaceful countryside and pretty villages packed with wildlife and stories from thousands of years of history.

Weaver’s Way runs from Cromer to Great Yarmouth, heading inland as far as Aylsham, before striking out for the coast via Acle and Halvergate. The 60 mile route is named for the cloth industry which was once the life-blood of Norfolk, and passes many of the exquisite churches and manor houses built with money made in the medieval wool and cloth business.

Peddars Way, from Knettishall, five miles east of Thetford, to Holme-next-the-Sea, near Hunstanton, is 46 miles of forest, heath, meadow and river valleys. Parts of it were ancient before the Romans arrived and it was originally the end of a route which linked the English Channel with the Wash along a chalk ridge from Dorset to Norfolk. The remains of Roman villas and temples have been unearthed all along the Peddars (or pedestrian) Way.

Boudicca's Way is a 40-mile route of woodland, farmland and water meadows between Norwich and Diss, named for the heroine warrior queen of the Iceni tribe.

Wherryman's Way follows the Yare valley for 35 miles from Norwich to the sea at Great Yarmouth. The riverside path takes walkers through some of the most isolated landscapes in lowland Britain, accessible only to boaters and walkers. Highlights include Berney Arms where the railway halt is marooned in the marshes, vast Breydon Water, the ferry crossing at pretty Reedham and dozens of staithes and windmills. Loddon is well-placed for an overnight stop.

Marriott’s Way footpath, cycle path and bridleway connects Norwich and Aylsham, via Reepham, along 21 miles of an old railway line.

Kett's Country Long Distance Path is newly way-marked throughout the 18 mile route from Wymondham to Cringleford can be completed in a (long) day.

For an even bigger challenge try the Cross-Norfolk Trail from King’s Lynn to Yarmouth, which combines almost 100 miles of paths, tracks and lanes, beginning with the Nar Valley Way, joining the Wensum Way to Lenwade, the Marriott’s Way into Norwich and finally the Wherryman’s Way to Great Yarmouth.