Kings Lynn stage 2 – Great Bircham to Walsingham (22.6km)
The morning of the 6th June 2026 saw the traditional Camino early start with Pheasant Mario picking up Bellars and Tommy before setting off for their own D-Day with the historic setting of Creake Abbey in North Creake. This was to be the mid-stage rendezvous for later in the day and where it was hoped that Pheasant Creek (no affiliation with the Abbey) would be waiting to join the company.
Regular readers will expect a pause while the group waited for the aforementioned pheasant to eventually turn up, which gave time for the group to sample the Creake Abbey Courtyard complex complete with farmers’ market. Weighed down with bacon rolls and coffee, it was then the turn of the legendary Toyota to transport the walkers to the start location back at Great Bircham.
The early stages of the walk saw the group take time out to explore the ruins of St Andrews Church on the outskirts of Bircham Tofts before skirting round the National Construction College and onto a slightly uphill section through Barwick Hall Farm. Here the rain decided to make an appearance, which when added to the utilitarian dead-straight gravel footpath built to accommodate the various wind turbines, provided around 4km of drudgery for the pilgrims as heads started to sag.
Finally reaching the outskirts of North Creake and other various Creek-related buildings, it was time to part company with Pheasant Creek as previous injuries meant he had only planned to do half the journey. In time honoured tradition, he was left with sustenance and water, together with some vague gesticulating as to how he got back to his car, which handily had been left only 1.5km away. The remaining travellers waived goodbye and hoped the next time they saw him would be at the finish line in Walsingham.
For these Pheasants it was heads down for the final 10km stretch to Walsingham. The trek wound its way up through Whin Hill in the rain and the narrow wooded lanes, surprisingly filled with several passing cars, towards Haggard’s Lodge. Turning at the Lodge, all that remained was a final climb and 5km of reasonably straight, quiet roads towards the finish line.
After crossing the B1105 and following the Egmere Road, Bellars decided to up the pace for the final 1km. This led to what has become folklore as a walking race developed between the three remaining Pheasants. Raising the pace from an average of 14:15 per km up to a dizzying height of 9.10 per km, the team flew into the finish, although Bellars did pay for spending too long at the front of the pack by the end.
Once in Walsingham, having found Pheasant Creek again, Mario joined him to round up the cars while Bellars and Tommy checked on the accommodations after the previous debacle. As has become tradition, there followed the gastronomic tour around various food outlets, including beer, wine, and a cake (which would famously nearly end up getting run over on the following day). Tommy had time for a quick run to feel smug before collapsing, and with that, the 3rd Camino to Walsingham was completed. All that was left was to count the foot blisters.
