Downham Market

Nicknamed the “Gingerbread Town” thanks to its array of historic Carstone cottages that inspire visions of Victorian country living, Downham Market is one of Norfolk’s oldest market towns. Sitting aside the banks of the River Ouse and tracing its lineage back to the Dark Ages, despite modern developments the town has retained an intimate atmosphere of commerce and community. Walk through the market square and marvel at the striking monochrome clock tower that stands proudly in the centre. Pack a picnic and meander through riverside pastures and fenland that fringe the local sections of the 50-mile Fen Rivers Way footpath. Offering picturesque views over the surrounding fenland landscapes, this “Settlement on the Hill” (as it’s was christened by the Anglo-Saxons), offers an idyllic West Norfolk escape.