Knettishall Heath Nature Reserve, Suffolk – Start of the Peddars Way

Heathland, Ponies, and the First Steps North

Knettishall Heath is the southern starting point of the Peddars Way, set on the Norfolk and Suffolk border at the edge of open heathland and woodland. The trail begins close to the road and car park, making it an easy place to start on foot before the route heads north through quieter inland landscapes.

The start of the Peddars Way here is simple and accessible. Walkers begin almost immediately from the reserve edge, with clear waymarking leading away from the road and into open heath and surrounding woodland. The feeling is one of transition rather than ceremony, moving from car park to countryside within minutes.

Knettishall Heath itself is a Local Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest, and part of its character comes from the Exmoor ponies that roam freely across the heath. They are usually encountered a short walk into the reserve rather than directly at the trailhead, adding a distinctive sense of place to the opening stretch of the route.

There are no facilities at the trail start itself, but a café can be reached around two miles from the start of the Peddars Way. Located at the Forest Holidays site, it sits directly beside the trail within the surrounding woodland and is clearly signposted as you approach. For walkers setting off from Knettishall Heath, it is a reliable early stop and difficult to miss.