Named after the legendary warrior and Queen of the Iceni whose tribes once inhabited the area.  Boudica Queen of the Iceni revolted against the Roman occupiers in AD 60-61 and quite literally set fire to Roman self-confidence and attitudes towards female rulers. This was her homeland, walk across her former kingdom and be inspired.

The Boudicca Way runs for approximately 36 miles between Norwich and Diss, roughly parallel with the old Roman ‘Pye’ Road (now the A140). The area has plenty of strong historical heritage to explore, which includes Venta Icenorum, the Roman Town at Caistor St Edmund, which was the Roman administrative centre for the area.

Boudicca Way passes through the rural, gently undulating countryside of south Norfolk and the Waveney Valley using Public Rights of Way and quiet country roads, where visitors can find unusual wildlife and flora. Along the way, the trail passes picturesque villages such as Shotesham, Saxlingham Nethergate and Pulham Market. The nearby Pulham St Mary was once home to the ‘Pulham Pigs’ airships that were so named by locals after their flying pig appearance.  Two giant hangers once stood here which housed the ‘pigs’, which were used on anti-submarine patrols during World War 1.  Not every day you can explore history ranging from a warrior queen to ‘flying pigs.’

One of the prettiest villages in South Norfolk, Pulham Market has a picturesque green surrounded by idyllic thatched cottages, a medieval church and a centuries-old alehouse, The Crown; the quintessential Norfolk village.

Through the centuries, Pulham Market’s history has been entwined with its neighbour, Pulham St Mary. The village is built on high land north of a stream known as The Beck and the name ‘Pulham’, originally spelled ‘Polleham’ is thought to mean the ‘place of pools’. It’s likely there was a Roman settlement here, as ancient fragments have been found close by; pieces of tile, coins and oyster shells. Written records date back to the 10th century, when the land belonged to Ethelwold, the Bishop of Winchester. He later gave it to the abbey of St Etheldreda at Ely. The monks established the market, which was regularised by the Plea Rolls in 1249. The village prospered, growing wealthy enough to build its own church in the 14th century. It’s believed The Crown was built to house the workers contructing the church.

In Tudor times Pulham Market has its own Guildhall (now gone) and was famous for its cottage industries, manufacturing hats, dornicks (linen cloth) and coverlets. Eventually a larger market at Harleston absorbed local trade, and the cottage industry era drew to a close. However, agricultural links remain strong and The Crown’s seasonal menu includes produce from local farms. It’s a lovely stopping point if you’re walking the long-distance Boudica’s Way footpath which runs through the village.

Named after the legendary warrior and Queen of the Iceni whose tribes once inhabited the area.  Boudica Queen of the Iceni revolted against the Roman occupiers in AD 60-61 and quite literally set fire to Roman self-confidence and attitudes towards female rulers. This was her homeland, walk across her former kingdom and be inspired.

The Boudicca Way runs for approximately 36 miles between Norwich and Diss, roughly parallel with the old Roman ‘Pye’ Road (now the A140). The area has plenty of strong historical heritage to explore, which includes Venta Icenorum, the Roman Town at Caistor St Edmund, which was the Roman administrative centre for the area.

Boudicca Way passes through the rural, gently undulating countryside of south Norfolk and the Waveney Valley using Public Rights of Way and quiet country roads, where visitors can find unusual wildlife and flora. Along the way, the trail passes picturesque villages such as Shotesham, Saxlingham Nethergate and Pulham Market. The nearby Pulham St Mary was once home to the ‘Pulham Pigs’ airships that were so named by locals after their flying pig appearance.  Two giant hangers once stood here which housed the ‘pigs’, which were used on anti-submarine patrols during World War 1.  Not every day you can explore history ranging from a warrior queen to ‘flying pigs.’

Part of the Norfolk Way Art Trail, Flock by toyStudio is formed of a collection of curved, metallic, tubes which vary in length and twist upwards around a larger central spiral. It is inspired by flights of birds, schools of fish and the swarms of eels, which are synonymous with Diss Mere and the nearby River Waveney. It also represents the movements of Diss’ own residents, just as the Mere’s wildlife has migrated to Diss over the years, many different communities have arrived in Diss and explored its culture and heritage.

Diss-based writer, Bel Greenwood, delivered a series of creative workshops in Diss, gathering memories and stories from the local community to create a poem. The poem is imprinted on the artwork, reflecting people’s responses to Diss’ landscape, culture and heritage.

The artwork responds directly to the Mere, with its form evoking its mysterious depth. The artwork’s creator, toyStudio, reflects the uniqueness of the Mere, complementing the environment it sits in. Some Flock members are highlighted in yellow, green, blue, and purple, colours which reference Diss’ historic cloth and linen market.

The other artworks which form the Norfolk Way Art Trail are Iron Reef at Reedham Ferry Inn, Honing Passage at Honing Station, Interval at Eastbourne Place in Norwich and Flint at Norwich Arts Centre.

Want to learn a wonderfully expressive new skill? Saori freestyle hand weaving originated in Japan. It’s open to everyone regardless of age, gender or physical ability, with no rules, no tricky patterns, no worries about straight edges and no mistakes!

The ‘sa’ of Saori comes from Zen vocabulary, meaning everything has its own individual dignity, the ‘ori’ means weaving.

In a Saori Studio the looms are set up with warp threads so you can come in, sit down and weave. Saori weaving began when Misao Jo was 57 years old. While hand weaving an obi (belt) for her kimono, she noticed a warp thread was missing and was delighted to find this ‘mistake’ made a beautiful pattern. Her ‘flawed’ obis were so full of life, people wanted to make their own. Students learned the basic techniques of using a loom and then had the opportunity to ‘paint with yarn’, be adventurous and express themselves freely with pure joy. This spontaneous approach to weaving finds ‘the beauty with lack of intention’, inspiring confidence in your own creativity. It’s a generous invitation to consider the difference between a machine and a human being, inspire one another and ‘look out through eyes that shine’. Magical!

The Saori Shed is part of a fantastic East Anglian creative studio in Diss. Through their charity, designermakersCIO, this vibrant community of craftspeople and artists nurtures local talent and makes arts accessible to all. Check out their Save Our Story campaign, aiming to secure a bright future.