From the National Trust car park walk towards the toilets and take the footpath to the right of them. This leads to a footbridge. After crossing the bridge turn immediately right and follow the path along the side of Horsey Mere through reeds and alder copses.

Turn right when the path meets a brown-watered dyke (Waxham New Cut). Eventually you will see derelict Brograve Drainage Mill ahead. Herons and other birds often perch on its battered sails, so it's worth stopping to look.

Turn right immediately adjacent to the mill and walk along the edge of a field. Reed beds give way to water-meadow. Continue straight ahead. The path bends left, then right across a footbridge, then crosses a small lane and continues through the field opposite. At the end of the field, make a sharp left, eventually coming to another lane.

Go right at the lane, bearing right where it meets a track, and walk past Poppylands Café. When you reach a junction turn left, following the sign for the Nelson Head. Pass the pub on your left-hand side, then look for a well-defined footpath going off to your right.

Walk past the gate and continue along the wide sward ahead, with a narrow dyke on either side. When the sward divides, bear left and head for a stile at the end of the footpath. Climb this and immediately turn right to walk along a spacious field. This area is used for grazing breeding stock and you should look for signs warning about the presence of bulls. Since this part of the walk is permissive, and not a public footpath, the National Trust is within its rights to put bulls here, so it is important to check for warning signs before you venture forth. These are always prominently displayed. If this is the case, you will have to walk back to the lane and turn left. This will take you back to the car park at the start of the walk.

Assuming there are no bulls to hinder your progress, climb the stile, between the field and the road, and then cross the road. The car park where the walk began is ahead of you and slightly to your right. This is a good time to explore the delights of restored Horsey Drainage Mill, which you will find just to your left.