Inauspicious start to the walk through boat yards in St Olaves

I was surprised by the amount of reed cutting going on. The gentle swish of the scythe has been replaced by the racket of powerful strimmers, but when this was behind me there came the chink-chink of bearded tits which were chasing around the tops of the reed. And then – popping out of the reed, a chinese water deer stopped and stared before bouncing off along the path. Nice to know that these are on the Island.

This was a fantastic walk, with big skies all around, no sound at all apart from the bird life, and a real feeling of getting away from it all. No hills here, just the curvature of the earth in every direction.

Just before the Waveney meets the Yare, the extensive Roman walls of Burgh Castle are seen over the water, and starting down the Yare, on the opposite bank, are the Berney Arms Inn and Windmill.

Berney Arms - no roads, but there is a railway stop nearby

On in the direction of Reedham, then the New Cut canal takes us back to St Olaves.

The walk was over 11 miles, and took me well over 5 hours, due to spending so much time looking through the binoculars. Kingfisher is always good to see. A short-eared owl was hunting, in the same patch as a barn owl. A marsh harrier was quartering, getting nearer, when it flushed a sparrowhawk, probably having it’s lunch in the reed, and I was surprised that the hawk saw off the harrier in no uncertain fashion.

A few photos on Flickr   >>> here <<<

Some of Norfolk is quite flat (St Michael, Broome)

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Hardley – Yare – Langley

The first longer walk was circular, about 9 miles, up the river Chet, then west along the Yare from Hardley Cross. Past the Staithe the newly restored windmill was in operation. This part of the Yare has an atmosphere all of its own, due to the Sugar Beet Factory on the opposite bank. Not an unpleasant smell, but dropped here blindfolded I would know where I was! Waited until I was through this for a lunch stop. Through to Langley then east along the road to the start. Pleased to see a couple of Marsh Harriers (not uncommon here), and a Chinese Water Deer making a bed in some reeds.

Cantley Beet factory on north bank of Yare

>> More Pictures <<

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Venta Icenorum

A round trip of about 14 miles from home to the Roman site Venta Icenorum near Caistor St Edmund. Damp and misty, difficult for good photos.

>> Pictures <<

The Roman town was built on the site of the Iceni settlement, and dates to around the time that the uprising, led by Boudicca, was put down. I wonder if Venta Icenorum is the name that the Romans used? It seems strange they would not have given the site a new name to avoid reference to the Iceni who had given them so much trouble.

A trail I have walked in stages, from Norwich to Diss, passes here – Boudicca’s Way.

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