Weavers' Way - diversions / Broadland flood alleviation scheme

A programme of flood defence work along Broadland rivers is responsible for some path closures. It seems fairly long-term as they've gone to the trouble of printing this message on the OS map! I've also now seen a message on Norfolk County Council's website.

But when I started walking the second half of the Weavers' Way I'd not seen any of these messages and this first notice just outside Yarmouth was a heart-sinking moment. The poster says "Not possible to provide a diversion" and suggests catching the train from Yarmouth to the Berney Arms.

Happily for me, This particular diversion starts after Easter weekend 2013, one week after my walk. There's no word on how long this closure will be in effect, so be prepared to catch the train or avoid this section completely, starting or finishing at Halvergate. Alternatively, you could investigate the path marked on the map as 'Paddys Loke' which looks like a good diversion, although you would have to cross the A47 and two railway lines (which is I guess why the council haven't suggested it).

The next diversion was in effect when I walked, between Acle Bridge and Oby. It's a long diversion, perhaps adding a couple of miles, but it is very easy to follow. Again no word on timing, but it looks pretty long-term as miles of wire and fence-posts have been put in along the diversion to keep you on track.

The last closure incident (nearly the last straw for me - these notices were becoming very frustrating!) is just past (or just before depending on which direction you're walking) Old Potter Heigham Bridge. This time there were no cordons or barriers, so I carried on without any problems. I guess from the rusty staples that this notice is old and the work has finished. (Please take the sign down NCC!!)

According to the contractor's website, we're now half-way through a 20-year scheme. The point is to improve access as well as to reduce the flood risk, so we can look forward to great paths, but also some inconvenience for quite a while to come.

Note that this work affects the section of Weavers' Way between Potter Heigham and Great Yarmouth. The first half of the long-distance path is I believe unaffected.

Navigation down!

I met more than my fair share of unexpected problems while walking half of the Weavers' Way last Sunday

This is what's left of my Explorer OL40 and the story of how I nearly had to manage without both map and phone.

I will take any opportunity to tell anyone why it's a daft idea to rely on an electronic device for navigation. Relying on the wayposts and fingerposts is also a great way to get lost. Even on a well-maintained route like the Weavers Way, there are spots with a choice of direction and no disc to be found. Written instructions and sketch maps are also just as dodgy, one wrong turn and you're lost.

The best way is surely to avail yourself of all of these useful tools - but consider the map the primary means.

My complete faith in the map has been shaken a little by Sunday's misadventures. In many years I've not thought that it could let me down.

On the marshes I was feeling every knot of the very strong wind which met no obstacle on the flat marshland. I can't remember how, but it managed to snatch the map from my grasp.

The Explorer immediately opened up like a giant sail and sped off at a rate I couldn't hope to follow. Fortunately it took a dive into a ditch full of water, but slightly out of reach and submerging itself. I had a second to consider whether it was better to spend the rest of the day with a map but with a wet leg and foot. Happily I managed to fish out the soggy mess with a stick.

The wind did serve to blow dry the map, while at the same time snatching off bits of vigorously-flapping papier mache.

It speaks of the quality of the paper and printing that the map was usable for the rest of the day and still is, aside from a couple of holes and missing corners.

Had I lost it, I would have been reduced to relying on the waymarking because of a cock-up on the phone charging front.

Only twenty years ago we would all have been without the mobile phones that we now take so much for granted. I think the loss of this lifeline was more of a problem to me than the loss of the map would have been.

So.. lessons learned...

I'll consider a map holder. It's a bit of a nuisance to re-fold the map when crossing a fold and you do look like an idiot but it keeps the map dry and securely fastened to the walker.

I won't forget the charging lead again (lessons learned the hard way are easiest remembered).

More pictures from this walk are on Flickr

Weavers' Way part two: windmills and big skies

Distance: 31 miles
Walked: Sunday 24 March 2013
Total miles walked this year: 92

I was sad to wash the Norfolk muck from my boots yesterday. I was born and raised in Norfolk, lived there for thirty-odd years but now that I've been away for some years it feels more like home than ever.

I've seen pictures of Broadland's flat horizon and I've holidayed on the Broads, but on Sunday when I walked the second half of Weavers' Way (I walked the first half around this time last year) I saw countryside that was new to me. The windmills, half a dozen in view at one time. The reeds. The easterly wind blowing in from the sea with nothing to stop it. And the huge sky which simply couldn't be any bigger.

Weavers' Way is sixty miles and can be broken down into up to seven sections. For a good all-day walk and it breaks down perfectly into two equal sections at Stalham, which happily has a fantastic chip shop.

I walked the first half; Cromer to Stalham and for convenience of transport I then walked the second section in reverse; Great Yarmouth to Stalham.

I'll be writing about some misadventures separately, and adding details of the second half of this long-distance path to my site at uk-walks.info.

More pictures from today's Weavers' Way walk at Flickr

Walcott beach

Not exactly the kind of hike that I generally write about here, but I've always loved a walk along the beach or clifftop.

Warnings have been issued about the clifftop paths being unstable due to all the rain, but there's no danger at Walcott and it has a concrete defence which you can walk along if the tide's right in.

More photos from this day here on Flickr

Weavers' Way

Norfolk has a number of decent routes. Weavers' Way is one of the UK's National Trails and follows old railway line, bridleway and country lanes. It joins Cromer and Great Yarmouth, and in the Yarmouth half takes in the Norfolk Broads.

At 60 miles, it's impossible to do in a day, but it passes through many towns and villages and so can be broken into two or more sections.

On 7 April I walked the first half, Cromer to Stalham. It's a linear walk and so you have to use public transport or arrange lifts. An Easter break with the folks was a perfect opportunity!

More photos of this walk on Flickr 

My own information about Weavers Way is here