Norwich, Mousehold Heath, The Wensum, Rosary Cemetry, Lion Wood 040510

4.5 Miles Map Ref 243094
A circular walk in Norwich starting from Brittania Barracks on the North East side of Norwich with a fabulous vantage point to overlook this "Fine City." From here you see two Cathedrals, the "Roman" columns of City Hall, the City Hall Clock Tower, the Jarrolds printing works the whole panorama of this fine city.
This walk is taken from "Walks Around Norwich" by the Ramblers Association Norfolk and my grateful thanks to them. Ramblers publications seem always to be very reliable in describing their walk routes and they choose some excellent walks too. So look out for their little booklets and buy when you can!

The walk takes me through the trees of Mousehold Heath, I can still hear traffic in the distance as I am so close to some major roads but I am delighted to once again be surrounded with bird song celebrating this lovely day.
Following around Mousehold I am then directed to several paths, lanes and streets to bring me to Riverside road and the path along the river. The quintessential Norwich School playing fields with today a helicopter! I hear the Queen is in the City so perhaps its the Royal Flight! Bishops Bridge which was once the heavily guarded gateway to Norwich, Pulls Ferry and the lovely waters of the river Wensum.

 From here I am directed up Aspland Road to Rosary road and then past the Chalkhill Brewery to Rosary Cemetery on the other side of the road. . You would not know without visiting that this large cemetery exists in such a built up area. It rambles over hillocks and troughs with many many trees. Most of the gravestones are weathered and green but interspersed are some very new, clean and bright ones. Some lean over at odd angles, some graves are slowly reverting to the earth. This is not to me a sign of neglect but a very powerful way of showing the passage of time and our own brief time on this precious earth.
I go through this extensive cemetery and cross a road to Lion Wood. Here I missed my directions and bore to my right too much to end  up on the Yarmouth Road. I then had the "delight" of walking up the very steep Harvey Lane to get back to where I should be. Legs aching now! From there I return to that viewpoint of Britannia Barracks.
But despite this a very good day exploring parts of Norwich I had not seen before.
My last picture is taken as I enjoy a coffee in one of the many cafes by the market. Norwich is so colourful!
Stuart