Mousehold Heath 010412

This wonderful wood and heath is on my doorstep, how lucky am I? A late afternoon stroll in long shadows gave me the delights of birds song, a lovely walk and the beauty of trees of all shapes and sizes. In just 45 minutes my brain is refreshed but also calmed. Magic!
Stuart

Norwich River Wensum 220112

A walk today following the river Wensum through this lovely city of Norwich. Starting from the Compleat Angler walk through their patio to steps taking you to the riverside walk. Anglers competing in a match on the bank opposite with huge fibre glass poles. Will the fish win?


 The path then takes you to Pulls Ferry, once the gateway for building materials for Norwich Cathedral including its wonderful stone. Further on a view across the playing fields of Norwich School with the cathedral behind. A quintessentially English view! I love it. Then on past Cow Tower to the new footbridge arcing across the Wensum form St James Place where the new Broads Authority building stands which is now linked to the Adam and Eve car park. How thoughtful of the planners to provide  a bridge so that Broads authority staff can easily pop over to the Adam  & Eve pub for a pint.
Cross Whitefriars bridge to walk along Quay Side with street furniture looking like old shipping crates that help to give the atmosphere of how this part of the city used to be. Cross over one of the the oldest bridges, Fye Bridge by the Ribs of Beef to walk to the Art College and one of my favourite cafes in Norwich where I am always served with a  smile and I can sit by the window, read a paper and watch the world go by. Bliss!

Norwich River Wensum 220112

A walk today along the river Wensum as it winds through the wonderful city of Norwich. Started at the Compleat Angler where you can walk through their outside area and down to the riverside path. On the opposite bank a fishing match in progress with some anglers using poles nearly able to touch the bank on my side. Will the fish out think them and win??
On to Pulls Ferry where building materials for the Cathedral were brought by water including all those blocks of stone. During building this spot must have been  a hive of activity but now peaceful and tranquil. On your left you pass the playing fields of Norwich School with the cathedral as a backdrop. How quintessentially English this scene is, I value it greatly.
Past Bishop Bridge, past Cow Tower and the newly built bridge linking St James Palace where the Broads authority are now based and The Adm & Eve car park. How thoughtful of the planners to provide such an easy route for te Broads Authority staff to get to the Adam & Eve pub!
The bridge is an arc across the river with exposed rusted steel. It looks good.
Continue on to Whitefriars Bridge which takes you onto Quayside. Here street furniture made to look like ships cargo helps give an atmosphere of how life used to be here with ships loading and unloading. Further along is one of the oldest bridges in Norwich, Fye Bridge by the Ribs of Beef. Walking on from here takes you through an arch to the Art College. Here you can turn right to cross Balckfriars bridge or join me in  one of my favourite cafes next to st Andrews Hall. Sit by the window reading a paper, enjoying good coffee and watching the world go by. Sheer bliss! Cheers!
Stuart

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

Norwich Castle 28 01 10

Today a walk through the city and all its varying architecture. Up to the castle mound where you can have a 360 degree view of this fine city. the Cathedral, Brittania Barracks, City Hall, Churches, churches, churches, The Royal Hotel and much much more. Makes you realise how lucky we are to live here!