March 2026 Update
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Welcome to the March Newsletter What a wet winter wipeout!! Fortunately it hasn’t dampened our spirits and everyone has literally marched on through the mud and the floods with pure grit, determination and laughter! Social walks have had good turnouts and we've been joined from LDWA folks from far flung places such as Devon and Cornwall as well as Cambridgeshire and some potential new regular members. If you are a member of our WhatsApp group you will have seen the fun and games. Yvonne and Roger’s walk was so flooded everyone got to wash their feet and Jon’s walk on Sunday was a total bog trot with poor Brian face planting in it! What’s wonderful is despite the conditions everyone still enjoys themselves. There are some shorter winter Wednesday walks as well as the longer weekend walks which have definitely been a workout in the muddy conditions (apologies Jons Ely walk is a very recent memory!!) There has also been a few members travelling to far flung events recently and next month looks busy too. Please add your photos to the WhatsApp group or Facebook page. It’s always nice to see what others are doing and perhaps make some plans for next year. Norfolk and Suffolk also hosted The Winter Poppy 50. It was a huge success aided by the weather gods who allowed us one day of dry glorious weather to fully appreciate the beautiful North Norfolk coastline. These events wouldn't happen without our wonderful band of volunteers so please consider volunteering if you can. We had some new folks helping out at various checkpoints and HQ so special thank you very much to them, we hope you'll return. Finally, just a mention that we have received an update from the NEC pertaining to Dogs on Walks. There is a tightening of legislation in regards to protection of livestock. Our policy and a link to the NEC document can be found on our website section under Useful Stuff. https://ldwa.org.uk/NorfolkAndSuffolk/W/10254/dogs-on-ns-walks.html
Upcoming walks March and April with a note for the diary for the AGM in May Wed 4th Mar 2026 Winter Wednesday St Helens Hobble Group Walk - 15ml. 9:30 St Helens picnic site, off Santon Road, Thetford Forest, IP27 0TT. c.p has no charge. OS Expl map 229. What three words: charts.brings.clutches. https://www.forestryengland.uk/st-helens-picnic-site. (GR TL826875). From the picnic site we head towards Santon Downham, then handrail the railway line before deviating off towards Weeting. The next sections are in & out of the forest via Pilgrims Walk, Rougham Corner, Snake Wood, Grimes Graves, Santon Warren & back to St Helens General Notes There can be an early toilet stop at Santon Downham if required; beyond that there are no amenities. Paths along the route are varied but mainly good forest tracks. However, expect some wet grass & (hopefully only a little) mud due to the time of year. Please bring enough food & drink to last the entirety of the walk. Dogs welcome; there are some sections of the walk where dogs must be on a lead Contact Jon Inett Tel: 07799420492 Email jon1965@runbox.com
Sun 8th Mar 2026 Group Walk - 18.5ml. 9:00 Stradbroke Community Centre, Wilby Road, Stradbroke IP21 5JN. (GR TM229736). Walking the short route of the Daffodil Dawdle via Weybread, Brockdish and Hoxne. Please bring sufficient food and drink for the day. C: Roger & Yvonne T: 07813402072. E: y.osborne@hotmail.co.uk Sun 15th Mar 2026 Group Walk - 17ml. 9:00 Car Park, Dunston Common, Stoke Holy Cross. NR14 8PE Quarter of mile from A140 turning just south of railway line/bridge.. (GR TG227025). Circular route walking through suburbs south of Norwich & villages of Swardeston, Intwood & Keswick, Eaton, Trowse, & Caistor St Edmunds. Includes parts of Tas Valley path & Boudicca Way. General Notes Terrain Minor roads, unmade footpaths & riverside paths. Refreshments Bring sufficient refreshments for the day, although possible pub stop en route Contact Robert Bilbie Tel: 07799 875009 Email robert@archerread.co.uk Sun 22nd Mar 2026 Group Walk - 19ml. 8:30 Car Park off The Common, Mulbarton, NR14 8AE (next to the football & social clubs) The W3W location for the c.p is cheaper.goose.licks. (GR TG195008). This is the same walk that I led in November 2024 but we'll be walking the other way around. We'll be walking through Flordon, having a morning break at Fundenhall church, then continuing through Ashwellthorpe & Wreningham. After lunch at Hethel church, we will loop around Swardeston before returning to the c.p General Notes The c.p has no charge. There are no shops along the route. Please bring enough food & drink to last the day. Dogs welcome; there are some sections of the walk where dogs must be on a lead Contact Crumpton Clarke Tel: 07922 480402 Email crumptonclarke@sky.com
Wed 1st Apr 2026 Spring Wednesday Walk- Cross Boundary Group Walk - 15ml. 9:30 Bridgham Lane (off West Harling Road), Harling, Norfolk, NR16 2SE. What three words: shallower.punters.residual. Please check the location prior to travel; the postcode covers a large area. (GR TL967836). The first few kilometres are forest based. We then pick up the Devis Ditch & follow it south towards Garboldisham & then Blo Norton which is the likely lunch stop. A section of the Angles Way takes us past Thelnetham windmill & onto Hopton. We then head through Hopton fen towards Gasthorpe & the site of the now closed Riddlesworth school. From there it is an easy stretch along a quiet lane & forest track back to Bridgham Lane General Notes Paths along the route are varied but mainly good. A lot of the route is either in or close to the forest. Please bring enough food & drink to last the entirety of the walk. Dogs welcome; there are some sections of the walk where dogs must be on a lead Contact Jon Inett Tel: 07799420492 Email jon1965@runbox.com
Sun 5th Apr 2026 Cambridge & Countryside -Note change of date Group Walk - 22.5ml. 9:10 Meet at Trumpington P&R (free parking), CB2 9FT, by the bus stops (there are toilets). The route will be a mixture of urban and fenland walking and include parts of Cambridge City, River Cam, Bio-Medical Campus, and surrounding villages and countryside including Grantchester, Fulbourn Fen and Wandlebury General Notes Please text in advance Contact Paul Cutmore and Mira Nair Tel: 07818 046579 Email ptcutmore@cix.co.uk Sun 12th Apr 2026 Group Walk - 19ml. 9:00 Car park on B1125. (GR TM450726). Dunwich Forest, Blackheath, River Blyth from Blyford to Blythburgh, railway to Walberswick Common, Blyth round Tinker’s Marshes to harbour then Dunwich River to Westwood Marsh. No toilets, cover at lunch or refreshments. Expect mud & water. C: Martin Pooley Tel: 07831 339720 Email pooleymartin@outlook.com
Sun 10th May 2026 Group Walk - 11.5ml. 9:00 Hoxne Village Hall IP21 5AN. Parking at Hall. (GR TM180768). A circular walk starting from Hoxne Village, walking via Syleham, Brockdish, Thorpe Abbotts and Billingford. The meeting will start at 1:00 after walk is finished. C: Yvonne and Roger T: 07813402072
As always I am on the look out for walk leaders to help complete the schedule. It doesn’t matter how far in advance you would like to book it can be a shorter mid week Wednesday or a longer weekend walk. It is wonderful the schedule is looking so buoyant and it would be great to continue like this. Roll on Spring!
Jane and Chelle |
