A Day Trip to Norfolk

Norwich is a fine city, (pity about the graffiti), a long way from Derby, but eminently accessible by train and not an expensive trip providing you can trawl the Internet weeks ahead of your journey and have some sort of a rail discount card. The charge for my journey was £11.70 return. 
Much as I love the Highlands of Scotland, the Lakeland Peaks and the Mountains of North Wales, there is a certain charm in the flat lands of East Anglia, with their big skies, pretty villages, and enormous arable fields.  Having few hills of any consequence, it is ideal cycling country.



So an early start from Derby Station was necessary.

The plan was to ride the Marriot's Way, a reclaimed railway route running North West out of Norwich, and being a part of National Cycle Network Route 1.
Having dis-embarked at Norwich Station after a three hour journey the first thing was to find the start of the Greenway, which is actually quite well marked from Dove Street, an offshoot of the Market Place.
Soon we are away from the traffic and on the tarmac path which follows the River Wensum.
I proposed to ride the 14 miles to the village of Reepham, with a break there for refreshment and then go Eastwards to Aylsham, board the Bure Valley (narrow gauge) Railway to Wroxham, and from there return to Norwich.
The surface of the Greenway is good over the whole route.  Initially tarmac for some miles, it then becomes hard packed gravel and earth, the sandy soil being well drained, makes a good surface for cycling and the width of the path is generous throughout.


A nice tarmac path to start with and several adjoining paths.



Some rather high bridges with barriers to deter motor vehicles.

This seat does not look at all comfortable, but it is a fine example of the blacksmith's art, showing how you can twist a substantial girder if you can get it hot enough and have a big lever.

Being mid week, the path was not busy, with only a few cyclists about.
This guy (right) told me that it gets very busy at weekends. Also he told me that close by, behind impressive wrought iron gates is Great Witchingham Hall, home of the late Bernard Matthews  the "bootiful" turkey millionaire.

There are several bridges crossing the meandering river, two of them as triangular girders, in the style of Brunel's magnificent bridge across the Falls of Lora at Connel, just North of Oban.



Autumn leaves in the cutting.

Approaching Reepham we pass the Whitwell and Reepham Heritage Railway.
Not much length of line at present, but a fair bit of rolling stock and a couple of steam locos.

A good place for refreshment here in Reepham is Diane's Pantry.

 Although the off-road path continues as NCN Route 33, local cyclists informed me that the surface is poor, so I cycled to Alysham on the road, which was not too busy with traffic, and measured about 9 miles.

The Bure Valley Railway runs between Alysham and Wroxham, a distance of 14 miles and is well worth a trip. The large and modern station has an excellent café and shop selling railway enthusiast's ephemera including books, souvenirs and Hornby model trains.

Although there is a path alongside the line, it is very narrow and would not make a good cycle ride. Best take the train if there is room.  There is limited accommodation for bikes and you are advised to seek confirmation from the guard before purchasing a ticket.

This is the café, decorated for Halloween.



And here, Spitfire. one of the beautiful steam locomotives.
Note that the expansive roof covers the trains, but not passengers on the platform.



The carriages are slightly bigger than those on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway.

The narrow gauge and the non-welded rails give a good old fashioned clickety-click ride..............

 

There are no off-road cycle paths to get back to Norwich, only the A1151 trunk road, but an excellent mainline hourly train makes a good alternative. The station is within a short distance of the Wroxham  Bure Valley station.