Halvergate & Berney Marshes
Norfolk
Explore the history of the sedge-cutting industry in the Broads as you walk among marshes, rivers and dykes beneath wide-open skies.
DISTANCE: 7.5 MILES/12.1KM TIME: 4.5 HOURS LEVEL: EASY–MODERATE ASCENT: 48M TERRAIN: The walk is on grassy tracks and paths, which can be muddy. Cattle and sheep graze the marsh grassland, so keep dogs on leads.
Embracing Norfolk’s unshakeable stereotype as a county of extreme flatness, the highest point on this waterside walk is just two metres. But who needs hills when you’ve got the Norfolk Broads? Wending along rustling reed-bordered marsh tracks and the flood-banks of Breydon Water, this low-level route is packed with natural and historical excitement.
1 MILES OF MILLS
From Stone Road in Halvergate, take the track that leads to the right straight into the marsh landscape, passing Mutton’s Drainage Mill to the south. During the Roman period, this area was an estuarine environment; the linear dykes and channels are evidence of centuries of drainage work and the importance of wind power to control the ever-changing water levels.
The path heads towards Marshman’s Cottage, with the redundant Stones’ Drainage Mill beyond, and continues to Berney Arms Mill, a long-standing focal point in this flat landscape. A track from Wickhampton meets the path from the right and, about 365m further on, crosses a footbridge with a gate on either side of the dyke. The route then enters cattle-grazed marsh to the railway line crossing at Berney Arms Station.
2 SEDGE AND REED CUTTERS
The mill marks a transition from marsh to river. Originally the windpowered mill ground a constituent of cement, before it was converted into a drainage mill, assisting the reduction of marsh water levels.
Heading towards Berney Arms Pub (now closed), follow the path along the flood-protecting bank in a typical Norfolk Broads landscape – the realm of the sedge cutters.
Sedge and reed cutting remains a centuries-old harvesting industry, the winter-cut reeds are used for roofing material on thatched cottages, churches and agricultural buildings. The more flexible sedge, harvested during the summer months, is used for roof ridge and capping locations. New and old drainage pumps dot the marsh landscape to the north as the tidal section of the River Yare to the south opens into Breydon Water. The culvert at Breydon Pump marks the end of the flood-bank trail, and the track drops down below sea level again and on to the marsh route.
3 WEAVERS’ WAY
As the path follows the Weavers’ Way west through Beighton Marshes, the wide track is bordered by reed and sedge-lined dykes. The adjoining flood meadows are open hunting land for shorteared owls. The Fleet channel forms a southern water boundary as the trail passes Howard’s and High’s Drainage Mills. The route is obvious as it curves through the heart of Halvergate Marshes. In this secluded length of trail, the shy, Chinese water deer can be seen emerging from the reeds to graze.
The walk nears its conclusion soon after passing Manor Farm. Berney Arms Mill, the country’s tallest wind pump, remains a constant sentinel, and in a fading summer sunset it’s a magnificent backdrop that may be joined by the silent flickering of the wings of barn owls as they hunt. At the west end of Halvergate Marshes, rejoin Stone Lane and the car parking area.
