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Peace & quiet in Norfolk (1 Viewer)

Karl J

Well-known member
Should have done this yesterday, but .....

02.05.03 Berney Arms to Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk About 5 miles along the riverside footpath, River Yare on one side & open countryside on the other.

Seemed as good a place as any to do the first of my GGBC surveys. 10 mins on the train from Yarmouth to Berney, and civilisation is nowhere to be seen. Superb.
Never really appreciated Berney train station itself before, I've always just walked along the path and off along the river. For those who've never been there it is literally a single platform in the middle of nowhere. That's it - nothing else - just a platform. Only photo I know of is at- http://web.ukonline.co.uk/berneyarms/index.htm

If you want to have a look, click through the Berney Arms > railway station links.

Yesterday however we stood for a good hour or so on the station overlooking the surrounding countryside, really is a great view : flat open countryside / farmland, a farmhouse into the distance, the single railway line running straight in and away again, the windmill - currently no sails due to renovation work, cattle in the fields, few trees here & there. People - just us. Had some very close views of Swallows here, which made for good watching, their acrobatics being superb. Few Swift as well. Whimbrel in the wet fields ( it had been raining earlier in the day). Meadow Pipit and Reed Warbler gave the background music.

It was always going to be hard beating that first hour or so, but walking along the rivers edge with the wind blowing from the West - from behind - it was a really nice day out, made even better by the lack of rain which the clouds had earlier looked like dropping on us.

Arrived back at Asda about 4 / 5 hours later. Nothing too spectacular, but got a total of 36 which, to be honest, was neither here nor there really. Most interesting were : Swallow - about 20 at Berney station, more along the way. About 12 Whimbrel, 25 Avocet, 6 Wheatear in a group, shedloads of Redshank - few large flocks. 2 Reed Bunting, 1 Reed Warbler - which was sitting, clear to see in a bramble bush, and 2 Goldfinch in amongst a field of cows.



Full list if you want to see it :
Swallow, Swift, Mallard, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Rook, Crow, Jackdaw, Magpie, Blackbird, Hse Sparrow, Mute Swan, Black Headed/ Lesser BlackBacked / Herring Gull, Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting, Pied wagtail, Woodpigeon, Shelduck, Avocet, Dunlin, Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Curlew, Whimbrel, Coot, Tufted Duck, Oystercatcher, Starling, Cormorant, Wheatear, Meadow Pipit, Canada Goose, Common Tern, Goldfinch
 
It is those kind of days, cut off from civilisation, that are the ones to really provide great pleasure!
 
That walk from Berney Arms station is very nice in summer, but can be absolutely freezing in winter and there`s not a scrap of shelter for miles!
 
Yes, you beat me to it Jason.

I was going to add that the experience isn't quite the same in January & February !
 
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