Karl J
Well-known member
Comparing my original 'a Norfolk patch' to the other local patch posts it seems my definition of 'local' is not quite the same as others. So I thought I'd put a bit more detailed bit up about my 'most local area' - Breydon Water, and the walk along the river from Berney back to Yarmouth, which we do on a fairly regular basis. ( Was also a good way of putting my new camera to some practice use )
On the map below I've detailed the area - the dashed line being the Weavers Way footpath, and I've put in some of the more interesting features.
I think many UK birders know the area pretty well, but for those that don't ....... here goes.
Getting off one of the few trains to stop at Berney train station -- A -- on the map, the station platform provides a good place to look out over the surrounding countryside. This area is all part of the Berney Marshes RSPB reserve ( no visitor centre or anything though ) where lots of winter waterfowl come to see out the colder months.
A short walk across the marsh takes you to Berney mill-- E -- where the path meets the river ( and goes past the pub ). This is all a bit of a glimpse into the past; in the mid 1800's this was a busy little area. The mill was been built in about 1860 for the then local cement works, which is now demolished along with some of the other old buildings but there's rubble still laying about in some places. The pub ( still standing - good sense prevailed !! ) was put up for the cement workers, wildfowlers and various other river trades. Later the mill was turned into a marsh drainage pump and now it's just a tourist attraction for the boating holidays / walkers etc. It's had the sails removed for renovation work which is a bit slow but is making obvious progress.
Just past the pub is a small area of reedbed which homes some of the small reedbed birds from time to time. And across the river is Burgh Castle and the old Roman ruins - there's often a Marsh Harrier or 2, and Kestrel around here. This is really the last sight of civilization for a few miles as the path has the river on one side and open countryside on the other.
A couple of miles away -- B--, there is a drainage pump which in itself is pretty featureless but I've seen some good sightings here : a party of Wheatear were about earlier in the year and my only sighting of Buzzard circling high was from here. Yellow Wagtail flock around here as well. A few hundred yards and you come to the abandoned Lockgate mill --- C -- . Built as another marsh drainage pump, the sails blew down years ago and it now stands as bit of a lonely thing out in the middle of nowhere. There is at least a protective cap on top of it but whether or not that means it's in line for renovation I don;t know - but it could do with it !
The bits labelled D on the map are perhaps the main feature of Breydon, the mudflats Up to about a half mile wide & 2 - 3 miles long at low tide ( and completely flooded at high tide ) they're a good place for the waders, gulls & ducks.
In the fields along the way are a couple of pools in the fields -- P -- which are often roosting places for Cormorant, Shelduck, sometimes Little Egret and other ducks, gulls etc.
The old railway yard is sometimes worth a look at, there are bushes & trees between it and the main road. Sometimes something worth looking at, sometimes not.
At the eastern end of the mudflats in summer some large areas of the saltmarsh foreshore turn into a blanket of blue with the Sea Lavender which grows there, hiding many of the muddy pools quite well when it's in full flower. This is probably my favourite area of the whole place, also in the late summer / autumn when it goes to seed there's loads of Goldfinch & Linnet come to feed on the seeds.
And thats it, under the road bridge and you;re in Asda.
And for the technically minded -
Distance ~ 5 miles ( one way )
Habitats - tidal estuary & mudflat, open countryside of marsh / light grazing land, slow river, reedbed, abandoned / waste land
Height of land ~ sea level
On the map below I've detailed the area - the dashed line being the Weavers Way footpath, and I've put in some of the more interesting features.
I think many UK birders know the area pretty well, but for those that don't ....... here goes.
Getting off one of the few trains to stop at Berney train station -- A -- on the map, the station platform provides a good place to look out over the surrounding countryside. This area is all part of the Berney Marshes RSPB reserve ( no visitor centre or anything though ) where lots of winter waterfowl come to see out the colder months.
A short walk across the marsh takes you to Berney mill-- E -- where the path meets the river ( and goes past the pub ). This is all a bit of a glimpse into the past; in the mid 1800's this was a busy little area. The mill was been built in about 1860 for the then local cement works, which is now demolished along with some of the other old buildings but there's rubble still laying about in some places. The pub ( still standing - good sense prevailed !! ) was put up for the cement workers, wildfowlers and various other river trades. Later the mill was turned into a marsh drainage pump and now it's just a tourist attraction for the boating holidays / walkers etc. It's had the sails removed for renovation work which is a bit slow but is making obvious progress.
Just past the pub is a small area of reedbed which homes some of the small reedbed birds from time to time. And across the river is Burgh Castle and the old Roman ruins - there's often a Marsh Harrier or 2, and Kestrel around here. This is really the last sight of civilization for a few miles as the path has the river on one side and open countryside on the other.
A couple of miles away -- B--, there is a drainage pump which in itself is pretty featureless but I've seen some good sightings here : a party of Wheatear were about earlier in the year and my only sighting of Buzzard circling high was from here. Yellow Wagtail flock around here as well. A few hundred yards and you come to the abandoned Lockgate mill --- C -- . Built as another marsh drainage pump, the sails blew down years ago and it now stands as bit of a lonely thing out in the middle of nowhere. There is at least a protective cap on top of it but whether or not that means it's in line for renovation I don;t know - but it could do with it !
The bits labelled D on the map are perhaps the main feature of Breydon, the mudflats Up to about a half mile wide & 2 - 3 miles long at low tide ( and completely flooded at high tide ) they're a good place for the waders, gulls & ducks.
In the fields along the way are a couple of pools in the fields -- P -- which are often roosting places for Cormorant, Shelduck, sometimes Little Egret and other ducks, gulls etc.
The old railway yard is sometimes worth a look at, there are bushes & trees between it and the main road. Sometimes something worth looking at, sometimes not.
At the eastern end of the mudflats in summer some large areas of the saltmarsh foreshore turn into a blanket of blue with the Sea Lavender which grows there, hiding many of the muddy pools quite well when it's in full flower. This is probably my favourite area of the whole place, also in the late summer / autumn when it goes to seed there's loads of Goldfinch & Linnet come to feed on the seeds.
And thats it, under the road bridge and you;re in Asda.
And for the technically minded -
Distance ~ 5 miles ( one way )
Habitats - tidal estuary & mudflat, open countryside of marsh / light grazing land, slow river, reedbed, abandoned / waste land
Height of land ~ sea level