Charles and Joy Boldero take a 4½-mile walk in the 'flatlands' of West Norfolk. This was a most enjoyable 4½-mile walk. The paths were in excellent condition.

Charles and Joy Boldero take a 4½-mile walk in the 'flatlands' of West Norfolk.

This was a most enjoyable 4½-mile walk. The paths were in excellent condition. To reach Ongar Hill car park turn off the A17 into Terrington St Clement along Station Road. Turn right into Lynn Road, then almost immediately left along Churchgate Way before taking the first turn right. Turn left along Rhone Road. Turn right at the sign marked Ongar Hill and the car park is at the end of this dead-end road.

From the car park we went to the white notice board before going through the gateway and along the track, where, further along, bird boxes could be seen on the right. We kept along the track as it went right and then left by the old look out 'house'.

At the country lane, we turned left. Just after Point Farm, we turned left, going over the stile and then turning immediately right up the path. We then went along the grass path to the river, the Lynn Channel.

Here, we turned left along the top bank with the river below on our right. We kept along, climbing the stile, then walking along the tree-lined path where wild flowers could be seen.

We climbed another stile and the path then continued along the bank and, at the white notice board, we kept right along the bank, walking towards the river.

The path then went left with a deep ditch on our left.

Reaching the steep steps on the left we turned left, going down them and over the bridge and walked the path back to the start.

t PLACES OF INTEREST:

1. It has been said that the name Ongar Hill is misleading because there really is no hill! However, a local told us that during the late 1960s the sea, chased by a head wind, came up as far as this bank. It was, of course, not the first time this had happened. On November 1, 1613, Trenton's sand banks collapsed, causing the loss of 13 houses and over 200 cattle. Some 480 acres sown with corn were swamped.

2. The building was part of a coastal battery defensive work which operated six inch guns. There is also a standard pillbox further along.

3. We spotted a lone grebe diving to feed in the channel. Then a cormorant flew over and landed on the water. The cormorant is a member of the pelican family and has all four toes webbed. This aids them when swimming and pursuing fish under water.

4. Along this tree-lined track red dead nettles and Alexanders, above, were growing. In centuries past, the whole of this plant was eaten. The green leaves were used in sauces, the young stems cooked and eaten like asparagus, the flower buds used in salad and the roots were eaten as one would a parsnip.

5. This route is part of the Peter Scott's Way. The Wash National Nature Reserve has an expanse of mudflats and saltmarsh supports large numbers of winter fowl. The salt marshes are important for breeding waders and the outer ring bays are home to common seal pups which lie offshore in summer.

t MAP REFERENCES:

OS Landranger 131, Explorer 249:

582247, 590242, 596229, 603227, 596239, 585252, 582247.