Burnham Thorpe's Hero and Floods
The River Burn is a placid stream that meanders slowly through its pretty little valley of attractive meadows that are dotted with sheep in the summer. Monks and friars obviously thought this was a good place to live, because two religious orders founded priories here. The tranquillity of the valley was rudely shattered in 1953 and again in 1978, when north winds and high spring tides caused the sea defences to fail and water came rushing in. The result was devastating, with the river bursting its banks and flooding the homes and farms.
While you're there: You can explore the seven Burnhams - Market, Overy, Overy Staithe, Overy Town, Norton, Deepdale and Thorpe. Burnham Nortonâs church has a Saxon round tower, while Burnham Market has a handsome green, fringed by elegant 18th-century houses. Along the coast to the east is Holkham Hall with its Bygones Museum, while nearby Wells-next-the-Sea (which isnât really) is famous for its whelks and sprats.
What to look out for: In the marshes, particularly the sections that are nature reserves, look for sea aster and samphire. In the summer months, you will also see the purple bloom of sea lavender. Besides wading birds that inhabit the salt marshes and mudflats all year, you will also see noisy brent geese with characteristic black heads and white rumps in the winter.
Where to eat and drink: Start or finish your walk with an excellent meal at The Hero, which offers a varied menu of bar meals, including local crab and daily specials. Food is available seven days a week. There is a patio area where well-behaved dogs are welcome.
Directions:
From The Hero, turn right, then immediately left down East Harbour Way until you reach Overy Creek. Turn right next to the black-painted house, go through a gate and then bear left along the waterfront. The bank you are on was raised to protect the adjacent land from sudden incursions by the sea and is part of the long distance Norfolk Coast Path.
At the junction, turn right, through the gate, into a marshy meadow of long grass. This area is a Natural England reserve (part of Holkham National Nature Reserve) and the sand dunes, salt marshes and mudflats are home to a wide variety of birds and plants, including sea aster and plovers. Go through a second gate, cross a stile, then continue along the grass track until you reach the A149. Cross to the track opposite, and follow this until you have passed two fields on your right.
Instead of going across the field, continue down the lane towards Burnham Thorpe. Large fields stretch away on either side. When you reach the crossroads, with Leath House to your right continue past the houses into a shady lane, with orchards to the left and right, shielded from the bitter sea winds by hedges.
Keep to the left at the first junction as you arrive into Burnham Thorpe, and take the road towards The Creakes at the second junction Here are the best views of the valley of the River Burn. The road loops round to the right - go right at the T-juntion and follow the sign to Nelsonâs birthplace marked by a plaque on the wall. This was given to the village by one of his officers.
Take the footpath opposite the parsonage to follow the river for a while, then rejoin the lane. On reaching Burnham Thorpe, go right on Garners Row. At the end of the street, go left to the Nelson sign, then right on to Lowes Lane to the lane that leads to All Saintsâ Church.
The rood in the chancel arch is made up of timbers from Nelsonâs flagship at Trafalgar, HMS Victory. Where the lane bends left around the church, go through a kissing gate on to a footpath across a meadow, with the river to your left.
The path goes through another kissing gate, then crosses an old railway embankment, jinking left before heading north along a field-edge. Eventually, the path reaches a lane. Turn left and walk into Burnham Overy Town, past the broken Brothercross, where villagers once traded their wares. Turn right when you reach the junction.
Turn left on to Mill Road, then take the grass track to the right, called Marsh Lane. Go through the gate and into a field, so that the River Burn is off to your left, with the round Saxon tower of Burnham Norton in the distance to your left and Burnham Overy windmill straight ahead. Go through the gate by Mill House, complete with mill pond and mill race (1820).
Cross the A149, with the pond on your left, then take the public footpath into the next field. Cross the stile and keep the hedge to your right. In the distance you will see the sails of Burnham Overy windmill, which is privately owned and not usually open to the public.
Cross a stile and turn right at the junction of paths, then continue to the A149. Turn left and follow the road to East Harbour Way on the left and The Hero pub on the right.
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