Angles Way 6: Brockdish to Homersfield

11 February 2012

Another Saturday morning, another walk on the Angles Way. Once again the bus was to be my friend, taking me from the finish near Homersfield Bridge on the 0949 to Brockdish. It had been a very cold night, with temperatures falling to minus 12.3, and although it was warming during the morning, it was still a two-pairs-of-trousers day.

Leaving Brockdish, I cross the River Waveney for the fourth time on the Angles Way

The snow wasn't deep, and though I'd taken my spikes with me, for a while I kept them off, but after a while I decided that it would be easier wearing them. The main problem is that they become tedious to wear on any extended section where there isn't snow or ice.

Horses as I approach Instead Hall Farm

Cattle at the farm

It was a lovely morning, with no wind, the temperature rising from minus 6 when I started the walk to plus 2 by the end.

Weybread House looks rather nice

A little further along Watermill Lane is this site, which at first glance appears as though it might have been a lock chamber, but my references say that the Waveney Navigation only had three locks, extending navigation from Beccles as far as Bungay. Although at one time there were ideas to extend navigation up the Waveney and down the Little Ouse to Brandon, but they were not implemented.

From the mill island, a footbridge across the other part of the Waveney

Crossing fields and drainage ditches to Harleston

Heading uphill to Harleston

Having escaped from the edges of Harleston, I cross the Waveney for the sixth time on the Angles Way, looking to the church at Mendham. There was over a kilometre of road-walking here, so I took off my spikes, and managed without them for the rest of the walk.

What I think are old railway carriages

Downs Farm

The section through woodland between Downs Farm and Homersfield was lovely, though I got close to putting my spikes back on as some of the compressed snow was quite slippery.

Approaching Homersfield, another look at the Waveney flood plain

The very pleasant bridleway to Homersfield church

St Mary's church, Homersfield, built in the 13th and 14th centuries but heavily restored by the Victorians.

Homersfield village green where I depart from the Angles Way to return to the car.

The route to the car takes me over Homersfield Bridge. Built in 1870 and restored in 1995, this is the oldest concrete bridge in Britain, built at a cost of £344 and restored 120 years later for £85,000. The bridge was bypassed in 1970 when a replacement was built just downstream, and it now carries a bridleway rather than a road.

Total walk was 12.8 km in 3 hours 16 mins (including 12.5 km along the Angles Way).