Welney to Christchurch

We hadn't done any serious walking since January, and as the Easter weekend approached, we were desperate to get back to the Hereward Way. The weather forecast wasn't what you'd call encouraging - still bitterly cold and with snow showers - and I also wanted to get on with some work-related reading. So we decided to aim for a short walk each day of the Easter weekend - this one fitted the bill extremely well. The Welney Washes were still flooded, though not badly - locals were driving through (but we are not locals and didn't fancy paddling!) - so we decided to pick up the walk to the west of the Washes, in the village of Welney itself. We parked one car at Christchurch (there's a playing field with a car park at TL 494969) and the other between the Village Hall and the 'Lamb and Flag' pub in Welney (TL 528937) and set off around 9.30am. See 'Postscript' below for our evening walk across the Washes on 3rd April 2013.

We started by going down onto the Ouse Washes (passing assorted 'road closed' signs which were being blatantly ignored, and crossing bridges over the Old Bedford River and the River Delph). The Washes were created as part of Cornelius Vermuyden's fen drainage scheme in the 17th Century. The area between the New Bedford and the Old Bedford River is allowed to flood when necessary to prevent the flooding of surrounding land - so those of us who live on the fens should be extremely grateful. However, when the washes are flooded to the extent that it is not sensible to drive through (as was certainly the case earlier in the winter) locals have to take a 30-mile diversion. Rumour has it that the seasonal flooding is the reason why both Welney and Ten Mile Bank have retained their primary school - so it's not all bad. And the Washes are a SSSI, famous for their wildfowl. See the Welney Website for more amount the challenges that come with living in this corner of Norfolk.

We turned around and set off on our walk proper. We followed the A1101 for a short distance, then turned left onto the B1100 - and we followed this road for most of the walk. I don't generally like road walking, but it didn't feel like a problem today: the road was quiet and we didn't have to worry about mud! The road meanders its way across the fen, with frequent characteristic right-angle changes of direction. There were good views and pretty cottages. The sun came out from time to time, and occasionally we felt almost warm - but then we'd step out into the wind again and remember why we decided to stick to a short walk today.

The names were good too - we passed 'Tipps End' and 'Hole in the Wall Farm' then turned off the road onto a track. This brought us to a row of trees, with buds valiantly trying to burst. We followed the tree line to the village of Christchurch, named after its Victorian church where Dorothy L. Sayers' father was rector from 1917-1928. 'The Nine Tailors' is reputedly based around the Christchurch and Upwell area, though Christchurch church doesn't have a bell tower, so it doesn't quite fit. Christchurch used to be called 'Brimstone Hill' (after the butterfly) - what a pity they changed the name! We walked past the Dun Cow pub, the recently re-opened village shop and the pretty village sign and returned to the car.

Postscript

Several things happened in the few days after we walked from Welney to Christchurch: we made good progress along the Hereward Way over the Easter weekend, so felt enthused to complete it; the A1101 across the Ouse Washes reopened; and the clocks went back. So we met up in Welney after work on Wednesday 3rd April, took one car across the washes then walked back. There was a strong wind and it was bitterly cold, but the sun was shining and it was a joy to be out walking after 6.30pm. We saw swans, cranes and masses of other wildfowl - it's a magical place.

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