Continuing our walk of 27th July 2026 – when we reach our beautiful wet destination. Stay with us, you’ll see what I mean. Let’s go…
27th July 2026
🔼 To our left, a grazing marsh which over recent years has become a nature reserve stands between Marriott’s Way and the higher ground of the last of Norwich suburbs 🔽 To our right, the Wensum with one of its many bridges glimpsed beyond a wind-torn willow
27th July 2026
🔽 Marriott’s Way at the city/county boundary
27th July 2026
27th July 2026
🔼 A meadow lies alongside the river Tud, a tributary of the Wensum. I don’t know when it last was grazed, but I do know it’s now thoroughly overgrown with grassland plants (see Tuesday Treats) which attract butterflies (which refuse our lens!) Although, seen here is Himalayan Balsam, clustered around the Tud 🔽 The Tud is a chalkland stream with crystal clear waters, though of late the bankside vegetation has somewhat encroached
27th July 2026
27th July 2026
🔼 Today it’s known as Gunton Lane Recreation Ground. Until the twentieth century it was Costessey common. To claim parish relief, the men (women too?) were sent to the common to dig gravel and sand for road repairs. They’re not deep pits, and they weren’t yet flooded in the early 1960s. They are now. Now they’re marked on Google Maps as Costessey Ponds 🔽 The river Tud flows through the former common
27th July 2026
27th July 2026
🔼 Back in the days (my teens, 1960s) the ground here was mostly open. A few saplings and scrub (brambles, broom and gorse). But that oak must have been there too, and even then been a sturdy fella 🔽 The rest has grown up over the past 50/60 years
27th July 2026
27th July 2026
Costessey Ponds 🔼 I’ve not seen the water this low in recent years. Yet the water soldiers, and water lilies are surviving. Fingers crossed they’ll continue. 🔽
27th July 2026
🔽 This old giant stands sentry to wish us a safe journey home. Sad to see it lopped so low. But with so much fungi around it, I doubt it would have stood (safely) much longer
27th July 2026
And here, my friends, we must part company. We’re off to catch a bus into Norwich, to find some food, before tackling the bus back to the coast.
Hope you’ve enjoyed 😁 Don’t forget to check out Tuesday Treats 🙂
crispina kemp 
Thanks for taking us on the lovely walks. Wishing you a lovely week ahead.
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I thank you. I’m walking the camera on Tuesday (cool day forecast) but I’ve now got one walk in hand, ready for next week.
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What a beautiful stroll along the river the water levels are understandably low but good to see the water lilies surviving. Shame about the grand old tree looks like it was an oak? You have provided us once more with some great photos 💚
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Thank you. And yes, definitely an oak.
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Such a lovely walk 💜💜💜
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One of most favourite places!
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I really enjoyed! Marriott’s way looks nice, but I like the Himalayan Balsam flowers; they look so beautiful! Fingers crossed the water lilies continue to survive. 🤞
Thank you so much for sharing! ☺️
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We must have some rain soon. The ponds are fed by the local rivers. The rivers fed by the entire hinterland. That allows a whole lot of water to seep in the ponds and the level to rise again. But we’d rather it were sooner, rather than later
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I hope it rains for you soon 🙏 Rain indeed increases the water level. Where I live, we still haven’t gotten any rain since almost two months ago, so water levels in our rivers decreased.
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I don’t notice it with our local rivers, they being tidal
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That’s really good 👍
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Lovely and colorful pics
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The willows help to soften the more vibrant greens. And as you’ve noticed, purple everywhere
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You live in a beautiful place
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I do, I know. And even with this drought, it still has much beauty to it
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Very true
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