Village wanderings
3 The 16th-century, flint-faced church of St Nicholas stands above the village. It is filled with light from the clerestory and clear windows. The rood screen paintings (left) depict saints and other figures – possibly donors. Smiling lions surround the stone font (right). Intriguing images of 16th-century sailing ships are scratched into the backs of the choir panels.
Salthouse
The village of Salthouse lies on the north Norfolk coast between Cley-next-the-Sea and Weybourne. Recorded as ‘the house of salt’ in the Domesday Book, the marshes were used to collect sea salt – a valuable commodity in the past. Starting at sea level in the village, this walk takes you to the higher ground of Salthouse Heath, then back via the church. Distance: approximately 3.5 miles. Using OS Explorer Map 251. Start grid ref: TG 075439. 1 This sculpture by Kevin Lee is entitled Monument to Salthouse Mariners, and was part of the 2008 Salthouse Sculpture Trail. Made from reclaimed sea defence timbers and chains, it looks out over the salt marshes to the sea.
Walsey Hills
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1 Sarbury Hill
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2 Salthouse Heath forms part of the ‘Cromer Ridge’, a glacial moraine. The heath has the largest cluster of Bronze Age burial mounds in Norfolk and is now an important wildlife site. Nightjars and Nightingales can be heard in early summer. A few remains of wartime use can be seen amongst the gorse and heather.
3 Furze Hill Great Hulver Hill Bard Hill Scrib Hill
P Parking Route Other footpaths Tumuli Open access
Walked, written and designed by Kevin Parker (keeper.kev@btinternet.com) and Kaarin Wall (kaarin@wizgraphics.co.uk) © 2014.
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View over Salthouse and the sea from Salthouse Heath.
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Salthouse Heath Below: the red berries of Black Bryony; fungus and bramble leaves.
We walked in glorious late October sunshine, exhilarated by blue skies and sea. Autumn was evident in the leaves and berries, but darter dragonflies were still active, hunting smaller unwary insects along a sheltered, bramble rich hedgerow. Sandwiches from Cookies Crab Shop made a great day’s end.