{"id":1677,"date":"2013-05-27T06:25:16","date_gmt":"2013-05-27T06:25:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/martinblack.com\/?p=1677"},"modified":"2014-11-07T17:01:42","modified_gmt":"2014-11-07T17:01:42","slug":"a-late-spring-wild-camp-by-the-river-wissey-in-norfolk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/2013\/05\/a-late-spring-wild-camp-by-the-river-wissey-in-norfolk\/","title":{"rendered":"A late spring wild camp by the River Wissey in Norfolk"},"content":{"rendered":"

I walked this, the second stage\u00a0of\u00a0the Great Ouse cut-off channel expedition<\/a>, in May 2013.<\/p>\n

\"Great
Great Ouse Cut-Off Channel (orange line) \/ River Wissey (purple line) route<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I joined the Great Ouse Cut-Off (or ‘Relief’ as it’s also known) Channel at Downham Market at 6pm one mild Tuesday evening in May.<\/p>\n

The Cut-Off Channel is a man-made waterway who’s job it is to divert water from the River Great Ouse when levels start to rise.<\/p>\n

The Channel flows down to Lakenheath, some 20 miles or so to the south before going underground until it reaches Essex, where it empties out into a reservoir.<\/p>\n

\"Great
Great Ouse Cut-Off (Relief) Channel at Downham Market<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While the Channel cuts through privately-owned farmland, the actual banks (channel-side that is) are maintained and managed by the Environment Agency (EA).<\/p>\n

The EA is a government body, paid for by me out of my taxes, so as far as I’m concerned I can hike on the land.<\/p>\n

Is the land actually open for anyone to walk along?<\/p>\n

Well I had to climb over a fence and scramble through some barbed-wire but there aren’t any signs saying entry is forbidden.<\/p>\n

Though some things ARE forbidden…<\/p>\n

\"No
No fun allowed, except, possibly, walking<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

No, no, no…but what about walking? (And just what is the difference between ‘swimming’ and ‘bathing’?). The horses along the way didn’t care about any daft signs…<\/p>\n

\"Horses
Horse on the Ouse channel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The banks of the Cut-Off Channel are a delight to walk along. \u00a0A gorgeous riot of lush green everywhere you look.<\/p>\n

Trees line the banks, lovely grassy pathways to stroll along and no litter anywhere. \u00a0Very little sign of anyone else about at all. Wonderful!<\/p>\n

\"Green,<\/p>\n

\u00a0I shot a short video clip:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n