{"id":517,"date":"2012-05-13T20:50:23","date_gmt":"2012-05-13T20:50:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/martinblack.com\/?p=517"},"modified":"2016-07-07T12:39:28","modified_gmt":"2016-07-07T12:39:28","slug":"grand-norfolk-hike-stage-stage-13-diss-to-bungay-with-wild-camp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/2012\/05\/grand-norfolk-hike-stage-stage-13-diss-to-bungay-with-wild-camp\/","title":{"rendered":"Stage 13 &#8211; Diss to Bungay (with wild camp!)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I walked this, the 13th stage of my\u00a0<a title=\"More info on the hike\" href=\"http:\/\/martinblack.com\/?p=78\">Grand Norfolk Hike<\/a>, on Sunday 6th &#8211; Monday 7th April 2012.<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_519\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-519\" style=\"width: 540px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-519\" title=\"Diss to Bungay\" src=\"http:\/\/martinblack.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/lunapic_133502509023749_3.gif\" alt=\"Diss to Bungay\" width=\"540\" height=\"290\" srcset=\"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/lunapic_133502509023749_3.gif 540w, https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/lunapic_133502509023749_3-300x161.gif 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-519\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Diss to Bungay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<dl id=\"attachment_442\">\n<dt><\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/martinblack.com\/?page_id=149\">You can see a map of the hike so far<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I arrived in Diss at about 1pm after a lengthy train journey via Norwich and quickly picked up the <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Angles_Way\">Angles Way<\/a> path towards Harleston.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"The Angles Way at Diss\"><img loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Angles Way at Diss\" src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/-1WI7f5GwT-U\/T6vQaEjMfyI\/AAAAAAAAB60\/iLw6EOqoiYM\/s640\/DSCN1470.JPG\" alt=\"The Angles Way at Diss\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Angles Way at Diss<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>My intention had been to wild camp in a small wood (well, copse actually) on the banks of the River Waveney. \u00a0However, as I started to walk along the Waveney it fast became apparent that the land either side of the river was very boggy and fen-like. \u00a0My boots and socks were quickly waterlogged and I had to adjust my wild camping plans.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, this is a clear lesson in not mistaking the map for the terrirtory, what looks great on Google \/ OS maps might be very different on the actual ground.<\/p>\n<p>By 8.0pm I was well past Harleston and beginning to feel very tired. \u00a0I knew I needed to find somewhere to pitch within the next hour or so.<\/p>\n<p>Trudging past a field I saw a flash of white out of the corner of my eye. \u00a0I stood still and watched an owl swoop down into the field and a moment later take off with a mouse held tight in its talons. \u00a0I followed the owl with my eyes as it flew off in the direction of a wooded hilltop, it was then that I noticed a public footpath sign pointing up into the wood.<\/p>\n<p>&#8216;This is it&#8217; I told myself and taking a swig of water began the hopeful march up the hill and into the wood.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Owl Wood\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-0VrzR1RQOJk\/T6vQMq1BbcI\/AAAAAAAAB2k\/BXoP-uy2Gdc\/s640\/DSCN1485.JPG\" alt=\"Owl Wood\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Owl Wood<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It was a small, young wood. \u00a0The map does not give a name so I gave it one in honour of the owl I had seen earlier on. \u00a0Nettles covered most of the ground but towards the back of the wood I found a clear space in front of a birch tree just right for setting up a camp. \u00a0It was now about 8.30<\/p>\n<p>I spent the first 10 minutes worrying that an angry farmer\/landowner was going to walk into the wood and order me out. \u00a0I countered this train of thought with some straight-forward rational thinking:<\/p>\n<p>&#8216;What is the\u00a0likelihood\u00a0of anyone (apart from myself) entering this wood tonight? \u00a0Almost zero! \u00a0Stop worrying!!&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>I went through this routine half a dozen times or so, until I eventually stopped worrying and got on with \u00a0gathering tinder for a much needed cuppa tea and some dinner.<\/p>\n<p>With food and tea out of the way I set up camp, climbed into my very snug sleeping bag (inside a bivvy bag and on top of a light-weight blow-up pad) and listened to the sounds of the night. \u00a0First the birds stopped singing, then some foxes began barking but after half an hour or so they also stopped.<\/p>\n<p>The night was quiet, there was no wind. \u00a0The sky was obscured by cloud but a silvery-shimmer gave away the\u00a0presence\u00a0of the full moon. \u00a0I spent some time just gazing up at the night clouds, willing a break to appear so I could see la luna&#8230;but without luck.<\/p>\n<p>I shot a bit of video and tried to sleep:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1040\" height=\"585\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/btQ0go-_pTg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>I doubt I managed more than four hours sleep. \u00a0I was warm and\u00a0comfortable\u00a0so it wasn&#8217;t that that kept me awake. \u00a0I think it purely the\u00a0uniqueness\u00a0of what I was doing, sleeping outside, vulnerable but safe, close to the ground, the trees and wildlife.<\/p>\n<p>At about 4.30 I woke to the dawn chorus and watched the wood turn from dark greyscales to deep green, the sun slowly rising in a pink haze. \u00a0At five I boiled some water up and drank a lovely cup of tea.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sunrise in Owl Wood\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/-Alr9livWQR8\/T6vQFPT9MbI\/AAAAAAAAB2U\/TX-vh_YS9Gg\/s640\/DSCN1483.JPG\" alt=\"Sunrise in Owl Wood\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sunrise in Owl Wood<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>By 6am I had packed up camp, carefully keeping to the wild camping code of &#8216;leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photos&#8217;<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 480px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Owl Wood - leave no trace\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-9PkwbyKTXFY\/T6vQJcu2-nI\/AAAAAAAAB2c\/5Qa0fPt0AUE\/s640\/DSCN1484.JPG\" alt=\"Owl Wood - leave no trace\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Owl Wood - leave no trace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I left the wood and started the 10 mile hike to Bungay. \u00a0The sun was out and I was amazed by the wonderful, sharply-focused early morning light. \u00a0Everything looked utterly beautiful and vibrant, despite my tiredness I felt refreshed and\u00a0energetic.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Leaving Owl Wood\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/-hQ0w7zhfT1Y\/T6vQO5pGF2I\/AAAAAAAAB2s\/eLWux04_rlE\/s640\/DSCN1488.JPG\" alt=\"Leaving Owl Wood\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Leaving Owl Wood<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>An hour or so later I reached the river Waveney.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" title=\"River Waveney near Bungay\" src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/-5yMebUF1soA\/T6vP9al76aI\/AAAAAAAAB18\/0wNrOtTBqbk\/s640\/DSCN1494.JPG\" alt=\"River Waveney near Bungay\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">River Waveney near Bungay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>By this point my lack of sleep had caught up with me and I began to feel dog-tired. \u00a0The final 6 miles were a bit of a forced march. \u00a0I reached Bungay with an hour to wait until the 1pm bus left for Norwich. \u00a0I found an cafe and joyful downed a very welcome cappuccino.<\/p>\n<p>I arrived back in Ely for 2pm, stood in the shower and then had a nap. \u00a0A wonderful 24 hours and a first ever wild camp that I&#8217;ll never forget.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I walked this, the 13th stage of my\u00a0Grand Norfolk Hike, on Sunday 6th &#8211; Monday 7th April 2012. You can&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10,12,11],"tags":[32,31,48,43,38,40],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=517"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5214,"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/517\/revisions\/5214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=517"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=517"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=517"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}