Berner's Heath Walk

Today we visited Berner's Heath, which is only open from the start of November through to the end of February. I walked it before with Joyce when we were allowed only 1:1 walks in February, as you can read here. This time we were able to do it as a group.

Here is the invite from Joyce...

"Wednesday 24th November a chance to walk to Berner's Heath near Elveden. This 10-12 mile walk visits this SSSI which is only open Nov - Feb. The walk is from Ramparts Field picnic site, West Stow, Suffolk. Parking is free and we will walk to West Stow Country Park for toilets and coffee first of all. Walking is mostly on sand and through the Kings Forest. Meet at West Stow Country Park at 10am if you want to save a mile and I'll return you to your cars at the end. Bring lunch/flask etc"

This was our route today...

Here are a few of my photos.... and one from Joyce.

Seven of us today on the walk from the car park and we picked up 2 more at West Stow.

There was no wind today so the lake was very placid.

The River Lark was surprisingly full and fast flowing considering we hadn't really had much rain recently.

The cafe wasn't serving breakfasts, but hot drinks were welcome.

Into the forest we go.

I remember this from before. Here there are some trees over the path to stop people driving along it. About here we could see the evidence of badgers digging. But they're nocturnal so we didn't see any of them.

At the entrance to Berner's Heath, the kissing gate is blocked, but I found the gate next to it, despite the forbidding looking heavy chain, wasn't. Hooray!

From the Wikipedia entry linked to in the introduction... "The heath is the largest remaining area of heather dominated heath in the Brecks. It contains blocks of heather of different ages as a result of rotational heather burning conducted as a management strategy. Heather dominates the heath, achieving almost 100% coverage with blocks divided by rides. This allows a variety of different ground cover species to develop in different areas of the heath. In the areas of younger heather this includes species such as sheep’s sorrel and mosses, although in areas where heather is slightly older and growing quickly ground cover is restricted. Older, established blocks of heather have greater biodiversity and include lichens as well as flowering plant species such as heath bedstraw, lady’s bedstraw, common speedwell  and sheep’s fescue. These areas also support a wide range of insect populations." This is why it's a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

But perhaps it's greater claim to fame is the X of trees at the centre of the heath. As described in this article (from which I took the photograph at the top of the post), it was used in the second world war for target practice by bombers.

Here we are approaching the middle of the X.

Shorty after, in the distance, we spotted some deer running. Can you see them?

But then came the phone call I had been waiting for....

It was my daughter Laura, who had just had the viva for her PhD... and can now call herself Dr. Laura Moody! Well done Laura! (and more anon).

At the far corner of the heath there was no extra gate so we had to climb over this one.

Tine for lunch. The group split into two branches, as it were.

On our way back we came to a carpet of fallen leaves.

Now the drizzle was starting, but just before the end I saw this familiar site. It is a classic Breckland view.

Thank-you Joyce for leading us round and to the others too for the company. You can see more details of our route here on MapMyWalk and more of my photos here on Flickr.