Poppyline Marathon
13 June 2004

A trip to Cromer for the Poppyline marathon, organised by Norfolk and Suffolk LDWA...Sheringham, the start point, was full, so Helen and I booked into the Wellington Hotel in Cromer. Poor Helen had a terrible drive down - horses loose on the road - while I browsed the shops, and bought some lovely pottery. Helen turned up safe and sound, and after a restorative beer we headed for the sea (only 5 minutes walk from the hotel) so that Helen could dip her toes in the ocean. Then it was off to Mary Jane's chippy for some serious carbo-loading.

Sunday and a cloudless day: we snuck out of the hotel at 0715, breakfastless as the hotel didn't do Sunday brekkers. But I'd stocked up with stores from Budgens, and when we arrived at Sheringham community hall, we found wonderful tea and coffee provided by Norfolk LDWA, overseen by Parsley, the dog marshal.

Registration was very impressive: computerised map and a 3-D version which showed quite clearly that the route was undulating. We picked up our route descriptions and were asked by another walker if this was normal for a LDWA event - to walk by description rather than map. Errrr...yes! but we checked the big map displayed to see where we were being directed. And snaffled some bright red Poppyline t-shirts.

After registration, we sat down to sup our drinks and Helen checked her maps. It was already very hot, so after readjusting our sacs, we headed to the start and we were off! 

We walked east out of Sheringham, then up to the coast and the Norfolk coastal path.

This was our first taste of 'flat' Norfolk - not so flat, after all. We were well up with the first 10, and the pace was pretty quick.

Up to the peak of the coast - looking back

Past the trig pillar above Sheringham

Then it was back inland and over the railway line to climb up Beeston Regis Heath to the first clipper point. Fantastic views back to the coast. The clipper marshal remarked that this was better than last year, when he'd had to sit in the pouring rain.

Marshal with clipper and walker with his check card

The landscape here was magical: heathland plants on the edge of the woods and the sun beating down on us. 

Cairn marking the edge of the heath

Foxgloves standing proud at the edge of the woods

Now we were in to the woods, with plenty of walkers in front and behind us, but all carefully checking their route description. It was a difficult route, but Helen and I found a walker who'd done the route before, and we stuck with him as he easily navigated his way through the wood. The woods were blissfully cool, and we loved the dappled light. As we emerged into a clearing, we came upon a bunch of front walkers, all pausing to ponder the route, in true LDWA fashion. A few consultations and we were all off - hopefully in the right direction.

Helen (in her bee keeper hat) strolls out when the right route has been decided

By now, the sun was high in the sky, and the field was beginning to thin a little, but we were still near the front. Further inland, we crossed a field and wondered what the vegetables were: Helen guessed kale.

The route over the kale field

By now we were on the outskirts of Cromer, where we'd started, and heading for the first checkpoint at six miles. Through a gap in the hedge past Cromer station, we spied our goal, and thankfully gulped down fruit drinks and biscuits. One of the marshals said he was a Ramblers Association person, and found the LDWA notion of walks a bit strange...we smiled happily. Then it was off again, through some lovely woods. There were other walkers in sight, which inspired confidence in the route. 

St Margaret's church - typical north Norfolk flint exterior

We arrived at St Margaret's church, and clipped our cards with the punch hung on a rather biting kissing gate. Helen got her fingers nipped as she went through.

Fran at the biting gate (pic by Helen)

Helen checks the route

Next we were walking through the country park of Felbrigg Hall, which Helen and I decided was a rather Bronte name for a Norfolk estate. Lovely parkland, and we spotted very old sycamore and oak trees, and several near the end of their life.

Dying trees at Felbrigg Hall

Then it was through more wonderful woods, and on to a lake, where a moorhen was pootling around in a Sunday morning fashion. The lake was beautiful, and we spotted yellow flags by the waterside. Helen spotted that the 'broadwalk' described in the route instructions was the duckboards, and steered us the right way. We walked over duckboards round the edge of the water, then hit the road again to walk to Motheaten (yes, really) Cross, and the second checkpoint.

Around this point, we were joined by a nice walker from Bucks and Beds LDWA, and we chatted to him through the villages of West and East  Beckham - appropriate given the England v France match later in the day.

Owl sign at East Beckham

Here we briefly lost our way: we met a dog walker out with her pug and Jack Russell, and the pug fell in love with our Bucks and Beds walker. We were concentrating so hard on the dogs that we walked past our turn, but our LDWA instincts kicked in, and we retraced our path to find the dog walker indicating the right route.

At West Beckham we found the next checkpoint, and our temporary companion disappeared into the Wheatsheaf pub for a well-earned pint. Helen and I downed some fruit salad and sarnies. As we munched our food, we realised that this was the point where we had to settle on the long or short route: as Helen put it later - was this a training walk or an endurance walk? We decided that that we were both in need of further training, and we'd rather finish this walk in good heart and fully fit. 

The pace had been quite fierce, and it was very hot, in the 80s...also on my mind was the long drive that Helen had to get home. So although we were still in the top half of the field, we let wisdom rule, and decided on the 'short' walk of 20 miles. One of the lovely marshals commended our choice, and said we'd be going through Sheringham Park which was wonderful.

Decision made, we headed up the road then crossed country into Sheringham Park. And it was beautiful...the rhododendrons were almost over, but still a wonderful sight.

Sheringham Park with flowering almost done

We slowed our pace and just drank in the marvellous scenery.  There were some very gnarled trees - we didn't know what they were, but the growths on their trunks were remarkable...JJ - any ideas? Lots of locals were out and enjoying the setting, like us.

Unidentified gnarled tree

After a couple of miles through the park, we were directed downhill and  coastwards again, down past Sheringham Hall.

Sheringham Hall, nestled below the park

As we rounded the bend, we saw the sea again.

The sea on the horizon

We followed the path down to the coast, when a peep on a whistle alerted us to the north Norfolk steam train passing in the distance.

The steam from the north Norfolk train

Helen and I were very impressed by the variety of landscape in north Norfolk: Helen knew it of old, from her rallying days, but it was new to me. We were soon at the coast again, and met the north Norfolk coast path for the final approach to Sheringham.

First sight of the sea through a cliff fall

It was great to get back to the sea and the cool breeze - by now it was 1430 and very hot indeed.

Helen heads for Sheringham and...is that a hill ahead?

We were at the point were the short route met up with the long one, and runners who'd passed us earlier began to pass again: we shouted greeting which were cheerily returned. These runners are so great: running a marathon without crowds or fanfares, and doing some fab times. Huge respect.

Fran on the coastal path (pic by Helen)

There was a stiff climb up the hill to the coast guards hut, and we were greeted at the top by a Poppyline veteran who was injured, so not walking, and waiting for a friend. I was struck by what a very friendly event this is: nothing but kindness and support from all we met.

Looking back along the coastal path

I'd stopped thinking about the route, but Helen had her eye on the ball and shouted directions back into Sheringham as we rounded the paddling pool. Another few minutes and we were home: to be rounded up and  greeted by Parsley, the dog marshal, who led us back into the community centre for a blessed cup of tea. Great efficiency by Norfolk and Suffolk LDWA - they already knew we'd swapped routes, and in a jiffy our certificates were printed.

Parsley curls up, his job done

We finished the 19 miles (or 20, according to Helen's uphill rules) in 6.5 hours - quite a time, given the heat. It was only now that I realised how much I'd caught the sun - without benefit of sunscreen. After scoffing some of the Budgen's supplies, and pausing for me to buy a Poppyline badge and thank the marshals, we headed for Helen's car.

Fran and Helen at the finish

Helen kindly drove me back to Stevenage - apologies, Helen, for falling asleep on the drive! Then I caught the train home.

Thanks to Norfolk and Suffolk LDWA for a wonderful event, and to Helen for being great company, as ever. Next year, the full marathon!