Wherryman's Way bridges to be replaced after 10 years

The new river crossings in Hardley Flood, near Loddon, will mean the section of the Wherryman's Way is one step closer to reopening to the public after a lengthy closure.

This is the first phase of a Norfolk County Council project, which is seeking to repair four bridges that offer access to either side of the River Chet and the tidal lagoon and reedbeds of Hardley Flood.

Members of the Broads Authority planning committee have given the go-ahead for the first phase.

However, plans to reopen the footpath fully could hit a snag. 

Swans on Hardley Flood (Image: Newsquest)

For almost 10 years, hikers have faced a lengthy diversion at Hadley Flood due to the closure.

The section of the Wherryman's Way that travels through Hardley Flood was shut by Norfolk County Council in 2015 after the bridges became eroded and unsafe, prompting anger from locals.

There are four bridges along this stretch of the Wherryman's Way, crossing water channels that run between the Chet and the Flood.

The Hardley windmill is a key feature of the surrounding landscape (Image: Denise Bradley)

The flow of water between the two can be very fast and heavy, making the route completely impassable without the bridges.

While two of them remain in place and are passable, they require remedial work.

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One of the bridges to be repaired (Image: Broads Authority)

A third bridge no longer exists, as it collapsed into the channel. A fourth bridge is on the point of collapse and unsafe to use.

Officials say the near-decade-long delay to fix the route is because it crosses a Site of Special Scientific Interest. These are areas which have added protections from changes to the landscape.

Engineers inspect one of the bridges along the Wherryman's Way at Hardley Flood (Image: Broads Authority)

However, while supportive of the bridge repairs, Langley and Hardley Parish Council has sought to block the second phase of the bid which will see the remaining two bridges repaired, citing "considerable concern" about the effect it could have on wildlife.

The locals say a section of the footpath has become rewilded over the last decade, providing a habitat for a number of species.

They worry the reinstatement of the full footpath will result in this being disturbed, negatively affecting river-dwelling mammals such as water voles.

Water voles could be disturbed by the reopening of the full footpath (Image: National Trust)

The parish council said: "Not going ahead with Phase 2 will mean that there will be no circular route but opening up the circular route again will destroy the habitat that the mammals have adopted as their home over the prolonged closure period."

The second phase will be decided at a later date. 

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A map of the Wherryman's Way route at Hardley Flood (Image: Broads Authority)

WHERRYMAN'S WIGGLE

The 37.5-mile walking route runs along the banks of Breydon Water and the River Yare all the way between Norwich and Great Yarmouth.

However, when the path reaches the Chet, walkers must head 3.5 miles along its meandering course up to the town of Loddon, before returning on the opposite bank back to the Yare.

Close to the mouth of the Chet stands Hardley Cross, a stone monument which traditionally marked the boundary of jurisdiction between Norwich and Great Yarmouth.

Hardley Flood is an idyllic spot in the Norfolk Broads (Image: Newsquest)

A marker, of some form or other, has stood here since the 1400s.

The cross was repaired in 1820, 1884 and 1899 when the fence was erected around it.

It received further attention in 1990 and the bank was strengthened as the cross was in danger of falling into the river.