The new boardwalk – officially opened this week by Mark Cocker, locally-based author and naturalist – is an impressive 600metres long and runs alongside the reedbeds adjacent to the River Waveney at Burgh Castle Roman Fort.
Previously, a wheelchair audit for Norfolk Trails at Norfolk County Council by the Norfolk Local Access Forum and local disability groups had revealed impediments to access, including areas which were affected by seasonal flooding. A boardwalk was the best option to make the path accessible, and a generous grant from WREN with additional funding from Norfolk Trails and the Norfolk Archaeological Trust allowed plans to go ahead. The project was led by Norfolk County Council, and delivered by Pathmakers, a new charity dedicated to making the countryside more accessible.
The boardwalk is accessible for people with mobility impairments, including wheelchairs-users and mobility scooter-users, and it links up to all-access paths to create a circular route around the fort site.
A leaflet which shows the route around the fort is downloadable here.
