School Sponsored Walk
When I was at the Hewett School, see Chapter 118, I recall doing a sponsored walk on the beach from Caister to Happisburgh to raise money for the school swimming pool. This walk was between 15 and 17 miles. It was on sand so equivalent to a longer distance on a firmer surface. Based on diary entries, I did it twice, in March 1975 and again in May 1977. In May 1977, I noted that I walked with friends Chris Gray and Bob Bonwell. We covered the distance in three hours 20 minutes. We were the third group to finish at 12.15. I noted that there were only five people in front of us.
Memories of This Walk
I posted this article on the Hewett Facebook Group and received several comments. Quite a number of people remembered doing the walk including Karen Aldridge, Sally Avery, Julie Butcher, Angie Chowns, Paul Dennington, Carl Grapes, Julian Green, Alison Grimes, Caroline Henning, Tina Hudson, Mark Jermy, Sian Jones, Kevin O’Connor, Sue Benson Osborne, Peter Owen, Sandra Prince, Malcolm Read, Anne Smith Ne Webster, Cathryn Smith and Sue Wilson.
Others referred to walks following different routes, e.g. one in Thetford Chase and another to Blakeney and back in 1982/3. Anne Smith Ne Webster noted that the first beach walk was in 1971. She also explained that one of the reasons for the beach route was to ensure it was safe for 200 pupils to walk.
Reprise
In July 2025, I decided to reprise this walk, with my wife Jo.
Starting in Caister
We stayed for the weekend in Happisburgh. To get to the start point in Caister, we would have ideally gone by bus but we failed to work out the logistics of this so went to Caister by taxi.
Norfolk Coast Path
The walk is a relatively small part of the 84-mile Norfolk Coast Path. However, although parts of this path may have been in place before 1986, that is the date that the path formally opened. As part of my preparations for this walk, I did buy the Kindle version of Phoebe Smith’s book entitled “Walking the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path“. She describes the walk in a west to east direction, i.e. the opposite way to which we walked. Our walk from Caister to Happisburgh corresponds to her stage 10 from Sea Palling to Caister and part of her stage 9 from Cromer to Sea Palling.
I do not recall this path at all from the seventies. Signs are prominent now but, for the most part, these are set back from the beach itself. My memory is that we walked almost entirely on the beach and we did the same this time round. This was partly for the sake of authenticity but also because it was a hot day. It was noticeably cooler by the sea than on the path.
Walking by the Sea
As on the original walk, we walked mostly on the sand by the sea. This meant that many of our photos look very similar with the sea to our right and the sandy shore stretched out before us! As we approached Happisburgh, there was quite an extensive sea wall and walking on this provided us with a firmer footing than the sand.
Sea Defences
That part of the coast has been subject to substantial erosion and coastal defences are very prominent now. I do not recall them in the seventies, at least not to the same extent.
Unchanged Route
Of course, the basic route has not changed. It passes through the beaches of California and Scratby on to the nature reserve at Winterton. Although the unofficial naturist beach in Winterton is said to be long-standing, I was not aware of it. I think I would have been had it been in operation in the late seventies. From Winterton, the route passes through Horsey Gap, Sea Palling and Eccles before reaching Happisburgh.
Seals
Seals are now prominent along this section of coast. We saw a lot in the sea. Many seemed extremely curious about us! We only saw one group on the beach. As far as I recall, seals were not so prominent here in the seventies.
Little Tern Colony
We also came to the little tern colony on one section of beach and met volunteers who were working to protect the colony and educate the public. Sadly, on the day we visited, a number of little tern chicks had been killed by dogs that were out of control of their owners.
Ten Hours
One thing which was very different was the amount of time we spent doing this walk compared to when I did it in the seventies! On this occasion, we took our time making a day of it. We had breaks for lunch and for drinks and ice cream in the afternoon! We also spent quite a bit of time watching birds and other wildlife. Nevertheless, I was incredulous that my friends and I had done the walk in 1977 in only three hours and 20 minutes. While it is possible that my diary exaggerated the time, I don’t think it was far off. We were trying to complete it as quickly as possible so we did it largely without breaks. I guess this just emphasises different priorities and physical prowess between age 17 and age 65!
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