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Ski holidays
Severe weather
Watch nervous novice boatmen from the safety of the banks of the picturesque River Bure.
Distance 4.8 miles (7.7km)
Minimum time 2hrs
Ascent/gradient 49ft (15m)
Level of difficulty Medium
Paths Mostly narrow paths along river banks and across fields
Landscape Windmill-studded marshes and rural marshland
Suggested map aqua3 OS Explorer OL40 The Broads
Start/finish TG 401107
Dog friendliness Dogs should be on leads on agricultural land
Parking Free car park off Bridewell Lane, near library
Public toilets None on route
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1 Leave the car park, walk past the library and continue to the main road. Turn right and look for Pyebush Lane on your right. Walk down this, passing the recreation ground on your right, until you reach the cemetery at the end. Turn left where the gravel track soon becomes a pleasant narrow path through fields. It is well signposted, but the isolated little church at Upton is a useful landmark in this wide-open landscape.
2 When you draw level with the church, you can explore the track to your right. When you have finished, continue along the footpath and walk through a vast field, then a smaller one. The path then becomes enclosed by hedges and trees. It jigs right and emerges on to a lane next to a large pink house. Turn right, then go left at The Green.
3 Go right, along Boat Dyke Road, and keep right at the junction with Back Lane. When you see a 'No Through Road' sign, go left into the car park and head for the staithe called Upton Dyke. Bear right and aim for the path along the right-hand side of the water. After a few paces you will see a footpath sign pointing in three directions. Follow the one that goes straight ahead, along the staithe that eventually reaches the River Bure. You can see at least five drainage mills from here - Palmer's, Tall Mill, Oby, Clippesby and Fleggburgh.
4 At the end of Upton Dyke, the path swings right along the river. This is a great place for boat watching, which can be restful or amusing, depending on the experience and skill of the captains. Continue until you see Acle Bridge (once graced with an arch dating to 1830, but this was replaced by steel in 1931). When you reach the boatyard, follow the path to the right, then the left and cross the A1064 (carefully) and aim for the Bridge Inn, which was once part of Weybrigg Priory, founded by Henry III. You can try going under the bridge, but be warned that it involves some serious steps and may be blocked by boat tackle.
5 Make your way through the pub gardens, looking for the public footpath markers near the sign 'No Glasses Beyond this Point'. This is the Weavers' Way, and you walk along a raised grassy bank for a few steps before it becomes lined by tall reeds. It jigs inland for a short distance, but then rejoins the river until you reach Acle Dyke. At this point, the path is forced right.
6 Walk along the path, past boats bobbing at their moorings, until you reach a tiny gate. Go through this, cross a track and go through a second gate. This leads to a lane. The Weavers' Way heads away to the left, but you continue straight ahead until you reach the Riverside Inn. Cross the road ahead and walk along the pavement of The Drive. Pass the East Norwich Inn on your right. At the junction bear right following the signs for the car park, which is on your right.
The name Acle comes from an old Saxon word meaning oak grove, and this ancient settlement is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as having 23 villagers, 38 smallholders, three slaves and 40 pigs. Later, as the town continued to thrive, its occupants needed to travel further afield to sell their wares and buy other commodities, so a bridge was built in 1101 and named Weybrigg. An Augustinian cell was founded near by in 1225, and took its name from the bridge to become Weybrigg Priory. The priory fell victim to the Dissolution in 1536, and the stone from its walls was gradually taken by locals.
Acle continued to prosper in the 13th century, when it was granted a charter to hold a market. People still flock to the town on Thursdays, when the market is held. In the 19th century Acle developed a lucrative boat-building trade and boat yards sprang up all along the River Bure between Acle Bridge and Boat Dyke. It must have been a spectacular sight in 1890 when Acle's first regatta was held and 150 yachts took to the water.
In 1883 the Great Eastern Railway opened a link between Acle and Great Yarmouth, which today allows Acle to act as a gateway to the Broads for cyclists and walkers.
Acle stands on the edge of the Broads National Park, so is a good place to begin visits to Halvergate Marshes and Breydon Water. Thrigby Wildlife Gardens to the north east has tigers and crocodiles, as well as a collection of birds. In nearby Tunstall the village pond is said to lead directly to hell!
Acle offers a variety of restaurants and take-aways, including the King's Head in the town centre. At Upton there is the charming White Horse. The Bridge Inn, where the A1064 crosses the River Bure, serves good food, as does the Weavers' Way tea and coffee shop next door. The Riverside Inn has riverbank gardens.
The Church of St Edmund has a 13th-century tower and a Norman doorway. Its most unusual features are two porches, both with upper and lower floors. Portrayed on the north porch are two people praying. One is possibly Robert Bataly, who left 20 marks (a little over £6) for a new porch in 1497.
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