Day 1: The “twin” NNRs of Roydon Common AND Dersingham Bog

These Reserves are part of the Roydon Common & Dersingham Bog Special Area of Conservation. They are both Ramsar wetland sites and are just a few miles apart. Roydon Common NNR is managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and Dersingham Bog NNR by Natural England. Due to limited parking space, groups will be split between the two Reserves. This also provides a wider variety of walk options, suiting all abilities and interests.

Roydon Common NNR is the largest mixed mire in East Anglia and the largest remaining area of heathland in Norfolk and provides a rich mosaic of dry and wet heath, valley mire, rough pasture, and woodland habitats. The Nature Reserve has been extended over recent decades to include Grimston Warren and the Tony Hallett Memorial Reserve. Heathland restoration work has been carried out over the last 20 years removing conifer plantations.

A wetland restoration project has been funded by landfill grants during the year. This aims to bring back more natural water flows, undoing the damage caused by long-term land drainage systems. Our visit to the Reserve will allow members to learn of the habitat restoration projects and the wide variety of species present on the Reserve. Ash Murray, NWT’s site manager for North West Norfolk, is leading habitat restoration work here and was previously Dersingham Bog NNR site manager.

ROYDON COMMON NNR. View of mire from ridge above old quarry workings

Dersingham Bog NNR is part of the Sandringham Royal Estate and includes the largest, most intact example of an acid valley mire in East Anglia and also one of the last remaining fragments of lowland heathland. The NNR is also a Geological Conservation Review Site (GCR). The Nature Conservancy Council became involved with the management of the site in the 1970s and formally took a lease of the site from Sandringham Estate in 1990. Phil Holms was the first site manager for this NNR and has kindly agreed to help guide our walks at this Reserve alongside John White, the Natural England Senior Reserves Manager, and the Reserve staff. There are boardwalks to part of the mire providing an easy access option.

DERSINGHAM BOG NNR. Round-leaved sundew - Drosera rotundifolia

In the evening, meet for dinner at Knights Hill Hotel, South Wootton, King’s Lynn PE30 3HQ. The Hotel is very close to the two reserves.

Day 2 Wendling Beck

 Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse Museum near Dereham will be our base for a visit to Wendling Beck, a Landscape-Scale Recovery Project which is led by farmers with several other partner organisations and is an exemplar project for Biodiversity Net Gain. In addition to farmland, the project area includes three SSSIs, two of which are Norfolk Wildlife Trust Nature Reserves. Natural England have an advisory role,

The project involves the conversion of 1500 acres of intensively farmed arable land on Grade 3 light sandy soils to a range of habitats with extensive livestock grazing, connective woodland planting and 160 acres of regeneratively farmed blackcurrants. Glenn Anderson, the Project Manager, will give an introductory presentation at the Museum. After a morning tour of the project’s restoration work the Museum will provide an ideal location for our picnic lunch.

Two-day programme including visit options to two West Norfolk NNRs on the first day.

On Day 1: Roydon Common NNR, the largest mixed mire in East Anglia and the largest remaining area of heathland in Norfolk or Dersingham Bog NNR (photo below), the largest, most intact, example of an acid valley mire in East Anglia. Looking at past, present and future, Reserve Managers will introduce us to the wildlife, history and current habitat management and future restoration plans.

On Day 2: we visit rural central Norfolk, away from tourist hotspots, to see a project at the forefront of landscape-scale recovery in Norfolk. Farmers facing the challenges of a post-Brexit farming subsidy environment and climate change are embracing habitat restoration and biodiversity as the future of their land management. The Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse Museum is a project partner and, as well as a tour of the Wendling Beck project, attendees will have opportunity to look around the Farm and Museum.

Wednesday 4th June - Roydon Common NNR or Dersingham Bog NNR

Meet in Knights Hill Hotel Barn Room, introductory talk, teas/coffees served.

Choice of walks at one or other of the sites.

Picnic Lunch – bring your own to eat before the start of your chosen walk.

Accommodation: we have arranged special rates for 2-night stays at Knights Hill Hotel,
          see Booking Form. There is also alternative accommodation in the area.

Dinner at Knights Hill Hotel, South Wootton, King’s Lynn.

 Thursday 5th June - Wendling Beck Landscape Recovery Project

Meet at Gressenhall Museum, teas/coffees served.

Introductory talk by Glenn Anderson, Project Manager for the Wendling Beck
          Landscape Recovery Project.

Choice of walks. Picnic Lunch – bring your own or buy snacks from the café.

Booking fees include entry to Gressenhall Farm & Workhouse and Museum of Norfolk Life.

DERSINGHAM BOG NNR. View from greensand ridge with inset showing easy-access boardwalk viewing platform