Daily Nature Log ✍️ 

    I set off along the River Wensum towpath in Norwich today, greeted by cloudy skies, bright patches of sunshine, and a breezy 18°C.

    A lively crowd had gathered along the water for Dragon Boat racing—a spectacle I hadn’t encountered before. Drums beat and spectators cheered, though an unflappable pair of swans glided past the noise entirely unbothered.

    Steering away from the commotion towards Norwich Cathedral, I passed expensive motor launches moored along the banks and a walker with her friendly mongrel. Weeping willows draped gracefully over the path, their drooping branches creating green, curtained sanctuaries I’m always tempted to step inside. Overhead and underfoot, ubiquitous feral pigeons fluttered about on their endless search for scraps.

    Further down, I reached Pull’s Ferry, the handsome National Trust landmark, with a small rowing boat moored inside—a nod to its history as a ferryboat entrance. Swans and pigeons clustered here in force, clearly accustomed to generous passers-by, while a lady rested on a nearby bench with a Pekingese. Frames away, the imposing spire of Norwich Cathedral rose strikingly in the distance.

    Heading back, I took in the magnificent trees lining the route—a massive oak, a sprawling beech, sycamores, and stately plane trees—before spotting a dazzling pyracantha ablaze with bright scarlet berries.

Stats

Distance: 2.31 miles

Time: 51 minutes

Google Fit Heart Points: 27

Copyright ©️ Text, photographs and videos Written by John Yeo – All rights reserved.