The Loddon Swan

Loddon, Chedgrave and Hardley Flood

Five and a half miles and about two and three quarter hours on the Wherryman's Way, the 35-mile path from Norwich to Great Yarmouth, out from the staithe along the Chet to the shallow lagoons of Hardley Flood and back through Chedgrave and Hardley Street. Start from the free car park at Loddon staithe beside the mill, which is untimed and rarely full, and note the riverside section is a grass wall that stays wet well into spring. Dogs are fine under effective control on the rights of way and the Chet gives a drink at the moorings, but the marsh sections are grazed by cattle where leads are needed, and the reedbeds around the Flood hide deep water with no bank to climb out on.