24 WALKING


Top tips for stepping out


Are you new to walking or a seasoned explorer? Ken Hawkins with a few things you might find useful


F


irst and foremost – getting out into the countryside is good for your health and well-being. So is walk-


ing. Walking in the countryside is a dou- ble winner.


If you’re new to this, there are a few things you should know.


Most of our countryside (even in National Parks) is privately owned, and there is no general right of public access. Apart from Open Access areas, get-


ting into the countryside is usually by our network of public rights of way – as their name suggests, you have a right to use these.


These routes – footpaths, bridleways


and byways – are explained opposite. The routes will lead you through urban areas,


alongside rivers and


streams, across beaches and floodbanks – and also through farmyards and across fields, some of which may hold livestock. In all of these cases, you have a responsibility to respect the needs of the landowner, just as they should respect your right to be there.


The main things we would ask you to keep in mind are: • Use public transport but if you’re arriving by car, park in an official park- ing area – you may have to pay (the money is needed to maintain local facili- ties), but you can be sure you don’t block


other traffic, or access by farmers to their land. • Know where you’re going – a good map is essential to show the paths, but many of those on smartphones won’t show sufficient detail. • A mobile can be useful – but don’t rely on its map, or that you can always get a signal. • For all but the shortest walk, take water and food with you – in case you get lost or your planned route is blocked. • Especially on longer walks, tell some- one where you are going and when you expect to return. • Wear suitable clothes – short excur- sions in well used areas that have been maintained with visitors in mind are one thing; but if you’re going further, paths can be very muddy, weather can change suddenly (especially if you’re climbing to any height), and you can get lost in unfa- miliar places: make sure you have strong footwear, warm clothing and a good waterproof. • Always leave gates as you find them – open or shut. • But do not leave anything else – please bring back everything you took with you: farm and wild animals may be hurt by your unwanted items – even food. • If you have one, keep your dog under close control – do not allow it to chase farm or wild animals, nor to bother other people (and collect your dog poo for dis- posal in a bin). • If you’re out on a road in the evening, wear light clothes so you can be seen.


Sharing with care


Natalie Kordeczka-Clarke on a new initiative to help people with dementia and their carers explore


Exploring our familiar coast and countryside can become fraught with barriers when caring for someone living with dementia. A Natural England survey of people living with dementia and their carers in 2016 unearthed many issues. In the national survey 20% of people living with dementia considered that their condition was a barrier to using outdoor spaces, whereas 83% of carers said dementia limited the person’s ability. Informal walking; wildlife or


birdwatching and visits to places with water such as the coast were the three most popular activities for people living with dementia and their carers. Barriers to taking part in outdoor activities and having contact with nature included a lack of confidence, fears and safety


concerns, as well as insufficient information about what a place has to offer and their suitability for visitors living with dementia. The Alzheimer’s Society’s hugely


successful Dementia Friends scheme has rolled out one-hour information sessions to more than 2.5 million people nationwide and their campaign has also supported many volunteer-led Dementia-friendly communities including one in Sheringham. Accessible facilities have been improved in North Norfolk including the addition of industry-leading Changing Places toilets, such as the one at Cromer’s new tourist information centre with others set to open at Wells and Fakenham. In 2019, the SAIL project led by Norfolk


County Council developed nine ‘Easy Amble’ walks at coastal locations which


were tested by people living with dementia and their carers. These are available for download from the Active Norfolk website and at selected libraries. MONUMENT is a pilot project in Norfolk seeking the input and participation of family, friends and volunteers who support residents living with dementia in order to improve local access to outdoor green spaces. MONUMENT is a trans-national project


to strengthen the resilience of informal carers of people living with dementia,


West Runton Beach Trail “ Signage


Respect the needs of the landowner, just as they should respect your right to be there.


Places where you have a right to walk should be signposted, though some signs may be missing. The different levels of usage are colour coded on signs. Rights of way are shown on some, but


not all, maps; the most widely used are the Explorer maps of the Ordnance Sur- vey (OS). Such maps try to be accurate, but occasionally, mistakes can happen, and paths can be added to, diverted on or deleted from the network. Also note that a landowner may have private rights at a higher level than the public rights – for


giving them the tools to care for the person living with dementia at home for longer. In Norfolk, funding totalling €472,545


is being provided by the European Union via the European Regional Development Fund’s Interreg 2 Seas Programme. Locally, the Environment service at Norfolk County Council will be focusing on reducing the barriers identified by carers of people living with dementia in accessing the outdoors and its associated health benefits. The project involves focus groups,


training sessions, developing new leisure activities, informal support sessions and testing new assistive technologies to address some of the barriers identified by the family and friends. If you’re an outdoor leisure group or are supporting a loved one living with dementia and are interested in getting involved in this project then please contact the MONUMENT team on monument@norfolk.gov.uk.


Natalie Kordeczka-Clarke is Norfolk County Council Community and Environmental Services Project Officer


NORFOLK COAST GUARDIAN 2021


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40