Damselfly Walk
A short trip from Trowse to Lakenham along the Yare. This is the best beginner's walk as, although you won't see anything unusual, you will get very good views of all the common damselflies. The path however is frequently overgrown with nettles and thus is not suitable for pushchairs or small children unless you are prepared to carry them over the worst bits.
Directions
Starting from Trowse, come over the railway bridge from the County Hall roundabout and immediately turn in through an unmarked gap in the hedge. (See red arrow above!). To start from Lakenham, come down Long John Hill and onto Stoke Road. On the left, just before the bridge and by the old mill, you will see a small green (cars can be parked here). Cross over the bridge and the start of the footpath is marked by a gate on the left.
Tour
Starting at Trowse: Turn in from Brackendale and cross the old style, down to the river. The island in the middle of the river is run as a wildlife sanctuary and is particularly good for long-tailed tits. The yellow water-lilies here frequently have Banded Demoiselles basking on them, while an evening visit will allow you to watch the numerous bats that hunt under the bridge. Immediately to the left is a bramble bush that nearly always has banded on it - certainly between 12 and 2.30pm any sunny afternoon in July. Continuing past the bush brings you to the little wooden bridge. Looking down to your right here you should be able to see Common Blue, Large Red and Blue-tailed damselflies as well as more banded.
Continue on for about 20yds and you will come to a area where the bank turns into a pebble beach looking out to the old mill pond, and the new houses built across the river here. This area plays host to a kingfisher most early mornings, while heron and grey wagtail are both likely 'spots'. Southern Hawker are possible here. Continue on past the houses, and the track takes a 90° turn right, along the back of the gardens of the last few houses. The river goes through sluices under the houses here and is very dangerous - keep well back from the bank.
The stretch here is most interesting for scorpion flies - - and wolf spiders. You should also look for reed buntings and warblers on the bank opposite. Don't forget the kingfisher - the best clue to its presence is the 'ptoo-ptoo' call as it streaks down the river.
Once under the flyover, spring and early summer visits will reveal a host of wild flowers leading to another, more substantial bridge. Again grey wagtails are frequently seen here. Once over the bridge we have the most rewarding bit of the walk. You should, unless the wardens have been too enthusiastic with their strimmers, be faced with a narrow path through nettles that should be about head high. Since the damselflies are hunting for whitefly on the tops of the nettles, that means that you are face to face with the dragonflies. One of the things to look for here is the colour variations in female blue-tailed damselflies: there are five in all and they can all be seen here. Also large clusters of male banded demoiselles can be found lurking in the reeds towards the river. (there are four in the strip below for example, can you spot them?.)
Occasionally red-eyed damselflies can be seen here, although they are more often to be found further downstream at Coopers' Wood. Once through this patch of nettles, you climb over the style and into an open field. This field is the site of wood henge, a prehistoric structure similar to Stonehenge (but built of wood). Sadly nothing can be seen of the structure, its presence was revealed by postholes during excavations - but it is fascinating to think of what this landscape looked like 5,000 years ago. Or indeed 2,000 years ago when the Iceni lived just down the road at Caistor St. Edmund.
For us the main attraction of this field is the Emperor which should be patrolling along the river bank near the bridge. This spot should also give Migrant Hawkers later in the season.
The exit is across the field about 30yds from the bridge. Care should be taken here as there is no pavement and you exit directly onto the road close to a bend and cars can be traveling quite fast. Head right to reach Lakenham.
Next
Travel over the bridge to reach the small green, which leads down to the river. The water is very shallow here and is frequently used as a paddling pool by local children. There is often a green woodpecker here. Travel past the green and take the next left, opposite the Cock pub, to reach Sandy Lane. From here you can visit Coopers' Wood, or take the Lakenham walk back to Queens Road. Both are to your left, towards the row of shops.