COLTISHALL & BELAUGH

Coltishall is a busy riverside village. It is sometimes referred to as the "Gateway to the Broads" as it marks the start of the navigable portion of the River Bure. The staithe is someway out of the village itself and it captivates visitors with its picturesque setting, riverside pubs, a grassy field and is overlooked by fine properties. The thatched village church of St John is within walking distance of the staithe. The residential part of the village is nearly a mile further along the road and has some shops. The Bure Valley Railway has a station in Coltishall, but this is a long walk from the staithe! Coltishall is also famous for its RAF base, situated about a mile north of the village. This RAF base has a long history and is where Sir Douglas Bader was once a squadron commander. Sadly, flying operations ceased at the end of March 2006.

Belaugh is a small, quiet, and unspoilt Broadland village. It is fairly unique for Norfolk in that it is located on a hill, which forms one edge of the Bure valley. There is a pretty staithe, a boatyard, a church and a few houses and that is about it. Because there are few facilities and most boats need to navigate Wroxham bridge to travel here, Belaugh remains a lovely peaceful place, even in high summer. A path from the village, leads across the fields towards Coltishall (about a mile and half) and is a pleasant walk.

We start our tour at Coltishall Common, which is a great place to moor your boat. It has a large area of grass that sweeps down to the River Bure and a small island with a thatched hut on it.

it also has a restaurant attached called the Granary.

The Andaman Orchid is a great Thai restaurant, situated a 5 minute walk from the staithe.

Only five minutes walk from the staithe is the thatched parish church of St John the baptist, which stands in large grounds. The church is usually open, so you can take a look inside and you will find some lovely stained glass and colourful prayer mats!

The residential part of the village has a petrol station right in the centre! But there are also some lovely buildings and shops.

Not far from Coltishall, towards Aylsham, you can find Buxton Mill. The mill was built in 1754 by William Pepper, a merchant living locally. The building was constructed of white painted brick and weatherboard with a pantile roof and has been a prominent landmark in the village for many years. It closed as a working mill in 1970 and is now available as a holiday home - see www.BuxtonMill.co.uk for more details. A footpath leads along the bank of the River Bure towards Coltishall and makes a lovely walk.

Also in Buxton you will find a station on the Bure Valley Railway. The line runs from Aylsham to Wroxham and has stopping points at Buxton and near Coltishall (the station is a fair walk from Coltishall staithe). This narrow gauge railway operates steam and diesel services during the summer months.

Returning past the staithe at Coltishall Common, a path leads beside the River Bure and then over a meadow and behind a house to the small unspoilt village of Belaugh. This is a lovely walk on a nice day (about a mile and a half). The well marked public path leads across a field with cows in it and then across the back of a house with a small dog - but both are friendly - honest!

Belaugh is a lovely small, unspoilt Broadland village. At the centre of the village is a small, but pretty staithe, which is a great spot to moor and have a picnic, or sit and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Walking up the hill from the staithe, we come to the village church of St. Peter. This is unusual for Norfolk, in that the church sits on the top of a hill and has tremendous views over the Bure river valley.

The church has a fine example of a medieval rood screen.

A path leads right around the side of the church, giving access to the grounds.

The path goes down a steep bank and to a small staithe on the River Bure, where boats are allowed to moor to visit the church.

The village has some lovely cottages and cottage gardens.