About Norwich’s river walks
Norwich lies at the head of the navigable waters of the River Yare, where it is joined by its major tributary, the Wensum.
The two main river valleys, along with the smaller river valleys of the Tud and Tas, have had a significant influence on the development of Norwich.
The steep wooded ridges in Norwich are part of the natural river valley landscape and the narrow valley floors are characterised by grazing marshes. These are typical of the lower river valleys of the Norfolk Broads.
Yare Valley walk
This follows the River Yare from Bowthorpe Southern Park all the way to Marston Marsh, which is close to the Ipswich Road, through a range of different habitats. It features four local nature reserves – Danby Wood, Marston Marsh, Earlham Park Woods and Bowthorpe Marsh.
The walk also goes by the man-made broad at the University of East Anglia, created in the 1970s. The Norwich Fringe Project has built a boardwalk that makes this part of the walk accessible, even in wet conditions.
Wensum riverside walk
This walk follows the River Wensum from the city centre to Hellesdon. It can be continued by joining the Marriotts Way, which is also a Sustrans cycle route. In spring, the city centre portion of the walk is a blaze of colour.
A spot well worth looking out for is the Cow Tower, part of the Norwich's medieval defences. Near to Cow Tower is a place called 'the beach' by locals, which is a favourite spot for children wanting to feed ducks and swans.
