Published on: Wednesday, 9 August 2017
Last updated: Wednesday, 9 August 2017
The East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership is set to host another of its popular free guided railway walks on Saturday 26 August providing the opportunity to discover some of the industrial, maritime and wartime heritage of Lowestoft.
Starting from Oulton Broad South Railway Station at 10.45, the route runs through Nicholas Everitt Park, alongside Oulton Broad and under the railway swing bridge before heading through current boat building areas along the north bank of Lake Lothing. The walk then goes across the site of the original Brooke Marine shipyard before crossing the railway near East Suffolk Line Junction into Normanston Park.
The ramble will then follow the route of the former Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth line railway cutting to near the site of the former Lowestoft North Station. Crossing the Ravine Bridge route continues past the Royal Naval Patrol Service Memorial in Belle Vue Park before heading towards Lowestoft Station via the Lighthouse, Sparrow’s Nest Gardens and Ness Point - the eastern most point in the British Isles. The walk is four miles and is expected to take around two and a half hours.
Those taking part will also be able to discover more of the town's railway heritage as the walk is being led by Trevor Garrod. Trevor is Chairman of the East Suffolk Travellers Association (ESTA), an organisation which celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2015, having originally been formed to campaign against the closure of the East Suffolk Railway Line as part of the notorious Beeching Report in the 1960s. Having successfully fought to save the line, ESTA has continued to promote and campaign on behalf of those using public transport ever since.
The East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership have published over 130miles of walks which link with railway stations across the east of the county. Twenty of these walks are free to download from their website at www.eastsuffolklines.co.uk . The walk from Oulton Broad South to Lowestoft is known as The Easterling and named after the holiday express services which once traversed part of the route.
There is no need to book for this walk although those taking part are advised to wear suitable clothing and footwear. Well behaved dogs on leads are very welcome and there will be a chance to purchase refreshments en route. The walk will contain some ground which is uneven and a number of steps. Participants take part at their own risk.