If you’ve been following us on social media, or visited this website before, you’ll know we’re big fans of getting out and about in the fresh Norfolk air. We think walking is a great way to enjoy and explore the County, and in the course of a walk we often discover stories and history about locations that we were unaware of.
On New Year’s Day we tried a walk we’d never done before – a circular walk (our favourite kind) at Winterton on Sea on the East Norfolk coast.
At 3.5 miles long, it was a decent enough length to feel like you’ve actually had a walk, and it takes you along the beach and inland so you can experience both coast and countryside.
The route we followed suggests you start at the Beach Road car park in Winterton. However, it was New Year’s Day and apparently everyone in the county had had the same idea as us so the car park was absolutely heaving – probably not such an issue on a regular weekend. Consequently after driving around for a while (as the winter sun began to set with a vengeance – this was an ‘after lunch’ walk), we found a spot on the side of the road outside the church and this is where our walk began.
Heading down to the beach, the route takes you over Winterton Dunes. An internationally significant Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), with its acidic plant communities, Winterton Dunes has more in common with the dune systems of the Baltic than those found elsewhere on the Norfolk coast. The dunes are also home to the threatened natterjack toad, which apparently you can sometimes hear. Today, we did not.
We did, however, spot some seals (Winterton is on the same patch of coastline and not far from Horsey, home to a huge Grey Seal colony). Marvellously the incredible Seal Wardens were out looking out for the seals, and preventing the eager public from getting too close.
After the dunes and beach, the walk heads inland, via farm tracks (with associated farm odours) and just after you reach Manor Farm, you turn to discover the ruins of St Mary’s Church at East Somerton. An imposing structure, only the 13th-century tower and the 15th-century nave remain. Entry to the roofless ‘ruin’ is via a huge double height arched entrance and once inside, the tall, glassless nave windows and decaying flint walls make for a very eerie and strangely beautiful space. Though the church survived the reformation, it fell into disuse once the church parish of East Somerton was absorbed into that of Winterton in the 1600s. Set in woodland and overgrown with ivy, a great oak tree grows straight up though the centre.
And that’s where the spooky myth begins…
Apparently this tree is known as ‘The Witch’s Finger’, though local legend suggests it is actually a leg. The story goes that at the height of England’s Witch Trials, a suspected witch was brutally buried alive by merciless villagers. Said Witch happened to have a wooden leg, and it is alleged that, in her anger and suffering, she enchanted the leg to sprout a tree that would eventually destroy the church above. Essentially cursed, the legend goes on to say that if anybody were to walk around the tree three times, the witch’s spirit would be released.
While visiting the ruined church, as dusk fell on that first day of the year, we were completely unaware of this tale! After our visit we investigated the history of the ruined church a little more to discover the terrifying tale behind that oak tree.
Did we feel anything supernatural or ‘evil’ as we unwittingly walked around the oak tree? Not really, although there is a strange stillness to the site. A ‘quiet’ that, combined with the overgrown ruins does create a very interesting feeling. Not an ill feeling though I’d suggest. It actually felt like a peaceful, beautiful space. A few fairy lights and it would be the perfect setting for a wedding akin to Ross and Emily’s in Friends (remember?).
Could the legend be true? Most pieces I’ve read suggest not – mainly due to the size of the oak and the timeframe required for it to grow, were it planted during the Witch Trials era. Essentially, it’s not really big enough.
To my mind, I also find it odd that the villagers buried the Witch on holy ground. Witches were usually given unusual burials, outside consecrated spaces.
It’s a good yarn though, and as a lover of anything remotely supernatural or paranormal, I quite like it.
After St Mary’s Church, the walk took us further inland, crossing a road to farmland that was essentially flat, allowing a view to the very church we’d parked outside (the Holy Trinity and All Saints in Winterton village). This is one of several churches built in the 14th century with particularly large towers to act as status symbols, visible from the sea. Many generations of sailors will have looked to these towers as landmarks.
By now it really was getting quite dark and as we rounded into Winterton Village, we only just made it back to our car as night fell.
Fortunately, despite it being New Year’s Day, and late afternoon, we found a local Co-op en route home for some sweet post-walk treats.
This is a good walk, with lots to see along the fairly flat, easy route. One thing I’d do differently? Perhaps in future we’d start earlier, to save us almost ending up after dark in a location supposedly haunted by a vengeful Witch!
