|
The northern shore of the broad features patches of Broadland
that represents a lot of the land use in this part of the world for the
last few hundred years.
If you take the path to the platform at the edge of the
water, depending on the time of year you visit, you'll see a myriad of
plantlife including the yellow flag iris. This used to be cut every July
and sent off the best stables in London for use as horse litter.
Reed and sedge were hugely important to the Norfolk economy
and the examples at Whitlingham are representative of the reed beds that
once covered parts of Broadland.
Swallowtail butterfly |
In the past, reed and sedge was a very important crop in
Norfolk to thatch houses and other buildings - but with the decline in
its use, this has meant the loss of a very important habitat for wildlife.
Straight straw like reed was used to make up the main part
of a roof and sedge, which is ribbon shaped and able to bend, straddled
the ridge.
Commercial reed beds are normally cut once a year in winter
and two or three year rotations are common to increase the mix of plants
in the fen. Sedge is cut in summer every three to four years.
The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads are the largest protected
area of wetland in Britain and levels of reed and sedge are maintained
to provide an important wildlife habitat for the icon species of the area
such as the bittern, Norfolk hawker dragonfly and swallowtail butterfly.
Swallowtail butterfly
The swallowtail is Britain's largest butterfly with a
wingspan in the area of 80mm.
Covered in a pattern of black marks and veins, the lower
wings have a curved band of blue ending in a small red spot. It has distinctive
long black tails projecting to the rear.
The swallowtail is widespread in mainland Europe, but
in Britain the species are now restricted to the marshlands of the Norfolk
Broads. In years gone by, they used to common throughout the region's
fenland.
In addition to species of butterflies, the range of plantlife
at Whitlingham Country Park helps to support the many other kinds of wildlife
to be found in the area.
This is the last stop on our nature tour around Whitlingham
Great Broad.
Walkers passing a bank of buddleia |
As you return to the main path, turn left and follow
the pathway around the water's edge.
After some distance you will reach a crossroads of
paths. Turning right would lead you to the River Yare and the river bus
platform.
Turn left and follow the path between the Little and
Great Broads.
Where the path forks take the left hand fork, this
brings you to a small grassy area where this is a bench if you need a
rest.
Once at the road turn left, then take the second
right and you are back in the Great Broad car park.
Picture credit: Swallowtail butterfly
courtesy of Norfolk Wildlife Trust
bbc.co.uk/norfolk would like to thank
The Broads Authority, the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and the Norfolk Museums
& Archaeology Service for their expertise and assistance in the production
of the Whitlingham Country Park Walk Through Time.
Ìý
|
PREVIOUS
ÌýRealplayer
required
