Walking the Marriott’s Way with Norfolk County Council
We have launched 17 new interactive walks on the Marriott's Way in partnership with Norfolk County Council.
The whole story of the railway spans from 1880-1985, and traces of its history visible along the route include platforms, stations, level crossings and other railway infrastructure. People can swipe through the well-loved, traffic free, 26-mile route step by step, discovering the lost history of old railway lines along the way.
"We're always looking for exciting and innovative ways of bringing Norfolk's rich culture and history to life, which is why we're working with Go Jauntly to not only welcome visitors to our lovely county, but inspire local people to explore all it has to offer."
- Cllr Andrew Jamieson, Norfolk County Council's Walking and Cycling Member Champion
Fascinating 'ghost' photos overlaying old scenes on the present day, facts about the local heritage, plants and wildlife, and audio clips from interviews with train drivers and locals will illuminate the route's past. The archive material has been provided by the Marriott's Way Heritage Trail project, which researches, conserves, and educates people about the lost railway lines along the historic route.
"These interactive walks will help people learn about the former Hellesdon Station, which was recently uncovered and enhanced by our volunteers, the remains of the coal crane and engine shed at Norwich City Station in Train Wood, and pillboxes and tank traps from WWII. We hope they will also be better able to spot and identify the birds, plants and animals that inhabit this 26-mile County Wildlife Site."
- Sophie Cabot, senior Marriott's Way project officer at Norfolk County Council
The launch of these new walks coincide with new exciting features by tapping on points to see pictures and descriptions, plus routes can be downloaded to be viewed offline, and even exported to a GPS device.
“The Marriott’s Way project is a fantastic opportunity for us to explore Norfolk as a key 2020 ‘staycation destination’ and add features to Go Jauntly that this ‘off-grid’ landscape requires. Now users can dive deeper into the cultural significance of the routes and learn more about the local wildlife and plants in this beautiful part of England.”
-Allan Weir, Head of Technology at Go Jauntly
About Marriotts Way
The Marriott’s Way Heritage Trail project is a two and a half year NCC project to document and preserve the industrial heritage of the former railway line and encourage more people to use the much loved, traffic free, 26 mile route which already attracts over 100,000 cyclists, walkers and horse riders every year. The majority of the funding for the £667,906 project has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund (£455,000), with £167,399 coming from developers through planning obligations and the rest made up from Norfolk County Council, fundraising, donations and volunteer time.
We really enjoyed working on this project and are excited to be able to share the rich heritage of the walks with more audiences.
Try one of these amazing new routes this weekend!
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