Volunteers led several short guided river history walks by the rivers in towns and villages of the Brecks during 2025, telling the story of how people connected with those rivers, the important historic buildings and places and how people worked with or enjoyed having fun by and in the rivers. See also Guided river history walks 2023-24.
We aimed to bring history to life using memories, stories, images and research from the Tales from the River and Industrious Rivers projects, both part of The Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers Landscape Partnership Scheme (BFER), and we also talked about current activities and landscapes along the way.
These walks were made possible by BFER receiving extended funding beyond the end of the projects, and several of them were part of the second Brecks Outdoor Festival in August 2025.
We worked with local individuals and organisations to gather information and choose our routes, and are grateful for their help and welcome: including Brandon Health Hub, Brandon Remembrance Playing Fields, Brandon and District Angling Club, Brandon Town Council, Honington & Sapiston Parish Council and Village Hall, Enable Thetford and Keystone Trust, Thetford Town Council, Mildenhall High Town Council and Barton Mills Parish Council.
At all these locations we were able to view the interpretation panels we had installed the previous year, and the new Orchard panel installed early in 2025, which give information on history and wildlife in the area.
On nearly every walk we gave out a handout and afterwards sent this as a digital document to the participants so that they could follow the links for more info. The Google maps of the walks show recreation spots and important historic buildings in that area, and you can click the icons to get more info and see the route. Links to these below.
You can download handouts for each of the walks (2 page PDFs):
Brandon Orchard and Staunch 10 April family walk Handout and Family activities sheet
Honington & Sapiston general handout
Thetford to Nuns Bridges handout
Part of this area was visited in the previous year’s walks: Mildenhall 2023 and 2024 handout and see also photos of Barton Mills and Turf Lock display panels.
See the Google maps using these links:
- Brandon Orchard and Staunch
- Honington & Sapiston
- Thetford to Nuns Bridges
- Mildenhall and Barton Mills
Read a report with links to photos of the Brandon family walk 10 April, and read about and see photos of the August walks (and also reports of the swim walk, swim cycle and swim event).
Credits for photos: Brandon swimmers supplied by Pat Baldwin; Thetford fishing boys supplied by George Angus; Thetford mill, © Norfolk Museums Service (Ancient House); Barton Mill – Mildenhall and District Museum.