Thorpe in Balne RFM Blue Line
RFM Blue Line
03/10/25
This was one of those walks which just went wrong, very wrong. It wasn't even a very nice area.
The walk started on a dull morning along a levee near Thorpe Marsh.
If you like pylons this is a really good place, to be fair, it did used to be a power station.
Its a pretty desolate place and not very inviting. There is plenty of activity still going on on the site but the cooling towers are gone. Security fences are everywhere and I did feel a bit like a trespasser. I was glad to get of the site.
I crossed the railway and followed the path on the flood defences to the road round to Marsh lane.
It was quite rural but the railway was noisy and there was noise from some earthworks being carried out and from electrical transformers. The river Don was down a steep flood protection slope and did not look at all pleasant just functional.
I passed the modernised Manor House and entered Thorp in Balne proper. I nice place with some huge expensive properties.
My route took me through a very narrow alley way. I'm sure it was designed to put people off. I was beginning to dislike this place.
The end of the passage was no better than the passage itself but it did open up onto a normal pasture field.
The purpose of this diversion out of Thorp in Balne was to cover this lane where I had been earlier in the week thus joining the 2 walks. The farmer had been cutting down the hedge on Monday and the pile in the middle of the field showed he had done a great job.
Heading back into the village I was serenaded by these three in a rather frightening loud chorus of barks. Glad they weren't chasing me.
I do love these old houses much better than the new builds and extensive refurbs.
From this point on this walk went badly wrong. I followed the route all the way to Sickle Croft a very large farm and was confronted with a sign saying no access. It clarified by saying that there was specifically no access to Thorpe Marsh Nature Reserve, my destination. My obvious option was to retrace my steps and take the path in Thorpe in Balne to return to the start. When I looked for the path there was a footpath sign but no path just a huge set of newish double gates and a big fence. I had really gone off this place by now.
My next option was to return to the main road at New Ings and head down the banking back to the start. This route was open and the first part contained a lovely laid back herd of cows. I knew there was a bridge and a rail crossing ahead and just hoped I could cross.
The first part was an easy pass.
The next bit included a family of swans and a fairy ring so my spirits were lifting. This walk was definitely improving.
The cow on the other bank watched me all the way as I passed her and approached the bridge and railway. There was a passage under the bridge but it was in a bad state underfoot and I was glad to get through it.
I passed the digger and workers on the other bank and realised that even if I had got into the nature reserve earlier I would probably have got stuck at the works and if I had got the path at Thorpe in Balne I would have also got stuck again. So maybe the re-routing I took though dissappointing had actually been the best option.
So a 51/2 mile planned route became just short of an 8 mile walk. That is a significant difference. Luckily because the route was flat the extra effort was minimal. I had a bad feeling about this walk from the off and should have taken more notice of my intuition. My advice don't bother with this walk its just not good enough to be worth the hassle.
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