Footpath 1

Staithe Road over Thunder Hill to Mustard Hyrn from TG453185 to TG442187 and TG442186

Physical Character

The path begins by following the surfaced track from the western end of Staithe Road to Thunder Hill Farm.  After passing the buildings it continues along the top of an elevated rectangle of land which is about six feet above the surrounding farm land.  A line of poplar trees is on the north side but is open on the left side.  The path then continues down a bank and across a cropped field which is ploughed each year after which the path is reinstated.  It reaches the corner of a hedgerow of hawthorn and follows this on the south side.  The north side is open to the crop.  The path divides at the end of the hedge. 

One branch of the path goes off in a northerly direction at a right angle and follows a bank between two cropped fields.  It then takes a right angle turn left through a market garden of vegetables until it reaches the road at Mustard Hyrn.

The other branch goes straight on alongside a bank where there was once a hedge.  It is uncertain now whether the path should be on the right or left side of the low bank or along the top.

Historical Ecology

These are two of the paths ‘through the wongs’.  Originally these paths were through the furlongs of the mediaeval west field.  Hence the name ‘wongs’ developed.  The paths led from the Church to the dwellings on the edge of the former common and were in regular use by those people to go to the church and school until the mid 20th century when motorised transport became widely available.

1  The beginning of the path

2  The path at Thunder Hill Farm

3 The path beyond the buildings as it continues along an elevated rectangle of land about six feet above the adjacent field

4  The path as it crosses the cropped field to the corner of the distant hedgerow

5  The path at the end of the hedge where the path divides

6  The path going north from the above junction

7  The path reaches a market garden

8  Looking back along the path through the market garden

9  Looking back through the market garden

10  The path continues between the hedge and the sheds

11  Looking back along the same stretch of path

12  Looking back from the stile where the path reaches the road at Mustard Hyrn

13  Looking back along the edge of the path as it continues along the road to Mustard Hyrn at TG442187

14 See photo 5.  This is the path which continues straight ahead

15  Looking back from where the above path reaches the road at TG442186 and end of this path.