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Of Mountains & Molehills

Of Mountains & Molehills

Norfolk is a county of comparisons, but it very true that Norfolk lacks mountains, we can’t really argue that point.  However, the county is not as Noel Coward described it ‘Norfolk, very flat’.  You might well travel across two of our neighbouring counties which are indeed very flat, but little of this flatness is Norfolk.  Don’t expect mountains, but you can expect inclines and declines especially along the coast, where glacial deposits left during past Ice Ages have created an undulating and must say beautiful natural landscape that dips down to the sea.

Skelding Hill on the Norfolk Coast and Beeston Bump are two such high points where you can not only survey the glacial undulations of the land behind you but also look over the former coastal plain that is now known as Doggerland.  A land that was inhabited by lions, hyenas, and mammoths, early hunters most likely stood on the same ground looking out for to prey to hunt.  In the ‘valley’ between Skelding Hill and Beeston Bump nestles the coastal fishing town of Sheringham.  Have a look for the Sheringham mermaid or perhaps on another day catch the steam train to Holt, plenty to do.  On Skelding Hill, although little to see now, there was during World War 2 an emergency coastal battery complete with six-inch guns, a searchlight, trenches, and an underground headquarters.

Not to be outdone Beeston Bump had a secret World War 2 story to tell.  Incidentally once there were two of these symmetrical round flat-topped hills that look like two giant moles have created them.  Sadly, only one ‘molehill’ survives the other has been lost to the sea.  On the top you can still find the remains of Second World War Y Station.  The concrete hexagon base remains.  A network of these secret stations allowed the armed forces to triangulate enemy shipping.   So, Norfolk can’t really offer mountains, but who else can offer a giant mole hill with a Y Station on top?

Location

Cliff Rd, Sheringham NR26 8DJ

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