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The Ramblers in Norfolk have been functioning for over half a century, protecting the footpaths we so treasure. In the 1950s the County Footpath Secretary was Mr Emms, who co-ordinated the Ramblers members that there were in Norfolk, as well as members of the YHA. Together they found evidence for paths which could be put towards Norfolk County Council’s process for deciding which rights of way to add to the first Definitive Maps of public rights of way.
After Mr Emms resigned with the Definitive Map still unfinalized, the Southeast Area of the Ramblers (which stretched from Norfolk to Dorset) asked the few people with which it had contact if they would take on the position. Jeanne le Surf was the person who volunteered, and carried on that role until John Harris relieved her of it in the early 1990s.
The first Wensum Group walk took place on Thursday 1 July 1993, led by Ray Duncan, and it was a 7.5 mile stroll which started from Felbrigg Hall. The group celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2018, and there’s a link to the full history of Wensum Group at the bottom of this page.
Jenny Worsfold became the area chair from 1997 until 1999 and she replaced John Webster who had previously held the role. Jenny Bird was then elected to the role of area chair from 1999 until March 2004.
In 2007 Richard May founded NYWG, the Norfolk Young Walkers Group, which later became Hike Norfolk. This catered for the younger members in the county and is still going strong ten years later. Richard also became area chairman in 2016, replacing Bernard Moore who had held the role since March 2004.
Legstretchers also came back into existence in 2017 after a three-year break, which is the area’s long distance walking group. Also in 2017 our path maintenance team started work after the area made a large investment in cutting equipment.
SEE ALSO
Tony prepared a history of the Wensum Group, which can be found here.
Ian Mitchell also wrote an obituary of Jeanne le Surf, an instrumental figure within Norfolk Area Ramblers, who sadly died in late 2017.