The Reserve can be accessed on foot from a number of directions: from the far end of the Trafalgar Industrial Estate (Sovereign Way), from Railway Road (via Brickfield Lane - though this currently crosses the new housing development site, so caution necessary) or from Regent Road (off Richmond Road). Wherever you come in from, if you are coming by car, please be aware of local businesses and homes, and park considerately.
Due to on-going development of the surrounding area, the Willows is no longer directly accessible from the end of the Trafalgar Industrial Estate, except via the walkway up the side. There has also been extensive work done to the pond in the Nature Reserve, which will not be restored to its former glory for some time. This does not prevent access to the cache.
A number of years ago, a dedicated group of local volunteers formed The Friends of the Willows Nature Reserve and, together with the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk, and Norfolk Wildlife Trust, they oversee the maintenance and improvement of the site. There have been working parties with local school children who planted thousands of spring bulbs; footpaths have been constructed and banks reinforced. The Norfolk Probation Office co-ordinate Community Payback teams to carry out projects such as maintaining hedgerows or clearing undergrowth to sow wild flowers, as part of a scheme for offenders to undertake unpaid work in reparative justice. Saplings were also planted as part of the Woodland Trust projects to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Recollections of a local man, recounting the early use of this site as brickyards, described wintry stories of ice-skating competitions held on the frozen brickyard ponds, with festive decorations and makeshift catering. He told of his father in a workshop nearby, busy sharpening ice skates for a shilling a time.
It is hoped that everyone can enjoy and share this area. As with many such spaces, however, there have been problems with undesirable or careless visitors who don’t see the harm they do with vandalism or misuse, which is such a shame. Please take extra care if visiting the site after dusk, or with young geocachers near the water.
If you are interested in supporting the Friends of the Willows Nature Reserve, they can be contacted via the Downham Market Town Council. This geocache is placed with kind permission of the Friends committee and the Borough Council.
You may have to walk round the pond a few times, waiting for dog walkers to pass, or families feeding the ducks. It can sometimes be damp under foot. Not sure if it’s because of the trees, but GPS signal is not always reliable here: co-ordinates given are the average of several readings taken.
Container is small clip-lock box with some room for little swaps and trackables. Pencil included, along with some wildlife-related trinkets to start things off.