A Brief Bound Around Loch Neaton

Tucked away on the edge of Watton, Loch Neaton is a quietly surprising places that, despite being man-made, is shaped by nature and can transport those who visit to a world of tranquillity. Its origins lie not in grand design but in the practical needs of the railway age. In 1875, as the line from Thetford was extended across the low-lying land at Neaton, vast quantities of earth were dug out to form an embankment. The resulting pits left deep hollows, one of which filled naturally with water from nearby sources. From this chance beginning grew a Victorian leisure ground, complete with boating, diving boards, and even later a proper open-air swimming pool at one end, constructed after the Second World War. Nowadays it is a licensed fishing lake and a beauty spot that the residents of Watton can rightly be proud of.

What makes Loch Neaton particularly distinctive is that it was never simply a lake. It was a community creation, shaped by local ambition and effort. Businessmen and townspeople alike contributed to turning the site into a pleasure ground, with tennis courts, a bandstand, and landscaped paths threading through trees and wildflowers.

The name hints at its origins: “Loch” in honour of the Scottish navvies who dug the railway cuttings, and “Neaton” from the nearby hamlet.  Today, while the swimming pool and many of the old facilities have disappeared, the sense of place remains—a calm, green space that still invites wanderers…like us!

At NorfolkPlaces, we like to bring a range of walks across the county, and the walks are of varying sizes and abilities. Now, Loch Neaton is not in itself a big walk, though it is one where you can take your time, stop and admire the view, even have a picnic. We started our walk out from the carpark at Watton Sport Centre. We were in Watton to watch Watton United’s first team in an Anglian Combination Premier League fixture, and decided to take the opportunity to take a stroll around Loch Neaton prior to the game.

Ready, Steady, Boardwalk!

On previous visits we had noticed there was the possibility of a few short laps around Loch Neaton. So, we decided to bring you a nice short stroll around it in two laps. Lap one, we’ll call this leg the boardwalk route, and lap two is the embankment route. We will mention before we get in to the route, a couple of the photos are sunnier than the rest as they were taken on a different day whilst on a previous visit.

The walk around Loch Neaton is not long, nor is it particularly demanding, but it has a quiet charm that unfolds as you walk around it. Starting near the entrance close to the sports centre’s carpark, there is a small grassy area, and walking through this draws you toward the water’s edge and our first glimpse at Loch Neaton.

We follow alongside the edge of the loch until we meet up with the path, and shortly after it opens up in to a grass park area, where there are several picnic tables and benches. Here, you will also find Watton’s Platinum Jubilee Beacon. The beacon (like many across the country) was lit to celebrate the historic 70th year of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign in June 2022. It continues to be used for ceremonial lightings on special occasions.

We’ll follow the path (well, the track worn by pedestrians over the years) around the park and back towards the loch, and stretching out ahead is the boardwalk. Now, if  you’re like me you’ll have “Under the boardwalk” by the Drifters playing at the back of your mind right now. Okay, I know I’m old but I’m not that old – I only know it from the Bruce Willis version from the late 1980s.  I digress.

This first section of the walk along timber boardwalk path follow close to the margins of the lake, gradually rising away from the loch but with access routes down to the fishing platforms along the way. As you continue along this path, you might notice how the landscape was shaped. The lake sits in what was once a hollow, and the surrounding ground rises slightly, forming a natural amphitheatre. Trees line much of the route, softening the edges and creating a sense of enclosed space, free from the sights of the urban landscape.

Eventually the boardwalk gives way to a more trodden-earth path as we grow near to Loch Neaton’s street entrance. To show you what this looks like in case you decide to access from here, we popped out and snapped a picture for you.

Back across the road and back in to the bosom of nature, we drop down towards the loch’s boardwalk to enjoy the tranquil views once more.

After a few moments savouring the view, we then complete our first circuit by heading up toward the small grassy area close to our starting point. From here, we follow the route back to the park so that we can commence our second lap along the old railway embankment.

Before we imagine we’re Thomas the Tank Engine (or indeed any of his steam or diesel engine friends), we head to the end of the park and go out of the gate and on to Loch Lane. Here you can see on either side of the road the distinctive abutment walls where a bridge would’ve taken the train track over the road.

Personally, I enjoy scrolling maps online and following the line of the embankment, zooming in on where it would cross roads and confirming the abandoned abutments. Although, doing this is kind of sad too, because it makes you realise it would’ve been good if the all of the railway bridges had been retained. Even if the railways couldn’t return, it would have made a nice walk or a cycle path. Apparently, there has been talk at Breckland Council about converting the 15km stretch from Watton to Swaffham, known as the Crab and Winkle Line, into a trail, so we’ll keep an eye out for progress on this.

Anyway, we’ll head back in to the park, and make our way back towards the loch. This time, for a slightly different perspective, we start our lap using the higher path that runs along the old railway embankment. It is from up here that the history of Loch Neaton becomes most tangible. From the park end, there are some steps leading up to the top of the embankment. At the top if look to your left you’ll be greeted by wire fence and dense tree/shrub growth that’ll stop you getting anywhere near the edge of the abutment. You’d struggle to see across to the other side of the former railway embankment.

Having reached the top of the embankment, whilst the rails and other paraphernalia has long since dismantled, you can easily make out the where the line of the former railway would’ve ran, and my inner child can’t help imagining the trains making their way with a choo-choo atop of Loch Neaton’s embankment.

This embankment, built from the very earth that created the lake, now serves as a natural walkway, offering an elevated view through the trees and down to the loch below. From up here, we can get glimpses of the loch below, though not sufficient to see its full shape, and below you can occasionally see the boardwalk from the first lap too.

We descend the embankment down towards the street entry gate, and here there are a couple of options. Rather than exiting, you can either head down to the edge of the lake and to the fishing platforms, or head forward up a narrow slope to complete the higher circuit. We did the latter and completed the route back at the small grassy area, before heading back to the sport centre (just in time to grab a drink at the bar and get a matchday programme before the match!)

Loch Neaton is very much cherished by the community, and it feels special. Special, not just its origin story, but the way that story remains visible in the landscape. The lake exists because of industry, yet it feels entirely natural. The embankment was built for trains, yet now serves walkers and nature. And with open spaces to quietly reflect, relax or have a picnic, Loch Neaton is truly a gem in this Norfolk town.