After more than 10 years of service my trusty boots finally bow out – no amount of glueing can hold them together anymore, it is time for the younger generation to take over, it is time for some new ones.

This, in itself can cause a certain amount of trepidation, as pair after pair are taken home to tramp around the living room, to test different lacings or sock thickness – does the right boot feel bigger than the left? Will they give in time? It is not an easy task.

Finally I take the path of least resistance and buy some that are exactly the same size and style as my old ones ………with tiny differences that I have now come to terms with – so all is well.

Their maiden voyage starts in the small carpark next to Sir Peter Scott’s lighthouse – last time we turned right to walk to Kings Lyn, this time we take a left and walk back along the road heading for Sutton Bridge.

On our right is the River Nene, which has its source in Northamptonshire and takes on several different guises as it wends its way through the Wash to the North Sea. On the opposite bank a large commercial ship is docked. Two claw cranes are being used to shovel up scrap metal and load it onto its deck – it’s a painful process but my four year old grandson would be fascinated. An internet search on the name of the ship reveals that this mountain of rusty decaying metal is bound for Denmark – I wonder why? Will it end up as an installation in a Danish art gallery with more money than sense, or melted down to produce even more than the half a million bicycles that are sold there every year.

Cross Keys Bridge is where we cross the river to walk down its west bank. Built in 1897 it was previously both a road and rail hydraulic swing bridge but it is now just for cars and pedestrians, as the railway was closed down in 1959. It is a lovely curvaceous structure made of iron steel and wood with a pretty painted lookout tower. However, it causes a lot of frustration on the part of local residents as it takes a long time to open and close and creates mile long traffic jams.

Skirting the village of Sutton Bridge we walk down to the path running along the bank of the river and end up walking through an area of industrial buildings where yet again I question the accuracy of the term “coastal walking” .

Still, onwards ever onwards – at least it’s not raining.

Before long we are approaching the sister lighthouse which stands on the opposite bank to that made famous by Sir Peter Scott. Unfortunately it is difficult to get a clear shot of it as it’s hemmed in by trees.

Leaving the riverbank the landscape opens up to the familiar endless marshes and enormous fields. We are now finally on the sea wall and I just hope it’s not a good day for shooting.

This is Damian hiding behind an information board……….

At one point we decide to drop down from the grassy dyke to avoid the constant buffeting from a strong headwind and walk along what I assume is a drainage channel with a very strange colour. It looks like the water is polluted with agricultural effluent and this is what ends up in our rivers and coastal waters. I am reminded of a podcast I listened to on the slow degradation of the beautiful River Wye – it made me cry.

Fortunately there is resistance – four trained citizen science groups are now monitoring the river which has been found to have dangerous levels of phosphorous from livestock manure.

After a few miles we can see a signpost in the distance which is where we turn off left through fields to the village of Gedney Drove End.

The only pub is closed and soon coming up for auction, so we sit down on the benches outside and wait for our taxi. I’m looking forward to a bath and a pint.

Distance: 11 miles