Tag Archives: brancaster

High tides and beach walks in North Norfolk

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We’re back from Blakeney, and I’ve had my ears syringed. So I should be able to fly to Canada next week with no problems. I haven’t been able to hear properly for about  a month, and it was a real struggle getting someone to even look at my ears, let alone agree to syringe them. I’ve been putting oil in for the last couple of weeks, which hasn’t been much fun, but hopefully it is now sorted. I may even be able to get a good night’s sleep tonight. They’re still popping, but apparently they have to dry out.

We were first to arrive at Blakeney on Friday, which rarely happens. As usual we all rolled down to the Blakeney Hotel for afternoon tea, but the upstairs lounge was full, so we took advantage of a little room downstairs, just off the lounge. Very pleasant. Then began the series of breakfasts and evening meals which are a feature of life at the Manor Hotel. Nice enough food – and staff – but not exceptional. We had the same room as last year.

Dave and Julia were in good form, but Rosemary had just had some bad news medically: she has a muscle-wasting disease. One thing after another… Very sorry for her: she and Alan are such a nice couple, and Alan has been through the mill too.

It was very warm again on Saturday, and we took care to put on sun cream. We started at the Cley wildlife centre, where we had coffee and looked at the new exhibition building. We then moved on to Salthouse, where we parked at the church and then walked down to the beach and along the shingle for a while before completing a circle by crossing the road and climbing a small hill before taking a path through  barley field.  While still on the shingle we were accosted by a man who warned us about tics, showing us what appeared to be a bite on his wrist in evidence. Don’t know where the tic, if such it was, had come from (he blamed nearby cattle), but we were a bit nervous the rest of the day while quietly confident that tics were not a normal feature of Norfolk beaches.

Back in Salthouse we had a baguette purchased from the Old Post Office, positioned between Cookie’s and the Dun Cow and therefore frequently overlooked. Good baguette, though, and some rather nice ginger beer with chilli. We sat on a seat outside, with Dave and Julia in a disused bus shelter, then walked back up through a tunnel path to the church, where we popped in to look at an art exhibition by Maria Pavledis, who was about to give a talk. She persuaded us to stay, which almost doubled her audience. She was interesting, although I didn’t like her work much (rats figured strongly), but towards the end I felt tired out, and so after a brief stop in Cley where Dave and Julia bought some pottery, we headed back to the hotel. In the evening there was a very high tide, spilling on to the carnser. There was an even higher one the next morning, and the following night.

On Sunday it was a bit cooler. We drove to Holkham, lamented the demise of the restaurant (converted into extra rooms for the hotel), bought some presents in the Adnams shop and then headed to the Victoria for coffee, whereupon it started raining pretty hard. We hung on to the table as many soggy people and a multiplicity of dogs poured in for Sunday lunch, and eventually we decided it would be easier to eat there than to try to find somewhere else; so we had a light lunch (prawns for some, cheese board for others), and when it stopped raining drove on to Brancaster, where we parked in the village and walked down the road to the beach, then round and back by a muddy path to Titchwell. There was a bit more rain, but nothing like as much as at lunchtime. We ended up by the road just outside Titchwell, scarping extremely persistent mud off our shoes. Peter we stopped in Wells for a scone and a cup of tea; sadly the gallery containing Godfrey’s pictures was shut.

Took some nice sunset pictures in the evening.

On Monday we returned to Cley Wildlife Centre and had a coffee, then a chat with a helpful expert called Diane, who got Rachel to turn on the sea surge video for us. After this excitement we drove up to the church, where there was an excellent exhibition, called Marvellous in Ordinary. Some exceptional stuff in there. Afterwards we drove to Wiveton, because the Three Swallows was shut, and had a lunch that was not quite light enough in the magnificent Bell. Back to Blakeney, from where we walked along the newly restored coast path to Cley, misidentifying birds on the way. At Cley we got a Coasthopper back to Blakeney.

Tuesday, and it was all over. Well, almost. The Towns departed for Derby, but Julian and Dave joined us in a stroll in Blakeney, where we visited an excellent art and crafts fair and then, unbelievably, squeezed in a cup of coffee in The Moorings (water for Dot and me) before our noon lunch at Cookies (booked two days earlier). There was a huge traffic jam in Cley; so Dot and I took the back roads and arrived at Cookies about ten minutes before the Evetts, but still late. However, it was raining, and the place was not crowded. We had booked for the absent Towns, but those two seats went to a couple of American cyclists from New England, with whom we had an interesting chat. Afterwards we parted, but it was not all over for Dot and me.

We drove to Neatishead, where Dot had purchased a reduced-price ticket for the radar museum. This was unprepossessing but contained far more than we expected, and the guided tour lasted nearly 90 minutes, by which time Dot and I were practically out on our feet. Very interesting, though, and plenty more to see on a return visit.

To round the day off, we had a compline and cake fixed for the Archers’ at 8pm. Happily Jude took us: it was a pleasant evening as usual, and somewhere before and after we managed to watch the highlights of the British Grand Prix, won by Hamilton.

5 August 2008

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A view of Brancaster beach, which figures in a poem I’ve just written, mainly about the difficult last few days but also a little bit about Brancaster beach.

Yesterday was very quiet: I wasn’t feeling up to much, but I wrote lots of e-mails and spoke to a few people on the phone. Today was busier: I got up reasonably early and walked up to the sorting office to post off Andrew’s card and present. Then Dot and I drove to the garage, where we got a ridiculous estimate for the vandal-created dents on our car: £1500. Pretty straightforward, said the bodyshop man: it just needs a new roof and a new bonnet. Although we’ll only be paying one sixth of this, I still feel indignant.

On we went to Wells and Big Blue Sky, who bought 12 of my poetry books!! Seems likely they would be interested in smaller booklets, too. Had very encouraging conversation with owner, then moved on to Holkham for a sandwich before heading home via the Walsingham Farm Shop. Towards home had violent stomach upset and only just made it. What next? My body should sort itself out.

The weather switched from calm and warm early on to very wet and unpleasant on the way home, but it seems to have reverted to reasonably pleasant again, though with occasional drops of rain. Shortly the Tuesday Gang will appear. Potatoes are baking.

30 July 2008

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Completing the picture started with my last post, this is Birgit’s brother Joe and his wife Ilona, on their visit to our garden last week. Have taken quite a few pictures since then, and no doubt I will catch up in due course.

These stemmed largely from our two-day ruby wedding anniversary visit to the Victoria at Holkham. But before that we renewed our vows in the old church at St Augustine’s – open because it was also the day of the medieval fair. We also supplied the music for the service, after which Annette V had laid on some ruby sparkling wine for a toast, plus petal confetti! She also supplied red roses for the church. I had to make an impromptu speech, which I’m not good at (I need notice of these things), but it was a memorable and lovely occasion. Afterwards we bought a couple of beefburgers from the “medieval” barbecue to keep us going until our celebration meal at Holkham.

We were in the Stone Room, with a huge double bed, and an outlook on to the courtyard, which meant it was quite noisy late in the evening. Because it was so hot, we needed to have the windows open, so I was kept awake by the huge hotel fridge buzzing away outside. Before the meal, however, we walked up into Holkham park and saw some deer. The meal itself was outstanding: I had one of the best steaks I’ve ever had. We also had a glass of champagne each and an excellent bottle of Pinotage. There was also a surprise – a strange coincidence – our friend Stephanie was having a meal there at the same time with some friends. What are the chances of that?

After the high point of the delicious meal, things went rather downhill when I couldn’t sleep, and then the urine infection that had been sort of threatening for over a week (I wasn’t sure that’s what it was) suddenly got so much worse that I had to ring for an appointment at Wells Health Centre on the Monday morning. I saw the nurse (Sam), and she referred me to the doctor, both of whom were really pleasant and concerned. They gave me some antibiotics, which seemed to be making inroads at first, but as I write still haven’t made a huge impact. Dot wanted to go down to Holkham beach and get in the water, and I initially felt well enough for this, though it’s quite a trek. However, we had to rush back prematurely, though Dot did make it into the water.

I then spent quite a bit of time lying on the bed while Dot walked to the local cafe and had a cup of tea. I felt better enough to pop into a couple of the local shops with her, and we then drove into Wells to get some of the famous French’s fish and chips. which were delicious. Surprisingly, I felt much better doing this – and then sitting by the quay reading – than I had done in the hotel room. I felt the antibiotics were working, but the night was really bad, with visit to the loo necessary every hour. (Even worse last night.) Again in the morning and out of bed I felt much better, and after breakfast we drove to Brancaster and spent a couple of delightful hours on the beach. I took some photographs and read, and Dot went into the sea again.

Afterwards we drove home via Holkham Park, which we have earmarked to show to Dave and Julia next year. Magnificently set out; very striking. Then on to Walsingham, where we stocked up in the upmarket farm shop and then had a cup of tea round the corner in some very modern tea rooms: less than £5 for tea and cake for two. There had been thunderstorms overnight, but it had reverted to the same warm and dry weather during the day, though it was a little windier. In the evening the ten-strong Tuesday Group ate in the garden before adjourning upstairs to talk about prayer. Warm and dry again today.

While in Wells and awaiting my health centre appointment we called in at Big Blue Sky, and I left my poetry book for them to consider selling. When we got home there was a call waiting for us expressing interest. I’ve tried to ring back, but unsuccessfully so far.