At the olds for Christmas and on the spur of the moment we all decided to go to the town carol service. The walk there was cold and the snow was freezing again. Earlier in the week the corner on the exit of the estate was covered in ice by the fire hydrant being tested, so they have had to put up with a sheet ice 90 degree bend for some time.
Down in the local market square the four local vicars shared the job of taking the proceedings, C of E, Methodist, Baptist and Trainee, all had a go at saying their bit. One of them did a talk about shopping trolleys and the speed that people go round the supermarkets but their did not seem to be a moral or conclusion to it.
On the way back I took a detour to the brightest house in town where the householder has quite and impressive light show, but the best bit was the four lighted dummies sat in the seats opf the car. If all goes well you should be able to see a video of it some where with the post.
For the technophiles amongst you the video was edited with kdenlive installed on a Netbook remix of ubuntu. Seems to do most of the stuff and more compared to other offerings about. Best of all it is free, as in beer and speech.
Sunday was the London to Brighton vintage car run. Helen and I with Helens mum joining us for a list to Hassocks, met up with the crew at Crawley after a wrong turning off the M25 meant we missed the exit to the Redhill Little Chef. We stooda around with Martin at CVrwayley town square until the car arrived then we went to the local pub for a traditional pint. Unfortunatly Rory could only be with us until Crawley, so it was then my responability to keep up with the vehicle and allow passengers to swap over a get a chance to ride in the 1903 Humberette.
At about 10 miles out of Crawley we swapped over to give Justin a ride, and Gerald joined us in the car. Gerald is a hockey chum of Gilbert, and had also played his part in the team of over 70’s who won the title at the world championships in Cape Town earlier this year. He is also the president of the British Naturalist Association. The weather was perfect for the run the sun was shinning and the leaves were golden as we went over the steep hill where some cars need a tow. At the Pikeham junction we did another swap and Mark joined the car for the final drive into Brighton.
We hurried down to the front where I dropped everyone off near the front then dumped the car in the NCP car park round the corner from the Travel Lodge. When I got back to the front somone had kindly managed to bag a cup of muled wine, another traditional drink for the run.
Pikeham
This year we had taken a chance and booked the Travel Lodge for the night, a bargain at £32.50, the rooms were small but the place was clean, and we had a good nights apart from the noise from the storm that had descending upon the country. After freshening up we met up in the bar and I used Google maps to find and Italian restaurant near by, it is a great service because it summarises the reviews from many review websites and presents the result in a really easily read way. I picked out one that had the best reviews and we used the directions feature to take us to the restaurant.
The place looked really nice although it was on the street where there are lots of takeaways and other restaurants, and where in the past we have had a couple of bad meals. From the outside it promised to be good, it looked clean and newly decorated. We all agreed the place looked good so went in. The menu had some great selections. We had between us Misto Mare (deep fried sea food), Olives/Breads and Bruschetta for starters then Spaghetti a la Vongole, pumpkin risotto, pork in a mushroom cream sauce and the sea bass special. Three of us had dessert Tiramisu and fruit salad, followed by coffee and liquers. The bill came to £40 per head and everyone agreed that the meal was really great and that we should check it out next year.
On the way back to the hotel we stopped of at a pub that did great real ale, as well as loads of different types of tequila!
Early breakfast then we hit the trail, heading straight out to the sea past the abbey ruins. We had a good look rounnd the sluice bushes but not much to see. As we headed towards the hide someone pointed out out single turnstone on the end of the groyne, and informed us that there was a snow bunting further down the beach, we could see lots of peiople looking at it.
As we headed toward the twitch Helen spotted a shore lark. The snow bunting was very trusting, one photographer was within 3m of the bird. We got really good views. After that we had a look at a distant king eider, but we had to take other peoples word for it.
The coast guard cottages were a welcome break for a coffee. So far the weather had been clear skies, and warm sun. The wind was light, but if you spent too long in the shade it was cold.
Slow worm
We headed off round the heath after dartford warblers but had no luck, the consolation was that Helen M found a fly agaric to photograph with her new camera. There were quite a lot of mushrooms about but a lot of them had seen better days. We paused for lunch on a bench set back off the path and dedicated to Billy and Betty. The pies we bought yesterday were lovely Helen S and I had a Heidi pie which was made from vegetables and squash, and Nik and Helen M had the asparagus and mushroom pien which they gave the thumbs up to. At the north end corner of the heath, we almost trod on a slow worm, which probably die to the cold was not moving while it obliged us by posing from our cameras, Helen H then moved it off the path and in to the undergrowth at the side and in the sun, it moved more then perhaps because of the warmth. From the heath we headed towards Greyfriars. Nik spotted a hare in the field and we saw two green wood peckers on a telegraph pole.
Through Greyfriars and past the abbey ruins we arrived at the Dunwich cafe and chip shop, out intended point for a break before we turned back towards Eels Foot.
Fly agaric
After a welcome and very sweet hot chocolate we headed back up up the hill out of Dunwich retracing our tracks back to Mount Pleasant farm where we picked up the bridleway which is a straight line route back to the pub touching on the edges of the Minsmere reserve.
On the way we came across a herd of deer with a stag. Whilst looking at the deer I spotted a little owl on a distant fence post, it sat around as they do for some time before flying off. Further on we spotted a mouse in the undergrowth that did not hang around for long. When we got almost back to the pub when you can see across the fields in land we were treated to vies of 2 barn owls hunting across the fields in the setting sun which was just idyllic.
After relaxing in our rooms and a quick shower it was back into the bar for some more food and beer. What a great way to spend a Saturday.
If you want to know who ate all the pies well the prize goes to Helen S and Nik who topped off the lunchtime pies with Mean Bean pie at the pub for dinner, and Nik believe it not ate half of Helen M’s at lunch time.
… and englishmen and women, go out in the Norfolk rain and wind. After the early start for the seal trip we had some time on our hands, so after coffee we decided to go for a walk out on the marsh in the wind and the rain.
Down the high street of Blakeney then at the quay turned right toward the wildfowl pond the take the restricted byway toward the sea, you then cross over the sea defences and can head out on to the marsh. On a nicer day there would have been lots of birds to look at, but today was not the day for that. We got soaked on the front side walking out and then the backside got wet on the way back in.
Back at the hut we had cheese sandwiches, and spent the afternoon watching a film. You might even get a film review later.
We saved our seal trip till the end of the week, just as the weather turned. We wrapped up well and all wore water proofs, as it was pissing down with rain. We were all ready for the trip down at Morston Quay at 09:20 ready for the 09:30 boat trip.
There were some clearings in the clouds but they were not heading our way, the weather was coming from the NW and it looked grey, from that direction. We got under way and listened to the safety talk, the two crew were ones Helen and I had done a trip with before.
Norfolk sail boat
Every so often a wave would break over the bow of the boat and get us a little wet. There were plenty of birds on the move across the marshes and flying low to the water. The boat headed past the old lifeboat station on the point, then out towards the end of the point itself.
The seals all congregate at the end of the point, there were about 60 lazing around on the sand bank and every so often we could see some floating in the water with their heads visible. After a few loops around the boat sped up and headed back to the quay. In all the trip lasted just short of an hour, which given the weather conditions was long enough.
We headed back to the hut for a well earned coffee and biscuits.
The weather so far had been great but this morning it did not look as good as it had been. We got the bus t0 Stiffkey with a plan to walk back to Blakeney. The bus as usual was on time and we were soon walking out to the sea on the foot patch that runs from the antique lap ship, in the centre of Stiffkey. It was dry.
Once we got to the marshes it started to rain and continued all the way to Blakeney. On the path we saw quite a lot of birds, including a flock of I think Golden Plover and two Spoonbills. We emailed the Spoonbills in to Bird Guides dot com and got a polite email back thanking us.
Salthouse
We had some lunch back at the hut then we all went separate ways, some went shopping, but Helen and I went to Salthouse for a short circular walk via the Quag, where we have seen some interesting birds on the past. When we parked up we noticed that the old post office at Salthouse was now open as a shop/butchers, previously it has always appeared closed, and derelict. We walk down the lane to the Quag not much about apart from a flock of Goldfinch. Once up on the sea defences the going got tough with all the shingle, and Helen spotted three seals or the sane seal three times. It was a very pleasant walk over familiar ground.
When we got back I had a shower then noticed that the sun was out, and very low, looked like there could be a nice sunset, so I headed down to the quay at Blakeney to get some pictures. The sunset was not as good as it could have been because there was some cloud low on the horizon. I made the most of the low sun light and tried a series of pictures which I home to turn into a panorama.
All in all despite the weather a great day out in the fresh air, better than work any day.
If it is Wednesday it must be canoeing day. We set off at 10ish and stopped off first to book Beans Seal trip, then at the Blue Sky Thinking shop for a look at some tat.
Finally we were on our way to Fairhaven gardens to meet up with the canoe man. We were early, so we we had some lunch took at the cafe then took a stroll round the gardens which were free as part of the canoe deal. The gardens are kind of man made managed but do a good job of looking like natural wood land, there were quite a few mature and tall oak trees.
Fly agric
We met the Canoe Man, and headed on down to the landing point for a safety short briefing, then once kitted out with a buoyancy aid we all got into the canoes. The dog was a bit of a challenge but soon settled and was fine for the rest of the trip. We headed across the broad under the guidance of the leader and we all soon got he hang of the steering and paddling. Out of the other end of the broad we headed down a narrow creek and a bit of adventure having to duck under branches and push through reeds. The whole conoe trip lasted 2 hours. It was great fun and I would do it again, but would just rent a canoe and do my own thing.
Back at the cafe we had coffe and cake before heading back to the hut, we had a fun day out.
We area having a day off the rest of the party and heading to Cley NWT, the weather is fantastic sun shining just the odd cloud, an the air is still, even by the sea there is only a light breeze.
Before we set out we went to Morston to book Beans seal trip, but they were all booked up for this afternoon, but we have the option of trying again on Thursday evening or Friday morning 09:30 which would mean an early start.
We headed out along East Bank and saw probably 12 Bearded Tits, then over on the sea bank we had fleeting views of several Lapland Butings that have been resident for a couple of weeks now. After sitting on the sea defenses for 20 minutes, we saw an Artic Skua, but dipped on the Porpoises.
As we walked along the sea defence we sa a couple of Sandwich Terns and a Gannet.
We headed to the North hide and as usual the time we were there meant we were looking into the sun so good viewa were impossible. We saw plenty of waders that proved difficult to identify. On leaving the hide we kept our eyes out for the Hooded Crow on Eye Field, but it was not to be. A loo stop was in order so we headed straight back to the visitors center and had a well earned lunch, cheese sandwich for mw and Helen opted for the humous and roast vegetables toasted Sandwich.
Flower
Suitably refreshed we did a quick tour of the hides to the west of the visitors center. On the walk out we saw the hooded crow, which was a great surprise. After some time in the hides we headed back to the hut but not before, coffee and cakes at Byfords in Holt. We have not been to Holt for some time but it seems to be going up market, lots of shops for Helen to browse and spend money.
The service in Byfords was pretty slow we ordered hot chocolate, cappuccino, and a couple of cakes and it seemed to take an eon for it to turn up, how long can it take to steam some milk and slice a couple of cakes? Helen suggested the cow was playing hard to get!
When it turned up the apricot and almond tart was worth the wait, and the cappuccino was tasty. Helen reported that the huge hot chocolate (half a litre I estimated) was divine, the generous wedge lemon cake was tasty.
After some shop browsing, I purchased a flash card reader, then we drove on to the deli at Cley for some snacks for our tapas evening tomorrow. Finally we headed back to Blakeney via Cley Spey to get Helen a longer strap for her Knockers!
Not an early start today, we got the 10:18 coast hopper from Blakeney village hall, to Burnham-overy-staith. We walked on the sea wall then straight out ontoi the big beach that is Holkham, a few miles of sand and we swung a left in land with the hope of a coffee/lunch break at the 0holkham tea room. Turns out it is shut, the Victria Hotel was open but were doing full menu till 15:00, only then would they serve sandwiches.
We decided to get the bus to Wells where we found a great place that did huge sandwiches in a pub garden. After some refreshments we headed along the coastal path, the plan was to walk to Stiffkey for a pint at the Red Lion.
Burnham harbour
The walk along the marsh was long, and the sun was hot, eventually we swung a left in land and can out at the Stiffey antique center and headed right towards the pub. The pub was very welcoming, we had beer, coke, coffee, and expresso, plus a few packets crisps and nuts.
The bus was a welcome luxury saving us the last few miles back to Blakeney. All in all a good day out.
