Helen and I have been to the pub when we stayed in Blakeney a some years ago. The food then was great even if a tad on the pricey side. I had a curried potted crab as a starter, followed by baked Bream with artichoke, and saffron potatoes. The crab was the star of the meal, and the Bream was really good too, really well cooked.
Caroline had mushroom risotto which was very flavoursome, and Helen and Sallie had a parmesan tart which looked lovely, was reported delicious.
I’ll give it 4 out of 5.
We set off in fairly good time this morning, down to the quay and Blakeney we headed off on the coastal path/sea wall out towards the point then back in land to Cley. There was a lot a fine rain showers as we headed out but as the day progressed it got increasing brighter and the sun started to break through the clouds.
Once at Cley we headed through the tight high street, and out the other side if the village and then along to the NWT visitors center. We had lunch at the center and I bought a book that has a chapter devoted to Lee Evans down fall, it is called “Tabloid Birding” (get this confirmed).
After lunch Nancy and Sallie headed back by bus via the git shops, and we headed in land to eventually do a loop round to the opposite end of the village, of Blakeney. We stopped off a Cley church a grand building and passed through Wiveton.
Blakeney harbour
By the end of the walk my feet had pounded enough ground and I was ready for a glass of Admans from the mini barrel we purchased at the Adnams shop a Holkham, pure nectar after the long walk.
This year the Sharp (and hangers on) holiday is taking place in Blakeney Norfolk. We set out with auntie Sallie at 09:30 and headed off to the land of many birds with the plan of stopping off at Sandringham to have tea with queenie. When we got there we were informed that she was not in residence, we let ourselves in and had a look around the house anyway.
Then we set off to the Adnams shop at Holkham for some beer supplies for the holiday. We got to the hut at about 17:00, we are staying at Flinders in Blakeney, it is a great rental cottage, lots of rooms each with on suite.
Star flower
As it was fairly late on in the day we decided to have fish and chips for dinner so Helen and I were despatched to Holt to Angus Road to get some. Helen placed the order but we seemed to get twice the amount that we needed for the eight of us, the person serving seemd to ignore the request for small portions and doubled them all up, (I did not complain).
After eating we all watched the wedding video edited with great skill by Paul from all the footage we collected.
Now we are all looking forward to a week of outdoor living.
Left The Eelsfoot Inn this morning with a heavy heart. The plan was to drive back and stop at Fowlmere RSPB. We took the route via Minsmere on to Westleton to stop off and pick some wild plums. There are a lot about they are bigger than sloes but smaller than a victoria plum, dark in colour. We very quickly filled a plastic box full. See a later post for the results.
We took a great road which took us via Scole and Diss in search of an Army Surplus store, I need some buckles, webbing, and proper poncho. We found a very interesting store down a housing estate it was the proper thing it had a yard full of green and grey metal junk. Unfortunately shut on bank holidays, mental note to self to make a return journey! (Helen says not with her!).
We soon arrived at Fowlmere after various detours in Thetford forest avoiding traffic. Turns out we had been there before, and did not see much. Today was going to be a repeat. We are in late August and had arrived at mid day, so the odds were really against us. We did the tour round but there was not much to see. The list was Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Heron, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, and Brown Trout! The reserve is very quiet and secluded, great for a gentle stroll.
Fake Wasp Fly
We left the reserve and said we would stop if we saw somewhere worth while for a bite to eat. What a mistake that was! Bury Lane cafe in the garden centre just north of Royston. We dropped in for a some food and to sample the goods in the veg shop. We sat down and a waitress was there instantly, too quick for us to decide, so we sent her away, 15 minutes later Helen caught her eye and she took our order. Our drinks came first with an apology that the food would be 10 to 20 minutes, I almost walked! When the food finally arrived to be fair it was nice, I had tuna and sweet corn baguette and Helen baked potato and beans which she complimented.
Back in the car we then drove straight back to home and reality. I got straight onto making the jam. I just got rid of the the stones by the squashing method, i.e put between thumb and fore-finger and squeeze/squash out. I add equal amounts of sugar and not water. Give a good stir and wait for the sugar to draw the liquid out of the fruit. Put on the heat and bring to the boil slowly , you do not want to burn anything. Once boiling turn the heat down and wait till it is ready. There are ways to check that the jam is ready, using a cold saucer or a thermometer, but I have found that if you keep it boiling for about 20 minutes the white foam disappears and the jam gets kind of thicker. I just seem to know when it is ready.
The plums were a bit under ripe and at the start I thought it would not work, but after some boiling a really deal purple colour leached out of the skins. The jam tastes great, quite sharp but the plum flavour is really intense.
Up again early on a Sunday, for a breakfast at 8:30 we were on the trail at 9:30. We headed towards Minsmere but took a diversion off the road to take the path that runs through the woods that leads to Westleton Heath. In the woods the recent damp weather seemed to have bought all the mushrooms out, they were literally everywhere. The sun was out and the light was really bright even in the shade of the trees. So taking photos was really easy.
I modified the gorilla pod by shortening the two front legs this allowed me to set a small aperture, and by using the 2 second delay on the Lumix LX3 I got some really clear shots. Once we hit Westleton Heath we headed towards Dunwich. We started to get the odd light shower but nothing was going to dampen our enthusiasm, we were really happy to be out in the fresh air. We bagged a Coal Tit on the way down.
Coming across the Dunwich museum was well timed. There was an art exhibition going on in a hall behind the museum, some great original water colours and prints were on show. Mainly Suffolk and Essex, painted early in the morning. The guy who had painted them explained to me that he had been a container boat captain for a Brazilian company. He had worked 3 months on 3 months off then retired at 52, lucky bastard!
Mushrooms
We also had a look round the museum all about Dunwich, I really had not appreciated just how much of a town existed around 1900’s, then we drifted down to the car park and famous fish and chip establishment down by the sea. We sat out the front with our bowls of chips and beverages, there was quite a wind blowing, I literally had a storm on in my tea cup. We scanned Dingle marsh for signs of Hen Harrier, but it was wishful thinking. I did spot a bird in the distance but we could agree what it was, when it flew away we were able to identify it as a Greenshank, by the long white patch on the back, a good tick.
After a quick look at the sea we headed up the hill and along the ever moving west cliff path. Great views of the coast and Sole bay in the distance can be had at a couple of spots before the path heads inland, after you pass the ruins of the abbey. It then started to rain heavily as we walked through the woods towards Dunwich heath. I was glad to be able to try on the poncho that my mother in law had kindly bought for me in Millets Oxford for £1.50.
I have to say I have been considering getting one for a while, I am now a convert they cover you and your luggage, you have to be careful that the wind does not catch it but they keep the wind and the rain off. We walked though heavy rain across the heath and could not get any view of Dartdord Warblers, as we headed toward the National Trust tearooms at the Coastguard cottages, we had coffee and I had some bread pudding. When the rain had cleared we could see yet another big bank of storm clouds on the horizon, so after a couple of pictures we rushed off down to the East Hide at Minsmere, and we timed it just right the rain started as we arrived.
Dunwich from Minsmere
We spent about 30 minutes in the hide and some patient scanning revealed Little Ringed Plover, Black Tailed Godwit, and a couple of Snipe. The weather system moved on and the sun came out so we walked back to the visitors centre and on through to the Island Mere hide. I then suggested that we walk back along a footpath that runs parallel to the tarmac road, but involves an extra 10 minutes walking, it was towards the end of the day and Helen was in a “trough of disillusionment” so I got the usual ranting.
Later in the pub Helen did agree it was a nicer walk back, I don’t think the high winds and dropping branches helped the situation. We rejoined the tarmac road and walked the final yards back to the pub, the light over the water logged field was begging for photos to be taken, I obliged.
Back at the pub I stopped the GPS logger and we had walked over 13 miles (may be adjusted down). What a fantastic day out 8.5 hours out on foot, with the wife, plenty of tea and bird watching stops, can life get better?
We arrived at Southwold on Friday and went for a shop round town then a quick tour of Minsmere. Then we went to the Eelsfoot Inn at Eastbridge, booked in. There were a family of Swallows sat under the metal stairs outside our room. All weeknd they were there sometimes all sometimes just a one or two. The parents were doing lots of swooping about, and would roost next to the young at night.
On Saturday we woke up in good time and thought we would have a go at our day record to celebrate our recent wedding. So we got up for an 8:30 breakfast at The Eelsfoot Inn, and were on our way down to the Minsmere sluices via the path that goes directly to the sea from Eastbridge. The weather was bright with a stiff wind from the north east but the air temperature was pleasant. Saw some great beetles and butterflies on the way. Saw a spotted flycatcher on top of a tree. When we got down to the sluice bushes we paused for a while in hope of a Pied Flycatcher but it was not to be, although the lesser and common Whitethroat we adequate compensation.
Sticky bud thingy
On to the public hide to see some Knot, Dunlin, common Sandpiper, and Redshank. Then on to the East hide, where some Sandwich Terns appeared. We were soon sat outside the Coastguard Cottages fighting off the wasps while we ate our lunch of toasted cheese sandwiches. The wasp I trapped in a bottle was really mad, even after Helen freed it. A bit of sea watching produced Common Scoter, but nothing else the winds was probably blowing them all off shore.
Over to Dunwich Heath we did not rate our chances of seeing any Dartford Warblers after the hard winter they have suffered, but there they were loads of them. The Heath was looking good the heather was bright purple and the gorse was starting to flower giving a contrasting bright yellow. We walked to the far north end of the heath before turning round and walking along the west boundary back towards Minsmere.
Four baby swallows
Lots of different mushrooms were out a sign of the recent damp weather and Autumn approaching, the light was really bright so it was a great opportunity to get pictures. We strolled along back to the visitors centre back at Minsmere via the west hide to share a portion of carrot cake. We headed off back to Eastbridge stopping off at the Bittern Hide (not much action except a juv. Marsh Harrier) then on to the Island Mere hide, where a few more ticks were recorded. We saw a very yellow warbler in a willow tree but could not make Icterine from it.
The sun was low in the sky as we headed down the Minsmere road back to the pub, we had a great day out, but had not managed to beat our record. August can be quite a quiet, we managed 61 quite a reasonable tally. There is always tomorrow when we plan to head slightly in land then out to Dunwich and back through Minsmere again. What a great day!
Last day so we decided to try to beat our one day bird list record of 65 species. Dunnock, wood pigeon and sparrow were in the garden of the cottage. Jackdaw, herring & blackheaded gull, and pheasant en route. First to Cley-spy for their country walk talking us through arable farmland and oak woodland. Magpie, swallow, goldfinch, chaffinch, blackbird, blackcap, robin, willow warbler, coal tit, crow, kestrel, blue tit, robin, oystercatcher, treecreeper, red legged partridge, mute swan, mallard, tufted, moorhen, grey wagtail and greater spotted woodpecker. Then coffee stop at Natural Surroundings at Bayfield Hall, where Neil spotted another treecreeper. Then back along the fields to the ford, seeing coot, greenfinch, collared dove & swift. We then headed back to the coast to Cley, where the weather had turned a little and chased by a large black raincloud to the hide. Avocet, shelduck, marsh harrier, greylag, bearded tit & sedge warbler on the way to the hide. Sheltered from the rain and freezing wind seeing black tailed godwit, gadwall, redshank, sand martin, linnet, turnstone, lapwing, dunlin, ringed plover, cormorant, common sand, curlew, teal, ruff, shoveller, pied wagtail, canada & brent goose, common tern, turnstone, LBB gull, 3 temmincks stints & wheatear on the single bank. Walked to the shelter looking out to sea, and Neil got gannet despite being blasted by the north easterly wind. Then back via meadow pipit, egyptian goose, rook, reed warbler, pochard & whimbrel. Success despite blimmin challenging weather!
Got the Coasthopper from BOS to Holkham, then walked down Queen Anne’s Drive toward the beach. Saw something odd flying towards us (my description of “it’s big with legs” is probably not going to win any ornithological awards!) and as it went overhead Neil recognised it as a common crane! We let RBA know and then walked along the beach to the George Washington hide, from where the crane was clearly visible. Some other birders turned up and we all admired the crane for a bit. Then through the pines where we searched for goldcrest. I could hear them but it took ages to finally spot one. We checked out the other hide but no sign of the Spoonbills unfortunately. Willow warbler and chiffchaff from the footpath then into the dunes. Sat and watched a flock of linnets in the sunshine then back to BOS.
Finally a still day so we took the Bean’s seal trip from Morston Quay and saw lots of seals on the Point. Neil was very excited to see the son of the original skipper Mr Bean (not Rowan) who featured on the BBC documentary A Wild Winters Day. Then we were dropped off at Blakeney Point, a quick look around the National Trust managed Lifeboat station, then a long walk back on the shingle spit to Cley. Lots of sun and little terns flying along the spit. Sandwiches half way along the spit on a convenient piece of driftwood.
Beans boat reflected
Then back to Cley NWT for emergency hot chocolate & cake, as the shingle was a bit tiring.
Still a bit windy so we parked at Titchwell and got the excellent Coasthopper bus back to Burnham Deepdale. Walked along the coastal path past Brancaster and then out to the beach to try to walk along to Titchwell. Unfortunately the thin blue line on the OS was not the wadeable stream we had hoped for but a rather wide, deep inlet. So we went back round the headland and picnicked overlooking the marshes – Marsh Harriers & skylarks to watch. Then walked inland towards Gypsy Lane and spotted a strange looking bird in a pool. Some confusion as to what it might be so we headed back to Titchwell and went through the bird book till we found the fella, a red necked grebe, and checked with Titchwell RSPB folks if they were seen in the area. They are but are fairly rare so we tipped off RBA and for the next few days were rewarded by reports of the grebe still being where we had spotted it. Always nice to share! Went around Titchwell and saw pintail, red crested pochard, ruff, common scooters on the sea and sanderlings on the beach.
