Thursday & Friday 25 & 26 September

 Thursday 25th Time for an Adventure 

Ronda, Tim her partner and I set out just before ten in the morning, a perfectly civilised time, for the coast. We stopped at the lovely cafe at Creake that we had visited the day before for a top up of coffee for some and a chai latte for me. Thus fortified we (Ronda) drove to Burnham Overy Staithe parking by the boathouse where Tim used to work and they both lived when first coming to Norfolk.


it’s a little cloudy and a bit more windy but the view is spectacular looking over the salt marshes, the tide was on it’s way out as this area can be totally underwater at high tide, the tidal range Tim said is about 9 metres. There is a high path out to the beach which we walked.


If you look closely there is a snowy white egret in the bottom right hand corner. and below looking back down the path to where we came from the long white building is the boat house.

A beautiful if rather chilly walk along the path to the sand dunes and finally the sea





The clouds are starting to disperse now, the sunshine is more warming this is the North Sea and Holkham Beach, that of Lady Anne Glenconner fame. A long sandy beach which we proceeded to walk along for some distance before cutting back over the sand dunes and along the fence line to Holkham estate, back towards the path and the car. 




Finding some horses in with the cattle along the way, snacking on blackberries which were very small because of the dry summer, but delicious wee treats, we were also removing our scarves and jackets being more sheltered from the wind. We walked over 8 kilometres and were looking forward to lunch, drove on eastwards to Wells-Next-the Sea to indulge in fish and chips.


Waiting patiently is the seagull, not aggressive like those in Cornwall, opposite where we sat is what maybe a driftwood horse, and boats in the small marina.



We walked back to the top of the town where we had parked the car looking in the gift shops along the way, looking at the gelato shop and wondering why we thought fish and chips was such a good idea. Back to base for a cup of tea - herbal for me and then a nap for all three.


Friday - Sandringham 

A 30 minute drive away, give or take some road works and narrow roads, we came upon the vast estate of Sandringham, of which we visited a small portion - the house - can you call it that? And the immediate gardens. All part of a 20,000 acre state. 


The topiary garden in front of the house is beautiful, in sunshine when we first arrived and under cloud when we were leaving 



We did a tour inside the house - no photos allowed, comprising of the parlour, lounge, dining rooms, the gun room and then a room that had an exhibition of signatures for the Royal Horticultural Society, basically a wonderful watercolour painting of various plants with the royal patrons signatures inside, going back a couple of centuries. You should be able to find them here collections.rhs.org.uk. 
But an example from the internet, will give you an idea


The inside was very grand, but still had a lived in feel as indeed it still is, Was a gift for Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales later Edward VII, the original house was demolished and rebuilt around 1870. There were paintings and photos scattered about, some amazing plasterwork on the ceiling and some chandeliers designed by Victoria herself, originally from Osborne House. Then we wandered around the gardens? Park? Back yard? A stunning statue and a view of the house from the back.



Over to the stables, where there are toilets and a cafe courtyard, and in the stables, these machines, rather than horses. Sandringham had it’s own fire brigade until 1968, in the war years used to help with fires in Norfolk.




After a sandwich and a hot drink another walk around.


A cute little gatehouse, this may be where the royals enter from.


A lake or two and a rather magnificent oak tree, as proved when you see little ol’ me standing up against it.





There were pockets of Autumn crocus popping up through the lawn but this was the biggest profusion we saw, down by what may be a fairly recent addition of a rock garden. You can see some on the far bank too.



Back up towards the house again, viewed from the rock garden and some cute little cyclamen to the sundials garden and a pretty border with pillar box.



A quick visit to the church in and out and then homewards through cute little villages, stopping for a sandwich and a drink on the way, feeling quite tired from our exertions the previous day, it was the wind that did it!






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