Camping in Norfolk

I thought I had better update the blog before we jet off on yet another holiday this Saturday!

We went to Norfolk for a week and camped in East Runton, near Cromer. We were about a 15 minute walk from the beach at Cromer, which is an old Victorian resort with a pier and seaside rides etc. We hired a car for the week and it was lovely to have the freedom of a car again! (only once we left London!)

We arrived and pitched camp and after cooking on our wee primus went exploring in the town. Of course it started to rain and then continued to rain all night and most of the next day. I was convinced that it would rain all week so we bought a gazebo so that we would have some shelter. We were in a tiny tent so a week of camping in the rain would not have been so much fun!

On the first rainy day we went to Blickling Hall. Anne Bolyn was born here and supposedly her headless ghost reappears here every anniversary of her execution. We searched for ghostly evidence but didn't see so much as a shadow. It was very grand, with huge gardens. We even joined the National Trust, so we are basically old people in young bodies (young-ish - I am still in my twenties for a few more weeks!)

The next day we went to Cley-on-Sea and Blakeney. We walked along the Coast Path and through the Salt Marshes. This is where we first noticed the ladybirds (see Richie's post). It was very picturesque and a beautiful SUNNY day.

Rosie arrived that evening and we BBQ'd and drank some lovely Suffolk beer at the campsite. The next day we all bundled into the car and drove East, to Mundesley. Mundesley is where my mum spent her childhood. We saw her old house on the clifftop, and her old church and the village. Mum says the village looks the same as it did in the 1950's! It is a popular seaside holiday place now, though still very small.

We carried on to Horsey Windpump which is a drainage windmill at Horsey Mere. (One of the 'Norfolk Broads' or lakes.) It no longer runs but you could climb to the top and we walked around the lake through the reeds.

The next day we went to the Shire Horse Sanctuary in West Runton. It was run by militant vegan types who rescue farm animals from being turned into dinner, as well as a Racehorse who didn't cut the mustard, Shire horses and donkeys! After that we went to Baconsfield Castle, some castle ruins in the middle of nowhere.

We also went to Richie's fave place of the holiday, a working water mill in Leatheringsett. It grinds wheat into flour in the traditional way using 200 year old mill stones, all powered by water from the river. There was a very interesting tour - the miller and his wife bought the derelict mill in the mid '80s after leaving the army (knowing nothing about milling) and restored it.

The week is only half over but I think I will continue tomorrow and add some pictures for your viewing pleasure....

Steph