After saying goodbye to Rachael and Richard in Oxford we headed east towards Norfolk. The first thing we noticed was how big the sky seems due to the flat and relatively lightly treed landscape. We are used to being quite closed-in in Dorset. There are very old windmills everywhere you look, many of them dilapidated and without sails and some converted to modern windmills and even homes. If you watch “Escape to the Country” you have probably had a guided tour of some.

We rented an AirBnb property in Reedham not far from Norwich for 3 nights and set out to explore from there. We do find that unless we stay in a city for some reason we get a lot more for our money with AirBnB and also meet lots of lovely, helpful folk hosting them.

Norfolk Broads Boat cruise

As the name implies The Broads is a large expanse of low-lying lakes, rivers and marshes. From Wroxham we cruised through the Broads National Park. The lakes were man-made – formed by 500 years of peat removal and eventual flooding and the canals hand dug too. Close to the town the canals are lined with pretty thatch cottages and some more modern homes. When you enter the lakes this gives way to miles of untouched beauty. It is a popular place for sailing and water birds are abundant.

Gorleston-On_Sea

On the second day of our stay in Reedham we followed the advice of our hostess and took a long walk along the beach at Gorleston-on-Sea, just getting back to the car in time to avoid a drenching. Lunch was eaten in the car at what would have been a pretty picnic spot by a canal. After that, on to the early market towns of Beccles and Bungay.  Again, dodging the rain we visited a Saxon church with an interesting round tower. These churches are common in Norfolk due to the unsuitability of local materials to build the usual square towers. We returned to our cosy flat by way of the chain car ferry at Reedham.

 

Beccles and Bungay

Reedham chain car ferry

Norwich Castle, Museum and Gallery

Our last stop in Norfolk was Norwich Castle.  Norwich Castle is an impressive medieval royal fortress. Soon after the Norman conquest, William the Conqueror ordered its construction in order to have a secure base in the town of Norwich. At the time Norwich was one of the most important towns in England both strategically and economically.  The Castle was, for centuries the Norfolk County Prison. It is not tricked out with medieval furniture and fittings but largely left the way it has been since the prison moved out.  What a bleak place it must have been in which to be imprisoned.

There are a number of interesting exhibits in a small museum illustrating the history of the area from the Saxons up to recent times. There is one room of stuffed animals including a kangaroo and emu

British Pleasure Piers

As we made our way south then west the British love of pleasure piers built by the Victorians became a theme. We walked Great Yarmouth,  Southend, which is so long we took a train, Eastbourne and Brighton Piers.

Southend-On-Sea Pleasure Pier decorated for Halloween

Eastbourne and Brighton Pleasure Piers

Beachy Head

Beachy Head is a high chalk headland in East Sussex. It has the dubious distinction of being the most popular spot for suicides in the UK. The cliffs are completely unguarded and frighteningly steep.

Sutton Hoo and the Tudor ship Mary Rose were highlights of our visit to the east and south of England. They deserve a separate entry so watch out for them.

We have booked two weeks in Lanzarote in the Canary Islands leaving on the 17th of November. It is getting quite chilly here and a warm up will be in order by then. Our friends here think it is hilarious that we are cold already.

Check back in the next couple of days for Sutton Hoo and the Mary Rose.

Frankie and Jim