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Autumn Walk, October 2014, Wells-next-the-sea,
2/10/2014 - 5/10/2014
Thursday 2nd October.
Travel day Paul, Ian, Phil went in one car, meeting Steve and Pat who went in another, before going for a gentle loosening up walk around Holkham Park. Lunch was taken at a fine cafe at Holkham house (the old stable blocks). Roland made his own way and let the train take the strain. Pete Thompson met them later and Dick and Richard came up after work to join them later staying at the recently refurbished youth hostel.
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We all met up in the Globe where all the others were eating but as Dick and Richard did not want a full meal they thought they would have a pint with the others and go and get some chips. As always plans seem to go awry when made at short notice. First Richard put his pint down, took of his jacket and his pint flew off the table breaking the glass. At this point his mouth drooped, chin dropped, looking like a child who had dropped its ice cream. All was not so bad in the end as when the staff came over to clear the broken glass they brought Richard a fresh pint free of charge. So good, not to see a grown man cry but having a grin like a Cheshire cat.
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Dick and Richard then left to get some chips but failed as they all closed at 21:00 they did however manage to book Friday night’s meal on the Albatross, a Dutch barge moored in the harbour.
Phil had booked up later and was in his own room, great he thought when he left for dinner but the nightmare began when he got back though we were not all aware to the extent of Phil’s plight till breakfast the next day.
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Friday 3rd October.
We woke up to a dull and dismal morning not the better weather we had been expecting. As the hostel was a self catering one Dick and Paul did breakfast, Paul was in charge of porridge and Dick poached egg and beans on toast though it was nearly scrambled eggs as Paul dropped them when carrying them into the hostel, only lost a couple though. Roland did ask where was his full English but when he was told he would not only have to cook his own but for everyone he got stuck into what was prepared.
During breakfast we heard more of Phil’s plight (some drunken itinerant had been allowed in the hostel) after contacting the Warden, he got moved to another room but that was not the end of the Warden’s problems but they were all sorted by the time we returned after the day’s walking.
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After breakfast we got the bus to Salthouse to walk back along the coast path. During the ride at Cley the bus driver had trouble getting through, so a car coming the other way had to reverse and do some maneuvering, the driver of the car was an older person and Roland called them an Old Duffer, at this remark he got several black looks from some people on the bus. Roland then said he had left his sun hat behind so he was asked who was the Old Duffer now? As we approached the shore we started to walk on a shingle bank which was hard going but the tide was out so we were able to go down to the wet sand making the walking much easier, as we did this the sun came out making our walk much more pleasant though there was a breeze. We went along the coast into Cley next the Sea back out to the coast then to Blakeney for a crab sandwich and cup of tea. They were doing a lot of work repairing the sea defences from last year’s floods.
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Then it was on to Stiffkey again on the coast path and to the Red Lion for a pint but the food was finished, lucky we had had a crab sandwich earlier. Pete had taken his bike and met us at the stops as he could not ride it on the beach. After refreshment it was back along the coast path though some did catch the bus back. Roland had forgotten how to tie his laces and kept having to stop and tie them up, he blamed it on them being new and not gripping.
Many birds of different types had been seen during the day.
After a wash and change it was down to the Albatross for dinner, North Norfolk had a good food week and many places were doing set menus at good prices. The beer was the cheapest in the town pubs, food was also good and there was a group playing as well what more could be asked for.
Saturday 4th October.
We woke up to a cloudy windy day with forecasted rain later. Breakfast again by Dick and Paul no complaints all had their fill. Phil had a room to his self and got good night’s sleep with no interruption. With the forecast as it was, it was decided to walk out along the coast from Wells to Burnham Overy Staithe. The first part was along the beach finding the wet sand where the tide was out to make the walking easier. All went well, despite the weather looking very ominous to start with, it kept fine though breezy with the odd patch of sun until we cut inland from the coast to follow Overy Creek into town. As we walked along the creek you could see the clouds building, there were many colours and shapes even with a gap and a shaft of sunlight coming through, words do not describe this fully. Almost into town it was like we hit a wall the temperature dropped several degrees, wind got up and started to get darker we just reached the Hero before it started to rain.
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Richard had not walked and joined us there, Pete rode past twice but found us in the end. The rains then came down. Paul, Ian and Phil decided to walk back through Holkham Park, Pete rode his bike and the rest got the bus stopping at the Captain’s Table to sample the fare before returning to the hostel.
After washing and changing it was Fish and Chips and a walk round the pubs before retiring for the night.
Sunday 5th October.
Home day. The weather had blown through so after breakfast those who were walking were dropped off at Old Hunstanton to walk back along the coast to Thornham and the Lifeboat. There was some confusion and they ended up in 2 groups walking back as our mobiles had no signal. After dropping others off Dick and Richard went to Titchwell. They had a stroll to the sea through the RSPB reserve before they went back to meet the others for lunch and then on to home.
Another good weekend away, apart from Phil’s troubles.
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