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Tempest

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Posts posted by Tempest

  1. Friday 9th June

    We started the day with another terrific breakfast at Bumble Barn, before packing, saying our goodbyes and heading off for some much needed provisions.

    We first went to Pets at home for some raw food for Roxy and Yogi and then made our way to Tesco for some groceries and other provisions.

    What a faff at Tesco!

    There were roadworks which were being managed by a guy with a stop / go sign!

    Letting 100 vehicle into the car park and only 20 out at a time didn't appear to work!!!!

    The car park was gridlocked and took us 30 minutes to get off!

    Julie was rather.....perturbed, but I couldn't care less!

    We refueled and then headed for Ranworth as we didn't think Moonlight Shadow would be ready yet and it was only around 12 midday

    I wasn't surprised to see there was around 8 to 10 spaces available which was not the case last June!

    But no doubt Mr Packman will wait until it's full to take a picture to prove his strategy is working!

    I just hope the businesses are able to survive in this period of uncertainty.

    We had a coffee in the Granary and a slice of Carrot cake before making the journey to Horning Pleasurecraft arriving around 2pm

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    What a glorious day!

    The sun is out, the skies clear and that annoying wind was getting lighter

    We packed the boat and headed off with our destination Fleet Dyke

    We "bimbled" down the river bure and arrived at Fleet Dyke around 3pm

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    This is our final destination today as it's perfect for the dogs, the roof is down and the wine bottle is open

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    We are now chilling for the evening in a beautiful location 

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    Roxy and Yogi are both shattered so are now spread out in the saloon and galley respectively

    So it's Newfie Twister for us tonight as we negotiate the dogs to get to the fridge!!

    😂🤣

    • Like 3
  2. Just now, kpnut said:

    Where’s pets at home near Tunstead/Wroxham/Horning? Asking ‘cos I sometimes go in the one near b and q in Yarmouth but didn’t know of another one. 

    We are going to head to the Norwich one 

    Pets at Home, 4, Sprowston retail park, Salhouse Rd, Norwich NR7 9AZ

     

    • Thanks 1
  3. We arrived in Norfolk from our home in Bolton, Lancashire around 2pm on Wednesday 7th June as we did our usual M61 towards Manchester, M62 over the Pennines , A1 down to Newark and across the A17 and A47 to our destination which was Bumble Barn, Anchor St, Tunstead NR12 8HR which would be our home for 2 nights before we board Moonlight Shadow in Horning on Friday 9th June.

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    We just love Bumble Barn, its great for the dogs and a really wonderful place to stay close to the places we wont be able to get to on MS this week, so we can instead use this as a base as we go by car

    The owners of Bumble Barn are also the Landlord of the Cross Keys at Dilham and we made our way there the first evening and I had Bangers and Mash followed by Apple Pie with a lovely serving of vanilla ice cream. Julie went for Lasagne followed by the cheesecake. All was delicious! 

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    We had an early night on the Wednesday as the travelling had caught up with us, but we firstly had a mighty breakfast served in our room at Bumble Barn before heading off out with the first stop of the day being Oulton Broad to give the Newfies a swim.

    The Yacht Station only had 2 hire boats and it appeared very quiet

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    Roxy and Yogi entered via the slipway and went for a swim on what was a rather chilly breezy day, but we were able to sit on a bench afterwards as they dried off on the grass, watching the world go by

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    @YnysMon had previously mentioned that she went to Caister on Sea with her dogs so we thought we would call and have a look on the way back, giving our Newfies the opportunity to have a walk on the soft sandy beach with strict instructions to stay out of the water as we didnt want to dry them again!!

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    They did just that and loved the feeling of the sand between their toes!

    We only stayed at Caister for half an hour before we were off again as Julie wanted to have a look around Wroxham Barns and I sat on a bench near to the Norfolk Cider Shop (with free samples!!) with Roxy and Yogi.

    I didnt go for a sample as cider really isnt my favourite tipple and I dont really drink it, unless its flavoured with fruit or something to hide that awful taste!! (in my opinion!)

    This probably stems from my childhood as my parents used to go out every Friday and Saturday night and they would pick up some films from the local video shop, family size snacks and a bottle of strongbow or woodpecker cider and say watch your films have a drink, eat some snacks and we will see you later!

    I was about 10 or 11 at the time and my brother was younger

    It didnt do us any harm but no doubt social services would come knocking if it happened now!

    After we left Wroxham Barns, we headed back to Bumble Barn to get ready for an evening out at the Ferry House, Surlingham as we had planned to meet Fred and Lisa who are our friends who reside in Little Plumstead just outside Salhouse and we normally have a meal out with them when down.

    Since Moonlight Shadow had been moved to Horning we hadnt got to the Ferry House as often as we would have liked as its one of our favourites , so we decided to drive across and it certainly didnt disappoint with Julie going for the Chicken Curry, Fred the Ribeye Steak, Lisa the baguette with chips and I went for the Steak and Ale in a giant Yorkshire pudding with chips and mushy peas

    We got back to Bumble Barn around 10pm and settled down for the night

    Its now Friday morning and we are getting things ready to go across to Horning, but first the Bumble Barn breakfast, walk the dogs, nip to the supermarket for provisions and Pets at Home for some food for the dogs.

    We are back in August and have already booked Bumble Barn for 2 nights at the end of our week, as we just love this place and it is sooooooooo relaxing!!! 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    • Like 5
    • Thanks 1
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  4. 5 minutes ago, Mouldy said:

    I’ve just seen BRAG’s latest post on FB and it does appear that there may be some progress.  Two of their committee members had a virtual meeting with a DEFRA minister, Trudy Harrison earlier in the week, which they claim was quite positive.  If you do have access to FB and are interested, it would be worth reading the details.

    I came out of that group as I became tired of all the moaning and complaining without actually constructing a viable argument and options to improve matters. In my opinion it became very much like many other Facebook groups which tend to be taken over by trash talkers and the articulate argument gets lost. 

    I have read the post and now feel, they have a great opportunity to move forward positively and professionally as long as they moderate it correctly.

    • Like 1
  5. 13 hours ago, grendel said:

    its not safe to assume that everyone can cope with technology, or has it available.

    You are absolutely spot on, but so is Robin @LondonRascal

    Just as Betamax and V2000 was beaten by VHS, but that was later replaced by DVDs, then that by Blu-ray, then digital streaming, cash is going, whether we like it or not....

    (I know loads who still bleat on that Betamax was better than VHS! 😂)

    More and more venues will stop accepting cash, something which the younger generation have already accepted. 

    It's only a matter of time, but I do feel we will all eventually have to get on the bus and enjoy the ride.....or not!

    5G network is the next step in that drive!

  6. I personally believe it's great to see a live test on a national alert system instead of waiting for a real event to see if it works.....

    Many will not realise but there is an emergency services communication system which allows 999 responders to still communicate on their mobile devices when the network is overloaded due to an emergency.

    This system failed in Manchester when the Arena attack occured, because it had never been stress tested, for an incident when thousands of people in one area where trying to phone loved ones, whilst million's were on social media or real media sites trying to get updates.

    So for one alert, which will be over in seconds, I actually think it's a small inconvenience to actually see if the system functions as designed

    • Like 3
    • Love 1
  7. On 11/04/2023 at 22:32, hungryhippo said:

    Ridiculous the police are wasting time on this

    If the police do actually put time and resources into putting stickers on a sign, then I suggest Norfolk Constabulary hasn't enough work to do or have far too many staff for their current workload because no other police force, I know would even entertain such a report.

    My guess is it's just more scaremongering 

    • Like 5
  8. @troggy

    Everything you are doing is perfectly acceptable and spot on, including the planning you are doing

    So yes you are able to pick up guests on route as long as they accounted for on the hire agreement, you have enough life jackets and if staying with you the bedding is pre-arranged 

    The pick up location mainly depends on the mode of travel for your guests, are they arriving by public transport, coach or their own car and their mobility taking into account the amount of luggage they will have with them.

    As others have stated, picking up at Stalham is easiest if they have a vehicle because they can leave a 2nd car at Richardsons and if you are together for the rest of your trip it is easy to conclude without a 2nd diversion.

    If they are arriving by train, the free moorings above Wroxham Bridge and close to the Kings Head are best as it's a short walk from the station.

    If they are coming by vehicle I would probably suggest Horning as they could street park quite easily and there is a car park near the village hall.

    You could then either moor at the free moorings (although these are like rocking horse poo 💩!), Moor at Ferry Marina, or book a mooring at the New Inn or attend the Ferry Inn and meet for food and a drink whilst getting your guests on board.

    Other than those if you are still determined to meet at Wroxham south of the bridge, as others have suggested, try Barnes Brinkcraft, Norfolk Broads Direct (which are both free to hire craft) or outside Wroxham Hotel for a fee

    Finally, whatever you decide, hope you and your party have a wonderful time 

    • Like 1
  9. 22 minutes ago, Mouldy said:

    As far as I can remember, there’s been an honesty box for a donation for water for many years, with a suggested donation amount.

     

    Will you still require to pay a mooring fee if the only reason you are landing is to top up with water?

  10. Gutted.....

    As we are now home...😭

    But...we are already planning our next trip in June and as this time, we have booked Bumble Barn for the evening before due to the fantastic hospitality by the owners Paul and Karen, who can't do enough for you.

    We spent this morning ensuring MS was in top condition for the next owners, we had booked a refuel and pump out at 11am at Boulter's and although the sun came out the winds did get a little gusty!!! 🌬️

    So I expected a challenge going round to Boulter's and back, but to be fair MS handles really well and it was fine

    Back to our mooring, remove the throws we put down to protect the carpets and upholstery from the dogs as they were now sat patiently waiting in the back of the car.

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    MS looks great at the moment and king may it continue.

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    I especially like the contrasting grey cushions in the saloon which @Mouldy chose!

    I didn't realise you were such a style guru.... 🤣😂

    We then drive round to the New Inn and had a light lunch before setting off on the long journey home.

    Whilst in the New Inn we got speaking to Sean behind the bar and he outlined a new website for the area which starts off with boat sales, but said it would later cover hiring, local businesses and guidance and support for holidaymakers and boater's

    I add the link here as it may be of interest to some members

    https://norfolk-broads-boats.co.uk 

    We left Norfolk around 2pm and walked through our front door at 7pm which wasn't a bad run with one stop.

    Looking forward to our next visit

    • Like 4
  11. What a wonderful day

    The wind was quite strong last night, but the wine I consumed seemed to null the noise!!!

    This morning it was windy , overcast and drizzle so we weren't expecting much from the day, although how wrong we were, as the clouds parted, the sun came out, the weather improves and thunder turned up!!!!

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    We made our way to Ranworth and as can be seen by the photo, the weather was brilliant for this time of year

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    But what made our day was the arrival of Russell and Susan on Thunder who we had seen many times on YouTube, had conversed via social media, but never met in person.

    They are 2 lovely,warm and welcoming people and I suggest if you ever see them around, you give them a wave or better still, do as we did and go over and have a good chat!

    We can't wait to catch up with them again in June 

    We left Ranworth around 1pm.....as the Malsters is currently closed Monday till Thursday!

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    The weather stayed fine as we headed back to our home mooring at Horning Pleasurecraft and started to clean her up ready for the next owner.

    We then went for a walk through the village, up a pathway which takes you to the park and then back down Mill Loke to the Swan Inn where we had a drink

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    We later moved onto the New Inn and it was great to see the love given to our dogs, Roxy and Yogi

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    The New Inn is a far better pub now than it was previously, in my opinion, when dogs weren't allowed and it's focus was on adults, rather than families.

    It's such a welcming venue now and we certainly highly recommend it.

    A brilliant day....

     

     

    • Like 9
  12. Well....we stayed at Ludham Bridge chilling all day

    The walk along the riverbank towards How Hill was abandoned as very muddy, but the dogs still got a good walk.

    Most of the day was spent reading, watching (boats..) and cleaning as we had a very relaxing day.

    At 3pm we walked to the Dog Pub for some food with Julie going for lamb chops and I went for the fish and chips.

    The fish was huge!

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    Julie enjoyed her meal, but prefers her mash to be a little creamier 

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    Roxy and Yogi were well behaved in the pub considering they were slightly confused as they normally eat before us!!

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    Once eaten we went outside for another drink in the really nice covered seating area with dog blankets and a dog water butt, before heading back to Moonlight Shadow around 5pm

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    I recall moaning about how slap on this forum and someone (sorry, I forgot who!!) advised to lower your mudweight as it disturbs the water flow and reduces the strength of the bow slap.

    Well that's what we did and I must say, it is still there but at least 50% less than previous which is a great little tip.

    The sun is starting to go down and the skies look stunning

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    At its peak 8 boats were moored at Ludham Bridge today, and currently there are 5 (including MS) so you get the feeling the season is coming alive with more visitors.

    Interestingly we only used shore power once (when moored at Ranworth on Saturday) and the Moonlight Shadow Syndicate will be pleased to hear the batteries have performed perfectly which is the first time I have ever heard any member say that!

    Lots of things seem to have improved since we moved to Horning Pleasurecraft who have been first class with everything they have done for us from the mooring, winter maintenance, emergency repairs and planned upgrades

    Huge thanks to Clive, George, Victoria and the team.

     

    • Like 7
  13. 3 minutes ago, Mouldy said:

     They were in the pub where we’d met up with a couple of friends who are also out on the rivers this week.

    Hope you didn't have too much of that Whisky Cask Cider!! 🍺🍺🍺😂🤣

    • Haha 1
  14. What a lovely evening last night, so quiet and peaceful.

    We exchanged waves with Chameleon as she left South Walsham this morning 

    We chatted with the skipper of a Barnes Brinkcraft boat and we walked the dogs, whilst pondering what to do today as we quite fancy a pub meal this evening.

    We were initially thinking White Horse, Upton, Acle Bridge Inn or Ferry Inn, Stokesby, but the weather didn't look too great with rain forecast from 9am and it getting heavier around 3pm with strengthening moderate winds on both BBC and Willy Weather..

    So we decided to head back to the Ant with the Dog Inn, Ludham Bridge, White Horse Neatishead, Cross Keys, Dilham or Sutton Staithe Hotel as options.

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    But...the sun came out, the rain didn't materialise (not yet) and the winds aren't bad at all.

    You now go on those apps and they both say it should remain dry with only a slight chance of showers.

    Wouldn't it be great for youngsters doing exams if they could keep changing the answer until they got it right!

    We spotted Cerise Lady again as she headed past Ludham Bridge onwards up the Ant

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    The sun is actually shinning brightly now and the clouds are broken so we are going to walk the dogs and stay here for a while watching the world go by and see why "new name same me" picks this spot so often!

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    I best go for now as the Kettle is on and the toast is smelling good!!

     

    • Like 5
  15. We left Thurne Dyke around 1pm and set off to South Walsham and we are so glad we did.

    The new quay heading on the free moorings in the dyke are excellent and the footpaths really clean and great for walking with your 4 legged friends.

    I also spotted a barn owl following the river hovering over the reeds as he was hunting, dropping down into the reeds, before lifting off and onwards covering a large hunting area.

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    As you can see they are just finishing off the footpaths but they are now open ready for the 2023 season

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    We walked the Dogs before heading back to MS for some wildlife spotting and that's when we saw the Barn Owl, although I was too slow to get the camera out!

    This is a great spot, made even better due to the improvements

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    Just preparing our evening meal which we are cooking on board, as I am making a Spaghetti Bolognese.

    I also spent time yesterday measuring up the kitchen and I certainly vote for a complete overhaul because I hate the current configuration which has no space and no space!!

     

    • Like 6
  16. Well this Monday morning we were awake at 5.40am....not because we wanted to, but 2 small dogs were yapping away and making a right racket near to the stern of MS whilst you could hear the inconsiderate owner walking along the stones at Womack Staithe.

    Later as I took out dogs out for a walk, I saw a fresh small doggy mess on the grass behind where we were moored, so not only inconsiderate with noise, but cleaning up after themselves.

    One thing I have noticed is that ramblers and members of the public out and about between October and April obviously don't need the toilets in Norfolk...

    Womack Staithe toilets...shut!

    Potter Heigham toilets...shut!

    Thurne Dyke toilets...shut!

    This morning it was pretty poor weather as it was particularly persistent and is still drizzling now as I type this blog.

    We left Womack around 9am and made our way up the Thurne to Potter Heigham.

    I do admit I was a bit cheeky and went into Herbert Woods Marina only to be told, in a very friendly manner and I fully understood, that they had no space as they are readying their fleet for the season.

    I was only going to top up with water and nip to Latham's 

    Instead I then left Herbert Woods and moored at the Phoenix boats water point, topped up with water and then moved down the moorings, before securing the boat whilst we made our way to Latham's.

    We didn't want to walk the dogs here because it was extremely muddy with lots of puddles

    As we crossed THAT bridge on foot, I saw that the sink hole was still present and nothing appears to have changed.

    I was tempted to dig it a bit deeper...😉😂

    We bought a few bits and pieces, before returning to MS and we made our way to Thurne Dyke to give the dogs a good walk as this was wet but at least not as muddy

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    We had a spot of lunch and another clean, whilst deciding where to go to next.

    It is looking brighter and the rain does appear to be stopping, so South Walsham is looking favourite 

    • Like 5
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