Return to school January 1956, notice on "School Information Board" about a school holiday on a boat on the "Norfolk Broads". Comment from Dad "Where's that?" Further advice sought from school & signed up. So Whit Saturday set off from a dreary, damp Flixton on the 200+ mile treck to Percivals at Horning, no M ways or bypasses so route was Manchester, Chesterfield, Mansfield, Newark, Sleaford, Spalding, K.L. Norwich, Wroxham & finally at about 16:00 Horning!! Shown boat Panther 11 & got on board, the teacher who was in charge was shown the bits & pieces that were to be attended to each day & then had the demo cruise. Got away about 17:00 & went to South Walsham broad to meet up with rest of the "Armada" if an extra 3 Woods Light class plus Panther can be classed as such, mud weighted that first night & ever since I've made sure I visited the Broads as regularly as possible, brought both sons & they enjoyed it, but as stiffness of the limbs, brought on by arther, or his brother fred, I find getting on & off boats a bit problematic, so I usually stay at the Lion at West Somerton to once again enjoy the relaxed pace of life here in Broadland.
