kpnut

I wholeheartedly agree, although I was up too late to see any frost! Again, agreed. I don’t think it moved more than an inch at Potter Heigham. Quay heading was underwater when I arrived, when I left for a walk, when I returned from the walk, and when I’ve departed.

Yes, but you had to go into the pub and ask them to go round and let you in.

I moored there the other day, no signs to say it’s dayboats only. I think it was perhaps a proposal made back in the summer by some parish councillors for discussion.

I could try Barnes, but I don’t mind the walk at all. I only realised the other day how near the two are by the footpaths/lanes. I also didn’t realise just how close the Neatishead area is by walking from Horning so that’s on the cards sometime. Or vice versa.

I’m sure it’ll be ok unless the grass is so soggy that it just won’t hold a rhond anchor. I bought some fishing weights and a bit of fishing line today and am going to try attaching them to the bottom of the fenders when I moor up to keep them in the water instead of floating. Only problem is the fact I don’t want them dangling when cruising along as they’ll knock the paintwork, and it’ll be difficult trying to undo fishing line knots, so I’ll probably have to put new line on each time I use them. Which hopefully will only be a very few times each year. 🤞

I’m hoping to moor up in Horning again sometime next week and walk into Hoveton/Wroxham for a look round. No point trying to moor up there. I certainly won’t get under the bridge anytime soon, much to my annoyance.

Saturday 11th November It was certainly a colder night last night. I couldn’t go stargazing as there was a bright light just at the end of the mooring by the boat. And I woke to a beautifully bright morning. I was in no hurry, yet again, to get off, so Finlay and I went for a little wander. I had intended to go up to the church but thought there might be preparations for a memorial service and didn’t want to be in the way. For once, I made a perfect job of leaving Stokesby mooring 😂. I slowly made my way up the Bure, passing Helen and a Graham on Moonlight Shadow upstream of Upton Dyke. There’s a strand line of river debris about 5ft from the bank edge at the river end of Upton Dyke. But the quay heading, what there is of it, is just about visible again. I’m trying it out tomorrow. On my way past the chalets before Potter Heigham, I was very much cheered to spy an elderly man in a day boat coming down towards me, looking smart and splendid in black suit and medals. Good on him and a lovely way to travel home from a service. Mooring up at Potter Heigham was a complete repeat of two weeks ago. The water’s still over the quay heading (this was an hour after high tide). This time, knowing the water’s really not going to go down very far by low tide, I tied some of the fenders to the mooring posts to keep them exactly where I wanted them. Finlay was a bit confused as he got off, not knowing which way to go as the aft well had water in every direction. I spent my money in Lathams; buying tinsel, a Christmas pudding and some chocolate treats for my kids(?) stockings. Sorry to upset Mouldy with this news, but it’ll please Gracie. It was a 10% discount day and it was heaving with people - the carpark was full. There’s no water left in the carpark or in Herbert Woods apart from a few puddles. Finlay and I walked along on the Martham bank to both Martham boatyards. This is the muddiest walk we’ve had so far on this trip. In places, the water is still pouring INTO the fields from the concrete path behind the chalets. And the path behind Phoenix boatyard has been eroded away just before you go under the new bridge.

Heart in the mouth time when a dog does that. Finlay’s brother Charlie is a ****** for it, I don’t trust him at all when I look after him. Theoretically you should or could have asked them to move up a bit, but life’s too short. 🫤I wonder why it is that some folk just don’t think for others.

There should be plenty of room for two boats at stokesby. Or is it that your cable isn’t long enough?

Are you heading for stokesby?

Im taking it slowly, pootling along enjoying the sun. Here you come!

For reference Helen. Just gone past Acle moorings at high tide, water is just below the quay heading apart from at the furthest end from the bridge which is just lapping over.

Welcome. You’ll find a mine of information on here.

Thd boats not sitting too high at stokesby either.

Acle, fleet dyke, stokesby, are all dry now

You’ve just made my feel sick. How anyone could ever drink Watneys is beyond me.

Oh, it would have been lovely to meet you in person TO. It was obviously a really good send-off.

Various ‘bits’ of wildlife today. Cormorants drying their wings, Swans on a family trip out, 2 types of fungi (does anyone know what they are please?) and a thistle that I’ve always known as cabbage thistle, but I have no idea if that’s correct. It has distinctive chlorotic leaves and I’ve seen it before in wet places. There’s a lot of it at St Benet’s between the cross and the single mooring in the corner of the field. I also saw great crested grebes, little grebes and two muntjac deer.

Friday 10th November After a quick walk down to the marina and back, we set off towards Stokesby. I hadn’t yet decided whether to moor on the wild mooring on the bend before the village or to go to the village staithe. The village won as it was empty. This meant I had no reason not to go to buy a treat at the shop. Having done that, we went off on a most interesting walk, about 6.5 miles in total. I hadn’t realised that there’s a footpath all down the riverbank to Great Yarmouth. The path was nice shortish (ankle to shin high) grass, not at all muddy. Finlay had a ball, running up and down and to and fro with no bossing from me. He definitely covered at least 5 times the ground that I did. The path took us past the derelict Old Hall Drainage Mill, then Stracey Arms Mill on the opposite bank, then views of both Stokesby Hall and the very grey and drab looking Herringby Hall, then the Herringby moorings. I’ve moored there before when the light faded before I reached Stracey Arms on my way back from Great Yarmouth. I have no idea if I should have done, but there are no signs saying ‘no mooring’ and the quay heading is in very good condition. Then Six Mile House drainage mill on the opposite bank. It is possible to shorten the walk I did by taking the first path that leads straight up to the church, more or less opposite Six Mile House, but I wanted to walk as far as Runham Drainage Mill with Runham Swim Drainage Mill on the opposite bank. I then took the straight path off the flood bank up to the village. It has a pretty village sign. That was probably two thirds of the walk done as I was going to walk back to Stokesby along the fairly straight lane rather than following the meanders of the river. On my way along the lane, I stopped in at the church. It must be the plainest church in the area, not even an organ, just a pedal organ instead. Far more difficult to play mind you, needs more co-ordination. The information leaflet said the church had been used in ‘Some Mothers do Have-’em’ for Michael Crawford to fall through the roof, as the church was pretty derelict at the time. That might explain why it’s so spartan inside. There was a sobering display of memorial information of the poor local lads who lost their lives during wartimes. There were quite a few of them; those left behind at the village must have been devastated. All the forces were represented, along with the merchant navy and volunteer reservists. I’m sure tomorrow they’ll be suitably remembered for their sacrifice. And I was soon back in Stokesby. It was cold by this time, so a nice warm-up in front of the fire in the pub was on the cards, but the pub was disappointingly cold, with no cheery fire as a welcome. I soon drank up my very tasty glass of Ghost Ship and departed to warm up at the boat.

That was a very good plan.

Oh thanks Vanessan. Don’t know why I thought it was next Monday. Sorry for the misinformation.

Only for a couple of night though I think. Hope Tony at home lights the woodburner to keep himself and the house warm. He’s prone to sitting in hat and coat rather than doing so as he doesn’t like having to clean the glass and ash!

I wish you wouldn’t keep mentioning the Crown, I’m going to have to visit sometime😄. We nearly did last Saturday when we found out there was a 45 minute wait at Noodle King. But then we drove past the chippie and went there instead - enormous portions. If we hadn’t had to drive back round to Ranworth I think we’d have gone to the Crown anyway. Enjoy your time aboard.

I’ll take a look at all of those. Thanks.

I wondered how you were getting on. Well done, just the last lap to go. And finished well before ‘you know when’, so you can just relax and watch tv and eat chocolate. I had an air sofa once for my large family tent. It was brilliant but did have a habit of tipping over if you moved too suddenly.