kpnut

I’d gone up the bure on Friday to keep away from the Thurne regatta over the weekend. It was only when I got the other side of Wroxham bridge that I noticed what Potter bridge was doing. I do wish I’d about turned on Saturday, braved making my way through the yacht race at Thurne mouth and gone under Potter as even this morning (Wednesday) it’s still showing over 6’9”. Opportunity well and truly missed and now I need to go back up the Ant. 🙁

It’s becoming a bit of a habit for Scotland to have better weather than us southerners in May. It’s happened every year since my son bought a house up there a few years ago.

It’s been like that since Saturday. It got to over 6’9 on Sunday.

How wonderful. Tuesday 30th May what? I’m getting rained on! Having arrived at St Benet’s, I soon set off on my walk. I conscientiously walked to put a bag in the poo bin near the gatehouse and got told off for not having my dog on a lead. I wasn’t even going in to the Abbey site and it only says ‘keep dogs under control’ on the actual footpath. Finlay’s always under control. Oh well, I suppose the lady guide didn’t know that. I retraced my steps to go along the causeway footpath to Ludham Bridge, wanting to stop in at LBBY to confirm something with George. That was the first shower of rain, mizzly drizzle really, nothing much but it does soak in to your clothes. I hadn’t brought a coat! I noticed someone trying the doors of Dollies bakery, but it was locked even though the sign said it was open. I wonder if it’s closed down as I haven’t seen it actively open for the last few visits to the boatyard. I stopped at Ken’s veg shed to buy some strawberries. For anyone who doesn’t know where he is, turn down Hall Road after walking past the Dog Inn and he’s just down there on the left. Then up the track by Ludham Hall, where more blustery rain fell on me, turning right at the end of the field to a path leading onto Lovers Lane that comes out on Staithe Road. That is a very pretty lane, leading to the village centre. Having been shopping in Roys yesterday I unfortunately couldn’t justify a trip to the butchers, but did decide on a glass of cider in the Kings Arms. Once inside, seeing folk eating and checking the time I thought I’d treat myself to lunch. I was going for whitebait, but then spotted a blackboard on the bar that said ‘recycled teenager menu’. (I think it’s a quirky take on an OAP menu). Well, who could resist roast turkey, fish and chips or pie, for £7. There were more choices too. With a pud for £3. ‘Recycled’ Fish, chips and peas with tartare sauce came to my table a little while later and very tasty it was. That visit made me sleepy, I could have stayed all afternoon. But no, we went out into the now dry weather, had a look in the church (first time I’ve managed that). It seems to have an intact painted screen, no centuries old vandalism here! It’s a large church for a little village. Residents have also made a nice cross stitch mural of all sorts of local scenes and events. We walked back down Staithe Road, this time carrying on past the entrance to Lovers Lane and turning right at the junction. A number of houses have those Dutch gable ends, making them look posh. I’m sure that was the original purpose of them. Soon after the junction, I turned into a track to the left that leads round to the concrete track down to St Benets. At the Hundred dyke that shows where the course of the river Ant used to come across the marsh I could see across to the shed of LBBY and to the buildings of Coldharbour Farm looking the other way. Coldharbour Farm on the Thurne between Thurne Dyke and Womack Dyke is more or less where the Ant came out to join the Thurne. It’s hard to imagine a big river going along this small dyke once upon a time. And along the concrete track back to the moorings. That was a nice walk, 4.5 miles in total with two pubs to try, as well as the veg, the butchers, shopping if you need it in ‘Throwers’ and even icecream if you walk down to Womack Staithe. The rest of the afternoon was spent prepping some paintwork for redoing after getting scuffed etc over the past few months. Thinking I might put the heating on, in late May😂 Strawberries were lovely, I wonder what variety they were. Really sweet and juicy.

I’ve never seen that one move and there’s lots of algae on the waterline. So probably a houseboat. Not that I’ve ever seen signs of life, but it does have very dark windows.

You’re right. I went out without my coat and have been rained on, only slight but the sort that soaks in! So a visit to the Kings Arms at Ludham was needed.

I remember you saying, Grendel. Red shirt if is then for my next trip!

If it’s sunny on Thursday I’ll moor at wood end staithe and go to Catfield Fen. Failing that, if sunny on Friday I’ll drive to the walk round the weavers way that you mention, it’s a nice walk anyway, with or without butterflies.

Now moored at a blustery St Benet’s and going to go for a walk round to Ludham Bridge then Ludham itself, via Ken’s veg shed. And I must do a bit of touch-up painting etc this afternoon. No point bringing all the gear with me if I don’t then use it.

Hope the photo was good enough for you to be able to check up on them (the boats that is, not your brother)! I wish I’d had enough internet signal to read that yesterday evening. I would have done, although the sun was hiding most of the time. I perhaps met your brother last time I moored here, looking for the first yellow brimstones of the year. Is that true Grendel? If so, I’ll have to raid a charity shop to keep one on board😂 They say that about kerb appeal of houses as well. I looked those boats up online, a Cobra Futura. Seems you can multiple alternative layouts and designs.

I’ve used so much of my monthly data I’ll look when I get home. The anticipation will be good for me! Monday 29th May It was distinctly chilly this morning, this north east wind is being unfriendly. It had been a very peaceful night at Coltishall lock. No music, in fact it had stopped soon after I mentioned it. Maybe it had been coming from somewhere other than Hoveton Hall after all. I had a leisurely pootle back down to Wroxham, stopping to fill with water at Bridge Broad yard. It’s so handy to stop there. I then double tracked and moored up at the Hoveton viaduct moorings to take Finlay for a run in the rough field behind. Not so rough as it’s been mown in the past few days. I swept the exterior of the boat to remove all the willow seeds stuck all over it from the trees at the lock. And then Finlay had to manage on his own for a bit while I went to do a food shop. The bridge gauge was showing over 7’ as I went through, 2 hours before low tide, then it was just a matter of negotiating numerous dayboats etc on my way downstream. At one point I did have to do a quick reverse as a dayboat with a child driving decided to start weaving to and fro rather dramatically just as I was pulling out to overtake it. The adult supervising had a bit of a panic, as did the people relaxing at the back. I just waved nicely!!! Horning was very busy. I took a picture of a very strange looking boat, but was a bit late and it doesn’t look so odd from behind. It got the ranger excited, waving his ‘slow down’ board at it sped past Southgates and the New Inn. Spying a space at Horning church mooring, I pulled in behind the other moored boat, had a bite to eat and braved the still chilly wind by walking over to Griff’s Corner above Ludham Bridge on the Ant. A very friendly couple with their dogs were moored there, their second holiday and they had certainly caught the bug for boating on the Broads, loving the quieter spots, wild moorings etc, and planning their next booking and looking on the boat sales sites already. They told me a load of cows had got out from the grazing marsh earlier and their dogs had been surprised by 19 cows staring through the window at them! So the mooring was slightly less pristine than normal underfoot!! On my return I sat a while with a glass of wine on the bench, watching quite a few of the yachts returning from their weekend of racing at Thurne mouth. As I returned to the boat, a hireboat came along, close, closer, closer until it gently kissed my boat. Why it had to do that when it had the whole river to itself is anyone’s guess but the man sitting in the aft well was certainly extremely alarmed and apologised profusely to me before disappearing inside, hopefully to give the helm an earful. No harm done whatsoever, but totally unnecessary and could have been an incident to report to the hire company and negotiate a repair. The river is now totally peaceful and calm.

We’ll, fancy that Jean. I’ll have a proper look later. Hope I wasn’t doing something silly!

Allotments - can’t go past one without looking for someone to talk to. Couldn’t find anyone at either of those yesterday. I would have asked if Finlay could have a drink of water!

I hadn’t realised it was ‘man-made’, thinking it was just a random natural feature. I think the news article said after a year drying out, it’d be dug out again as compost/fertiliser. I would have loved to have explored a bit more.

He’d just start barking, adding to the sound effects.

I see that Hylander has already mentioned the planning permission for the dredging spoil. I had a little look up there this afternoon, taking a photo of the High and Low bridge and finding this planning application sign. More details on the Springers Retreat thread.

Sunday 28th May I used up the remaining electric turning on the immersion heater to get a full tank of hot water prior to my VERY short cruise up to the lock this morning. What luxury that is! Another beautiful morning, but the whispy cloud probably promises something else later today. It didn’t take long up to the lock where the only boat there departed just as I came in. I enjoyed having the place to myself for what seemed like ages, before canoeists started to arrive. By the time I set off for a walk, about 2pm, there were 5 boats moored up, more than I’ve seen before on previous visits. But fewer people enjoying the attraction of ‘riding the weir’ in the millpond over the way. In fact, when I returned at 5pm, there was no one. I had an excellent 6 mile walk, partly going places I haven’t been to before. I set off by following the path right opposite the vehicle entrance to the weir, up a steep bank to a small lane which then joins the main lane I’d just crossed. Round ghe corner, a very dusty track leads off to the left (marked Dove Farm only) and you can do a fairly short walk by following that round in a sort of square and turning right, back to the weir when you hit the road. It’s a nice walk that I’ve done a few times, some field edge, some pretty woodland (I’d just missed the bluebells). On hitting the road, I turned left instead and followed it before heading off on a path leading due south. Stopping to read the map as I reached a right angled bend, I realised I was at the ‘High and Low’ bridge by Little Switzerland. Seeing as all the posts about this place have intrigued me, I couldn’t resist climbing down the bank to take a look. So pleased I did. Very overgrown and the stream is virtually silted up, but very atmospheric. I retraced my steps up the bank and went to see what was the other side, but the way down was inaccessible. Continuing on the walk, I could see a track on the map that would lead me into Little Switzerland itself, but when I got to it, it was marked ‘Private’ etc, so I respected that. When I reached the next road, I found a current planning permission application sign tied to the tree, for the dumping of dredging spoil in the marlpit. I can’t find evidence of a marlpit on the map. I hope it’s not Little Switzerland itself as that would seem a shame from an historical point of view. For anyone local who is interested The rest of the walk took me to the outskirts of Crostwick and then along a path that led between two stinky oilseed rape fields. I can’t abide the smell of it. Then through a horse livery complex to Frettenham - 2 places I hadn’t heard of. I walked the long way round the triangle of Frettenham to see what there was to see, but it’s a village comprised solely of houses; no shop, no pub. It does have a nice allotment site though! I then followed the lane up to Horstead. The signpost had said 1 mile. I don’t know who they’re kidding, it was more like 2, but enjoyable all the same. Horstead has some nice allotments too!!!! And so down to the weir, which as I said was empty of folk playing in the water. The wind has picked up so perhaps they were getting chilly. Finlay hadn’t had a drink all the way round the walk - it’s not often we do a completely ‘dry’ walk for him. So he was soon in the water back at the boat and I got the training dummy out to do some. water work with him. That finished him off and he’s now lying feet up on the sofa snoozing.

I can confirm it’s coming over loud and clear at Coltishall lock this early evening, helped perhaps by the stiff breeze from the same(ish) direction. Earplugs at the ready tonight. Mind you, I’ve quite liked their choice of music so far this evening 😀

I do like to see ‘how busy can it get’ pop up into the list of recent posts. Always good to follow your latest project MM. And very glad the saw now works as it should!

Now that does look lovely. I’ve only been to Rockland twice but never moored at the staithe. It’s on the list for my next trip south.

Saturday 27th May Not such a peaceful night, with music coming from somewhere in the Hoveton direction for a lot of the night. I’ve since been told it’s a festival at Hoveton Hall. But an absolutely glorious morning to wake up to. A leisurely start as all I was doing was going to Coltishall and wanted to time it for some spaces, assuming it’d be busy. I arrived to find just one other boat. I plugged into the electric and used the credit to hoover and recharge a few things, like my toothbrush - modern problems !!!! Not long after I arrived and as I was going across to the bins, a group of 7 young girls dressed in football kit ran over and asked if they could stroke Finlay. He’s not normally bothered to give anyone the time of day, preferring to just look at me and ignore, as if to say ‘do I really have to?’ but he completely surprised me by lying down in the middle of this noisy group of excited youngsters, and rolling over to enjoy the cuddles. That bodes well with new granddaughter then.😁 The rest of the morning was spent just watching the paddle boards, canoes etc. As the heat of the day gradually died down, we set off for a walk. Up a footpath opposite the old post office, leading to a quiet lane. This meandered round to an access point for the path running alongside the Bure Valley Railway. It was lovely and shady for the most part. I noticed some very splendid mile markers, someone has done an excellent job fabricating those from galvanised steel. Tony would have loved a commission like that. Plenty of hawthorn was out in flower. It might make a pretty scruffy tree, but is always stunning in flower (especially the red flowered varieties) and generously keeps us in the best wood for the woodburner each season, as most hedges that Tony gets to lay seem to be hawthorn. I came off the railway path at Hautbois Hall and made my way back along the riverbank. The river was busy with canoeists and paddle boarders. Another dog walker told me it had recently got very busy after some publicity calling it the best place in the area for such activities. Everyone seemed to having a lot of fun and if it gets youngsters out into nature, I’m all for it. Just respect the natural environment and go quietly and you’ll learn a lot. I love that footpath down the side of the Bure at Coltishall. I walked back along the main road from the bridge, resisting the urge for an icecream from the garage. I’ll save that treat for when there’s ‘special icecream’ on offer somewhere. But on my return to the boat, I sat in the front well in the sunshine with a glass of cider and a book. The land based picnickers and water sports enthusiasts seemed to disappear about 6pm, the pubs still looked busy which must be good news for their futures. Coltishall in the holiday season, especially weekends, is not a peaceful place to moor, (well overnight it is) but it’s picturesque and always full of happy people.

I also heard it at the far end of the viaduct moorings on Friday night. That’s a good old distance the sound is carrying all around the area.

Presumably some of the cake is left for later? So share the cost and it’ll seem a bargain.

Get up there quick! If I weren’t so far up the other way I most certainly would. It now says 6’9.5”.

Humph, according to project troll just now, I’ve made the wrong decision. Potter Heigham bridge is showing 6’8” a few minutes ago.