kpnut

Well, what a difference a couple of months make. Not taken from the same spot, but the same path that I battled with in august and just in september Helen (Ynys Mon) and I walked along with the dogs, still overgrown then but not as bad as august. The path has obviously been strimmed right back, it’s not just the vegetation dying back in the autumn. I wonder if it’s down to our and others reporting, or just co-incidence. The Ludham to Potter riverbank path was much better after putting in a report too. Although I have a feeling it’s nothing to do with the reports submitted, I’d urge anyone finding an awful path next year to report it and perhaps they won’t end up so bad. It must be a far more soul-destroying job to clear it when do overgrown than to just do a maintenance visit. We’ll see!!!

Just lost what I’d written, so here goes again! Friday 28th October I didn’t wake till 8.30, taken in by the dark mornings. I think it was the wash from passing boats that woke me and Finlay, bless him, never bothers till he hears me. I then hear a thump as he jumps off the sofa and pads up and down the corridor with his pheasant toy in his mouth. The morning was glorious, with the sun on the golden reeds looking magical. Before setting off for a walk, a hire boat came in next to me and as they weren’t mooring up but just holding the ropes, I asked if they needed a hand. They were ‘mooring hopping’ as the engine was overheating and they were trying to get back to their yard. I told them where suitable future stopping points were, they did like the sound of Thurne, but as it was the last day of their holiday they shouldn’t have to be doing this and I said to ring the yard and get them to sort it out. Also I gave my advice, for what it’s worth, if they were to break down completely between moorings. I said to just drive into the reeds which I have no idea if it’s right but it’s what I would do. When I returned after my walk, another family had taken their place. First timers and completely hooked. Finlay and I walked along to Fleet Dyke end and down to South Walsham and back up the extremely muddy track to the boat. Pleased to report the riverbank path is 200% better than even a month ago. It’s been cut back. Didn’t matter about mud today as Finlay could have a wash in the river seeing as the bank at the spot I’d moored was low. Thrn off towards Wroxham w with the idea of going under the bridge either this afternoon or tomorrow morning for a coffee date with Jean (swanR) tomorrow afternoon. Along the way I’d phoned the pilot and was surprised to hear it was only 6’3” ( it was nigh on high tide but I didn’t expect that). So this afternoon was out. He said low tide this morning was 6’5” and he expects maybe 6’6” tomorrow, still a bit tight for my liking seeing as I’m still a bit of a newbie with the bridge. I hadn’t realised the water levels are still quite high following the really high levels last month. So aboutturn and get as far up the Ant as the light would allow so I can moor at home in the morning and drive to Wroxham later. Got my favourite spot along the Ant, scattered the flowers I’d brought from mum’s garden into the river and watched them float off. That’ll do me as a goodbye. Accompanied by a beautiful sunset and reflections on the water, oh and a couple of swans for good measure.

Thursday 27th October. No idea what time I set off but I did post the height at Ludham Bridge about mid morning I think. I had no particular place I wanted to go apart from somewhere I could walk lots. But I also needed to run the engine a bit so the plan emerged to head for Acle or Stokesby, then retrace my steps and access Upton marshes from a suitable mooring spot. I thought about stopping at the Dunes cafe at Acle, and nearly got tempted by the Acle Bridge Inn, but I was enjoying just being on the boat. sometime after Acle, I turned round and went back upstream to one of my favourite spots, down from st Benets on the opposite bank. Finlay and I found as great deal of enjoyment and peace walking across the marshes on the concrete road, into Upton, calling in on Eastwood Whelpton to renew my acquaintance with the owners after their kind lift bsck from the Beccles wooden boat show in august. But they weren’t there. I sat at the end of the dyke on the bench watching the boats go by and carried on round the riverbank path to the boat, stopping on the way for a chat with two lovely sets of families moored along the river. I’m do pleased I made the effort of a walk, cheered me up no end, as usual.

Go for it Sam!!!! They’ll fit somewhere even if you get turfed out of bed yourself.

I think so. Charlie does it but more because he’s unsure how to introduce himself. But it’s not usually taken kindly by the other dog.

It’s now possible to have your heart pacemaker tweaked and upgraded remotely while you sit in your home. So if they can do that, why not renew an implanted credit card in the same manner? All this use of tech is a bit beyond necessary surely?

Ludham bridge 8’ this morning, 90 mins after LW, for anyone who needs to know

Wednesday 26th October (I think!) Firstly, many thanks for all the support, much appreciated. So on to less gloomy things. I say Wed 26th Oct but unless I take a good think about it, it might not be!!! Lost track at bit. After a super and much needed night’s sleep back at the boat, Finlay and I set off in glorious sunshine late morning, destination unknown. I thought a nice wild mooring somewhere down the Ant would fit the bill. Irstead staithe was available and I pondered but would have had to move on the next day whether I felt like it or not. I passed many of my favourites, all empty but the other important aspect of keeping going a bit was to get a tankful of hot water. I hoped for what Griff and co call ‘Griff’s corner’ and could have asked the occupant to shift down a bit but the family looked like they were having so much fun fishing, and I preferred to be on my own, that I moved on to the drainage mill, which sufficed. I’m still not 100% whether you should moor there, but there are no signs to the contrary at all. It’s a bit awkward as the quay heading is so high the fenders tend to slip underneath, but I have a spare fender to run horizontally along the side that seems to do the job. Just after arriving, the sun disappeared and we had a heavy downpour for half and hour or so. This at least served the purpose of forcing me to stay indoors and remember to eat something. Once the sun came out again, a good long walk was in order, up the riverbank and round the marsh, turning right at the t junction, following the bank again to go through the wood and out into a set of open grass fields. The stunningly beautiful cows (probably Aberdeen Angus) came to say hello and escort me through the last gate. They hadn’t forgotten their babyhood and were quite happy sucking on my outstretched fingers, always a good way to keep them calm. I was going to walk past the RAF museum and into Horning to sit by the staithe awhile, but found a footpath sign that I hadn’t been down before so decided to explore. Trying to follow the farmers wishes of a diverted route so as not to mess up a cropped field, I lost the diversion signs but presumed I was meant to be skirting the headland. That proved right and after ducking through a bit of a gap in the hedge, came across the original path again. After crossing a sugar beet field and walking down a track it ended up on the Ludham to Horning road, just on the Horning side of Upper Street. The verge is wide there, so no problem walking along the road side but the last bit, round a bend, looked a bit more dicey, so I took a right turn down the lane and then doubled back on myself across the field path to the left of the next junction. Very muddy! A newly sown field with the wheat or barley now about 4” high, too young yet to tell which it was. Crossing the road again and walking down the track past a few houses and some more curious youngsters on the marsh led me back along to the first t junction taken near the river bank so it was just a case of retracing my steps. This walk is shorter, at about 3.5 miles than going right into Horning and back along in a circular route, but still really pretty, so is one I’ll add to my list. And that was it. I felt restored and back into the real world, if that’s what you can call being so privileged as to be able to play about in a boat on a river! I was lulled to sleep again by the sound of the outfall discharging it’s drainage water for what seemed like hours.

I agree. Any snap will be done by one of them as a warning of ‘I’ve had enough of this mate’. They should read the conversation and if they don’t the first time, will soon get the message the next time. Don’t be thinking that a snap is due to an aggressive personality. It’s exciting for Seren to have a playmate and she’s just being the annoying sister!!! When Charlie gets excited playing, he gets so hyped up he starts ‘humping’ everybody. That’s when we stop the play.

And I used to drop my cash into the tub at the Dartford tunnel/bridge and enjoy seeing it sort itself out as it hot gobbled up. Of course, coming over the bridge on Friday and having so much on my mind with my mums death, I completely forgot to pay till too late, so now I’ve incurred a penalty charge. Hope they have an appeal process. I remembered 6 hours too late. Hey ho, that’s life but unnecessarily complicated when it was straightforward before.

Oh Malcolm, I wish I could give you a a hug. For me, mum’s way was as she would have wanted so I’m at ease with that.

Good on you both, worth every day of hard work.

Well, what a funny old world. I arrived on Wednesday 19th with the aim of a day or so sorting some things at the yard and setting off on a cruise around for a week or so on Friday. The only solid plan was meeting up with Lulu over the weekend, something we’ve been trying to do for a while. All the food shopping loaded in the fridge, dog on board, engine checked and running, first mooring line undone and I received the saddest phone call you can get. Mum had died. At 91, still a massive shock as she was about the fittest person I know!! She’d been for a 5 mile walk up the steep side of the South Downs last week and then a flute recital given by my niece, various other social activities during the week and was in the middle of a house move, really excited about it too. She was due to be out on a walk with a friend, another concert to attend and was in the middle of baking a cake when, all of a sudden, she ‘wasn’t’! That’s a comfort to me, can’t think of a better way to go to be honest. So mooring lines tied back up, fridge unloaded, electric plugged back in, dog in car and off we went to Sussex. Like Mouldy has written so beautifully in his log, it’s a tough time with all the ‘autopilot’ things that have to be seen to, and my heart goes out to you Malcolm. The weekend has been spent conversing with my two sisters and my brother and we seem to have slotted into our differing roles very naturally with brother taking on the estate, one sister the death stuff, other sister the house sale stuff and me, with much more knowledge of the local area, doing all the local stuff, contacting all the neighbours, the plumber, hedge man, handyman etc etc etc. I felt I really needed to know about outstanding invoices from them as they have all helped mum so much over the years and didn’t want to delay any payments in these difficult times for running a small ‘one man’ business. All done, along with meals out with various very dear friends and a visit to the natural ground where mum will rest, with fantastic views of her beloved downs. I was deliberating whether to return to the boat or go straight home where Tony wouldn’t actually be there much as it’s hedgelaying season and he’ll be away quite a bit while competing in various matches. The boat won and good thing too as when I arrived last night, there was an almighty stench as I opened the door. I’d left a pot of raw dog meat defrosting on the worktop since Friday. Oops!!!!!and yuk. Ive just woken from the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a few days. Again, the healing properties of the boat as Lulu mentioned to Malcolm. If you see me down the river, have patience if I’m doing something erratic, my head’s not quite in gear again yet. I intend finding one of my favourite wild moorings and just watching the world go by while I reflect on our life together. It was a good one. Mum and little sis at How Hill this summer.

My thoughts are with you Malcolm xx

It seems to me Helen that you’ve cracked the hard bit with Pozzick. The settling, the introduction to another dog etc. He’s now like any other dog just ‘learning the ropes’ of how his life ticks at home. Well done both of you for being brave enough to take a leap into the unknown with him.

Can someone confirm whether Dave Arch still has the full band behind him or is it now just him, with keyboard substituting for all the instruments and singers? I’ve only watched it once this year, last week,( not yesterday) and he was at the keyboard and they praised him but not the orchestra. Strictly was about the only BBC show still employing live musicians, so I’m really hoping I’m wrong in thinking they’ve cut them out now. My son plays with some of the dance touring shows that have come off the back of Strictly and it’s always great to see/hear the live band on stage. It ‘makes’ the show to be honest. As regards the singers. The male singers are usually great, I sometimes think the female singers are out of tune. There was a male singer, Lance Ellington? who was always extremely good. Is he still there? And yes, I think Craig is the most consistent judge. At least he distinguishes between good technique and faults so as not to score too highly, leaving no room to manoeuvre later on.

Thanks for your write-up Jean. I love the way you keep us in suspense waiting for the next instalment! And great to cope with a breakdown and have it sorted so efficiently.

If I have a signal I can be there, not sure where I’ll be.

That sounded like an idyllic day Jean. I’ve only been to Alderfen Broad once, I intend going again sometime. Last time I tried to follow my nose to get there, we got lost!

What superb photos. I especially loved the one just about to go under Wayford Bridge with the sun on the water. Did you find lots of mud on that walk up to Honing? It's often very boggy after you come out of the wood and go across a water meadow before you reach the bridge that crosses before the bog road bridge.

She looks very similar to Swan Reflection, at the bow end anyway.

And presumably a caver? I was until prolapsed discs in my back decided me not to go down again in case I put the rescue services in a sticky situation trying to get me out. And your dream trip sounds epic!!!

I fully intend to do so when I get to the south. But I might take a drive round there sometime when I’m doing diy at the boat and needing a day off. Your photos are super, really bring the descriptions to life.

Yet more places to explore, following your superb write-ups. Many thanks.

I expect that was a tiring walk considering having to walk on all that sand. But how very interesting seeing the tree stumps etc. One day in many millions of years, having been claimed by the sea in the near future, they’ll all be exposed again and geologists will be raving about the petrified trees of the Suffolk coast. That’s if humans are still around to comment in awe and wonder! Many thanks for posting such an excellent log.