kpnut

I'm going to spend some time today with my map and the council website page to earmark a few of the worst paths and go from there on the form filling exercise. If I swamp it with too many, it'll backfire. And a letter too. Will let you all know the outcome, but i won't expect miracles!

Can’t have something for nothing, while trying not to be political!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone is welcome to give me details of paths they’ve found so overgrown that it has been really difficult to walk along eg grass/reeds that has to be parted to get through, nettles/brambles across the path etc. Starting point and direction of travel. eg River Bure, opposite St Benets, from Fleet Dyke travelling downstream. Or River Thurne from Womack dyke entrance towards Potter Heigham etc. No grid reference required if description is obvious. I can then look up the footpath number to report. Yes, your thread is now intact again, I just ‘borrowed’ it!!!!!

As a relative newbie, I use it to learn the makes/models of boats. Very useful.

I was wondering about taking the strimmer for a walk too!! And I also wondered if ‘no mow May’ had something to do with it. Trouble is, let it get long then and it soon gets out of hand. Doesn’t necessarily do the area any good either, as the dominant ‘weeds’ just take hold more strongly and the weaker species get shaded/outcompeted, so biodiversity actually decreases over time. Fleet Dyke was a real disappointment last month. One of the best walks on the Broads. And I also love the one round from Womack towards Potter, Lulu. Well, in fact I love most of the walks (or did).

Doing a bit of a search, it seems right that it’s Norfolk County Council which is in charge. Their website states that there is a statutory responsibility by themselves and landowners to keep public footpaths open and it is important for tourism etc There is an interactive map marking all the footpaths, with their numbers, that they are responsible for. There is the facility to report problems. So I will make it my mission for the rest of this year to do just that. And to write a letter on behalf of users of the paths, to suggest they carry out their responsibilities. As an ecologist, I am well aware that there is a balance to be had between peoples needs and wildlife needs, but some paths on the Broads are very strategic for purposes of tourism. Moderators - if this topic continues to be commented on in Moonlight Shadows thread, is it possible to put it in one of its own? I maybe shouldn’t haven’t hijacked the thread. Sorry.

I meant to comment on this the other day when you posted. I too would like to know what’s happened with the riverbank footpaths this year. Many are virtually impassable, even though marked on the OS map as public footpaths. on my ‘springers retreat holiday blog’ I’ve also highlighted if a few times. It’s taken away a measurable part of my enjoyment of the Broads this year. Id love someone to be able to tell me who is responsible for the paths (the ones that tend to run along the tops of the banks eg round Upton marshes, Ludham marshes, up from Ludham Bridge to How Hill, from Thurne dyke to Potter Heigham start of the chalets etc, from Acle Bridge to Upton Dyke etc), so I can write a letter of enquiry as to why they are in the overgrown state they are. Sorry to hijack your thread Helen. Hope the family is all on the mend.

Everything looks like straw on the east side of the Pennines. When we went over the top of the A66 it changed to a fresh green. Our lawn also looks like straw with occasional burnt off brown circles thanks to the dog! And nothing in the waterbutts, although maybe that's changed today. Hopefully so as I need to top up the pond as soon as I can. Id be happy if it rained every night of the year, with dry weather during the day!

You don’t need to Helen, you just need to take it easy for a few days. Let the boys do the work! I was pleased the caulies are coming on stream now, we love cauliflower cheese.

Yes, you’re absolutely right. They look so grey and drab and Richard’s looks decidedly like a prison building with the small windows. But round the back is another story; beautiful sunny little garden. Happy sailing.

Excellent dog training venue there Griff. I wrote in my holiday diary thingie about the freebie steadiness lesson that Finlay had when a group training session was taking place. 9 labs all waiting their turns beautifully. The swans and ducks take no notice as you send the dog over, must be used to it! Enjoy the peaceful surroundings once the day’s activities at the mill die down a bit.

After two and half weeks on the Broads and then half a week in Scotland making sure my son was safe up a ladder refurbishing and painting his window surrounds, it was meant to be a big allotment day today. I managed till 3.30 when the rain got a bit too persistent for even me to work in. A big box of produce for my friend who’s been watering the greenhouse, autumn planted onions and garlic dug up and put in cold frame for drying, although they won’t need much drying this year. I’m glad I got them safely stored before this afternoon’s rain. Half a goosegog bush (of four) picked, grapevines had a haircut, as did the cordon apples and pears, one plum tree (of four) picked before the wasps had too many and wasp sugar traps now erected, lots of gladioli and dahlias to put in the house, outdoor cucumbers and tomatoes are about starting. Wasps have been munching the remains of the rasps, I picked what was good but a lot have dried up in last week’s heat. The autumn rasps aren’t ripe yet so it won’t be rasps every day from July to November this year, but I have got more in the freezer than normal. All in all, it’s a really bumper year for all types of fruit. Even my grapevines will yield very well if I can keep the powdery mildew at bay till they are sweet enough to pick for winemaking in October. I should have picked peas and dug potatoes too but that can wait till tomorrow. It’ll take me a few days to get the allotments back to how I like them, just ready to be off again on the boat!

Loving it Helen. So lovely having the lads there too no doubt, looks like fun. Super photos. Burgh Castle is a wonderful place, I often go there in the car if I’ve had to go to B&Q or anywhere like that in Yarmouth. And you can walk right along Breydon Water back towards Yarmouth too. Good wild plums on the boardwalk along the base of the fort. Take care of yourself.

That gives me encouragement for sometime in the future. Thanks for photos too.

For those who know about fishing and were at the quiz, could it have been a chub in the basin? Is that where they can live? Didn't look like any of the other fish mentioned, they were too fat, this was nice and slim and the most likely from pictures I googled.

Oh poor you Helen. Get well soon and hope the family don't get it.

No laughing matter, nearly happened to me once!

Will try to attend TH. I’m up in Scotland visiting Richard but he’s out tomorrow night at some gig or other in Carlisle.

I was in Leeds city centre this afternoon. At 1.30pm it was bearable walking to my appointment, but when I came out at 3pm, it was stifling, really uncomfortable to breathe. The car thermometer said 42°C on the way out of Leeds towards York. I then had to go the allotment as, having only just returned from Norfolk yesterday, I now have to go to Scotland tomorrow, so the poor plants needed some TLC. 3 hours of carrying watering cans and harvesting stuff that should have been picked a week ago, I've just arrived home and it's a mere 28°C in the hall. Just hope the weather doesn't break in too dramatic a fashion as we have exterior house painting to do up in Scotland.

Oh Lulu, I want to put up a like type icon, but there isn’t one for ‘not sure whether that’s good or bad’!!!!! Definitely good in this sort of heat I must say. I was doing the hoovering/cleaning this morning before leaving. It was stifling. The lads on the boat next door we’re doing a full rewire of the boat, don’t know how they could stand it. I only undid s few screws to take the curtain poles down (to bring the brackets home to modify them) and that was enough for me.

Thanks Helen. You’re right that there’s something for everyone here. I’m often surprised when people on Facebook ask about Great Yarmouth or biWilderwood or where the nearest place to hire bikes is, or whatever. You think that what you do is what everyone else does. I must admit I’ve missed my walks this week, felt a bit caged up some of the time, but we had fun and I’ve done some things I wouldn’t normally think of doing. I could do with staying on a few days though and just finding a nice quiet wild mooring somewhere. Not to be as I must be home tomorrow, for an appointment in Leeds, so it’s back to real life of watering the allotment and trying to find time to prep all the harvest for use or freezer.

Last day for mum and sis and I needed to be back at Stalham for a pumpout before 2.30 or so. Decided on a leisurely breakfast after I’d taken the dog for a good old training session on the park area at How Hill. After a few weeks lately of not having much input, his hearing is becoming decidedly selective. So a bit of back to basics recall and heel work is called for, me thinks. The Ant was quiet, a few dayboats and others coming downstream but I think we were alone going upstream mid morning. We moored at the end stern-on at Gayes Staithe, sometime after 10.30 and the man next door told us we’d just missed a family of otters in the area where Gayes Staithe and Lime Kiln Dyke diverge. I thought a shady walk along the lane past the fudge lady to Neatishead moorings would show my guests another picturesque spot on the Broads and the moorings didn’t disappoint, with just one boat in plus a few canoeists preparing to start a journey, it was lovely sitting on the bench at the end. The swans were a bit nonplussed by Finlay, grumbled at him in no uncertain terms but then beetled off somewhere else. They do get themselves in a tizzy do swans, can’t say I’m particularly enamoured by them. With our fudge purchases safely stashed away back on board we had an early lunch and were just having a few minutes relaxation when Norfolk Lady came along. Not recognising my boat at first, I think they were about to leave but I caught their eye and realisation dawned. They moored up alongside for a few minutes’ chat before taking our space as we left. Nice to meet you at last Malcolm and Deb. As we were about to come out into Barton Broad proper, we saw the otter family near the bank. A nice end to the holiday. Also plenty of sailing boats out to keep my sister happy. She’s a good sailor, having had jobs in the past delivering yachts from the US to the Caribbean. Her husband got back to the UK yesterday morning from a sailing trip from Harwich across to Dunkirk and up the Belgian coast to Flushing I think she said. Back at Richardsons and said pumpout, we got moored up and car packed for guests to return home. I can’t decide whether I’m pleased not to be going home today or envious of them on a slightly cooler journey than tomorrow. But it’s lovely here now, with a cooling breeze and the sun shining. Housework can wait till tomorrow morning, then that’s it till next month. Fuel worked out at 2.3 miles per litre. Wintertime it seems to be nearer 1.8 so that tells me the economy or otherwise of the diesel heater. I can live with that to keep warm and use the boat all year round I think.

It’s a 6 minute walk to the market square according to Google and to be fair, even with an ‘elder’ with us, didn’t take too much longer than that. We came back on the return trip the one after the next train back if you see what I mean and that gave us plenty of time for a mooch, a look in the church and a cream tea. If a market day, you might want longer still. We had great fun the other day, bumbling along in our private carriage. Plenty of windows to open. First time I went was about 25 years ago, there was a Thomas the tank engine day I think and my son was 4. I thought we also visited a big model railway set up in the shed, it doesn’t seem to be there now. There is a little model train on the platform, you press the button and off it goes round and round. I’ve also gone one way and walked back to Wroxham, 5 years ago. Lovely walk, but quite long and not much shade so better not gone at this time of year. And just for info, the interim stops at Coltishall and elsewhere aren’t operational at the moment. They didn’t open when the train started again after various lockdowns.

Doing the dinghying if that’s a word and now paddleboarding, it must be like having the boys around as youngsters, how lovely. It’s beautiful down at Gelderston isn’t it? I went last September. The breeze seems to have got up a bit this afternoon at Stalham, so with both front and back doors open there’s a good flow of air. But heaven knows how much dust will be coming in. No cleaning until the morning I think, we’ll that’s my excuse. I too haven’t found it too hot at night. Beccles area is just lovely Helen, enjoy every moment.

The electric eel boat trip into how hill nature reserve is very informative and very tranquil. There is a walk to the birdhouse overlooking Reedham Water too. The trip iis highly recommended if you are introducing people to the real beauty of the broads. £7 or £8 for about an hour, depending on age and max 4 people at the moment due to grounding issues with the low water level. Normally 6 people. Got back at 4.30 to a dilemma. Do we stay put for the night, knowing mum can get off for a walk later or in the morning, or move on hoping for a wild mooring with a magical last night but no chance of her getting off? We’ve stayed put and are just enjoying the boats passing. Too hot to take the dog out at the moment.