kpnut

Oh yes please, as my extra one though as I couldn’t desert SR, my first love! Well spotted.

Ah right, although the other places seem to have a roof. I ageee the more natural the better really. Last year was my first year of watching them when they had no success.

He’s up at Coltishalll Common now so I was half hoping the mooring would be empty.

Get yourself along there Sam. The scene won’t have changed.

I plumped for the best of both worlds. Looking at the map, I found an interesting looking route that’d take me up onto the railway path again, heading towards Coltishall. From Belaugh mooring, turn left and head for the main Hoveton/Coltishall road. As you come up to the main road there is a permissive path running behind the hedge opposite in the Hoveton direction. I was very grateful to Trafford Estates for saving me the walk on the road. It joins with the footpath following the field margins up onto the railway. Another train photo for Roy. The driver seemed to having great fun tooting at everything that moved, probably even the birds in the sky! I seemed to be following some blue signs, turns out there is a Bure Valley circular path that I’d inadvertently earmarked as my route. Funny how a lot of my walks end up going where I’ve just come from or where I’m going next. This time Coltishall Common - same location, different boats! The path back goes behind Anchor moorings and across the water meadows. I’m writing this while waiting for Finlay to dry himself off and then we will head off to the metropolis of Wroxham/Hoveton (whichever)

And not forgetting Cody, who in any ‘best coat’ competition would win hands down.

I cast off in the strengthening sunshine off up to the lock, just for the pleasure of the journey, turning when I got there and coming back down again. There’s a big dredger on the anchor moorings loop so I squeezed through the gap. It is another lovely day on the river. Belaugh mooring was free and it looked far too enticing to go past, so I stopped in there, and we’ve been for a walk round the village lanes. We walked round the churchyard but didn’t stop in the church itself this time. After a sit in the sun reading a book - I’m still reading ‘Water, Mills and Marshes, life and work on the Broads 1920 - 2020’ and reckon it should be compulsory (and very enjoyable) reading for anyone with a boat on the Broads - I decided it was time to move off. But within a couple of minutes had changed my mind as it’s so peaceful here and now I’m just dithering. So do I move on to Hoveton as I have shopping to do, and it would boost the batteries and hot water, or stay here in this idyllic spot? Can’t decide!

I looked a bit after I’d posted and it had certainly moved to hide, and now out in the open again with an adult. When I first posted, it was lying with eyelid shut and neck stretched out with beak open, looking very expired. Pleased its not. It’s a monster size!

Happy birthday Malcolm and the weather certainly played ball for you.

That’s a completely valid point Smoggy. Habit I suppose as regards a ‘workhorse’ even if it’s not really working. My car also doesn’t have a habit of showing full oil for weeks on end then one day dropping below the minimum for no apparent reason.

I don’t like the look of what I’ve just seen on the webcam. Hope I’m very wrong.

And I do the engine every 9 months or so too, with the daily checks like I was taught on the tractor.

I too don’t feel the forum is anti hireboats at all. Someone commenting every now and again on the state of a rope or whatever is just stating a fact they saw, not yard bashing. I think the same comments are written about privately owned boats as well, including our own. (I speak for my own pride and joy, however much paint is flaking off there)! I owe all my enjoyment with SR to the fact that someone owning a hireboat company allowed me loose on their very expensive piece of machinery in the first place, as probably many of us do. When I became more involved in what make the Broads ‘tick’ and was looking for more information etc, I read all the forums and Facebook groups. I chose this forum as it seemed the most balanced, factual and friendly. Long may that continue.

What I meant was years/decades of autumn ploughing, after much spreading, loosening seedbeds with consequent runoff during winter rains when the fields lay empty. The more recent practices of waiting until spring to plough and sow spring crops leads to less nutrient and soil leaching. I’m also ‘pro-farming’, working in the industry. A lot of blame put on them for doing what they were asked to do after the war to up food production. Those husbandry practices have very much been seen in hindsight to have many detrimental effects in the environment. But I must say that there are still those who stubbornly cling on to those practices now because that’s what they’re used to, it’s ‘how the farming year is’.

I’ve been told I walk fast! I have Finlay to pull me along. Better go with the 35 mins then.

Still fast flowing, but silty bottom, most likely thanks to runoff from over cultivated fields.

I thought of you as I took the photo Roy and hoped you’d see it. That explains why the name on the map is plonked right inbetween the two. It still is busy with canoeists etc. Every time I walk down there, that pull in car park area is chocker.

About 20 minutes - 10 up to the car park and 10 along the road.

I found a new walk this afternoon. I followed the footpath from opposite the Kings Head, onto the lane and up past the little hamlet /part of Coltishall called St James. There are some lovely old buildings up there. Up onto the Bure Valley Railway path where we aimed to not get mown down by cyclists, or conversely not trip them up with a wandering dog in their path. I stopped for a rest at the railway station as I realised I’m still a bit short of energy after my sickness bug on Monday. Then on up to the bridge by Little Hautbois Hall where I waited for the train to pass under the bridge. This photo makes the train look like a little model railway scene. I was intending to then walk down next to the river but having walked that path many times, I went on to and over the next road bridge, (not sure which of the bridges is actually Mayton bridge but that’s the location I’m talking about for anyone interested enough in my wanderings to look at a map) and took a left turn onto a big wide farm track. This follows parallel to the river but across the flood wash meadow. It was a lovely route; sometimes track, sometimes path as it passed through a bit of carr and eventually I popped back into civilisation behind the churchyard of All Saints Church at Horstead. The church was open so we had a little look in. It was lovely and cool for Finlay. Two kneelers caught my eye. The road took me down to the crossroads by the Recruiting Sargeant. It seems I should have gone in to find the Nogs. I wandered along to the lock and took a photo of Water Rail for Grendel. The little boat looked really snug in the shade jnder the trees (posted in Water Rail’s thread). I can report that the lovely line of beech trees along the river bank up from the lock managed very well without us over the winter. They look beautiful. With another stop to look in Coltishall church, which I felt is more plain than Horstead church, but comparing the photos, I think that impression might be wrong I found myself outside the icecream van on the Common. With a walk of about 5 miles, I think I deserved my treat. There are plenty of shorter versions of this walk that still take in the track from Mayton bridge back down to Horstead church.

And then we all woke to the most glorious morning, and it’s stayed like that all day. With the gazebo packed, litter check done, breakfasts eaten, we all went our separate ways, with at least three of us heading through Wroxham bridge now it seems to have finally opened itself for traffic over the past few days. I went through with the board saying 6’9” and I’ve been through with 2 or 3” less, but having not been through all winter, it felt tighter than I remembered. I think I appreciated the cruise up to Coltishall more than most trips, being deprived of the enjoyment all winter. Once at Coltishall Common, I quickly made the decision to stop there rather than going up to the lock, mainly ‘cos I couldn’t be bothered to use the rhond anchors-how lazy is that? Water Rail soon passed me on the way up to the lock and later, Karizma moored up next to me. Cody and Finlay made their re-aquaintance, having only said their goodbyes earlier in the morning.

I’ll be down there asap! Grendel’s method will be quicker. We have to remember thistle flowers give plenty of nectar though. Although my argument is we leave plenty of space for the insects all over the marshes, I’m sure they wouldn’t begrudge us a tiny bit of weed free ground on the moorings or along the footpaths.

I just wrote on the bridge height thread I’d spotted Tower Bridge in Hoveton. Of course, it was at the end of the Coltishall Common moorings. You certainly put in the miles.

I passed Tower Bridge on one the moorings in Wroxham/Hoveton this morning but reckoned it couldn’t be the right Tower Bridge for you Howard as last time I heard you were pubcrawling down south. I presumed there must be more than one. Now I know you’re north again I’ll keep another eye out.

My guess too. Near the top end of the straight moorings. I can’t think of elsewhere with grass up to the wood, although it’s not like that all along there either. And tall trees on both banks.

Here you go Grendel. I came past on my walk and called you but no reply.