A Week In Winterton

[Polly]

I will finish the Thames Tale, but being semi retired we are currently on holiday again!

This time we are in a lovely little cottage at Winterton for a bucket snd spade holiday with family, most especially our 51/2 year old grandson. 

We usually go to Winterton when boating and always enjoy it, so here is a chance to extend that pleasure. 

In fact we ‘wasted’ Saturday having a wonderful trip down the Orwell on a Thames Barge, celebrating the 50th Wedding Anniversary of long-standing friends. It was a great day. 

Sunday was time for hide and seek in the garden and alfresco lunch. We saw ‘Daddy’ off to Kent ( he is working) then headed for the beach for splashing about and sandcastles. It is about a 5 minute walk from here.

Monday, we again were on the beach early and happy to potter about. I bought a big beach tent for this holiday and it was very welcome in the sun.  Lunch was a picnic from the Dunes Cafe (always excellent). We had planned to quit the beach by then but lingered a little.  By 12.30 it was too hot so we came back to the cottage and chilled for a couple of hours.

By mid-afternoon we were off to ‘visit’ Brilliant ashore and enjoy Ice Cream at the yard. This was a fascinating place  place for a small boy and satisfied the ‘where are the boats?’ question that had come up a few  times, good to see that the boat thing is catching on!

We headed to Roys for a bit of shopping, where the toy shop met with approval, and then to boat-watch at the Hotel. I will confess that, under different management, I had sworn off eating here, but the difference this time was apparent. We decided to eat and both the food and the service were truly excellent. It isn't cheap but not too high for the lovely quality you get.  

We fed the swans there and some pigeons took grain from my hand, which delighted small person.

A fast food shop at Roys completed the outing and we arrived back well past junior bedtime, most satisfactory.

 

Today it is Bewilderwood,  and we are hoping for enough tree shade wish me luck!

 

[MauriceMynah]

27 minutes ago, Polly said:

This time we are in a lovely little cottage at Winterton for a bucket snd spade holiday with family, most especially our 51/2 year old grandson. 

Oh come on Polly, Don't be so vague. Is your grandson 51 or 52?

[Polly]

Lol

[Polly]

Ok so, Bewilderwood. If you haven't been, I have to say that it is a really class act. It is really for the 10s and under, and as such was perfect for 5 .5  year old grandson. 

No expense has been spared in the set up, and it is really creative and consistent in the storytelling experience offered. Full marks to Blofields I have to say. Yes, it is a goldmine, but it was worth every penny we spent there ( unlike say, Disneyland Paris which aimed to extract). so the value was absolutely there for us. There was plenty of shade of course on this scorcher of a day, being in the trees, and a pleasant breeze, so that was all good.

We headed to The New Inn for dinner, where we had arranged to meet  Steve and Nik. It  was the usual good pub fare, and we retired then to Windmill Lady for coffee, much to the delight of one small boy, who sat at the helm and no doubt reset everything! Many thanks for the hospitality guys!

Tomorrow is set to be another scorcher, so maybe S.Walsham Water Gardens might be good once the beach gets too hot!

[marshman]

Plenty of shade in Fairhaven - lovely place!!!

[MauriceMynah]

Oh, he's 5½ is he... you should have said. :-)

[CambridgeCabby]

1 hour ago, Polly said:

Ok so, Bewilderwood. If you haven't been, I have to say that it is a really class act. It is really for the 10s and under, and as such was perfect for 5 .5  year old grandson. 

No expense has been spared in the set up, and it is really creative and consistent in the storytelling experience offered. Full marks to Blofields I have to say. Yes, it is a goldmine, but it was worth every penny we spent there ( unlike say, Disneyland Paris which aimed to extract). so the value was absolutely there for us. There was plenty of shade of course on this scorcher of a day, being in the trees, and a pleasant breeze, so that was all good.

We headed to The New Inn for dinner, where we had arranged to meet  Steve and Nik. It  was the usual good pub fare, and we retired then to Windmill Lady for coffee, much to the delight of one small boy, who sat at the helm and no doubt reset everything! Many thanks for the hospitality guys!

Tomorrow is set to be another scorcher, so maybe S.Walsham Water Gardens might be good once the beach gets too hot!

Sorry we missed you , I’m sitting in the New Inn as I type this 

[YnysMon]

Lovely tale Polly. We need more family tales here with Grandchildren galore (the future Broads enthusiasts). More from you and Timbo I say!

(By the way, if you are reading this thread Timbo, do you realise that predictive texting tries to change ‘Timbo’ to ‘The Mob’. Scary!)

[Polly]

Sorry Simon, would have loved to have seen you. We were gone by 6.30/7 being early on account of small bedtimes.

[Polly]

After the full day of yesterday, and in view of the heatwave, we started ...and ended the day in the garden of our cottage. It it is beautifully shady, there is a three seater swing and lots of seating. After a short indoor spell in the games room, we took out the croquet, cricket and quoits set provided. We added our own football and simply chilled all day. Having a picnic there was really fun and relaxing. 

There had been a plan to walk up to the beach after dinner, but nobody really wanted to make the effort! 

This may all sound boring, but it was a lovely day! 

[Polly]

Ok it's Thursday, it’s 8 in the morning and we are off to the beach! 

[grendel]

excellent, get down there haev a paddle and get back before it gets too hot, thats the ticket, and heres me sitting in my nice air conditioned office - working.

[YnysMon]

Sounds like an early start was a good idea. Hope there's a sea breeze.

[grendel]

our office air con is losing the battle to the big flat steel roof, currently hitting 29 deg, mind you the glass in the windows feels a lot hotter.

[Polly]

Swimming in the sea at 9am was so coool! 😋 We had the placealmost to ourselves at this point, but it soon filled up if course.   My top holiday purchase for this trip was a large UV protected beach tent. This allowed us to stay pottering about in its shade until lunchtime when we returned to the cottage  to eat in the shady garden. 

It was then time for a VERY important trip..to Roys Toy Shop, the best place ever! 

Purchases duly made we headed to the next oasis of shade- Fairhaven Water Gardens and a boat trip, both were the best fun. There is more in the way of activity there for children these days so the visit entertained as well as  kept us cool, Job done. 

 We came back for dinner al fresco and a manic game of ‘catch’ in the garden.

And so the holiday ends. This week has flown past; I am so glad we spent it in this lovely village.

[Polly]

PS

And we never got to La Tharms, shocking!!

[SteveO]

We had to take a dip in the sea at Hythe this afternoon, when the mercury hit nearly 35. It was a case of inserting yourself between the jellyfish and hoping for the best, but the jellies were on the small side and we didn't get stung and the water was beautifully cool.  Having sampled both this week, I can confirm that the waters of the Costa  Geriatrica are a few degrees warmer than those at Winterton.