Two Lovely Weeks In Loddon.

[Paul]

Returned home on Saturday from what is becoming our annual fortnight in Loddon. My sister reccommended a holiday cottage they had found some years ago and we never got around to trying it until last year. We loved it so much we booked again for this year, and have done the same this time around for next year. I'm not going to bore you with the typical facebook style account of what we ate for breakfast and whether I wore my shorts or not, but one or two observations to share.

Sunday 21st we visited the Barton House Railway in Wroxham. I've been trying to visit since Noah ran aground but despite fifty plus years of visiting Norfolk have never been around on the right weekend, it's open on the third Sunday of each month. This year we finally put that right. There is very little parking on site so best to park in Hoveton and use their electric boat service from Granary Staithe which is included in the modest admission fee. £3 for big 'uns, £1.50 for ankle biters and nippers free. It's worth it for the boat trip alone. The admission includes one single trip on the riverside railway which takes you around the Wherry sheds to the bottow of the garden where you will find a number of restored railway buildings including a fully working signal box which controls the railway, a hut selling reasonably priced refreshments, another small ride on railway, an OO gauge Thomas layout which the younger ones can control and an engine which you can learn to drive yourself, which Jamie loved. Unlimited ride tickets were an extra £10 for all of us, making a very reasonable afternoon out. It's run by volunteers aith all proceeds going to charity so well worth a visit.

http://www.bartonhouserailway.org.uk/

 

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Hi Paul, 

What was the name of the cottage, and where exactly was it?. Any chance you can post a link etc?. 

Glad you had a great two weeks, Loddon is always going to be my favourite Norfolk village. 

[Paul]

Another highlight for us, not so easy if you're boating is a trip to Southwold and Aldeburgh with lunch at Thorpeness Meare tea rooms. I like Aldeburgh, and though we love the Broadland villages it's the ability to tour away from the rivers which has led us to prefer cottage holidays, rather than boats, at least for our main holiday. We had a walk around the town, then along the beach. The Martello Tower south of the town is now available as a holiday cottage and I really fancy it for a short break in the depth of winter, fire raging and the sea lashed to madness by a strong easterly. Sadly having looked at the prices I think that will remain a pipe dream. That built a good appetite for lunch so it was off to the Meare Tearooms who do the most divine quiche's in several different varieties and I'm very partial to a good quiche. On sunny days, such as we had be prepared to wait for a table. We had to wait about 15 minutes but it's well worth it. It's a lovely place to sit and watch the water as you eat, and smile at some of the attempts by those brave enough to venture out on the rowing boats, skiffs and canoes which you can hire.

 https://thorpenesstearoom.com/

After that we had a drive up to Southwold, another of my favourite places. I had intended to walk along the "harbour" up to the reopened footbridge to Walberswick but we sat rather longer over lunch than planned, after all we are on holiday and had no intention of rushing, so we strolled around the town, hunted down a bargain or two then headed back to the cottage with plans for a Barbecue. We had been up to Potter the previous day and Lathams were selling Metal Kegs of Adnam's Ghost Ship for 9.99 (also available in QD at Beccles). I have plans to make a dent in it, or at least the contents this evening. 

 

[SwanR]

How interesting. A bit like you, now we have the caravan it’s a mix of occasional boating holidays and weekends on the coast. As we drive up from Essex we pass by all those places between home and Lowestoft without stopping. So we haven’t ever made it to Southwold. 

[Smoggy]

4 hours ago, Paul said:

not so easy if you're boating is a trip to Southwold and Aldeburgh

Not on a hire boat maybe but both have visitor moorings.(you need a tender for aldeburgh though)

I like southwold but it's 70% holiday homes now, not been to aldeburgh but been past on the way to snape from orford.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

7 hours ago, Paul said:

Returned home on Saturday from what is becoming our annual fortnight in Loddon. My sister reccommended a holiday cottage they had found some years ago and we never got around to trying it until last year. We loved it so much we booked again for this year, and have done the same this time around for next year. I'm not going to bore you with the typical facebook style account of what we ate for breakfast and whether I wore my shorts or not, but one or two observations to share.

Sunday 21st we visited the Barton House Railway in Wroxham. I've been trying to visit since Noah ran aground but despite fifty plus years of visiting Norfolk have never been around on the right weekend, it's open on the third Sunday of each month. This year we finally put that right. There is very little parking on site so best to park in Hoveton and use their electric boat service from Granary Staithe which is included in the modest admission fee. £3 for big 'uns, £1.50 for ankle biters and nippers free. It's worth it for the boat trip alone. The admission includes one single trip on the riverside railway which takes you around the Wherry sheds to the bottow of the garden where you will find a number of restored railway buildings including a fully working signal box which controls the railway, a hut selling reasonably priced refreshments, another small ride on railway, an OO gauge Thomas layout which the younger ones can control and an engine which you can learn to drive yourself, which Jamie loved. Unlimited ride tickets were an extra £10 for all of us, making a very reasonable afternoon out. It's run by volunteers aith all proceeds going to charity so well worth a visit.

http://www.bartonhouserailway.org.uk/

 

Did you venture the 2 miles to the "Chet Valley Vineyard"?. We got a taxi there from Loddon Quay when on Lightning at the beginning of last month. They make some fabulous wines, and all made on site, from grapes also grown on site. I`d recommend anyone to go there, as you can have a tasting session. They`re currently in the throws of building a new two storey building to house a shop, cafe with balcony, and a new brewing, or whatever you do with wine, plant.

[Paul]

Because of the decent weather we had, especially during our first week there was lots of barbecuing and not so much pub visiting. We did make it to the Locks one lunchtime but as I have already posted about that elsewhere I shall not bother doing so here. Being big fans of local entertainer Tosh Ewins we headed down to the Caxton Club in Beccles on Saturday 27th, it being my birthday and have to say the welcome we got as guests was very warm and friendly. Lovely pint and somewhere I'm sure we'll be visiting again. Tosh was at his best, so much so we decided to head up to Yarmouth on Monday to see his gig at the Burlington Palm Court Hotel. This was a real nostalgia trip. During thirty years or so in the travel business I've spent more nivghts in hotels than I have had hot dinners, or at least it feels that way. From the very best in the world, the likes of Raffles, The Taj Palace, Peninsula Hong Kong etc, and sadly some of the worst. The Palm Court is a typical UK Resort Hotel and bought back weekends spent in Great Yarmouth and similar resorts for cricket tours and other various, nefarious reasons. 

We made the obligatory trip to the Ferry House at Surlingham for dinner one evening. Every time we visit this pub it seems to get better and better, along with the Bridge at Acle which sadly we didn't manage to visit easily the best riverside pub on the broads.

 

[Paul]

39 minutes ago, SPEEDTRIPLE said:

Did you venture the 2 miles to the "Chet Valley Vineyard"?. We got a taxi there from Loddon Quay when on Lightning at the beginning of last month. They make some fabulous wines, and all made on site, from grapes also grown on site. I`d recommend anyone to go there, as you can have a tasting session. They`re currently in the throws of building a new two storey building to house a shop, cafe with balcony, and a new brewing, or whatever you do with wine, plant.

Sadly no, my opinion of wine is a waste of grapes. I am partial to a glass of decent white, very dry and slightly astringent like a good chablis but alas such pleasures are denied to me on medical grounds.