Springer’s Retreat On The Rivers

[Mouldy]

Have to confess that I didn’t see you go past, Kate, although I did go for a snooze  for about half an hour.  Must be the ‘sea air’ as Deb likes to put it.

There were a few comings and goings on the parish moorings earlier, before  being completely unoccupied for quite a long time this afternoon, but someone eventually moored there about half an hour ago and seem to be here for the night.

I had hoped to get the Cobb out to cook tonight’s dinner, but the continuing drizzle has put a stop to that!  Chicken now cooking in the oven! 😋

[kpnut]

I thought you might be out with the dog as I couldn’t see anyone. 
I know what you mean about the ‘sea air’ - it got me this afternoon. The drizzle didn’t help me get motivated to be out and about. 

[Norfolkangler]

3 hours ago, kpnut said:

, the swallowtail butterflies, were nowhere to be seen.

That's interesting. I have never seen them there before, although it isn't a million miles from Hickling which is a good place to see them. Will put it on my list of places for a visit in the future.

 

 

 

[Broads01]

I love Wood End staithe. Do saily people enjoy moving at less than walking pace?

[kpnut]

45 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

Do saily people enjoy moving at less than walking pace?

It was less than toddler walking pace. But they were enjoying their environment and I wasn’t in a hurry. The boat just took a bit of holding back, a bit like Finlay on the lead😂

[kpnut]

47 minutes ago, Norfolkangler said:

That's interesting. I have never seen them there before, although it isn't a million miles from Hickling which is a good place to see them. Will put it on my list of places for a visit in the future.

 

I’ve seen them on both of the last two years on Catfield Fen. 

[kpnut]

After a dreary afternoon weather-wise, watching tennis that I very seldom do, and maybe a quick doze, I summoned up the enthusiasm to take Finlay out.

Firstly, as I left the boat at 6.20pm I was taken aback by the room left on the How Hill moorings. And when I came back at 7.45pm they were still only half full.

We went up past the mills and along the edge of the nature reserve. The stinging nettles up that path are beefy but it’s been cut back well enough. The nettles reminded me I’d very recently learned that nettles are either male or female.
How have I been around for 63 years without knowing that? Did I not listen at school? I should have taken more notice of what I thought were my ridiculously silly Latin lessons as their Latin name (urtica dioica) would have told me if I’d learnt something useful in the lessons. 

the female

Quite purple looking with droopy flowers, a lot of them.

the male

Greener with greeny yellow flowers, less of them and straighter (I could describe slightly differently but won’t!)

There are some differences in the form of the flowers too but I can’t remember and can’t see, even with my glasses on.

The other thing I learnt recently was what cowbane looks like. The How Hill ranger had pointed it out to me. And sure enough, as I crossed the dyke leading up to Cromes Broad, there it was, right by the bridge. I’m sure it’s meant to be very toxic if you eat or touch it. 
I’d like to think it was something safer like water parsnip but it wasn’t. 

We started picking up mud after crossing the bridge and all up the track from Jonny Crowes staithe was full of mud and puddles. But a lovely walk past some beautiful cottages with roses etc in the gardens, turning right on the lane at the sign for How Hill and it took me back to the house. Probably a 1.5 hr walk altogether, with stops for photos and dog training. 

Finlay was happy enough to have a swim to clean off and I’m pleased I made the effort to go out after all. 

[kpnut]

Another gloomy, but dry start today. I had the heating on for an hour yesterday evening, this is getting silly. 
We did a little walk down to Buttles marsh and back and after a cup of tea and feeding the dog, I set off for Griff’s corner. From here there’s a fantastic choice of long walks and I wanted to check whether the path from Neaves Mill to Ludham Bridge had been cut as I thought I’d spied the other day. 

I disturbed a flock (gaggle?) of geese as I came into moor and spent a bit of time clearing up after them in the bit where we get off the boat. I know Finlay’s going to be messing about out there last thing this evening and come back in with a full tummy!

While doing the small task of checking that all the screws in the ceiling linings were tight, Daisy Chain and Dolphin came in to moor. The three dogs had a play while we chatted. 

My walk today consisted of checking the path downstream to the bridge (it was fine), walking along the road to Horning Hall entrance and down their concrete road, turning right just after their cottages along the restricted byway towards Horning. It is a lovely walk along that track. Where it met the road, I crossed and followed the headland path to the church, and then along the lane as usual to Horning. Having found out recently that the Galley cafe is dog friendly we tried it out. The menu looks lovely, and reasonably priced. I had a soup and cheese scone. And yes, very good to the dog too, bringing him a bowl of water that he completely finished, although quite a bit ended up in the floor. He’s so messy. 

My journey back started by going back alongLower Street before I decided to make a longer walk of it, so cut back through the housing estates and past the playing field up to Ropes Hill, past the radar museum and across the fields to the new radio mast. 
Finlay enjoyed getting soaked on the path through the sugar beet.

The first field of winter barley i went through is at least three weeks of warm sunshine away from harvest, at ‘soft grain’ stage,

but a later field was coming up to the ‘cracking’ stage - either cracking the ears or your teeth as you munch the grains!



The fine drizzle that had started as I left Horning had made the grass soaking by the time I got back to the track from Upper Street to the river, so for the second time in a week, I have wet trainers and socks to dry. 

Friendly and curious young stock on the marsh 

A ‘teddy bear’ Belted Galloway

A Hereford with beautiful eyes

And this one just wanted a good ear scratch

All in all, a good length walk for a change. 6 miles and putting me in the right mood for some more good walks in the coming days. 

[Lulu]

Love the photo of the Hereford in particular.  Wish this constant drizzle would go away. 

[kpnut]

They were very keen to say hello. Even when Finlay came belting back down the track they stayed. 
I felt sorry for the holiday hirers coming down past me earlier. Under their umbrellas or huddled inside with steamed up windows. 

[Lulu]

We have the heating on and a hastily bought blankie from Lathams as i forgot to pack the blankets .  I don’t tend to pack them in July 🙄

[kpnut]

So much condensation in the boat last night and I hadn’t even run any hot water to cause it! Two karchers full of water collected by bedtime. 
It rained all night (well the bits I heard anyway) and the bilge pump kicked in at some point. Dry but very overcast so far this morning. 

[kpnut]

Had a nice couple of hours yesterday evening with the crew of Daisy Chain, Oscar included, coming round for a social and fruit gin tasting. Oscar was still asking Finlay to play, but all he did in response was lie on the sofa snuggled up to Charlotte! The heating was on as it was blooming cold. 
And then I joined the quiz, run by Arthur last night with a good broad set of questions. 

[kpnut]

The day’s turned itself round, just as GarryN forecast. 
Dry to start, while I walked to Ludham Bridge to see how far it is to the bus stop (3/4 mile), drizzle as I left the mooring and on and off down the Bure, gradually clearing up with a few hiccups as the afternoon went on, until this evening we have sunshine and the wind has dropped. 

I did a second coat of varnish, cleaned the carpet and took the dog to Acle. The riverbank path from the Acle Bridge Inn is a bit overgrown but perfectly OK and the roadside path on the return has just been cut back. 
 

I expect it’s because I’m moored at Acle Bridge, right opposite a hire yard, but it feels a bit busier on the river today. 

[kpnut]

I finished my varnishing job while using up the electric on the post by drying my trainers. They were still damp inside from the walk on Friday. 
A lot of boats had left the moorings about 8am, presumably to catch low slack at Great Yarmouth so I headed for Stokesby thinking I might be lucky to get on the parish staithe between boats leaving and the batch coming up with the incoming tide. 
I found a space free, so my plan of a long walk today was do-able. 

I followed a route I’d done back in April 23 to Filby, first taking the path that leads from the lane near the bus stop in the village. As you go round a left bend in the lane, there’s a house drive in front of you. You go up it slightly and onto a path crossing a field. It feels like you’re going into someone’s private garden, but it’s OK. I don’t think the footpath is marked though. 
The path follows the fields and a track towards some silos. The path then goes off that track at about the second pylon before the silos, right across another arable field hiding the actual path from view till you’re right on it.
You keep following the route,  it’s well signposted until it comes out onto the Muck Fleet track. If you turn left at this junction and follow Muck Fleet back towards the river, you’ll end up on the river near that beautiful little cottage by Commission Drainage Mill.

Turning right the track turns into a lane at the southern end of Fleggburgh. 

Muck Fleet

I chose to walk round via the western edge of Filby Broad, a rather muddy track/path. Once out on the main road I walked to Filby but was very disappointed to find I couldn’t take the dog on the path going alongside the broad from the carpark at Filby bridge. That was the main reason for my long walk there! 
Instead I went into the carpark of Filby restaurant to view Ormesby Little Broad. 

Filby residents have obviously worked hard for their Britain in Bloom entry, very colourful.

For anyone local wanting a trip out next weekend, it’s Filby Open Gardens weekend. 

We went in the church,

where Finlay promptly lay down on the cool flags. The stained glass above the altar was lovely. 

The track we then followed south was wonderful. Like an avenue lined by a mix of native trees and loads of wildflowers in the middle.

I was expecting to end up at some large country manor, but just came out on Mill Road between Thrigby and Mautby. I made by way to Runham, wondering why the road had its name. My question was answered when I came across a post mill in someone’s garden. 

Decision made between dropping down to the river at Runham Drainage Mill or just walking back to Stokesby on the lane, I had an easy walk along the lane. My reasoning was I’d done getting on for 6 miles and had no idea if the riverbank path was fit for purpose. 2.5 miles of overgrown vegetation would have done me in! That’s a sad reason for choosing not to use it, but experience tells me I might be right. So much for the Broads Authority wanting to encourage visitors to its National Park! 
But I will go and see in the morning to be fair to the BA and the county council and feed back my findings. 

I detoured up to Stokesby church on my way back to the village. 

There were some nice kneelers, but I was rather surprised to find so many cobwebs in the pews while I photographed them. Obviously there was no service this morning. 

My aim this week on my own is to get some long walks in, this one was 7.5 miles. Tired enough to sleep well tonight I expect.
Finlay’s already asleep. 

[kpnut]

A reminder for anyone passing through that the underside of Acle bridge is having a survey done today. 
There are signs saying ‘moor up and await instructions’ but just going very slowly and asking the safety man in his dinghy seems a better bet. 
At least they have a warm, dry day for it. No rain dripping down their necks. 
 

[kpnut]

23 hours ago, kpnut said:

Decision made between dropping down to the river at Runham Drainage Mill or just walking back to Stokesby on the lane, I had an easy walk along the lane. My reasoning was I’d done getting on for 6 miles and had no idea if the riverbank path was fit for purpose. 2.5 miles of overgrown vegetation would have done me in! That’s a sad reason for choosing not to use it, but experience tells me I might be right. So much for the Broads Authority wanting to encourage visitors to its National Park! 
But I will go and see in the morning to be fair to the BA and the county council and feed back my findings. 

Um. I managed to walk about 1/4 mile down from the Ferry Inn before being defeated. I put in a report to the county council and move on to Boundary Farm moorings. 

A lady who lives in Acle was moored up and she has taken to reporting footpath issues too. And is encouraging all her neighbours to do so. 

I thought I’d be on a safer bet walking along the riverbank path, the Weavers Way, which is designated as a National Trail, from Thurne to Potter Heigham. How wrong was I?

What a battle. So in went my second report of the day. 

What a grumpy post this is turning out to be. I waited at the outside kiosk at Bridgestones for nearly 5 minutes, ringing the bell twice, before giving up and saving my cup of tea for the Ramblers in Thurne on my way back. Bridgestones wasn’t even that busy to warrant a lack of service. If I hadn’t had the dog with me, I’d have gone inside instead. Two people behind me in the queue also went elsewhere. 
Along with seeing that the Dunes cafe at Acle was shut on both Saturday (horrible weather) and today (beautiful sunshine) I do wonder if businesses actually cherish our custom. 

Oh well. My walk back through the fields to Thurne gave me a chance to munch on soft barley seeds and some wild raspberries along a delightful wooded walk. 

What with the peas I snacked on yesterday along the road from Runham to Stokesby, the Norfolk countryside is feeding me well. 
As did the Ramblers. I had a change from Ronaldos, instead choosing a delicious Pistachio icecream from Lakenham creamery. And a very welcome cup of tea, sitting outside just as it began to spit with rain. A fellow Richos mooree spotted me and came over for a brief catch-up. 
I arrived back at the boat with time to brush all the stickybuds out of Finlay’s coat and pull the boat down to the end of the moorings, with two minutes to spare before it did start properly raining, bang on cue at 4pm. 
Another good 7 mile walk, I’ll have a more easy day tomorrow as I think it’s due to rain.

I might moor at PH tomorrow seeing as it was very quiet there today as I walked past. Just three boats in. Maybe the advertised works are putting people off. 

 

 

[kpnut]

Finlay decided today was the day to pluck up the courage to venture again into the front well. He hasn’t willingly done so for well over two years. 
Perhaps he’d taken a dislike to the orange colour, but I expect he slipped once and that was enough to put him off. 

[Lulu]

Im so glad you are reporting the overgrown paths. Desmond would not even try going through that lot especially if the grass is wet. Finlay shows up beautifully against the orange :)

[YnysMon]

Finlay is such a bonnie dog. 

[Mouldy]

Having suffered an attack by an errant newby boater leaving Woods yard a couple of years ago, we popped into Woods yard today, to go to Lathams.  The main area ahead of you as you enter the yard was rammed, so we turned left and stern moored on the green, where there are no services

As we walked to Lathams, we were challenged by one of Wood’s staff, asking if we’d paid to moor and directed us to reception, where we were charged a flat rate of £15 to moor, whether for an hour or 24 hours.  I was told that it includes electric and water, but as the moorings near the facilities were full, the option wasn’t available.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind paying a day rate for mooring there, maybe up to £8, but £15 for a quick shopping trip to the Temple of Tat makes £5 for the day at Ranworth look a bloody bargain.

Looks like Potter will be off limits to owners too soon, if additional, safe moorings aren’t established there.

[kpnut]

I used to love the quiet moorings. As I walked past them today, all overgrown, I mused how quickly nature takes over again. A long length of one set of moorings already had massive reeds growing all over it. 

[grendel]

I too always preferred the quiet moorings over the ones by the bridge.

[kpnut]

I left the mooring sometime around 9.30 am after taking the dog for a run down as far as the private moorings and waving to Mouldy on his way down south. 
As planned, I went up to Potter Heigham where I chose the vacant electric post that had £1.56 on it yesterday. It still did! That wasn’t the biggest balance yesterday, there was a £1.78.

I thought a short walk, and a trip to Lathams and some indoor paperwork and normal life stuff would be good, but as often happens, curiosity got the better of me on my walk. I’d planned to go as far as Martham boat yard but decided to carry on to Martham Ferry boatyard and dyke. I’m glad I did as I discovered a nice little snack stop for my next trip with a friend. The boatyard runs a little cafe, open daily 8.30am to 2pm. They sell all the usual, along with Lakenhams icecream. There’s indoor seating too. Not having any money with me, I asked the young lady if I could take a photo and we came away. 

For anyone wanting a walk along there, it was about 1.5 miles with an easy footpath, kept cut because of all the fishing platforms, which were all full apart from this one -

another example of how quickly the reed takes over and narrows the river without management. 

In walking mode by now, we continued to follow the river, up the dyke and down the far side, stopping to talk to a man mowing his mooring. When I mentioned I would love to be able to get through the bridge again, he said not to bother as it’s very choked with weed. He’d had to limp back to his mooring last week with his engine really struggling.

Finlay got hissed at by this swan family, serves him right for being nosey and going onto the platform without my permission. 

Then along past Heigham Holmes Drainage Mill on the opposite bank

and to just past the big bend in the river where it goes through the middle of Martham Broad. 
Just round that bend is a delightful little wild mooring and I chatted to the skipper of a yacht moored up there. 
How I wish I’d had the map with me as I turned back here, not realising that another mile I’d have been in West Somerton. So that’s for another time. I did know it was along there, but thought it would be further. 
I came back in a drizzly rain with the wind blowing it in my direction. Think it’s set in now for the afternoon. 
 

One last thing of interest to anyone wanting to explore above Potter Heigham bridge was a boat trip called Ross’ wildlife tours run from Martham Boatyard. I would imagine he has an online presence to advertise himself. 

[YnysMon]

1 hour ago, kpnut said:

Just round that bend is a delightful little wild mooring and I chatted to the skipper of a yacht moored up there. 
How I wish I’d had the map with me as I turned back here, not realising that another mile I’d have been in West Somerton. So that’s for another time. I did know it was along there, but thought it would be further. 
I came back in a drizzly rain with the wind blowing it in my direction. Think it’s set in now for the afternoon. 
 

One last thing of interest to anyone wanting to explore above Potter Heigham bridge was a boat trip called Ross’ wildlife tours run from Martham Boatyard. I would imagine he has an online presence to advertise himself. 

That is a wonderful mooring. I think it's called 'Dungeon Corner' and I once spent a very peaceful half hour or so there by myself on one of the Hunter's boats. I wish we'd had the presence of mind to stay overnight.

On that trip Graham and I were on one Hunter's boat (Hustler 3) and our sons Harry and Alec were on a second Hunter's boat (Hustler 1). We had sailed up from Martham and the boys had gone beyond Dungeon Corner to West Somerton. Graham and I were having difficulty though. Maybe we had sailed too close to the reeds on our way up the dyke. Anyway, by the time we got to the bend just before Dungeon Corner we found that we couldn't steer properly. Using the quant to assist we managed to moor up (those were the days before Hunter's Yard installed Torqueedo's). Luckily we had hired a dinghy with each boat, and Graham rowed off in that to fetch the boys back (we hadn't thought that we could maybe reach the boys by walking along the footpath). When they came back Harry was rowing, and Graham and Alec were sailing, so Harry joined me on Hustler 3. When we set off we still could steer, but discovered why...we were trailing masses of weed off our rudder! We did managed to pull most of it off, though I nearly fell in whilst doing so. What fun!

For some reason that incident has stayed in my mind far more clearly than the rest of the holiday. 

That café looks lovely. I suppose it will be seasonal opening only though, so probably shut when we next visit.

It's interesting that Ross' Wildlife Tour has moved location from Horsey to Martham. I wonder why? The year after our 'weed' incident we sailed to Horsey on another Hunter's boat and Harry and I did the tour. It was very interesting - we found Ross very knowledgeable. On that trip he took us around the perimeter of Horsey Mere, through Meadow Dyke as far as Heigham Sound and back.

I'd love to get up above the bridge again sometime.