Thetford

If Friday evening had been one of our best sunsets, then last night was one of our worst thunderstorms. We could hear the rumbling of the thunder as it moved in off the north sea, the wind increased and the temperature dropped and then the storm was upon us, right over Marge. Horrendous for nearly an hour!

The calm after the storm this morning. The sun shone and the boaters were out early.

After a phone call from the family was over, we set off for Thetford, less than a two-hour drive away. Back into Norfolk Marge. Our destination Nunnery Lakes Nature Reserve on the edge of the town where the rare creeping marsh wort plant can be found. Not long after our arrival another larger van pulled in. We talked at length with the owners about trips, vans, insurance etc.

Then concerned rain was threatening walked along the river Thet where we stopped to photograph the water lilies and a female muntjac (deer) as it sniffed around the base of a tree. Later we could hear the barking sound from one coming from the nearby woodland.

Then we climbed the ninety steps up to the top of the medieval mound which dates back to the eleventh century. It is the tallest medieval mound in England.

Many people may not know that Thetford and its surrounding villages were the film location for the Dad's Army series. And around the town there are references to this. Nearby Great Yarmouth or Lowestoft were the locations used if the sea was needed as a back drop.

Tomorrow we will take Marge to Peterborough where hopefully a man will cure her ills. She's still immobilising, especially when we stop for fuel. Hopefully by tomorrow evening all will be well with her.

Upton, Nr: Acle.

At nine this morning the Ranworth church bell rang out calling the parishioners to the Sunday morning service. As for us, it signalled, time to get up. Yet again, the morning was bright and warm. A blue metallic sky lit the broad. Right Marge, day off for you today, we're going cycling. 

A short drive back to Wroxham, lunch bought and we were on our way alongside the Bure Valley Railway to Aylsham, or so we thought. At the Beginning of the cycle path, work was being undertaken to improve the path, so we followed the diversion along the road and onto a footpath. On the road, Angela's front wheel slipped on some sand and she nearly fell off. This isn't fun!

Then onto the footpath. This isn't fun either! We partly cycled and walked, the long grass whipping against our legs, eventually finding ourselves at the bottom of some steps leading up onto the cycleway. The ride was hard going on the narrow path, loose gravel under the tyres of the small wheels of our Brompton bicycles.

The Bure Valley train passed us on its way back to Wroxham setting a seed in our minds that this might be the way to return to Marge. We paused a while to eat our lunch and for John to pick field mushrooms.

Butterflies sat on the path, taking flight a split second before our wheels touched them. After two hours we arrived at Aylsham, tired from struggling against one of the cyclists' pet hates, a head wind. We cycled around twelve miles, and knew it. Tesco loomed large as we arrived in the town and we rewarded our efforts with a box of mint chocolate ice creams. Yes, a box! Across the road at the station ticket office, we enquired as to the time of the next train to be told it was just about to leave and we'd missed it. Oh, and it was the last one of the day. What! It was still sat in the station. John walked around and the guard asked if we were going to board it. Quick, buy a ticket! The officious man in the ticket office did not seem happy, well sorry mate you should have been more helpful. Anyway, that's another twenty pounds in the coffers.

Angela was well excited about riding on the train. There's nothing like the smell of a steam train and smut in your eye. Forty-five minutes later we were back at Wroxham. It was now late afternoon and we couldn't believe yet another day had almost passed by. It's only when you get older that you realise you must live every day to its fullest. 

Tonight's stop is The White Horse community pub at Upton, near Acle. A couple of drinks in the pub garden with the sound of birdsong ringing in our ears ended the day nicely. We have no idea where we will visit tomorrow or where we will stay tomorrow night, but we don't mind. We know one thing, we will make the most of the day whatever we do. 

Ranworth (Day 2)

A beautiful start to the day. The sun bright, waking us early. Outside, the willow trees swayed in the breeze that blew off the broad. The other van here with us last night, couple from Sheffield, left early, so it was just Marge for a while until another van appeared just after nine. The couple in it drinking Stella Artois lager for breakfast. As you do!

Today we had planned to take a boat trip, as the guide book recommended this was the best way to see the river Bure and some of the broads. So we drove to nearby Wroxham. Should we be driving down single-track roads with grass growing in the centre of the road? Probably not Marge. Hopefully we won't meet another vehicle. At Wroxham we parked Marge in Roys' long stay car park. Roys' it appeared seemed to dominate the town. From humble beginnings in 1895 when their first village store opened the family now own numerous businesses in the area. 

We booked ourselves on the Vintage Broadsman for a two-hour trip along the river Bure visiting some of the broads along the way.

As we left Wroxham, we viewed the riverside properties, with little privacy as the river was busy with a constant flow of traffic. We passed a pretty little blue and white cottage 1920's thatched cottage with Airbnb written all over it and the former home of George Formby.

Our skipper provided interesting commentary about the wildlife, riverside homes and general history of the area whilst we observed some interesting boat skills of those driving the hire boats. Alcohol and boats, never a great mix!

A rainbow of kayaks crowded around the ice cream boat which was doing a roaring trade on this warm day. On the top deck of one holiday boat four women sunbathed, each in a different stage of buttock exposure, oblivious of a constant flow of spectators, or perhaps not.

We really enjoyed the trip, especially seeing the Norfolk Wherry, one of only eight in existence. We don't generally pay for fun, but today we were glad we did. 

Tonight we have decided to return to The Maltsters at Ranworth. Drinks in the pub garden after a walk along the lane finished the day off nicely. Where tomorrow Marge? We might just hang around the broads another day. 

Thatching reeds, bundled and stacked in a barn near to the place we are staying

Just a few of the Wroxam Swans

Ranworth

The couple we met last night from Leicester, said that Norfolk was like stepping back in time, something we had to agree, especially to the west of Cromer. Out of politeness we made a point of speaking to the couple in the smaller transporter van between us and the German van. They said, they felt like the filling in a VW sandwich, but didn't seem overly bothered about it, well certainly not enough to move into one of the other spaces. As the sun set, obscured by the headland and cloud we decided to find out why some of Marge's electrics were not working. A 15 amp fuse was the problem, an easy fix, thank goodness. 

This morning we awoke to calm seas, sunshine and vehicle noise. We were glad yesterday evening we'd moved from the road along the seafront to a small parking area set back from it. For such a small place, an awful lot of rush hour traffic seemed to pass through. This area of Norfolk felt different to the north coast and we hoped as we moved into the broads we wouldn't be disappointed. Firstly we needed to top up Marge's water tank. John found out via the park4night app that water could be obtained at the boat area adjacent to Horsey Mill, so we headed there.

Horsey turned out to be a hidden gem. A pretty little place with a windpump restored by the national trust.

Here at Horsey the broads meet the sea a short walk away, but we decided to take the four-mile loop walk to Bromgrove Mill and back, stopping at All Saints church, a beautiful Saxon thatched building.

We took a look inside, then sat in the churchyard to eat our lunch. Along the way we had to step over caterpillars, jump out of the way of swallow tail butterflies and stop to watch a crane as it glided over Horsey Mere. The weather was beautiful, and dare we say, a little too hot. Back at Marge her internal temperature was 32 c. Are you having a hot flush Marge? What's that woman wearing? Oh no, not again Marge, leave people alone. Oh, a one-piece disaster we think. You can see every curve, and more. Honestly, the National Trust will let anyone in these days, it's gone right downhill. 

Late afternoon we decided to move on to a pub at Ranworth. The Maltsters offered overnight parking in exchange for money spent with them. Fair enough. It's Friday night and we like to ensure we're somewhere fairly safe at weekends.

The pub is right beside Ranworth broad and the sunshine had brought out the visitors. We settled Marge then walked along a boardwalk through the nature reserve to the visitor centre. Eclectic flora and a variety of woodland birds all around. Dragonflies patrolled and rafts of ducks drifted by. The panoramic vista from the visitor centre was beautiful.

Hungry from our days walking we ordered two pizzas from the Pizza Den in the pub garden then settled down with cold drinks to enjoy a rare warm summer evening. This evening we have a view of the water from Marge and are enjoying the songs of the blackbirds, thrushes and robins around us. Here's to more of the same tomorrow, Marge.