Capri Day!

We were up and off fairly promptly this morning as today is Capri day! After a stop at Tesco to stock up with food for a few days we made our way up to Stalham and Richardsons boatyard. Mike went to the office to check in and we were told that the boat was ready for us after we’d been told how everything worked.

She’d had a refit last year and was very smart inside …

We loaded all our stuff, parked the RV in a shed and moved off from the yard …

Hamish made himself comfortable …

and I had a go at driving …

I’m looking petrified but I did get better and more relaxed as the week progressed! We had the river to ourselves …

and in no time at all we had arrived at the St Benet’s Abbey moorings …

Mike got the flags out and fixed them to the roof …

We’ve belonged to the Broads Society since the early 1970’s and joined the Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association more recently. A cruiser had obviously broken down as they were getting a tow upriver by Boulter Marine …

Reedham

It was a lovely morning and Mike gave the RV a bit of a clean after the drive in the bad weather yesterday …

We didn’t have much planned for today, just a drive over to Reedham where we can park by the river and watch the boats go by. We went for a stroll and I noticed that the railway bridge was open …

We came back passing the Lord Nelson …

and it wasn’t too long before we saw the bridge closing for a train …

It was then time to return to the site crossing over the River Yare on the way …

Sandringham to Norwich via Horning

It was moving on day today as we were leaving Sandringham behind and making for the Norwich site that we always use. The weather was pretty awful as the rain hammered down and we also got stuck in roadworks to add to the problem. We decided to call at Horning on the way as I had a printout from the 1911 census for a family of relatives who lived and worked there. We parked in the car park which overlooked the river where the Southern Comfort was just leaving for a trip …

and then went for a walk through the village. I went into the Post Office to ask if the name of the house meant anything as I’d been unable to find it on the internet and the Postmaster said he didn’t know of it. I knew that a family of Southgates lived in a pretty cottage …

and he told me that the 95 year old owner had recently died but that the house had been purchased by his father and it was then three cottages which he had made into one. I thanked him for his help and when we began to think about names we suddenly realised that this was most probably the place I was looking for. The cottage is now called The Brambles and I was looking for Briar Cottage! Result! When back by the river I had a look for the webcam on Horning Sailing Club. This is a website that I regularly check on to get my fix of the Broads when I’m in Cornwall! You can spot the webcam just above the word ‘Club’ …

It was very quiet on the river today …

We then made tracks for the site and set ourselves up for a couple of nights.

Burnham Overy Staithe

It was thankfully dry this morning and we were off to visit Old Hunstanton where there was an Arts and Crafts centre. We had a lovely wander round but didn’t find anything we wanted to buy. From here we drove to Brancaster Staithe as we were positive that this was the place we’d parked on shingle several years ago. As we passed through the village nothing looked familiar and so we drove on to Burnham Overy Staithe. There was a short one-way road which we drove down and there before us was the shingle we remembered! After lunch I had a stroll around taking photos …

The tide wasn’t due in until late afternoon …

It was then back to the site and in the evening we had a lovely sunset …

Cromer for Crab!

After a wash-out day yesterday when all we did was visit Tesco and have a walk in the rain we were hoping for better weather today. No joy! More rain and fog to accompany it! We decided to ignore it and go to Cromer as Mike was desperate to get some crab for a sandwich and I was hoping to do some grave hunting for Combens who had been lighthouse keepers at Cromer. We parked up and walked down to the church in the centre of the town.

I had a good look around but no sign of any Combens. We had a look at the pier ...

and then found a fish shop for the crab. Back to the RV to dry off and make lunch ...

We then drove to Overstrand to search the church there but once again no luck. A pretty church and as the lighthouse is at Overstrand it is the most likely place that they are buried ...

Castle Rising

We’re not technically in Broadland but we are in Norfolk so I’m including our stay at Sandringham on the Broadland blog.

After a lazy start to the day we set off from the campsite to find English Heritage’s Castle Rising Castle. This was the seat of the Howard Family and is one of the largest keeps in the country. As we approached we could see the depth of the moat …

and after paying our entry fee we crossed and went under the gates …

The keep was then in front of us in all its glory …

We entered the building and took note of the warnings …

up the steps …

and turned left …

Through into the basement …

Here there was the well …

and then we went up the stairs in the corner …

We entered this doorway …

to find these lovely tiles …

This is looking through into the kitchen and Mike bashed his head on the way out!

This is the white room at the top of the keep …

The Great Hall was on the upper level here with the basement below …

Looking out to where we entered …

We then walked around on the top of the moat …

and after walking down the steps we could walk around the grass visiting the early Norman church built in the late 11th century …

At the side of the keep are the remains of the lodgings …

and a 14th century chapel …

It was then time to go back to the RV for lunch and after a drive through the village of Wolferton we returned to the campsite to sit out and enjoy a cuppa in the sunshine …