South Walsham to Neatishead

We woke to a very windy morning with a sun that was trying to break through. Mike and I took the dogs for a walk and were hoping to find somewhere to dispose of our rubbish. As much as we like South Walsham it is not the most 'user friendly' place as the toilets were locked here many years ago and there isn't usually anywhere for rubbish. Ever hopeful of a change of heart we set off and arrived at the moorings and slipway which were closed ...

The only bin was a small one in the car park and it was jammed full already! Not looking good again! So with our rubbish and the two dogs we made our way back to the boat passing this lovely house ...

and having a look at this poor yacht ...

I have a website that I check which gives names for boats where I just have numbers but unfortunately this yacht B898 is not listed so I have no idea what she's called or her history. Back at our moorings we get ready to move off ...

and after a spin around both the outer and inner broads we leave South Walsham and head for Ludham Bridge ...

We moored up and had coffee followed by a trip to the shop where the boys bought us a joint birthday present. It is contemporary wall art called Yacht Race and we love it ...

We'd decided to lunch at the How Hill moorings and as we motored up the river the sun came out! After mooring we walked up to Toad Hole cottage which was actually open!

We've visited so many times and it has been shut but today we managed to go in and have a good look around. It's free to enter and it is a cute little house which was originally used by a Marshman and his family. On the 1851 census it was occupied by the marshman, his three daughters, three sons, a grandson and a visiting child! It must have been quite a squash!! Here are some photos from inside downstairs ...




and upstairs ...



When we left the cottage we walked the dogs up to How Hill House ...

and looked back to the river where we could see Neptune moored ...


After lunch we moved on hoping to moor at Irstead and we were lucky ...

There were some goslings on the grass from an early hatching ...

We'd seen plenty of birds sitting on nests but virtually no young. Phill and I went for a look in the church and then while we all had a cuppa we watched the activity on the river as a Scout group were canoeing and sailing up to Barton Broad ...


Then this fabulous old cruiser the Dawn Star came past ...

She's been converted to electric and she just glided silently by. We left here and after crossing Barton Broad, passing herons ...


and a swan sitting on a nest ...

we arrived at Neatishead ...

Hamish was quite comfortable and wasn't too thrilled at being asked to move ...

but we walked into the village and had a drink at the White Horse Inn ...

Then it was a short walk back to Neptune ...

to find some more boats had arrived ...