Ormesby, Filby and Thurne

Another sunny day!  I made up a picnic lunch and with my map to hand set off to find Ormesby church.  It was right by the main road and thankfully there was a huge car park.  Hamish and I had a good wander around and then returned to the car.

A quick check at my map and I drove on to find Filby church which I eventually found after missing the little road that led to it.  I was hoping to find the name Shrimpling here but I was unlucky. 

I was now thinking about somewhere to stop for lunch and drove to the parking area at the far side of Filby bridge.  Unfortunately you couldn’t see any water from the car park and dogs were not allowed on the walk to Ormesby Little Broad …

I took a short walk to Filby bridge but it just took me back to the main road …

Plan B was needed and so I drove to Thurne Dyke, parked on the Staithe, took my chair and lunch and sat in brilliantly warm sunshine to enjoy my sandwich …

Hamish seemed to have spotted something but I’ve no idea what it was!

After eating I took my chair to the entrance of the dyke and sat in the sunshine watching the world go by.  It was so relaxing …

I had a look around the little shop ‘Ramblers’ and then called in to see Crocus on my way back to site …

Nick and Dave had been busy since my last visit. 

As I was leaving my phone rang and it was Sue Hines from the blog ‘Lady Louise’.  Each year she produces beautiful calendars and as she had been helping with the Barton Regatta she was calling in to the campsite to deliver mine today.  We’d followed each others blogs, messaged and emailed but had never met.  She joined us in the motor home and we had a lovely chat over a cuppa.  Thank you Sue for another brilliant calendar especially for March 2015 which features Sally!

Meet at How Hill

The EACC members were due to have a sail on Barton Broad before making for How Hill as a lunch stop.  There was very little wind this morning so at midday I got a text from Lisa to say they’d already arrived.  With my packed lunch and Hamish in the car we set off on the short drive to the car park.  It was a beautiful sunny day and there were plenty of people around.  When I reached the moorings it was full of River Cruisers!

We had lunch and a good chat with plenty of laughter.  When it was time for them to make their way home masts came down ready for Ludham Bridge except for Pixie who sailed away …

I was offered a trip on Sally but with my car parked at How Hill I thought it best to decline and save them having to return me to collect it.  Can’t wait to have Crocus on the water for events like this!

When I took Hamish for his evening walk I found Neptune moored at Ludham Staithe …

Autumn Cruise

As Crocus will be on the water next year our friends Steve and Lisa suggested that we join the East Anglian Cruising Club which we’ve duly done.  This weekend is the Autumn Cruise from St Benet’s Abbey moorings to Gay’s Staithe on the Saturday.  A booking has been made at the White Horse Inn, Neatishead and I’m going along to meet some new friends.  I popped up to Ludham Bridge at eleven o’clock and was just in time to see Sally and Barney moor up …

The weather forecast was dire for later today and as I sat in the RV I noticed that the sky was getting steadily blacker …

The heavens opened and it was still raining when I had to walk Hamish.  There was an amazing rainbow – so vibrant …

Hamish was looking pretty miserable on our return …

At 6.30pm I set off for Neatishead and spent a lovely evening with such a friendly and welcoming crowd of people.  Fingers crossed we may also have found a mooring for Crocus.

Off to Norfolk for an Autumn Break

The motor home left Cornwall for Bedfordshire at the end of the kids’ summer holiday and so I set off from home with Hamish in the Mini. After two nights in Luton three vehicles made their way across to the Norfolk Broads Caravan Club site which will be my base for the next three weeks. Jamie and Phill helped me set up camp and then they booked into the Travelodge at Acle. In the evening we went to the Wayford Bridge Hotel for a meal. It’s a place we normally like visiting but I doubt we’ll be eating there again. It’s been completely refurbished and quite frankly I wasn’t impressed. The walls were covered in shiny white tiles which made it look like a public toilet!! There was no link to the area ie the Broads as there were airplanes hanging from the ceiling! The food is now very expensive – it was okay but nothing spectacular. The best part of the evening was meeting up with our friends Steve and Lisa who were accompanied by Steve’s son and his girlfriend. We sat in the lounge and had a lovely long catch-up on news. It was quite foggy in places as the boys dropped me back at the site.

Thurne Dyke to Potter Heigham

It was overcast and windy this morning and we ran the engine to have some heating. 

I’d noticed Broad Ambition moored in the dyke …

We had a couple of visitors step on board and a little family came on the beg …

We left the shelter of the dyke and found a yacht well reefed in the wind …

After passing our old friend Capri we shot Acle bridge and moored at the Bridge Hotel for coffee …

We left Acle and headed for Stokesby where the sun came out …

After lunch we motored off and went to Womack Water …

We had a cuppa and popped into the shop …

It was soon time to leave and make our way back to the yard at Herbert Woods …

After mooring in the basin we went to Lathams to shop!  Then while walking the dogs we spotted Steve who was walking up to Sally’s mooring so we tagged along.  He was collecting Sally and bringing her below the bridges ready for Lisa to join him and sail down to EACC moorings …