Norfolk

Well, the sun is shining here, the wind sort of southerly and it should be a nice weekend - but you'll need your thermals!

The pink foot geese and other winter visitors are arriving and the colours in the woods at Sheringham Park are excellent.

Enjoy your stay.

Oh, and this is the last weekend Blickling and Felbrig National Trust houses are open.

I vividly remember one of my DDs going on the train for an interview at Norwich University many years ago. She was born here on the Welsh borders - definitely hill country - and when she came back she said the uni was fine, but she could not possibly live in Norfolk as it is "Flat, flat,flat!" She felt quite creepy without the sheltering hills - I was staggered by the vehemence of her reaction.

I recall it as having a beauty and atmosphere of its own - but definitely very different indeed to here.

I was at Holkham Hall for a charity walk a month ago and, thankfully, the weather was lovely, walking through the estate to Wells and back. I guess it will be colder now, and Norfolk always seems colder than elsewhere. I was born in Norfolk so I do speak with some experience. Holkham Hall is worth a visit and Norwich has a lot to offer. Mundesley has a website www.mundesley.org/ although not sure how far it goes.

I think Holkham is shut now apart from Christmas weekends. Most of Norfolk shuts in the winter - too cold! The wind here is a lazy wind so Wells is good for walks as you can walk the beach with the wind behind you and take to the pinewoods to avoid walking against it.

We do have hills Mishap, just not very high ones!

Enjoy your break Celebgran, I love Norfolk, especially around Wells, never been to Mundesley, but our son and his family liked it there.

Norfolk has lovely countryside. I lived for thirty years in Mid-Wales but love the villages in Norfolk and the wooded areas. Of course, the skies are magical. Spent a few days there last month.

Keep off the beach at wells E and I had to be "helped" from the beach as we got stuck in the quicksand with the tide coming in very fast....imagine two lone figures one small and one smaller both in large wellies ...both stuck the larger of the small people shouting help help and waving an umbrella and sinking fast,the smaller of the figures flapping and panicking and the world and his dog passing bye and looking,a very sensible person ran to get the coastguard,an even better idea was had by the hero that pulled E out and carried her to safety,and then came back for me...leaving my new wellies embedded in the boggy sand..and then the walk of shame back to the car bare footed in the p*****g rain with umbrella held aloft....never again will I walk on golden sands...

I must have been very lucky then Nellie, must have missed the quicksand bit. Won`t tempt fate again though, but will still go to Wells, I so like it there.

So do I number have you been on the drinks and Dutch food boat called the albatross on a Sunday afternoon,the have a two man ensemble called the quaysides who play soft folk and sort of sea going shanty type stuff...very good with wine and alchoholxxx

Oh Smoluski you're not alone, it happens quite often although fatalities are thankfully rare. We've nearly been stranded on the big marram dune when the sea has nipped in behind us and got smothered in black mud squelching our way back. How the lovely yellow sands turn into black gooey mud is a mystery.

I love Norfolk; been many times and always enjoyed it. Wonderful bird watching on the marshes. The last time we were there was our fortieth anniversary. We rented a cottage at Salthouse and there was a sort of shack up the road which served the most wonderful fish and shellfish - very rustic but you had to fight for a table. People would come for miles to eat there. The people in the pub opposite were trying to get them shut down for various ridiculous trumped up reasons. The worse case of sour grapes I ever saw (the pub food was awful). I hope they survived. There is also a fantastic deli at Cley. I have a watercolour of Blakeney creek hanging over my fireplace - just boats and the big, big Norfolk sky! Wonderful.

That is why I love living in Norfolk(artygran you put it so well) it maybe cold and windy but we are all so healthy and the big wide skies with all the geese in formation flying at the moment are a sight to behold.
Cookies is the Salthouse shack and very quaint but the fish is certainly wonderful, and fun if you go with a group of friends.you can BYOG.
Hopefully we will be having another lunch together in this area soon.

NfkDumpling Thanks for putting me right on Holkham Hall opening times. I should have checked. I hope Norwich is still open - although when I went last year, the cathedral nave was closed to visitors because a film company had been filming there. It had to be done to help pay for the cathedral's electrical update.

If it's not too late, Sandringham is open but only until Sunday [4 November].

PS: I agree that some North Norfolk beaches can be dangerous. I also agree that Norfolk is very flat. My wife-to-be also called it 'primeaval' when I first took up the A12 to Norfolk. Mind you, that was just after Boudicca left

PPS: Come you on together. Let's be having you. Good old Delia!

When we lived in Norfolk we used to go for a walk in Sandringham country park. There were a lot of Spanish chestnut trees and we took delight in making our chestnut stuffing from 'the Queen's chestnuts'.

E has discovered a new activity, crabbing..it is the thing to do in wells,funnily enough a child hard to please enjoys this simple pleasure...I believe this has been the request for today's amusement....plus she likes the chips from French's who claim to make their chips and fish 89% fat free,they are delicious and I believe the claim is true as I cannot eat the batter from fish as it upsets my stomach ..this didn't it was yummy...

thank you ladies!! we shall not stray far as weekend is full board and the evening entertainment should be good, so may venture to walk into village but not time to explore much, we know the area pretty well.

all packed and off we go!! Just take Rosie to dear neighbour.

celebran - Have a good time! 'thank you ladies!!' Hmmm, maybe I should write something a little more butch next time.

back home, was very good value and fun weekend!! we enjoyed trip into Cromer on Sat I managed to forget couple essentials like my mascara! huge bag full make up but none of that mmmm and OH forgot his after shave so we had little shop in Boots for the discount due to OH being pharmacist there.

I have manged to come home with sore throat and cold, but did not start til last night woke up in night with throat sore, so did not spoil weekend!!

is very cold now!!
Cabarets were very good, they have 2 young ballet dancers who dance to singer very enjoyable on fri, and last night comedians very good.

did quite bit dancing too!! will have weigh in tom. only disapointment swim pool closed due to boiler problem.

Smoloski , crabbing , what can I say , our two imps were here about 10days ago . We went crabbing at Old Felixstowe and joy of joys caught 53 , couldn"t believe it .

They live in Bournville , so seaside is just the best thing for them , mind u have to keep an eye on Grandad as he can get a bit carried away .

Still boys will be boys .

We didn't do very well this time nonu E got cold said it was like fishing boring .....we had chips and came home ..game over...our best was a bucketful,didn't count but the car now stinks of fish as they dint rinse out the bucket which is still in the boot [phewee. Emoticon]

Yeah , get your point S. chips are the best thing at seaside .

A friend of ours had a cottage at Wells , it is a pretty place , mind u haven"t been there for years . Too busy dashing off to to the U.S. Still we have to see what the colonies are up to !! LOL

Wells is lovely nonu but only been in Norfolk for 4 years and still discovering just how lovely it is....