Where are they all?

Has anyone else noticed that when you zoom in on Google Earth the picture deteriorates? All to do with privacy no doubt but when one is looking to see if a car park is suitable for a motorhome it can be most frustrating. Because we were off to see the Seals (a booking made for 10.15am) and because we had no idea if the car park at Morston Quay could accommodate the Beast, we got up at some silly o'clock, had a cup of tea and then headed for Morston. Well, we needn't have stressed as the car park was huge and added bonus, it was owned by NT so as members we didn't have to pay. The car park Pay machine has a scanning point for NT members cards, brilliant and very easy to use if.....and I say if....we had remembered to bring the cards with us! So until the information centre opened we could do no more than hope they would believe us and issue a free ticket.

A second welcome cup of tea and breakfast at 8am and then a walk to see what was around. Tide was most definitely out and we wondered how it would be high enough at 10am to take the trip.  But narrow creeks funnel the water in and sure enough at the allotted time we were met by helmsman Mike and taken to the boat. How surprised were we when we found out we were the only two in a boat that usually carriers around 20 people. The later trip at 11.30 had been full.

Top at 8am  Bottom 11am

Mike helmsman of Ptarmigan

 Grey and Common seals were seen at Blakeney Point but what was very worrying was the lack of numbers. Normally the population stretches all along the shoreline but this year/ for some reason, the breeding females didn't appear. So all we saw was these few on one small stretch of beach.

Worrying the lack of numbers

On our return, we headed for Sheringham Park. Another NT property but no viewing of the house, unfortunately. The grounds were extensive, found out afterwards that the walk we did around the perimeter was over 4 miles. Great views of the Weybourne Station about half way around and if we had bothered to wait for 30 minutes, would have seen the steam loco go by. Never mind, we have once again made a quick decision and are making the Sheringham to Holt Poppy line trip tomorrow.

 Found another wild camping spot at a place called Pretty Corner. Carpark with woods either side and as rural as one can get. Could there be foxes around? Now, wouldn't that be a turn up for the books?

Lots of wildlife today

Oyster Catcher and chick

Hmmm. Can't read obviously!

Dive bombed by a Tern

What a lovely day to spend by the sea. That's what we both thought this morning so we drove the three miles to a small village, Cley Next the Sea. (why a 'to' wasn't included in the name is anyone's guess.) Anyway we had decided to have a lazy day, "Relaxing on the beach" said Ian. Sun was out and the day promised to be a good 'un. Drove along more narrow lanes until we reached Cley. What a nightmare that turned out to be. Parked cars, buses, pedestrians, cyclist, well it couldn't get more challenging in manoeuvring the Beast along all the bends. Eventually, we managed to get back onto a wider road and found the sign to the car park near Blakeney Point which, so we had been told, was a good place to see the Seals. Hmmm, 'spoke' and 'wheels' came to mind 'cos our chance was scuppered by the Little Terns which happened to be nesting all along the spit and right out to the point, Barriers were in place to stop the public from disturbing the nesting sites. And even if we could have gone to see the Seals, the distance from the car park to Blakeney Point was a good 4-mile walk! The wind was also an issue, bit chilly, so not really sunbathing weather. But undeterred we still decided to see how far we could get before the barriers would stop us in our tracks.

The beach was made up of stones, shingle, pebbles with very little sand. Walking on that was like leg exercises in the gym. And then we had another workout! Stooping, sidestepping and dodging as we tried to duck the onslaught of those Terns. They were not happy about us being there!

That's one of the Terns top left of the photo just before it dived toward Ian.

 After a good hours walk, we turned back. My Fitbit watch showed I had done 5000+ steps. That's over 2 miles and we still had the journey back to do. So much for the relaxing day on the beach! Returning to the Beast, oh how welcome was that. But we had to move as the car park had no overnight parking, so we drove to a huge shingle layby about 1/2 mile back along the lane. This will do nicely for tonight and seeing the Seals are also on the cards as we have found a boat trip that is due to leave tomorrow at 10.15am for Blakeney Point.

And wildlife today,

Black-headed Gull

 Tern

Plover

?

Small Tortishell

GateKeeper

Marsh Harrier

Crikey thought we stopped in a shipping lane

Now that was an unexpected turn up for the books. So there we were, having motored East toward Lincolnshire, called in for a fab lunch with Margaret and Dennis at Sleaford and then found a park4night site right next to the tidal River Nene, a mile from the Sutton road swing bridge. at a place called Walpole Marsh. The water was racing toward the Wash and river levels were dropping fast. I went for the usual explore in pursuit of all things wild, came back in time to notice the tide had changed and was now racing upstream.  Tea was eaten and we had settled down to an evening with Netflix and The Hunger Games when all of a sudden I spied a mast travelling past to the Beasts window. A loud expletive from me followed by a rapid 'grab the camera' and in time to see a container ship speeding upstream heading toward Wisbeach.

North West Main Drain

 Not every day one sees that! According to Ian, it returned on the ebbing tide around 10.45pm. I was long in the world of nod by then!

Back to today. The destination was Walsingham, a small village next to the Wells to Walsingham steam railway line. Margaret had mentioned how lovely it was and indeed we were pleasantly surprised to find it more than exceeded expectations. It took us a while though to get there because we became caught up in a cycle race not long after turning onto the Cromer road. Mile upon mile of speeding bikers all trying to overtake each other, without regard to traffic coming up from behind. After a good thirty minutes, they eventually turned right off the B road much to our initial delight. 5 minutes later and we also turned right at the sign for Walsingham and we were just congratulating ourselves on finally getting a bit of speed up, when a man with a mobile stop sign came into view. On red we had to stop and what was the reason for our stop? Those blasted road bikes had taken a short cut and we were once again stuck behind them!

Walsingham was every bit as lovely as Margaret had mentioned. This village is noted for the timber-framed buildings and also holds a unique place in history as a pilgrimage site in medieval England,  £5 paid to visit Walsingham Abbey Grounds which we thought very reasonable considering what is there and then after the visit we were handed the keys to Bridwell prison! The only two to step through the door it felt eerie, dark and depressing and not somewhere to hang about in. I nearly jumped out of my skin when something banged nearby and gave a small scream and then Ian,   behind one of the cell doors, admitted it was him all along!

Above is the only part of the original Priory that was left standing.

Bridwell Prison

The punishment was the Dark Cell

Time was getting on so we drove toward Blakeney. An NT nature reserve which we hoped to spend the rest of the afternoon wandering around. But it was so very busy we decided to call it a day and find somewhere to stop. A lovely farm campsite was found with all amenities and with the afternoon sun still very warm, the awning was put up, chairs and table got out and drinks poured. Loverrrly.

 

Goodness knows where the sat nav was taking us? Not long after this the road almost became a dirt track!

On my walk

Cinnabar moth caterpillar

This could be a Marsh Orchid but not 100% sure.

The wait is over.

And we are 'almost' off at last. Yep the NHS may have grabbed us back in April but they couldn't keep us here forever. We were finally free to leave Langley Mill but had strict instructions to return November time. So the plan is to take the Beast back to Norfolk and continue where we left off before then jetting off to Poland toward the end of this month.

So what have we been doing for nearly 3 months? Well, we've not been idle. Tethered to our moorings gave us the opportunity to continue with the painting. Handrails had a makeover and are now sporting a nice shade of red. Two top box lids made by Ian's fair hand to replace the old, Solar panels put back on, the dodgy hopper windows (which had leaked like a sieve) taken out and resealed and I rubbed down and painted the well deck floor in a nice colour of terracotta.

And then there was the excitment and continuing saga of the huge log. Completely waterlogged now it had disappeared beneath the waves and only a rope around its girth, which had been attached to a branch overhanging the basin, showed where the thing was.  But trying to get it out and then placing it on dry land, well that was another matter!. The Case, driven by JB, was the chosen means of removal and all was going well until the trunk upended, shook off the rope and, with a mighty splash, disappeared from view once more. There was a lot of head-scratching and 'now what' before finally deciding on a grappling hook to drag it to the surface and boat hook to feed another rope around the trunk and then, with a lot of 'heave too', fingers crossing and straps reattached to the Cases forks, successfully got the trunk onto dry land.

First attempt

Second attempt

I have also been out with the camera again. Found this Bee Orchid in a nearby field.

And mum Grey Wagtail was busy feeding its chick.

The Male Bullfinch returned and treated his lady to a slap-up meal at the bird feeder.

And this moth paid us a visit. Huge beastie but I have no idea what type it was. ( Thanks to Paul I now know this to be a "Old Lady")

Dragonflies darted too and fro in the basin. Correct me if I'm wrong but could this be the Emporer Dragonfly? The female was busy laying eggs.