other thoughts: Aylsham

Sunday, 15 October 2023

A quiet morning

I've too much tendency when on holiday to want to be dashing around, seeing everything I can, and not actually relaxing. Since our really chilled out cabin stay back in April, I'm resolved to change this so the first morning of our break, instead of leaping in the car and heading out, we took a short walk from where we were staying.

Our AirBnB was situated on the northern edge of the Norfolk town of Aylsham, in an area known as Drabblegate. Online, and presumably at Tourist Offices, you can find a map for the 2.25 mile 'Drabblegate Circular Walk' but we took a shorter route - up Drabblegate itself, past interesting old houses and the river Bure, before turning east and heading back down Banningham Road, an unclassified lane, perhaps a mile and a half or so.

It was a gentle, peaceful walk. The day was dry and warm, though not sunny, the lanes were almost free from traffic, the countryside stretching on either side, hedgerows full of blackberries and ivy.

Back at our cottage, the sun decided to appear for a while so we lunched outside on our private patio overlooking the owners' garden, watching birds on the feeders and squirrels scampering across the lawn. At home I'd have been fidgeting, spotting a weed that needed pulling or a plant staking, but in someone else's garden it's easier to relax and take things easy - which is what holidays should be about.

Someday, when I feel fitter, I'll be back to walk the full Drabblegate Circular, or the walk which leads into Aylsham and back along the Weavers Way ...

Sunday, 8 October 2023

Off on holiday again!

It seems like ages since I went on holiday. On my last short break in June I walked too far and caused problems with my hips/legs so I though it best to take things easy for a while. Then it's either been too hot or too wet, or we've been too busy, or couldn't decide where to go.

But here we are at last, crossing the river Nene at Sutton Bridge, heading off to Norfolk for a few days. Technically Sutton is in Lincolnshire (the country line is a few more miles east) but there's something symbolic about crossing a river, and to me this is the gateway to Norfolk.

As we were heading east, we'd already stopped off at Belton House for lunch, and were hoping to reach Castle Rising before it shut - unfortunately a closing time of 6 actually meant no admissions after 5, and at 5.05 we weren't allowed in. As we weren't staying in the area we couldn't visit another day, but maybe some other time ...

Our base for the next couple of nights was a lovely AirBnB on the outskirts of Aylsham, with a small patio overlooking the owners' garden and the Weavers Way running past the door.

With only two nights there, we chose to spend the morning following a short circular walk along quiet lanes leading past the river Bure and into the nearby countryside, then have lunch in the garden before heading further afield..

That afternoon took us to Felbrigg Hall walled garden, then on to Overstrand with its cheerful beach huts.

The next day we wandered home along the north Norfolk coast under glorious blue skies stopping at Cley next the Sea, Blakeney, and Wells next the Sea.