Castle Rising

Norfolk isn't somewhere I'd immediately associate with castles and fortifications. With no necessity to defend against enemies, it's more a county of stately homes and rural retreats. There are, though, some to be found - 'humps and lumps' at Castle Acre, ruins at Baconsthorpe - of which I feel the best is Castle Rising.

The castle sits beside the village of the same name, not far from King's Lynn. From a distance it seems hidden, crouching behind the remains of encircling walls, now an earthen bank which can be walked round.

From the vantage point of the walls, the castle seems like a model, but up close its height is striking .

This wasn't a castle aimed at defense but something more akin to a country house/hunting lodge.

It's been well-preserved and restored, so you can walk up the grand staircase which visitors would have used - whether on business or pleasure.

The details on arches and doorways show this to have been a very fine residence indeed.

The floor of the main hall collapsed long ago but a corridor to its side allows you to explore.

And if you're more nimble than I am, you can go higher up a winding stairway. It's a place full of atmosphere, where it's easy to imagine past residents going about their lives.

 

Houghton Hall Walled Garden

Much as I love sea and sand, one of the reasons I'd gone to Norfolk this time was to visit Houghton Hall Walled Garden. We'd booked in advance and the weather wasn't at its best but we donned out waterproofs and went to explore. 

On paper, the garden seems quite small - a 5 acre plot - but once inside its walls, it appears to expand, Tardis-like, into a series of  'rooms'; some overflowing with flowers, some comparatively stark with rows of trees (though I'd imagine these could look quite different at blossom time or in autumn)

 I've taken so many photos that I can't share them all, but here are some of my favourites - the wonderful herbaceous borders tat run the full width of the garden, rows of neatly trimmed trees, lavender in the rose garden with lily bulbs growing through, calm pools of water, a fountain of flame, 

There were sections of productive garden too with plots of mixed blooms and veg, where leeks hid next to flowers, and red cabbages contrasted with pale nasturtiums (who says a veg patch can't look pretty?), and adjoining it a beautiful patch of flowers to encourage pollinators.

This is definitely somewhere I'd like to re-visit, preferably at a different time of year. A second flowering of the wisteria hinted at how gorgeous that must be earlier in the year, the apples, pears and cherries at blossom-time would be wonderful, and I'm sure there were the 'remnants' of flowering bulbs hidden among long grass. So, a place crossed off my must-visit list but one that I'll return to.
 

Thornham

Thornham coal barn is probably one of the most photographed features of the north Norfolk coastline, especially when seemingly cut off by a high tide. Despite that, as you may guess, it's one of those places I'd never visited before. Time to put that right

This was once a bustling quay with several buildingsbut now the old coal barn sits in a seemingly empty landscape of saltmarsh stretching almost but not quite as far as the eye can see. The village of Thornham lies a little further south, presumably on higher ground, safe from the tide.

There are a few boats still tied up nearby, though hidden at low tide by the creek's banks.

It's one of those strange, haunting yet beautiful places that can be found along so much of this stretch of coast. 

 

Old Hunstanton

 

Our first morning on holiday was wet. Wet, wet, wet. We walked a little way round Dersingham, then headed back to the cottage for a quick lunch, all the while keeping our fingers crossed for some sunshine. 

This must have worked as, by late afternoon when we headed down to the beach along flower-lined footpaths, the clouds had started to clear and sun begun to shine.

The last of the clouds cleared away leaving skies of glorious blue.

From the Cliff car park we headed north along the shingle towards Old Hunstanton. The sea meanwhile retreated towards Skegness on the opposite side of the Wash. I've been here many times but don't think I've ever seen such an expanse of sand.

We reached the Old Town Cafe in Old Hunstanton too late for cake but just in time for a cup of tea before closing. This is a lovely spot, once a private lifeboat house, situated next to the current lifeboat station just off the beach.

Old Hunstanton is one of those places that I've driven through but never stopped at, so we decided to have a walk around - past the Le Strange Arms hotel, calling in at the gallery/antiques centre opposite, up to the main road, and back via narrow village lanes.

Then with the sky remaining gloriously clear, it was time to laze a while in the dunes and watch the kite surfers out at sea.