Have another!
Matt
A rapidly planned trip to Norfolk has just been completed. I decided to have a crack at the Norfolk coastal path last week. Training and preparation for this endeavour involved visiting Millets for a backpack tent, a training walk of 2 miles to the pub for a couple of real ale pints followed by a curry and bottle of Bangla at a local Indian.
Fully focussed, after a late night with a couple of glasses of Rioja lead to a train ride from Stortford at 5.55am, changing at Cambridge for Kings Lynn. From there, the coast hopper to Hunstanton meant I was on the strut by 9.00am. En route I had picked up 13 sp, inc many LBBG's and herring gulls over King's Lynn bus station. A kestrel had been observed from the train along with usual suspects.
From Hunstanton to Holme was the first leg. Sandwich terns called and a single common tern flew east. Yellowhammers requested bread but no cheese along the hedgerow by the golf course where the path runs adjacent to the driving range. I trundled on expecting a crack to the back of the head by some wayward Tiger Woods, but managed to make it to the life boat station unscathed and on to Holme golf course. Linnets were visible on top of the bushes and a whitethroat called from the brambles. At Holme I took the wrong direction, missing the acorn signpost and wandered 2 miles along the beach before meeting a deep channel that sent me back to the golf course and the correct track. However, the rewards for this error were 10,000 kinot on the beach along with ringed plover, avocet, curlew and turnstone in the lagoons with redshank calling and meadow pipits flickering around over head. A little egret lazed its way east as little terns sat on the sand bars. A great sight. By the time I reached the visitors centre at Holmne the sp total was up to 42.
From Holme to Titchwell was the next leg. Although the official path follows from Thornham up towards Choseley Farm, I deceided also to add a wander along the A149 and into the reserve. By the time I got to the visitors centre I had added more sp,( stock dove, grey wagtail, coot, skylark and reed warbler)
The vistors' centre were reticent to the point of a refusal when I inquired as to whether I could leave my rucksack there. It was bulky and an hour without it would have been bliss, but no. Apparently it might be an exploding rucksack, so off I wandered, in agreement with the staff but also wondering about certain things in the world today. However, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise as, after an hour on the reserve I walked along the beach to Brancaster only to come up against another channel. This was wadeable, thigh height, so I apologise if any readers witnessed a long haired rucksaked laden walker removing his trousers and ploughing through the water. Most refreshing on the feet this was too. Had I returned for my left sack I would have missed this.
This stretch of the walk gave up another 18 sp: the pick being superbly plumaged spotted redshanks, showing all phases of the moult, a single summer plumaged dunlin in with many golden plovers and black tailed godwits. Ruff appreared to be ubiquitous as a shoveler brough up the 50th bird.
The next section was Brancaster to Burnham Deepdale. A pleasant enough walk with much to see including Branodulunum. This was 1 of three Roman forts along the coast. A useful sign gave details. However, the first section that realised no new species of bird. A wall brown butterfly was my first for the year along with many sp of dragon and damselfly. My 1st migrant hawker of the year was spotted just before arriving at the mussel sheds.
From Burnham Deepdale the path headed out to sea en route to Burnham Overy Staith. A heavy duty walk that gave up sedge warbler, egyptian goose and dunnock. I found this section heavy going and was in need of a beer to spark me up again. Unbelievably, the Hero was still closed, and so back on the path, content with a tango and 99! From here it was out to Gun Hill, Holkham beach and Woods, into Wells Meals and out at the Quay in Wells. Not 1 species was added but a really good walk aided by a stop to stoke the pipe and muse awhile on why I have never seen Long eared owls in these woods. The expected spoonbill on the freshmarsh failed to show, as did the Little grebe on the lagoon just east of the George Washington hide. I stumbled into Wells with sore knees and bid a hast path stright to the Edinburgh for several pints of Hancock's and Woodfordes Wherry. Most refreshing.
From here it was along to Stiffkey, the final section for today, and, if the truth be told, probably 1 step too far. I added pheasant and red legged partridge. Another 3.75 miles got me through Warham Greens. This made the running total for the day at 26 miles. At the end I sought out the help of staff on the most chaotically run campsite I have ever been priveleged to be at. Great disorganisation, a real privelege to see it in action. I required 1 small pitch for my 1 man tent, charged £6 and sent off to a pitch that resembled the Somme on a bad day. Must have been a mole festival there the night before. The tent went up as I went down. Feet were sore so hobbled off to the Red Lion with map and pipe for several more Wherries. Fine ale it is too. I hit the tent around 10.30 and not having bothered with a sleeping bag put on a fleece only to wake form cold several times. A breakfast of bacon, sausages and beans with tea on my cooker improved things no end and a couple of Rothmans Royals soon had me raring to go. Overnight a tawny owl had called taking the running total to 71 for the journey.
Day 2 and the stretch to Cley, via Morston and Blakeney. I am familiar with this and so it passed quickly. An early common buzzard lifted the heart along with a marsh harrier and sparrow hawk. Upon arrival at Cley Reserve I had forgotten my membership card. A quick phone call from Shirley saw me into the hides where I added green and common sandpiper, common gull and bearded reedling. More superb ruffs and spot shanks were observed. Here I bumped into a local Hertfordshire birder from Amwell NR. We exchanged stories as birders do before I mounted the sea defences and took the worst section. 8 pesky miles along the shingle to Sheringham. One fulmar (late juv) was on show but otherwise another blank section. Off into the hills and down to Cromer added blue tit, rook, goldcrest and great spotted woodpecker. I eventually arrived at Cromer in the late afternoon having covered the days 21 miles in a reasonable time, if somewhat lame. Not so much that I had pulled a fetlock more because for the last 12 miles my left boot had slowly but nevertheless reassuringly disintegrated to the extent that my heel was on a piece of wood whilst the sole and ball of the foot were supported by a thin layer of rubber. This was penetrated by every flint that jagged out of the path. However, after a few pints I boarded the coast hopper back to Cley where I celebrated with a couple of Yetmans in The George, before heading back to Stiffkey and the tent. The evening was spent with ham and egg and more of the Woodfordes collection; namely 1 wherry, and 3 Nelsons Revenge. I slept well apart from the sound otf rapture coming from the next tent. Lucky so and so I thought until the following morning I welcomed my neighbours who introduced themselves as Ann and Louise. Explains the lack of a deep voice at any part in the previous evening's proceedings.
Tent packed and I headed off back to Blakeney to meet my partner who had driven up that morning. We set up our bigger tent at Manor Farm campsite just south of East Runton. Comes highly recommended.
A super walk, also recommended, giving up 85 species in all, which I shall add on an edit later. In all the walk totals 47 miles, but with a few detours to bird at Titchwell and Cley.
One recommendation from me would be for a bridge to be erected over the channel opposite Cley coastguards as it is sole destroying (no pun on the state of my now defunct, binned boots) to walk past only to have to head off into Cley, back out again and be 100 yards from where you had been an hour previously. My only gripe on two really exciting and fun days.
regards,
Jono
Brilliant stuff
Have another!
Matt
Great read,have a few more to perk you up