NORTH NORFOLK COASTAL PATH DAY 2 (Nearly)

Fri 20th Sep 2013 Well-Next-The Sea to Sheringham

Distant Places of the Heart - Jack Bruce & Robin Trower 

I woke early on day 2. We all woke early.
Actually, we all woke repeatedly, most of the night due to the nasal tympani of the man in the lower bunk who as far as we could hear had inhaled an entire menagerie of wildlife.

There were 2 possibilities by 6.00 am.

1. Get up, have a pee, and go to the kitchen. Have breakfast and a chat and then all pack up and head off.

2. Suffocate the fucker and then for good measure kick the shit out of the lifeless corpse. Just for personal gratification. Then be arrested and serve a minimum of 12 years, probably longer

As much as the latter appealed, and trust me it did, we all chose for the former, and went to the kitchen, made a brew and planned our days.
Andy's feet were very unhappy little bunnies, and add to the that, that his hips were extremely sore after carrying the world (about 40lb) on his shoulders, he had decided to stay an extra day.
His wife and son were coming to keep him company.
And he had hired a family room, to save the snoring and the potential of a long prison sentence.

I went up to the room and packed my stuff making as much noise as was possible. The bastard didn't even stir, just snuffled away in his nasal oblivion, and sounded like a warthog.

I left.

Said au-revoir to Andy with a man hug, and wished him well.

Then I set off through the shortcut by the church to the road, then up to the harbour and along to the right to pick up the path out to Warham Greens, that runs along the edge of the marsh that stretches all the way to the sea.

There is a staggering amount of wildlife along this stretch, and a decent lens to get close up, plus some binoculars are very useful if you you are a fan of bird life.

I had a 50 - 250 lens and a monocular.

If I went again I would look to taking a 200 - 600 zoom.

Of course that would mean buying one, since I don't own one, and the only lens I do have is a very very old Pentax 500 non zoom lens that is so large it could have fallen out of the cliff face at Naverone.

Any way none of this will get the days story told.
So I headed along the path.
Not much to say here.
Lovely vies across the marsh out to sea. Huge numbers of assorted birds.

About 3/4 of a km along, the path crosses what appears to be water.

It is water.

You are NOT crossing it.

I followed the path in and round through some rough grass, and then back out.

This was NOT the only time that this was going to happen today.

It is a pity, that the only thing that spoils the view is the sight of what is at least 60+ wind turbine thingies saving the planet (as if).
Or maybe just making the company and shareholders rich with the subsidies that they have been given out of our pockets to build the inefficient and ugly monstrosities under some misguided EU dictate that we have been dumb enough to adhere to because of the misinformation our politicians appeared to be working under, far out to sea.

Still, better out there than all over the fucking land.

(sorry about that little rant. You listenin' ED?)

I carried along slowly across to Stiffkey, and then along the Stiffkey greens.
I met a coupe who were walking a dog who said it was very wet underfoot. So I was expecting wet feet and 6 inch deep water.

Never happened.

I am not sure what their view of wet underfoot was.

Obviously that have never walked in the Monadhliath or the Balmaccans.

Pipe running out to sea

 

The superb green track that runs across stiffkey greens.
A bit like a Wade road

Between Stiffkey Greens and Morston, there is a raised causeway that cuts off the small lake. There are also many small and large boats.

Personal choice , I loved it.
Especially the swans walking across the mud flats

Approaching the small lake at about TF 98 44

Birds on the Lake off to the right of the path

As the raised path leave the lake to the right it goes round the inlet from the sea

You can see the Swans walking across the mud flats behind the boat

Looking across toward Pitts Point

I carried on towards Morston where there is a small cafe, and I stopped for a sit down and a cup of cappuccino, and a short chat with a chap running the information centre.

View from the Cafe

Then slightly, but NOT totally refreshed I headed off along the new track towards Brancaster.

You can just see Brancaster in the distance

It was a short walk into Brancaster, although the path does meander a bit near the end. Brancaster appeared to have been taken over by old people. Yeah, ok, I am heading towards OLD people, but these were people who as an average had become resigned to old. Even the ones who weren't old had an old air about them. You know the sort. 40 somethings going on 70.

The Windmill at Brancaster

At Brancaster the path goes out round to Blakeney Eye and then back almost to Cley.

This path was absolutely full of people bimbling.
Big groups of meandering bimbling people.
Far too many people to have a nice walk.
So, instead I carried on, and followed the path to Wiveton Hall, where they have a rather fine fruit farm and also a nice coffee shop.

Thus instead of walking, I cut off 3 km and had a pot of tea in a dainty little teapot.

Ok, and a pretty little chipped mug. I didn't complain, it was a nice cup of tea.
The sun was out, and I was able to listen to the foursome opposite, waxing lyrical about the problems they were having in renting out their holiday cottage, and all the dreadful things that can go wrong, and on and on etc etc etc.

Fucking rich townie types that come out, buy up a cottage, rent it out, pollute the countryside and then piss off back to Londinium or wherever they are from.

Well, if that last little rant doesn't piss someone off, then nothing will.

So, where was I?

Oh yeah, I ad me cuppa cha din I an eaded orf ta da road init guvvner an I took the track by the 'all. 

Half way down it I noticed a sign that said Private Road.

Bit late now, I carried on walking.
It mentioned something about dangerous exit, so I assumed it was for cars I came out onto the road and then headed into Cley, passing over the small bridge and then round to the Windmill.

This bit is not very well marked, although it is fine if you have a map.
If you so miss it, you can always follow the road that goes all the way out to Cley Eye anyway.

The shingle beach.

At the start of the beach I turned right and headed along the shingle towards Salthouse and then Weybourne

I had been warned about this stretch.
I had been told it was hard going on this very very loose and sinky shingle

It wasn't hard going.

It was FUCKING DREADFUL GOING

This bit has fabulous views to both sides.

On your right there are excellent marshlands full of bird life.
On your left views out to see.

But underfoot it is a bastard.

At times the path hardens (a bit) where it has been walked, but you still keep arriving on more shifting loose shingle.
The problem being that it moves about and sinks when you step on it.
Then shifts when you push off.

It is just bloody hard work.

AND THE LAST THING ON EARTH MY KNEE NEEDED

But, it had to be done so I carried on

Lovely views out to sea

Apart from rows and rows of these bastard things

And lovely views onto the marshes

AND IN BOTH DIRECTIONS THERE IS

Back

Forwards

YEP. BLOODY SHINGLE!

It is a mighty long way to Weybourne, and I found myself looking for any alternative path to this shifting stone.

I was even sidetracked by driftwood

And anything I could photograph

Wetlands off to the right

Eventually the shingle started to ease (a bit), and I approached the MOD station at The Quag.

Just before here I dropped of the damned shingle.

There was a path.

It was hard and dry

And a bit further on

FLOODED

Deep Joy :-((

Guns at The Quag

Then suddenly the Shale was gone.

I started to ascend as we got to Weybourne and then followed the cliff edge.

Much easier going now.

Unfortunately my swollen and now very sore shingle battered left knee was giving me a fair bit of complaint.

I had intended to have a stop at Sheringham and then head on to Cromer.

Common sense said stop at Sheringham and get the train.

Do Cromer another day

As shit as I am at making the sensible decision when it comes to injury and recovery, I made my mind up to do just that.

Looking down to the sea on the way to Sheringham

So I carried on at still a goodly pace, but nurturing as much as I could my knee.

Now, let me tell you how I did this in case you missed it.

About 6 weeks ago I had cycled into Cambridge.

Nothing big, I had to go to the bank, and driving in Cambridge is an absolute arse.

Whilst there, the heavens opened and then it stopped.

I headed back.

Until the corner.

The corner where 6 things conspired against me.

BIG TIME!!!!!!

The Wet Road

The Corner

The excessive speed I was doing

The greasy diesel on the road

Slick Tyres

GRAVITY

This is a pretty bad combination.

My bike went RIGHT

I went UP

Then DOWN

Point of impact LEFT KNEE

That was already the dodgy knee

Already had a cartilage Op

Then the right rib cage

Then the chin

OUCH

NO! BIG FUCKING OUCH

I was 'ARD.

I got up

I cycled to my In-Laws

I iced the knee

I cycled home

The next morning

DEEP SHIT!

So there it was, 6 weeks later.

Ribs better

Chin better

Knee back to normal colour, but still has a mini water bed rolling around on it.

And between then and now I had cycled the Peddars Way with Harriet.

OK, with Hindsight !!!!

Too late now, I was near Deadmans Hill (appropriate Eh), and only about 3  km from Sheringham

I carried on and just admired the great vies along the cliffs

And had a mild titter at the quality of the Golf on the links course to the right.

Actually quite a nice and beautifully maintained course.

But some of the golf shots were pretty horrid.

And yes, it is not that easy to play

And I did used to play off a 4 handicap so I know.

Time for some final pictures of the run into Sheringham

This is the sign that a friend of a friend said.
Where on Earth is Unstable?

And the rest are the cliffs on the run into Sheringham

Looking back

Also looking back
Sea to right (obviously)
Golf Course to the left

Looking back from just before the Lookout station
which is the highest point

Final view before descending into town

I headed down into the town.

It was the 40's weekend in town, a major annual event, and many shops had been converted into 1940's frontage.

Lots of people were dressed in 40's clothing.

Music was playing

I was almost tempted to stay and watch, but I had nowhere booked, and the was going to be absolutely nowhere in Sheringham this weekend.

I headed to the station.

Do not get the wrong station, there are 2.

Ones goes West and is an old steam locomotive

The other is the terminus for the normal rail line that heads to Cromer and then Norwich where it stops before going on to Lowestoft.

Nearly there

I made my way to the station, where I waited for the train.

There is no ticket office here, or machine.

Don't look.

If you haven't pre-booked, then get your ticket on the train.

OR....

Walk to Cromer.

I got on the train, and headed home

It had been an excellent 2 days.

Maybe doing it in 3 would be easier, and with hindsight, I would have more easily done the lot.

Having said that, if my knee had been ok, I would have done it in 2 easily.

So to sum up.

I loved this path.

Brilliant view and lots of nature

Personally I would thoroughly recommend it.

Take binoculars.

Take a good camera.

Take your time

And enjoy it.

Norfolk was excellent.

Defo going back to do more.

Another  ................................

ME