Norfolk

It has been decades (ie pre blog 2009) since we visited Norfolk. We set up at a site on the broads near Ludham Bridge. Our first visit was to Holkham Hall. The colour of the rather dull external architecture blended well with the grass which was going through its third heatwave in a few weeks. 

However, the external is in stark contrast to the internal environment where lavish finishes and colour abound. The grandeur starts with the entrance hall which has borrowed some Italian designs. The stonework though is not Italian marble, but pink and grey English alabaster sourced from Staffordshire and Derbyshire.

An early attraction was this unusual extending round dining table which was invented by Robert Jupe in 1835. It is a masterpiece of Victorian engineering. The table is expanded using a hand operated mechanism and then the resulting gaps are infilled with leaves. The result is a range of settings from intimate to spacious, but you would need a large room (and some £90,000)!

The 18^th C wall coverings to the red room were red velvet and crimson silk damask. Some worn areas had been meticulously repaired by hand. The two settees were not just worn but in many places threadbare. However, the owner had decreed they were not to be repaired so visitors could appreciate how much they had been used (and were presumably rather comfortable).

Meanwhile the royal suite was lavish and remarkably well preserved. Fortunately, the lack of use and as a result drapes being closed has substantially reduced sunlight damage. The windows in all rooms now have a fine mesh covering to keep light levels low and reduce damage.

An exception was the kitchen which was well lit. The pulleys, rods and chains surrounding the fire were imaginative. A large weight was pulled up and then gravity slowly drove the mechanism (much like a grandfather clock) and ensured fowl and sheep/beef slowly turned and cooked in their own juices and did not burn. 

I would have thought venison would also be part of the menu. Mind you these seem to be cooking all on their own in the heatwave conditions…

Holkham Hall adjoins Wells-next-the-sea. The town is colourful and very active, not least due to the 2km (1 mile) walk to get out to the sea! 

Here is a large tidal range with many signs warning not to get caught by swift incoming tides. They clearly get quite high as the stilt construction of the beach houses attest.

In a free paper we spotted an interesting three-part trip on the Southern broads comprising, a walk, pub lunch and boat trip.

On the walk we had an unusual encounter. This little pony was suffering the equivalent of diabetes and the resulting bloated tummy meant daily walks were required.

The picturesque Lock Inn was at the end of a one km gravel road (even the car park was a trek). It is a community owned pub with shares still available.

After a sausage roll and shandy we headed for the “Big Dog Ferry”. Here this electrically powered boat took us back on a peaceful glide down the river Waveney to our start point in Beccles. 

Beccles is a colourful town where flint is a common building material used to great effect but few were as eye catching as this house.

The church at the top of the hill is visible for miles but unusually (and certainly not appreciated from this view) the tower is separate to the church.

Norfolk has two river systems The Northern broads arrive at the sea at Great Yarmouth and the Southern broads at Lowestoft. The “Broads“ were formed through the removal of peat (for fire) hence the rivers were widened (or in this case broadened). There are over 60 broads and some form quite large lakes. Below the peat there was sand and gravel which was also removed but the whole system remains very shallow.

The result – some very beautiful country and for the well-heeled prime location houses. We took a trip on a “paddle steamer” out of Wroxham. Here are two examples if you have a few million in change.

This was George Formby’s house which judging by its size was probably the precipitator of “When I’m cleaning windows”.

Of course sailing has unique challenges as the waterways are narrow and shallow so no large keels and the banks seemed to play a significant role in steering!

There are also some historical boats called Wherrys. There are only a half dozen now in use. This is Solace which was built in 1903 and is part of the National Historic fleet. It has white sails and hence is a pleasure boat.

By comparison Albion (1898) was a trading boat taking goods from the seaport inland. It is some 60ft in length, constructed in oak and as a working boat has a black sail.

After a bit of emailing, we were allowed to go on board at the end of a days outing. She is a heavy boat to manoeuvre!

Although we had left our enquiry too late to go on a trip we did get to see the mast being lowered. It is made of pine and is a carefully balanced arrangement. 

It has a simple pin arrangement (at the top of this picture) with counterweights below.

As part of our day trip we were also saw a WW2 vessel. This is a Whaleback MASB (Motor Anti-Submarine Boat) S32. After being submerged for some 20 years she is now undergoing a major restoration. She was originally a high-speed launch built in 1939, and used for Air Sea Rescue missions to save ditched bomber aircrew. 

Our use of the caravan was restricted to a short two weeks so packing and cleaning were the goals on out last day. Once the chores were finished we decided on a quick visit to a nearby RAF radar museum. This is in the middle of nowhere and what quickly became clear was that the 1.5 hours we had allowed was not nearly enough. There was so much to see. We had a fascinating talk in the ops room given by someone who was part of the cold war team.

This was leading edge technology in its day. Tracking planes using radar also required an operations room where planes were plotted and decisions made as to where interceptions should occur.

There was even the opportunity to sit in a Jaguar fighter with a heads up display, however there was not the time for me to squeeze into the cockpit let alone the considerable time I would have needed to extricate myself!

 

Hereford and surrounds

Our 2026 Northern hemisphere trip started on a site a few minutes from where the caravan is stored as Steve & Jilly had rented an Air B&B near Ross on Wye. Despite the van being stored here for 18 years we had never visited Hereford. It is a pituresque city with a fascinating cathedral. It abounds with fascinating craftsmanship.

Work on replacing some of the stonework was underway with this capital already two weeks into the making and several more to go. But just as craftworthy was the work area wooden fence with its wooden nails.

Inside there was some of the most detailed stain glass windows imaginable – and in three distinct styles.

These two were to one side of the lady’s chapel.

Next on the craftsmanship front was this mobile organ. It was built so that its console is at the same level as the platform for an annual three choirs festival. It looks like a tight fit moving it between columns.

The main organ was built in 1892 although it has gone through a few refurbishments. How the large pipes operated was challenge enough never mind who had imagined their initial build. 

However, the cathedral has two extraordinary pieces of history. The first is a chained library. It seems theft has been around for some time – well at least from the early 17^th century.  The only way to read these magnificent volumes was to sit at the adjoining bench as the book is chained to its shelf. 

The second unique exhibit is the Mappa Mundi, a 13^thC interpretation of the world. Not only does this have most countries (all centred around Jerusalem) it also includes 500 or so drawings including around 420 cities and towns, 15 Biblical events, 33 plants, animals, birds and strange creatures, 32 images of the peoples of the world and 8 pictures from classical mythology.

All on a piece of velum (calf skin) and about 1.5 by 1.3 metres.

The detail is extraordinary. It must have taken months/years of painstaking work.

In the heart of the city is a wonderful Jacobean building aptly named “The Old House”. It dates back to 1621 and had some interesting displays including dress up clothes. 

This plaque gave rise to some laughter. (The lawyer is doing the milking…)

Hereford was a wonderful sedentary day catching up on news, so the next day Helen and I opted for the Brian Hatton Trail - an 8 km (5 mile) Heritage walk. This is towards the West of Heriford and runs parallel to and North of the Wye Valley. Hatton (1887 – 1916) is Hereford’s most celebrated artist and many of the views were later versions of his landscapes. This is clearly one that needed (and was) painted.

The apple orchards did not cover as much land as they do now – but with Westons round the corner (of which more shortly) there is clearly a growing demand for apples.

Of course what sort of country walk would it be without curious cows to give Helen a suitable scare…..

The summer to date had been pretty hot (for UK) and although the heat haze reduced clarity the views of the Valley were still wonderous (a time for stopping and staring).

All of which put us in a thirsty frame of mind for the following day’s visit to Westons cider brewery. 45,000 Tonnes of apples are crushed between September and November. This is the hopper where the trucks end tip the apples.

Once crushed of course all that juice needs to ferment somewhere and that involves some enormous vats. This is one of the older ones but at 30,000 gallons is still small compared to one double its size that can just be glimpsed on the left hand edge.

After the tour our thirst was finally quenched with a six glass (they weren’t full!) tasting.

And, in order to get on top of the alcohol, A good lunch was needed…Michael (Jilly’s brother) and wife Sue joined us for the tour.

The following day we all went to the Morgan factory. Although I had been in 2015 it was a first for the others. I also fancied a revisit. They are beautiful cars…

Helen asked the inevitable question about going electric. Morgan has made them but demand proved negligible and as all cars are made to order, none were being made during our visit. This one featured in the museum.

By contrast this is the latest development. It is so new it has not been given a model name. We had to stick to the "yellow path" so could not view the front but the back at least is certainly different.

Our visit was on a Saturday, even so some workers were in. It certainly is a dedicated workforce. Here the leather was being applied to a glove compartment door.

The ash super structure continues to be hand made with laminated sheets making the rear arch extremely strong and safer than conventional metal. (It is more elastic.)

While the aluminium frame means rust is not an issue. Look closely and you can start to appreciate the amount of hand work involved as there are numerous clamps in place on both these cars.

From the modern motor to some of the first, our next visit was a steam engine rally. This may not be as fast as a Morgan but in its weight class…It is also a beautiful bit of machinery. 

Elsewhere amongst the standing engines was an early Kenwood. Well a dough maker at least from a nearby bakery. 

After what was a very short four days with Steve and Jilly we parted and promised to look at joining up next year.

Helen and I decided to squeeze in one last visit. Symonds Yap is a quant and picturesque village either side of the Wye. Getting across was by a unique human powered ferry.

On the East side was Symonds rock. This fortunately has a well-developed path up to a spectacular view. Perrigan falcons and Goshawks are key inhabitants but it was probably too warm for them to hunt so we didn't see any. The Wye path can be seen running through the field – now there’s a thought….