The annual holiday with the “usual suspects” also commonly called “the family” was another great success. We rented a large property overlooking the river Thurne which was very comfortable and plenty of room for ten people.
On the way there Mary and I stopped off at Houghton Hall to wander around the gardens and take a look at a Damien Hirst exhibition.
As always we made the most of the time even if the weather wasn’t very warm for May. We visited Blickling Hall where there was an exhibition centred around books.
It was an interesting day but old houses and formal gardens don’t really excite me. The book installations were fascinating and there were items that made me think I should revisit the skills I learned from the bookbinding courses I went on last year.
A week in Norfolk without a trip on a boat along the Broads wouldn’t be right so we drove to Wroxham and hired a boat large enough for ten. I was disappointed in the lack of bird life but there was plenty to see.
A visit to Norwich using the Park and Ride was fun. A delightful coffee at Harriet’s Tea Room was luxurious and the coffee delicious – not a flat white to be seen but the carrot cake was obscenely good.
I discovered areas of the city I hadn’t seen before. I had hoped we could have lunch in the cathedral refectory but there wasn’t a table for two let alone ten. If they ever get round to adding the new cafe to Lincoln cathedral they could learn a lot from the way it has been done at Norwich.
A holiday is not complete without a walk and six of us did a five mile circular walk starting at Horsey Wind Pump and taking us alongside reed beds to the beach, along the sand with high seas and a group of seals which didn’t seem to be bothered by walkers.
From the house there was always plenty to see – a barn owl hawking across the field on the other side of the river, a marsh harrier flying up and down the dyke at the front and various herons looking for frogs and fish. The sunset from the balcony could be magical.
And before we knew it the week was over and we had our final delicious meal at the village pub in Martham (some of us walked there and staggered back).
The following morning we were all up early, busying ourselves with packing and cleaning up the house before we said our final farewells.
It was a great little holiday and really good to catch up with everyone.