South Norfolk
August Bank Holiday Monday. Weather not bad. So we decided to explore a bit of Norfolk by way of a family ‘walk’. After a little bit of searching on the Internet, we found a route for the circular ‘Tiffey Valley’ walk, which begins and ends at Wymondham Abbey. A short-ish walk of about 1-2 miles, the route promises riverside meadows, views and wildlife. Sounds lovely.
Sign for The Tiffey Valley Walk.
On arriving at Wymondham Station (where we parked the car) we were delighted to see the steam train pulling away. Always a pleasant sight – love a bit of steam train action. And a good start.
The walk itself is fairly rural, but there is a path (not exceptionally wide and quite bumpy, though we did force a three-wheel buggy over the terrain), flanked either side by hedgerows, farmland (complete with cows) and the odd stream. The railway line runs alongside the path (crossing it further up), so we saw the train again as we walked.
Steam train seen on Tiffey Valley Walk.
When we passed blackberry bushes laden with fruit our inner foragers decided it would be rude not to pick a few. Little Man decided it would be rude not to use his tummy as a container and managed to cover himself in blackberry juice while not-particularly-selectively eating handfuls of berries. All good, healthy fun though.
Natural non-selection... Little Man samples the blackberries.
The track encompasses a few wooden bridges, where we introduced Little Man to the delights of the game ‘Pooh Sticks’. Very wholesome entertainment.
Pooh Sticks!
At Chapel Bridge there is a picnic spot where we sat and munched our packed lunch. One criticism is that it could have perhaps been tidied up a bit more. An information sign alludes the nearby site at Wicklewood being a small Roman Town.
Retracing the path to where the route breaks off to go in a different direction, this is where things took a turn for the, shall we say, interesting. Our earlier internet searching had also thrown up a longer walk to ‘Kimberly Park’, and we came across signs pointing this way.
This route (off -piste now regarding our original route) seemed initially to take us alongside the train line for quite some time. Difficult with a buggy, the route was also not exactly picturesque. In fact, one half expected to discover a dumped body or suchlike as we walked along. Less ‘Ramblers Association’, more ‘Trainspotting’ (as in the Irvine Welsh tale of depravity and drug use). Reference was made to the coming-of-age film ‘Stand By Me’, in which a group of young friends go off on a journey to see a dead body, taking them, for some part, along a train track. This was nothing like that. Unless you like graffiti, litter and lots and lots of stinging nettles. Still, having hauled the buggy this far, we were determined to go on, hoping this ‘new’ walk would improve as we went along.
Eventually we did leave the shadow of the train line, crossing a few fields (in which Little Man decided being covered in blackberry juice was not quite enough and kneeled down in a deep, muddy puddle). When we eventually reached a fairly busy road somewhere outside Wymondham and the route markers appeared to have vanished we decided enough was enough and got the iPhones out to show us where on earth we were. Using Google Maps we established our location and then took the road route (neither safe or advisable), via a housing area, back to Wymondham.
A very muddy Little Man.
We finished up at Wymondham Abbey, a pretty and impressive structure if you’ve never been, before getting back to their car, stripping a very wet and muddy Little Man down to his undies and heading for home.
So, there you are, a tale with a moral really, which would be to stick to the map unless you know where you’re going or like un-scenic routes beside railway lines. For the first part, the Tiffey Valley walk is a lovely amble and worth a look, particularly due to its proximity to Wymondham Abbey and environs. As for Kimberly Park, I’ve no idea what that’s like as we didn’t manage to find it.
Looking up at Wymondham Abbey.
Incidentally, there is also another walk on the opposite side of the road to the start of the Tiffey Valley route (the Bure Valley path?). This seemed to be attracting a lot of folks. Perhaps one for another day…
Beginning the Tiffey Valley Walk.
Fancy a walk yourself? View the Tiffey Valley Walk Route here (PDF).
We made the choice a while back that this year we’d take our Family holiday locally and for a shorter length of time. Having enjoyed a mammoth stay abroad last summer we figured that it would be a) cheaper, b) slightly less hassle and c) easier on the business if we weren’t out of the office for an extended period.
We’d already considered the idea of camping, preferably on a working farm (great experience for the Little Man thought us), so it didn’t take us long to be persuaded by the images of family bonding and ultra-serenity on the website to settle for a Feather Down Farm (FDF) holiday.
Feather Down Farm Sign.
FDFs have already received extensive coverage in the media and on family-orientated websites and forums. Dubbed ‘camping for yummy mummies’, or simply ‘glamping’, they promise ‘the most unique holiday you can experience in Britain today’. Conveniently for us, a FDF opened in Norfolk just above the Suffolk border only this April. What luck!
We arrived, travelling light as families do (ahem…), and the very first impression was of the farm itself (College Farm). While there is a sign to the fact that it is a FDF (wooden, nothing elaborate), it was nice to see that this was indeed, a proper bona-fide working farm, not some Disney-ed up version for the benefit of City-dwellers looking for rural adventure. We were met by FDF co-operator Lucy Daniels and greeted as if we were old friends. Lovely.
Transportation via wheelbarrow!
Transporting our baggage from the car via wheelbarrow, the second impression was the field and the ‘tents’ themselves. I say ‘tents’ because these are more like semi-permanent structures of canvas, wood and metal – spacious in size and solid to touch. Best of all, they’re already errected. Hooray. Inside is a wooden floor and furnishings including a proper wooden family-sized dining table, wooden beds and a kitchen area kitted out with pretty much every bowl, saucepan and item of cutlery you’ll ever need on your stay.
Inside the FDF tent.
The tents, inside and out, reflected exactly what we’d seen on the website and after settling in, OH commented that the accommodation had ‘exceeded his expectations’.
Other things you’ll find in the tent are a wood burning stove on which you cook, boil water for tea and so on, cold running water (but no hot) and a flush toilet (but not of a modern style – it is a hole in a large rectangular wooden seat with a wooden lid that you replace afterwards). There is no electricity, no fridge, no freezer, no TV and no heating.
Outside view of the tent.
Light after dark is courtesy of candles and food items are kept cold in a large thick-walled ‘chest’ in which you place frozen hot water bottles (available free from the on-site farmshop). Ironically we found that stuff kept colder under this treatment than it did in our fridge at home.
View inside the tent.
To my mind, the FDF accommodation was less ‘camping’ and more ‘frontier chic’. We felt very much like settlers in the American Old West. Devoid of the technology of modern life, everything is stripped back to be naturally slower and simpler. Initial concerns about a two year old and the central wood-burning stove soon subsided. Yes, supervision is required, but with application of good common sense (as you’d have to apply in any cooking situation outside the home), there’s no need to worry.
Inside the tent, by candlelight.
Our FDF days began with a guided tour of the farm by Lucy and Partner Marcus, where we were introduced to Peppa and George the pigs (excitable and very cute), the cows, the dogs and the chickens. We held some recently hatched duckings and goslings. We were also looking after a couple of chickens, themselves on holiday from the main coop, which provided us with at least one fresh egg everyday.
Little Man explores the farm.
After settling in, we made the most of being close to numerous visitor attractions nearby.
Framlingham Castle.
On the second day we drove into Suffolk to visit Framlingham Castle (never been before – nice castle. Framlingham itself also a lovely place), followed by Somerleyton Hall & Gardens on the third day (fabulous gardens & lovely tearooms with delicious homemade cake, but hall tour quite formal so largely unsuitable for all but the very best behaved littluns, i.e. not ours).
Somerleyton Gardens.
After successfully navigating tea, cake and the maze at Somerleyton, we visited the Oasis Camel Centre near Metfield. Initial impressions of this attraction were sceptical, but after spending some time there and talking with the owners, I can recommend it as a good-value, interesting day out. The animals (camels, alpacas, goats, ponies) are clearly well-loved and there is plenty to amuse young children. The operators are extremely friendly and were more than accommodating, going so far as to turn the bouncy castle on just for our Little Man and letting me stroke a camel. Interestingly, despite the fact that a real life camel was there to be petted, Little Man saw this as no competition for the miniature tractors and Cosy Coupes available to ride on. Exotic ungulate? Pah – if you can’t drive it, we’re not interested…
At the Oasis Camel Centre.
Each evening we returned to the ‘tent’ (usually to homemade cake from the on-site honesty farm shop and a nice cup of tea) and when bedtime came, Little Man went fairly painlessly down on the lower bunk of bunkbeds in one room (partitioned with a curtain). Some time (and wine) later, we retired to a further room where a solid double bed and extremely cosy bedding awaited our tired limbs. At no point were we ever cold throughout the night – in fact, the opposite was true, despite the fact that the climate was far from summery.
Lighting by candlelight.
For washing, you could boil a kettle and use a bowl and flannel, or there were rather good on-site hot showers in a block nearby.
On our last night, Lucy and Marcus fired up a large wood-fired traditional oven where one could make pizzas, bread etc. We didn’t actually do this, having had a cheeky pizza meal at Prezzo in Beccles earlier in the evening, but the other campers did, and it looked pretty good.
Little Man with wood-fired oven in background.
Our mid-week break was over predictably quickly and after packing up the car we maximised every minute of our break by crossing on the Reedham Ferry to visit Pettitts (which Little Man loved).
At Pettitts.
Back home, it was nice to have the option of watching tele, and boiling the kettle at the press of a button, but it was also a little sad. We rapidly dispersed into different rooms and occupied ourselves with different activities, the closeness we’d felt as a family at FDF became all the clearer. Restricted to one main ‘living area’, and no modern luxuries or distractions like the sofa, Cbeebies, Twitter, several bathrooms and a plethora of books, toys, papers etc etc., we spent more time truly together as a family unit than we often get the privilege to do. It was slow of pace, and quiet compared to our ‘usual’ life. It was fairly active (though there were rather inviting large deckchairs in the tent which begged you to recline) and there was plenty of fresh air (and fresh eggs, milk, sausages…). At night you fell into bed truly spent after watching the sun slowly set behind an amazing vista. It is also the best ‘rest’ for my mind that I’ve experienced in ages. The detachment from modern life, the simple, honest-to-goodness fun, and the possibility to reconnect as family make FDF an ideal family holiday and one I wholeheartedly recommend. We are already planning our next retreat…
View of a sunset from the tent.
Burnham Overy Towermill.
The 8th and 9th of May 2010 represent National Mills Weekend across the UK, a celebration of the heritage of wind and water mills. It is a great opportunity to visit and explore some of the Country’s mills, many of which are not otherwise open to the public.
With some 900+ mills throughout Norfolk, we thought it’d be a good excuse to focus on a handful – a classical ‘windmill’, a watermill and a postmill that is still under construction.
Bircham Windmill (Great Bircham, Norfolk, PE31 6SJ. Tel: 01485 578393).
Looking up at Bircham Windmill.
Found only a few miles from Sandringham and Hunstanton in North-West Norfolk, Bircham Windmill is considered to be one of the best remaining examples of a British Windmill. It is also the only working windmill in its locale to be open to the public. Brave visitors can ascend the five floors to the fan stage and, on windy days, you can see the sails and milling machinery turning.
Carefully restored to look just as it did over a Century ago, a visit to Bircham Windmill offers the rare opportunity to experience the history and character of a Norfolk Corn Mill – a phenomenon that was once prolific in this region. On site is the original bakery and baking shop, an animal petting area and play area for the kids and a rather nice Tea Rooms.
Entry to the Tea Rooms and gardens is free. There is a small entry fee to enter the windmill.
Open Apr-Sep.
Letheringsett Watermill (Riverside Road, Letheringsett, Norfolk, NR25 7YD. Tel: 01263 713513).
Exterior of Letheringsett Watermill.
In a beautiful green setting in Letheringsett (just around the corner from Holt), Letheringsett Watermill is the last remaining watermill in Norfolk to produce flour.
Though a watermill was recorded at Letheringsett at the time of the Domesday book, the mill you see today was built in 1802. In 1987 Mike and Marion Thurlow lovingly restored it to working order. Now Letheringsett supplies its organic flour (produced from locally grown wheat) to numerous high-quality restaurants, pubs, bakeries and hotels across Norfolk and beyond.
Letheringsett Mill holds regular working demonstrations of milling and tours of the mill on most weekday afternoons. Mike is usually on hand to give an informative and fascinating insight into the history of the mill and the ancient practice of flour production using a water-powered mill. After watching the wheat being ground into flour yourself, you can purchase both the flour and many products made from it at the on-site mill shop.
Open all year (times vary with season). Closed Sundays, Bank Holidays and some days over Christmas.
Thrigby Windmill (NR29 3DY – About 3 miles W of Caister, off A1064, between Mautby and Thrigby. Tel: 01493 369858).
Though a mill has occupied this site since the late 1700′s, the one you see today is a recent construction (the original mill being dismantled after an infestation of Death Watch Beetle). One of only three postmills in Norfolk, Thrigby Windmill shares the defining feature in that the whole body of the mill that houses the machinery is mounted on a single vertical post, around which it can be turned to bring the sails into the wind.
Now owned by Peter and Tricia Gillett, Thrigby Windmill is normally only open to public on Bank Holiday Mondays or by prior appointment. It will be open for both days of the National Mills Weekend.
Other useful links:
www.norfolkmills.co.uk/index.html
Flour milled at Letheringsett Watermill.
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