Return to Norfolk

Last year, we spent an enjoyable week in Norfolk. The largely rural county is a haven for birdlife and there are nature reserves dotted around the coastline. There are also several heritage railways to explore and the pace of life is generally slower than is the case in urban southern areas. Indeed, there isn't a single motorway in the region and the only city is Norwich. Norfolk is perfect for a quiet getaway. We decided to repeat the experience during my Easter holidays and booked six nights in Reepham, a bustling small market town in the middle of the county.

We had a 390-mile drive ahead of us and elected to take the M6 before cutting across the Pennines on the A66 to meet the A1 at Scotch Corner - a historic point of divergence for routes into eastern and western Scotland. The A66 partly follows the course of an old Roman road, which explains the long straight undulating sections. A major project to dual the remaining stretches of single carriageway began last year. Let's hope it doesn't run into the same difficulties as the A9 upgrade in the Highlands. An unusual sight by the roadside was a two-humped camel in the field next to Mainsgill Farm Shop. Apparently three desert ships reside there. Not something you often encounter in Cumbria! We pulled into the historic trading town of Brough (bypassed since 1977) to eat our packed lunch by the river. Afterwards it was full steam ahead to Scotch Corner and down the A1 to Newark Junction in Nottinghamshire. We drove across the fens of Lincolnshire and into Norfolk, stopping in the large retail park outside King's Lynn for a bite to eat. From there, we merely had to follow a B-road all the way to Reepham. That was the theory. Scheduled roadworks enforced a detour but we arrived at our cottage around 8pm. The owners lived next door, making check-in an easy process. It was clean and comfortable, perfect for a week's stay. The Georgian market square was just a few minutes walk away and Reepham has a good level of facilities. A butcher's and delicatessen offer quality produce and regular groceries can be picked up at the Spar and Co-op. There is also a pharmacy and post office, along with several other local businesses (including antique shops). Two pubs serve food and dispense real ales. The town is a good base for exploring Norfolk. The county is car-centric but regular buses run from Reepham to Norwich. After a good night's sleep, we began our first full day with a trip to the garden centre in the nearby village of Bawdeswell. The premises are cavernous and have served the region for 40 years. Contained within the building is Bluebell Square, a series of independent shops. Nicole wanted to visit the art-supplies outlet and she stocked up on materials. I managed to locate the real ales and purchased a porter and a ruby style from Moon Gazer Brewery, based along the road near Fakenham. Another beer stop was made back in Reepham at the Panther Brewery on the edge of town.

Based in an industrial unit, Panther has a retail outlet and owner Martin James greeted us at the front door. After years of trying his hand at home brewing, he established Panther in 2010 - the name stemming from rumours of big-cat sightings in the local area. I was already aware of the brewery as I had purchased a couple of their ales last year at the Beers of Europe shop, near King's Lynn. A core range of nine ales is produced, with additional seasonal specials. I loaded up a cardboard carrier with half a dozen bottles, at a cost of just £17. The plan was to savour one Norfolk pint each night for the remainder of the holiday. Martin informed us he was happy to be in the position of living and working in the same town, after years of corporate travel. I'm sure Panther will continue to thrive. We drove north to the charming Georgian town of Holt (population 4000), a place I had passed through last year en route to the North Norfolk Railway - a steam heritage operation that closed to regular traffic in 1964. The fully-restored station lies on the edge of town and today we had the chance to explore the historic interior. We parked up and made our way to the tourist office, where we learned about local parks and green spaces, as well as the Owl Trail - a series of plaques forming a circular tour of the town's historic sights, including Nelson House where the famous naval admiral is said to have spent holidays with relatives as a boy. Holt hosts a weekly market and an annual arts festival featuring music, theatre, literature, cinema and art. The town has many independent businesses and we had lunch in the Owl Tea Room, reckoned to be the oldest such establishment in Norfolk. The crab quiche was delicious. We enjoyed ice creams on a sunny bench afterwards. Our holiday plan was to eat out during the day and cook for ourselves at night. Along with Reepham, Holt is mentioned in the Domesday Book, published in 1086. The settlement survived a devastating fire in 1708 and was rebuilt in the style evident today. Holt is a great destination for a day trip and I would gladly return here to explore further. Our next destination was the Wells & Walsingham Light Railway out on the North Norfolk coast. Billed as Britain's smallest "public railway" (it was constructed following an Act of Parliament in 1982), the narrow-gauge tracks run from Wells-next-the sea to the inland abbey village of Walsingham, a distance of four miles. Services are scheduled from the middle of March to the beginning of November and the line operates a policy of first come, first served. Four trains (hauled by either steam or diesel mini locomotive) run each day and a return trip costs £14. On-site parking adds another £2.50 to the total. We purchased tickets on the platform and browsed the souvenir shop, while awaiting the next service - due to be pulled by steam. I watched the locomotive emerge from the storage shed and we took our seats in a covered carriage with window spaces open to the elements.

Soon we were trundling through the countryside and we spotted several hares bounding across the fields. A full-sized abandoned platform alerted me to the fact this route must have once been used by regular train services. The gradient was fairly stiff in places as the course mostly follows the natural undulations of the landscape. A red kite flew overhead and the journey was a pleasant one. Jacket required, but otherwise not chilly in the slightest. We didn't have time to head into Walsingham and instead returned to the starting point after the locomotive had changed ends. This time I sat upon a breezy open carriage, while Nicole remained under cover. A kestrel hovered directly above us and I had a fantastic view of this agile predator. Back at Wells, we were surprised to see a large number of people on the platform (our service had been fairly quiet). All good business for this quirky railway. Naturally, the colourful Michael Portillo has already visited for one of his excellent TV train episodes. The constitution formally designates the railway as a non-profit company and all proceeds are ploughed back into maintaining and improving the infrastructure. The shop and café are housed within a vintage signal box, staffed by volunteers. The tracks occupy a portion of a branch-line that ran south from Wells to the market town of Wymondham, where it met the present Cambridge to Norwich Route. It skirted the edge of Fakenham on the way. The branch closed in stages during the 1960s and all passenger services had ceased by the end of the decade. Freight traffic continued for another 20 years. Wells Station opened in 1857 and closed in 1964. The West Norfolk Junction line (closed 1953) also served Wells. It split off from the West Norfolk coastal route between King's Lynn and Hunstanton, which bit the dust in 1969. The county was absolutely hammered by the Beeching cuts. These rural routes would once have brought many tourists to the coast but they couldn't compete with the rise of the private car. Thankfully Norfolk has several heritage railways today. I guess that means I'll be back! After refuelling Dolly Duster in the town centre, we drove along the coastal road to Cley Marshes - a huge nature reserve owned by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. We only had time to check out the excellent gift shop and ask for some general advice at the reception. No matter, this place was on our list for the week. But first up was a jaunt to neighbouring Suffolk.

Without wishing to blow too loudly on my own trumpet, I'm rather adept at planning a driving route and committing it to memory. This becomes an insurmountable task in Norfolk and Suffolk. Both counties are covered in a dense patchwork of rural roads and you have to negotiate many junctions. Over to you Siri, King of the SatNav. Our destination was RSPB Minsmere, a reserve which plays a crucial role in the founding myth of our birding obsession. We spent an afternoon here a decade ago, merely for something to do while spending a few days with friends in the general area. I even photographed an avocet without having a clue about its identity. Starlings we did recognise, and they performed a spectacular series of murmurations at dusk. Since then we have vastly increased our knowledge (Nicole much more than I). The time was ripe for a return visit and there was the enticing prospect of possibly seeing a bittern. It was a chilly day but fortunately the conditions remained dry. We had lunch in the café before heading out to the hides. Our membership cards allowed us to avoid the £10 entrance charge. With woodland, reedbeds, grassland, heathland and the wild coast to explore, you can easily spend a whole day at Minsmere. The mixed landscapes are carefully managed to provide suitable habitat for many species of wildlife. In addition to birds, the reserve is a haven for insects and rare plants thrive here. Otters and water voles can also be found, along with adders. Ponies play a vital role in creating appropriate levels of vegetation. The key bird species are marsh harrier, bittern, bearded tit, avocet, nightingale and stone curlew. Little egrets are ten a penny these days, but they were rarely sighted in the UK for much of the 20th century, due to ceaseless persecution for exotic feathers during Victorian times (a widespread practice that led directly to the formation of the RSPB in 1889). The Bittern Hide at Minsmere was opened in 2001 and overlooks reed beds. The elevated structure offers a good chance of seeing this shy member of the heron family. Would this be our lucky day? The trademark boom rang around the reserve and was certainly an encouraging sign. But firstly, the supporting act delivered a display of the highest quality. Marsh harriers are now off the conservation red list and their future prospects look promising. The majestic winged warrior swooped over the reeds and came close to the hide. Perhaps his presence startled other birds in the vicinity, as we were soon treated to a truly astounding sight.

A trio of bitterns flew up in the air. Yes, you read that correctly! Sometimes birding can be a bit like waiting for a bus. Nothing happens for ages, then three arrive at once! We had excellent views through the binoculars but the light was a little too dim for reliable photography and we captured only blurry images. Not that it mattered a jot. The real joy was finally seeing this highly elusive legend. There was much excitement among the watchers and moments like this are a precious experience. The British bittern population jumped by 20% last year - the biggest increase since monitoring began in 1990. Habitat loss and hunting almost drove them to extinction by the end of the 19th century but they have finally clawed their way back. Bitterns are dependent on reedbeds and the RSPB outlined a mission to create and restore these wetland habitats. Thereby providing the conditions the birds need to feed and breed successfully. It was a stunning conclusion to the afternoon and the mood was buoyant as we drove back towards Norfolk. We passed through the pleasant market town of Beccles, a place I had never previously heard of. A stretch of dual carriageway allowed us to bypass Norwich and we were soon back in Reepham, recounting the day's success. The sun returned on Thursday and we drove up to Cley Marshes, intending to spend the best part of a day at the North Norfolk Reserve. Spoonbills are commonly sighted here and we hoped to register another spectacular spot. The visitor is built into a hillside and offers panoramic views of the coastline. You can take in the vista from the café and roof terrace. Admission charges applied as we aren't members of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. The organisation was founded in 1926 and manages over 60 reserves and other protected sites across the county. We made our way along the wooden boardwalk to the cluster of hides. A first for me, as I'd been away riding steam trains when Nicole came up to Cley last year, although I met up with her in the visitor centre later in the day. As expected, there were many avocets in the wading pools. The return of this black and white bird to the UK has been a real success story. Absent as a breeding species for 100 years, they appeared in 1947 at Minsmere and have now spread across much of England, even making the odd foray north of the border. Also splashing about in the wetland areas were godwit, lapwing and moorhen. Nicole spotted a ruff and we also watched the shoveler ducks swimming gracefully. A good selection, but no sign of the spoonbill, although we did hear it had been sighted on the reserve fringes.

The freshwater marsh at Cley is fed by chalk springs underlying the local landscape. A network of pipes and drains aids this process. The water emerges from the bedrock source and the flow is steady and clear. Yesterday we had stopped by an attractive chalk stream in the village of Stiffkey, watching pheasants in the adjacent field as we sat on a rustic bench by an ancient brick bridge. Narcissus would surely have given the thumbs up to the water quality. The cool and mineral-rich nature of these river systems creates a unique ecosystem that supports an abundance of aquatic life. The NWT territory at Cley is carefully managed to provide differing heights of vegetation and water levels in order to attract numerous species. Saltmarsh is also present beyond the scrapes in front of the hides. The terrain was first altered for agricultural purposes back in the 16th century. These changes then became part of the local environment and and the trust has not sought to completely reverse this development , even if it were possible. It's a case of making the best out of what you have at your disposal. Suddenly a stoat scampered across the grassy strip directly before below the hide windows and this was the first time we had seen this elongated mustelid in the wild. They are capable of taking prey far larger than themselves and rabbits are a frequent target, killed by a sharp bite to the base of the skull. Stoats also feed on small rodents, birds and eggs. They are active at all times and are distributed throughout the UK. An unexpected bonus to see one. Hunger was calling and we wandered up to the café for lunch. I ordered a marshman's platter, which consisted of ham, cheese, bread, coleslaw, pickle and salad. Broadly similar to a ploughman's. We gazed towards the sea as we ate. Nicole saw a flyer for a folk concert in a couple of day's time and we bought tickets online. It would give us an excuse to return to this magical reserve. After another look around the shop, I decided to check out another hide while Nicole sat outside on the terrace. Still no sign of the spoonbill but the beauty of birdwatching is that things don't just appear on tap. We drove a couple of miles to Cley village and found a public car-park. A smokehouse on the main drag had dressed Cromer crabs for sale and we purchased a couple to eat back in the car. They are known locally for their tender and flavourful meat, with a good ratio of white to brown. We walked along to the windmill - a listed structure that currently functions as luxury bed & breakfast accommodation. First mentioned in print around 1820, the five-storey mill was worked until 1921, when it was converted to a holiday home. In 1979, the property was inherited by Colonel Charles Blount, father of the successful singer and songwriter James Blunt. Young James spent many holidays in the windmill and embarked upon a military career before becoming a full-time musician. His debut album shifted 12 million copies worldwide and was the best-selling UK release in the 2000s. The record also peaked at number two in the US charts. The windmill is now owned by another family.

The village is officially named Cley next the Sea, but this title is now somewhat misleading due to land reclamation. The quayside in the Glaven estuary received commercial shipping until the 1880s, when the silting up of the channel and the coming of the railway to Holt killed off sea-going trade. In recent years, the historic harbour has been rescued from dereliction and is now home to leisure craft. I decided to investigate a different sort of transport heritage upon our return to Reepham.