Blakeney Town Beach

So what’s Blakeney?
Well it isn’t the Riviera of Norfolk.
No ocean, that appears to be a couple of K away.
There’s a winding mud flat to the sea where local and imported English children goLæs mere
Bern's Relections on Northern England

After two weeks, my impressions of England.
The British are unfailingly polite and helpful except the two girls in the cafe in the rain, whose studied indifference would win awards.
The new way toLæs mere
Blakenely Beach, the Day After.

Well there’s more to the Riviera of Norfolk than we thought.
There is swimming water.
There is also car drowning.
We think all vehicles survived the tide. A fellow turned up and sheepishly movedLæs mere
Holkham Hall

The reason we went this far north was to go the the Earl of Leicester’s estate in Wells-next-the -Sea.
Another enormous estate with big gardens that we were going to see Monday but got distractedLæs mere
Blinkling Estate Gardens

A short 4 kilometre walk around the gardens.
What’s not to like.
Enormous walk, walled garden, English young folk frolicking including an 18mth dragging a croquet mallet, a Temple at the end of aLæs mere
Blinkling House

Anne Boleyn could have been born here. It's that sort of story. The original house did belong to her family.
A very, very rich lawyer Henry Hobart bought it, tore it done and built himself aLæs mere
The Green Dragon

Where do you find a Green Dragon.
Right next door from where you are staying!
It’s been a pub since 1376 near the gates of the Wymondham Abbey. It is an absolutely old English pub.
No straightLæs mere
The Number 13 Bus or the No 6

Decided th have a day off driving and spend 2 nights in one place.
The accommodation is very good but is done in early bordello style. Or maybe that’s just a description of how untidy we are.
It hasLæs mere
Norwich Town and Castle

In to town to Norwich Bus Station, a place of wonder where a never ending stream of buses disgorge and vacuum up most of north east England.
Norwich is a big place about 45,000 and appears to haveLæs mere
Norwich Cathedral

What a beauty.
A Trip around the Truck Parking Lot

We decided to drive down to Kent to start phase 2 of the trip, “THE SOUTH”.
Only 130 miles, lots of M road (freeways with roundabouts the size of Earlwood), cross the Thames to the east ofLæs mere
Norwich Town and Castle

Bus from Wymondham to the mighty Norwich bus station. Lots of buses from surrounds and buses to London and airports. Not like Eddy Avenue at all. It works.
Norwich is quite a big place 45,000 or soLæs mere
Wrotham Village

As we’d driven most of the day and sat around the res Bernadette had not walked her 8 kilometres so off went to explore.
Interesting place, about 2,500 people, 3 pubs, hairdresser and smallLæs mere
Knole

You drive through a very busy market town. Narrow streets, suicidal pedestrians with phones till you see a very narrow gate down a lane that isn’t opened yet.
You drive past three times becauseLæs mere
Ightham Mote

Was worth the effort.
Left Knole full of confidence in Karen the GPS. Our next stop was only 5 miles away. A quick trip and a look at a 14th century moated house.
Alas, there was a road diversion andLæs mere
Ightham Mote Garden.

Terrific gardens, some walled, big lawn, a million kids running around.
What’s not to like.
Stables as crooked as a dogs hind leg.
A number of ideas for home although the canal doesn’t cut itLæs mere
Leeds Castle

Off to Leeds Castle for the day.
Looks big enough to have its own Council, the carpark is big enough.
Very cunning, take you money and then have you walk 15mins to the castle. This sorts the crowdLæs mere
Leeds Castle Maze

One of the attractions at Leeds is the MAZE.
2,400 yew bushes trimmed within an inch of their life to create a maze that is supposed to take 20 mins to complete. You end up in the middle at a GrottoLæs mere
Sissinghurst Garden

Worth more than a few photographs.
Stoneacre Cottage

Bit of a difference.
Second stop if the day was Stoneacre. This is a perfect example of a 14th century yeoman’s house and looks everything you’d expect.
No rich people here.
To get to it youLæs mere
Sissinghurst Castle Garden

Plan 2.
Off to Sissinghurst Castle.
We know that you remember Vita Sackville-West of Knole fame.
She of the well known Poems and books (none of which I can remember). From a popular culture point ofLæs mere
Scotney Castle

Plan.
Of course we have a plan.
We’ll wander over Kent sometimes seeing the same roundabout every couple of days.
Today we are aiming for a triple header.
Scotney Castle: Big house built in 1830’sLæs mere
Scotney Castle Folly

You have love the fact that you will knock down one house that the family have lifted in for generations to create a better aspect.
It’s giving Bernadette ideas about the granny flat. Plans for theLæs mere
Sissinghurst Tower

Plan 2.
What can you say, every yard should have one.
Lots of very puffy older persons on each level.
We of course went sraight to the top.
Bodiam Castle

Plan 3.
There are 2 perfect castles in the UK. Beaumaris in Wales and Bodiam. Most, corner towers, the whole Disney Experience. Of course both are ruins but from the outside you can imagine theLæs mere
Rejsende
Beach! You say
Rejsende
Who is Camilla with near the red car