Around this time of year we always take a spring break before the gardening season starts proper. You must think we are mad considering the weather we have been having. We usually leave early on a Sunday morning arriving a couple of hours later, just in time to unpack, go down to the Quay for a look-see, have a pint of delicious Wherry ale then on to our favourite pub for Sunday lunch. NOT THIS YEAR. We were snowed in on the Sunday – there were drifts right across the road, and as we had to go across country to get to the motorway, we daren’t chance getting stuck.
So we delayed our holiday for a day in the hope that weather conditions would be better in the morning. Luckily, they were. We took it steady and the further east we went, the less snow there was. When we reached our destination there was no snow at all. HURRAH! But it was cold, oh so cold. The wind was coming straight from Siberia with nothing to stop it. On the positive side it was sunny and bright and not raining or snowing, we would just have to adjust our plans a little.
One day we visited Holt, a lovely little Georgian town full windey streets and alleyways with lots of independent shops selling beautiful top-quality stuff, and loads of retro and vintage goodies.
To keep out of the cold wind we took the woodland path at Holkham and visited the two hides on the estate with binoculars at the ready. Amazingly we saw a pair of Barn Owls hunting together and two Muntjac Deer grazing. Neither were near enough to photograph unfortunately.
The following day we walked through the woods at Wells to collect pine cones for our wood burning stove at home, the wind had dropped and it was lovely and sunny, and whilst I was standing in the sunshine near a huge Larch tree I kept hearing a crackling sound which I couldn’t identify, looking up I spotted some reddish coloured birds hopping around in the top branches; they were Crossbills eating the seeds out of the pine cones – they were a bird we hadn’t ever seen before so it was quite a thrill.
Our final trip was to one of my favourite haunts, Pensthorpe Wild Life Reserve. There were hardly any visitors so we practically had the place to ourselves. A friendly little Robin followed us as we were walking round and wasn’t afraid when I took my camera out and photographed him from about a foot away – I am sure if we had had some seed he would have hopped on to my hand.
I baked a Spiced Apple Cake to take with us
And on the drive to the N.Norfolk coast I knitted a pair of wrist-warmers
And during our break managed to knit a woolly hat to keep my ears warm whilst we were there.
A few days away always works wonders for me - I feel quite rested now – I always sleep soundly when I am at the coast, it must be all the fresh air – plus lots of delicious food and a good book to read in the evening, long walks in the sunshine – perfect.
So, it's back home now into the old routine that you manage to shake off for a few days and I'm feeling a little blue at that prospect.
It makes you wonder are holidays worth it - what do you think?