intrepid pony: Blakeney Quay and Flying Sand

Blakeney Quay

walking along the river

After a good night’s sleep Lottie took Van-Man for a short stroll before breakfast. We headed for the salt marshes and found parking at Blakeney Quay, a place we had been unable to visit last year.
We walked to the Quay and then turned and walked towards Morston Quay enjoying the wide open spaces between the river channels.Back at Blakeney there where children crab fishing which made Van-Man seek out fresh crab sandwiches at a seafood stall.

one old tractor

followed by another

We ate our tasty sandwiches overlooking a pond at the duck sanctuary. Lottie lay down and waited patiently, without barking at the ducks, because she loves crab meat. Naturally she had a few titbits as we finished.

After lunch Van-Man decided to walk east along the coast path, the opposite way to this morning. however Lottie objected to the wind which was blowing hard across the dyke so we went down onto the sheltered but wetter walks below it where the boats were moored.

and trailers too

Lottie was clearly looking for a dip in the river but as the tide was going out the banks were very muddy and Van-Man kept her on the lead. we looped back to the Quay where a procession of old tractors drove past. I hadn’t realised there where so many different vintage designs.

Back at Sally-Van we decided to do some food shopping and set out towards the supermarket in Cromer.

Blakeney

However one appeared in Sherringham so we stopped there for supplies.

Deeming it too early to return to the camp Van-Man drove to nearby West Runton beach where there was a large field car park.

It looks a bit stormy,” I said as we walked towards the beach.

“We’ll be back before that front arrives,” Van-Man replied.

boat marooned on the salt marshes

We reached the beach and walked towards Cromer and its pier. The beach had groups of school children studying the broken rocks for fossils and families camped with towels spades and deck chairs. Within minutes the wind picked up and blew the sand into our faces. We turned into the wind and hurried off the beach.

the calm...

The scattered families threw their stuff into bags and struggled off the beach with crying toddlers lagging behind them. The fossil hunters ducked behind a breakwater for shelter. As we walked back through the car park black clouds boiled overhead began leaking. We could hardly stand as we climbed the side of the field. It was a relief to get inside Sally-Van who rocked in the gusts even though she weighs three tons. For once our Lurcher leapt straight inside as a downpour began.

...after the storm

beach combers back in action

“That was bad timing,” Van-Man said. “Let’s have a brew.” By the time we finished our drinks the storm had blown away and the rain stopped. We ventured out cautiously but the wind had abated so we walked down onto the beach again where the gusts no longer sent the sand blasting our faces.
This beach was famous for fossils but we did not find anything as we combed the rocks.

Cromer Pier

gulls at the water's edge

I guess any fossils were found by the children who had instruction about what to look for. All we saw was lots of smashed flint that had been broken open and discarded by the fossil hunters.

Although it was nearly 5.00 when we returned to Sally-Van we drove to the camp site before feeding the hungry hound. Thankfully the wind back t the site was minimal as it was protected by the side of the hill so we had a quiet evening.