Saturday, 28 August 2010

Accommodations: The Berney Arms (previously Spread Eagle Inn); Phil & Sue Hirst; 26 Church Road, Barton Bendish, PE33 9GF; 01366 347995

Plan - With coffee mugs filled and egg sandwiches in hand, we made for the North Norfolk Coast bright and early on Saturday morning. According to the BBC weather report, today was going to be the best day weather-wise of the weekend and we wanted to make the most of it. We did pretty well staying focused on reaching the destination but no "TojEmSter" trip is complete without some lollygagging. We arrived in Cley around 10am and decided to poke around the Norman Church at the center of the village. Really beautiful little church, and the way the sun was shining through the stained glass windows was actually heavenly. We felt blessed for a good weekend!

A brisk walk on the seaside at Cley took us down to the Blakeney Point where we did not see the famed seal colony but did feast on wild marsh samphire -- so salty and fresh! Upon returning to our car, the sky opened up and rain poured down. Good timing! Short-lived, the storm blew through just as we parked our car in front of "Made in Cley" pottery store...charming local store brimming with hand-made pottery and jewelry and other arty things. Next door was the Cley Smokehouse and kitty-corner the fruit-veg-and-all-things-delicious store -- we filled up with yummies and headed to the next spot....Blakeney for a pint of Norfolk ale at the White Horse Inn!

Hoste Arms in Burnham Mkt); head to country inn for dinner (booked a table at 9pm)

Sunday, 29 August 2010

Accommodations: Bluebell Barn B&B; Mark & Karen; Long Lane, Banham, Norfolk NR16 2DF; +44(0)1953 861 386

Plan: with rain in the forecast we decided to have a leisurely morning in Barton Bendish at the B&B. Definitely a sweet village (owned mostly by an Italian family)...Foster got a taste of being a bird dog when he flushed a pheasant from one of the fields nearby. I think he still dreams about the one that got away! Just before noon we jumped in the car and headed for Norwich, stopping in some historic village at some Norman church...can't remember the name but I will definitely remember the hail storm! In Norwich, we got a sense of the city and fell in love with the Cathedral. Truly a gem of the Norman churches. We had dinner in Norwich at a pub on the outskirts of town, watched some footbal and then made our way to Old Buckenham where we finished our bottle of wine from the night before with the owners of the Bluebell Barn. Good day!

Monday, 30 August 2010

Plan: return to London via Southwold, home of Adnams Brewing. The morning started out cold and grey but the sun popped out around 11 and stayed most of the day. A glorious day driving along country roads, stopping at farms for bags of plums or fresh picked green beans, and walking along the east coast!