We postponed a trip out for our 47th wedding anniversary by a couple of days so we could have lunch out at a cafe, where prior to lockdown we had enjoyed a great coffee. The weather forecast from the Met Office gave wall to wall sunshine, but we thought it might include a cool breeze as we were aiming for the East Norfolk Coast.
Since lockdown ended this was only the second trip out in the van, but we were better organised and left just before 9.00. (We did take emergency food, in this ‘new’ normal nothing can be guaranteed.)
The first stop was Waxham Great Barn, with its Reed thatch.
It is one of the longest historic barns in the country and built in the early 1580’s by the Woodhouse family. It is thought that the parts that are not flint (the predominate building material of the barn) likely came from 3 monasteries that Henry VIII dispensed with. We have been in the barn previously but today, after ordering coffee and cake in the cafe it was outdoor eating. It was a stunning, and warm place to enjoy a leisurely coffee and the only clouds in the blue sky were man made- well made by high level aircraft.
On to the coast where we planned a walk on the beach, by Happisburgh. However, it was a walk along the beach as we had never seen the sea so high. We noted the coastguard had a sign saying low tide at 10.50, we were less than an hour later than this but little beach was showing. Hence high tide would cover the beach entirely and beyond.
Always photogenic, there was lots of interest but few humans about! Bliss.
The walk along the beach, you can see how much trouble has been taken to try and minimise further coastal erosion. We walked to the right of the massive boulders.
A view of Happisburgh lighthouse along the coast
The lighthouse was built as a navigation aid in 1790 after a severe winter storm a couple of years earlier. The coast is prone to erosion and storms, but the one of 1789 was particularly bad, 70 ships were wrecked and 600 men lost. Erosion continues along this stretch of coast today. This building is a few hundred yards inland but the sea air and wind are playing havoc with the bricks.
We enjoyed a wonderfully social distanced lunch outside in the bright and warm sunshine at Smallsticks Barn Cafe. All in all a great day out.
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