My Kind of Norfolk

Last Saturday and it was my turn to choose a walk.  After going through a pile of assorted maps and books that Mick and Rose had accumulated, I had ear-marked a few.  Trouble was they all involved sections of wetlands I am familiar with and at this time of the year could be muddy underfoot.  I settled on what I thought would be the easiest, following the River Ant from Ludham Bridge upstream to How Hill then across fields to Ludham village.  I was hoping for a bit of brightness but unfortunately the day got gloomier and by the time we had done the seven or so miles it was almost dark.  It made photography tricky with such low light but I think adds an atmosphere to the landscape shots.

Turf Fen drainage mill.  Nikon  D5300, Nikkor 18-140mm @35mm, iso 250, f10, 1/100s

When I worked at the last boatyard, I would spend a fair bit of time ferrying boats to and from different yards in the winter.  Scenes like these are very familiar and to me captures the nicest season on the Broads.  This mill was built in 1875 to drain the Horning Marshes into the River Ant so they could be used for livestock grazing.

Fly past. A Mute Swan flushed from a nearby field gives us a close view

 

Boardman’s drainage mill at How Hill.

How Hill is an 800 acre estate with the mansion house built for Edward Boardman in 1905, it is now an environmental education centre and nature reserve.

Cormorant tree

 

Toad Hole cottage

The men who worked the marshes cutting reed lived in cottages like this.  Very basic with no luxuries like running water and electricity.  Toad Hole is now a museum and furnished to show the marshman’s life.

Turf Fen

Winter plumage Great Crested Grebe caught in the gloom at Womack Water