Thursday 17 September 2015

Walking day 4. Wells back to Hunstanton

Good morning, looks like another nice day, sunny and warm outside. We are at day four of the walking, the last day back to Hunstanton. I set out determined to walk the whole distance. Holkham Park is close to Wells, it looks like a nice place to start the day. I headed for what appears to be the nearest gate to get into the park. There are a number of entrances, but most of them seem to be private. The one I approached had big gates with chains on, with an estate lodge just the other side. No entry to the general public. Nothing for it but to go around the edge on the road. Thankfully someone had cut the grass just inside the hedge so that made it a bit better walking, away from the traffic. At the main gate off the A149 is the welcome sign. 
All traffic goes through the arch, the car park is further on next to the house.

A few deer strolling about.

There is a massive marquee close to the car park which houses the refreshments, with outdoor seating on decking. I was surprised to see the cyclists that I met at the hostel, enjoying their morning cuppa.

The entrance to the house is not very well marked, I didn't go and have a look as the price list was at the car park. Too expensive for me, and I have a lot of walking to do, no time. This is the back of the hall, and the first side you see as you walk through the grounds. Doesn't look very exciting.

I took a few minutes to walk around the outside. This is the side view. The grounds are enclosed inside a high wall with an ornamental balustrade around it.  
Stepping back to get more of the hall in the picture. That wall is pretty high.

Standing on tip toe I aimed my camera through the concrete rails for a closer picture.

The front looks very grand.

A large statue, the slaying of the dragon. Not a good picture, I couldn't get a better angle on it. 
It was a lovely sunny day. The car park man told me I could exit the estate by the west gate which meant turning right at the bottom end of the lake. There are a number of longer walks but I needed to go in a westerly direction, a lot of miles to do.

A walk along a track brought me to this church at Burnham Thorpe. Time for a bite to eat and to take my boots off for a few minutes.

From Burnham Thorpe I followed the road to Burnham Market. It's a lovely village, a wide main street with lawns and benches, and pastel coloured small independent shops. I looked up and down for some nice views but everywhere was full of parked cars, which totally spoiled the look of the place, so I didn't take any photo's.

I didn't take any more after that because it was head down and march along a straight road to Ringstead. Nothing of interest to take a photo of, just hedges and fields. The road is part of the long distance cycle way, so it was quite narrow and not many cars passed. It tested my stamina, sometimes it's good to push yourself past your comfort zone for a while.

I came to Hunstanton Park, it would have been great if I could walk straight through it, but again the entrance was a locked gate, so I had to walk around it towards Old Hunstanton. Coming into Hunstanton I popped into a Sainsbury's Local shop for something for my evening meal and breakfast. I decided I didn't need a cooked breakfast on the last morning as I was driving to my friends house where she would have lunch prepared. I was pleased to see my car in the street outside the hostel exactly as I left it.

So, the last day's walking was 20 miles, that's about my average, so pleased with that. Pop back tomorrow and find out what I did on the last day of the holiday. Thanks for reading. Back to the sewing.
Toodle pip.

9 comments:

  1. I honestly don't know how you do it! You are able to walk all those miles without doing any particular training in between your trips. You amaze me and, as a person with a foot problem, your feet amaze me most especially.
    Lovely photos and I am so glad you had a grand time. JanF

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  2. Another good day, miles clocked and you seemed to be quite lucky with the weather. Loved the little church at Burnham Thorpe. Did you have a bench to sit on when you ate your lunch and took your boots off?

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  3. Todays post blew me away! Absolutely stunning! I have no words for the church setting unless it would be ... Perfect!
    Love it. Thanks for showing us beauty. :)

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  4. Ilona: Two observations - first, bravo for your adventurous and challenging walking tour ... there are way too many people our age that think they will crumble if they have to walk through the grocery store, much less hike all over the countryside as you did, and second, thank you so much for the lovely photographs. As an avid reader of historical fiction, I have heard of some of the locations you mention, but never actually saw pictures of them. You have provided visual anchors for some favorite stories ... so lovely and quaint - and you are a very talented photographer!

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    1. Thank you rookie, I am chuffed to read your comments.

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  5. Magnificent photos today first of that amazing building with the high wall, then of the church nestled back in the trees. Wonderful.

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  6. You probably saw the best of Holkham Hall from the outside. I often feel that the insides of historic homes are too ornate for my taste.

    I love, love the pretty church at Burnham Thorpe. What a gorgeous setting.

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  7. You're such an inspiration. You make me get up off my bum each day and get walking. Thank you.

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