What a difference a day makes…

Unoriginal title I’m afraid but so true I couldn’t resist it.  Sunshine, blue skies and a certain amount of warmth today so another trip to the coast was in order.

Old Hunstanton is the polar opposite to New Hunstanton.  No garish rides and all the fun of the fair – just natural beauty and the most amazing cliffs I’ve ever seen.  We first visited OH last year but the weather was not as affable then – although we did see more waders.  Obviously, you can’t have everything!

The journey from our orchard home to OH was blessed with blue skies decorated by amazing cloud formations – not sure what the official definition is.

Parking along the roadside we walked across the green sward towards the beach.

Kites for kite surfing  in their vivid colours were flying – the strong wind left over from yesterday was aiding the sport and it looked enormous fun (for the young that is).

Walking down the steps to the beach Alfie showed growing enthusiasm and, although he didn’t go quite as mad as yesterday, he was still pretty ecstatic.

The cliffs (different kinds of chalk I believe) are magnificent, contrasting fabulously with the sapphire sky.  There are signs warning of the likelihood of cliff falls but I chanced it and sat for a bit on a handy flat rock.  Alfie came to join me!

I stopped to talk to a couple from Nottingham with a Labradoodle (sp?) – it’s amazing what having a dog encourages conversation with other dog owners.  They told me about a shipwreck further along the beach.  Sounded interesting.  My next conversation was with a lady who sounded just like Sarah Millican, who asked whether you could get off the beach further along.  I didn’t know but we examined the shipwreck together with interest.

Built in 1906/07 as SHERATON in June 1916 the vessel was required by the Royal Navy as a boom defence vessel No FY1659. In 1919 she returned and reverted. On 05/06/1940 the Royal Navy used her as an auxiliary patrol vessel / mine-sweeper No. FY1788. Then in September 1944 she was again returned but on 17/5/1946 she was bought by the RAF
and used as a target vessel.
On 23/04/1947 the steam trawler SHERATON was wrecked near Hunstanton Lighthouse.

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Apparently it had been in WW1 and WW2 before it ended up on the beach.  Fascinating.  Almost like a Viking boat but, as Peter pointed out, they didn’t make iron vessels!

We reached the steps up to the promenade but by this time I was flaked out and Peter offered to walk back to where we had parked Bessie while I collapsed onto the nearest bench!  Half an hour later Bessie arrived with Peter and Alfie and we found a handy parking place near the Italian ice cream parlour that we had visited last autumn.  No photos as our tubs of three different flavours were dripping all over Peter’s hands when he got back to Bessie.  Absolutely fabulous!

We drove along to Brancaster Staithe as the sun was still shining but unfortunately no sooner had we arrived then the sun disappeared so we took a few photos and then made our way back to the orchard.  Really tired but happy!