May Weekend

Isn’t it wonderful to experience something that is almost perfect and I am sure all who came on this weekend will agree with me that thanks to the hard work of Margaret and Deborah this weekend was almost perfect. Alas the weather could have been better but I think that arranging that for a full score of perfection was beyond even their skills.

About 30 members assembled on the first afternoon for a short walk to shake out the stresses and strains of the travel from London and other whereabouts. A charming walk up through Sheringham Park and then circling down towards the coast for a coastal walk back to the hotel. 20 minutes into the walk and the heavens opened testing everyone’s waterproof gear- much of which was found wanting. And the rain continued aided and abetted by a strong wind. I discussed this turn of events with a fellow walker and we agreed that appealing to the Rain Gods might be a good idea. I was most alarmed when she even suggested a human sacrifice to appease the gods and thought she might have got her wish when we came to the Coast to find a wind strong enough to blow the weakest into the sea. Fortunately the wind was behind us and we all arrived safely back at the hotel where we were nurtured by the staff back to cheerfulness with good food and drinks, even giving some strength to some to continue with a long held tradition of a game of bridge after dinner.

The next day it seemed the rain gods had been appeased as it was dry although far from warm and it was a well clad group that set off from Blakeney for a walk up into the hinterlands circling round to Cley-next -the Sea for lunch. Consideration had been given to all levels of walkers with stops for refreshments and restarting for those so minded. Some consternation arose when Norma our intrepid octogenarian stopped for coffee but it was coffee addiction kicking in not physical infirmity. Excellent lunch fortified with Adnams Ale and the out onto the Marshes and back to Blakeney. At this point the twitchers of the group must have felt that they had died and gone to heaven but the lure of dinner managed to get them back to base.

The annual dinner took place at the Lobster where 36 of us sat down to dine. Again we were well looked after and could take full advantage of the annual Sheringham crab and lobster festival feasting on these excellent crustaceans.

Despite the excesses of the night before 27 of us were ready for the Sunday walk and the sun had come out at last so it was a very merry group that set off on foot from the hotel to walk to Felbrigg Hall. There we had some free time to explore the National Trust house and gardens and for the bird enthusiasts to spot even more birds. The afternoon walk back held a little frisson when we went a off the reccied track but with Deborah and her compass in charge and a some communal map reading we were soon back at Sheringham in time for those travelling by train to make their connections and the rest of us to disperse from whence we came.

Yes a very happy weekend and a big thank you to the organisers