B-Movie, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk

[squirmelia]

They danced that night to songs she probably didn't remember then and certainly doesn't remember now. It was dark on the dancefloor though and he took her hands in his as they danced together and she forgot how alone she had felt earlier, waiting for him.

The next morning, he caught a flight to Spain and I jumped on a train that was heading north to a place I'd never heard of before. I slept most of the way there and awoke to find myself in Shelford, waving merrily while waiting to get across the level crossing to where my mum stood.

I suggested coffee to my mum and it was Milton we visited next, but only briefly for caffeine and then we ended up walking through a field of sunflowers.

The journey continued towards the spires of Ely's cathedral, until a detour was needed to escape the traffic jam. The road was so bumpy that it became funny and we laughed so much they cried, passing fields of purple potato flowers and eventually ending up in Prickwillow.

Prickwillow is a small village in the Fens, complete with lily-pads and canal boats, and is known for its drainage engine museum. It is also resident to Slodger Bodger and Slodger Potter, who were taking part in the Cambridgeshire open studios that day.

Tributaries of the River Great Ouse were passed – the rivers Lark and Wissey, and then the previously chosen route was returned to and although we did not stop to visit the lavender farm at Heacham, with the car windows down, we inhaled the strong scent of lavender.

Hunstanton is situated on the Wash and is apparently the only place on the east coast that faces west. It was also where the Le Stranges became the High Admirals of the Wash, able to claim whatever they found on the beach, and there are various streets named “Le Strange Terrace” and similar after them. The people in Hunstanton mainly appeared to either be wearing costumes and playing organs on the streets, or were sprawled across the lawns, or were training dogs on the beach. My favourite feature of Hunstanton was the stripey cliffs and the nearby seaweed covered green rocks that were speckled across the beach, almost like scenery from another planet.

Burnham Overy Staithe was the next place we stopped at and as I sat in the car by the harbour, I watched people wade across the “cockle path” from the island and contemplated removing my shoes and does the same. Islands are always tempting, but I realised the people were all coming back from the island and the Reader’s Digest guide advised against crossing without local knowledge. Plus the water looked cold.

Wells-next-the-Sea was the last place we stopped at before heading back to Kent and it was only the beach that we visited there – a long, long beach, with the sea so faraway that sometimes you could not even see it. The beach was backed with pine trees and pretty beach huts on stilts.

Comments

[the-elyan.livejournal.com]

As I said, I was wanderuing the same stretch of coastline at the same time.

Hunstanton is a very odd town - not least because it acts like a seaside town when it in fact isn't (it faces the wash, and on a clear day you can see the Lincolnshire side and Boston Stump). It's also just a strange place generally.

Wells I rather liked - like many small seaside towns, it got prettier, the further you got from the sea. It also had a High Street without a single shop on it, which is quite an achievement.

For serious old-fashioned seaside times, however, try Sheringham.

[caescarna.livejournal.com]

As was I - on the 13th / 14th of the month. I took an almost identical picture as well. Old Hunstanton is much more salubrious than new Hunstanton [so I'm told], the "Sensory Park" was nice to walk around and absorb, it's kind of a tiered garden, just off the seafront.

Hunstanton is unique in British Geography in that it's the only East Coast seaside resort which faces West.

[squirmelia.livejournal.com]

Ah, the day before I was there! It was obviously the place to be last week.

Is the lighthouse in Old Hunstanton?

[caescarna.livejournal.com]

Yes - the lighthouse is in old Hunstanton.

[squirmelia.livejournal.com]

I did find Hunstanton quite strange, possibly because I'd just come from London and it was the first place on that coast that we stopped and possibly because I'd not had enough sleep. Then again, it is Le Strange town!

It's a shame I didn't have enough time to visit the rest of Wells, but I suspect my mum and I will visit that coast again sometime!

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