Winter Walk Report 2016

Report by Cally Smith

 

Photos Sue Hines, Jane Stevens and Jo Edye

 

This winter has been unseasonably mild, warmer often than TMOR and just as wet, so I had been wondering whether I could really call it a 'winter walk' or should think of some other name. On the day, however, as 21 hardy souls set off from the Fisherman's Return PH the wind went round to northeast and got right up so it was a proper cold blast that greeted us as we stepped out of the shelter of the cottages of Winterton onto the dunes.

 

 

No fair weather walkers here. Accompanied by 15 dogs of varying shapes, sizes and wagginesses, we made a striking group as we straggled our way along the footpaths through the heath - windblown, sandblasted and the stiff listlessness of winter shaken round and through and out.

 

 

The shorter route was a there and back with an arbitrary turnaround point (dictated by weather weariness, time or the overwhelming urge for a nice pint in a warm pub)

 

whilst the full routers pressed on to the EACC pop-up café, located by kind permission of the landowner at the back of the dunes.

 

 

Fuelled by a portable burco boiler, Jo Edye provided proper tea (from teapots), cafetieres of coffee, cake and scottie-shaped biscuits. There was even a table cloth. 'The ultimate coffee stop .... flair and panache' said the review. 'I didn't know we had a table cloth' said Jo.

 

Suitably refreshed we pressed on along the concrete farm roads, hedged and with the wind at our backs, passing the farmed and grazed landscapes typical of this part of east Norfolk. 

 

Passing the majestic ruins of St Mary's Church of East Somerton, C15th and early Perpendicular in style although now only perpendicular in parts, it's one of the largest ruined churches in Norfolk and was prettily carpeted in snowdrops.  

 

 

The final stretch was muddy, really muddy, but that'll be the mild wet weather with the absence of either a drying wind or a firming frost. At the Fisherman's Return PH we rejoined the rest of the party for a very acceptable lunch and even more acceptable pints of Skippers Tipple. Hoppy, malty, warm, on a Sunday, in a pub, after a walk, with friends. Lovely. And so the 2016 EACC season starts. We look forward to seeing you.

 

Cally