Our starting point is now so far from home that we essentially have a day's journey and an overnight before we can get started. On this occasion we decided to break our journey in Ely, Cambridgeshire and to take the opportunity to see Ely Cathedral. The first church on the Ely site dates from about 672, built by St Ethelreda, an East Anglian princess. The existing church was started circa 1083, with cathedral status granted in 1109.
The next morning, after making our own breakfast in the B&B because it was so early, we completed the train journey to Kings Lynn, where we caught a bus to Hunstanton to finally get back on the Norfolk coast.
Formation and the lighter colours of the Ferriby Chalk Formation (also good for fossils). Carrstone is a sedimentary sandstone that has previously been used extensively in the local area for house building. The red rock in the formation is chalk-based but it has been coloured by the iron pigments presents in the formation. Fossils, particularly ammonites and belemnites can be found in the red chalk layer. The upper white or light layer is also chalk based and of marine origin.
The hedgerows here were resplendant with nature's rich bounty, the shrubs heavy with fruit, bright and daring in their colour to attract the birds. As well as food for the birds, at various locations along the route there was a wonderful bounty for us in the form of bushes laden with wild brambles. We could not understand why the path was not heaving with people out collecting them for the jam and crumble making. Inland, the flat land of Norfolk disappeared beneath a silver horizon and on the seaward side lazy creeks meandered towards the sea.
From the crossroads, our route led us straight down a small road to access the boardwalk that runs for pretty much the length of Mow Creek, with the Brancaster Marsh running along behind it. It was pleasant walking, brightened up by a couple of classes of pupils from a local primary school, whose bright chatter fought with the birdsong for dominance.
The next location was Brancaster Staithe, only a mile or two from its namesake. The approaches to it along the creek were very pretty and we started to see a lot of activity as we neared the harbour area which is used as a centre for outdoor activity, particularly sailing. There was all kinds of craft lying by the waters edge. Brancaster Staithe was once a centre for the production and transport of malt, as well as grain and barley. The historic quay in the harbour was built in the 1770's and had been subject slow decline ever since. Remedial work was last completed in 2007 to keep it operational with its usual purposes now fishing and leisure.
All along this coast there is a constant risk of flooding. the last major deluge was in 2013 and as this photograph testifies, the water level rose to about five feet above the norm.
Back in Hunstanton it was a case of carry out fish suppers and back to the youth hostel for a wee cup of tea and feet up.