Norfolk Trip

We are just back from a mini break in Norfolk.  As you may know my mum is in a care home in Norfolk.  We decided rather than make the journey to just visit her we would extend to an overnight stay and visit some of the National Trust properties in the area.

Our first property on Tuesday was Blickling Hall.  We'd not been to the Hall before apart for a concert in the grounds a number of years ago, so this was a first for us. The work that the National Trust do is amazing and some of the restoration is incredible. For me the best part about visiting these places are the kitchens and gardens.  So many of the rooms are so dark and gloomy - I know this in part is due to the sun shades to protect the furnishing - but you do wonder how they lived with all the "stuff" and all the paintings of long gone relations.  The weather for most part of our visit was cloudy so didn't do justice to the photos

From Blickling we headed to Wells-next-the-sea for our over night stop.  By the time we arrived the sun was out but still a keen wind.

We stayed at the Old Custom House - we had the Captain's Quarters with its huge bed - very comfy and this was the view on waking yesterday morning.  Wouldn't that gladden your heart?

We had dinner in the Wells Crab House - highly recommend this place.  Make sure you book as it was full on a Tuesday night in low season, and go hungry the portions are very generous.

After a hearty breakfast we packed the car and headed to the beach for a bit of a walk before our next National Trust property.

We were pleased to see that there were seals sunning themselves on the beach and they seemed totally unconcerned about our being there.  One even had a swim over to check us out

Back to the car and on to Felbrigg Hall.  This one was new to us also, smaller than Blickling but I think I preferred it as it was tucked away in parkland rather than being close to the road.

As you can see from the photos it was a much better day.  I also took a few internal shots simply because there was a bit more light

Again though it was the gardens for me.  Unfortunately we couldn't go in the walled garden as it was closed due to "unforeseen circumstances" - the lady on the desk told us.  But the rest was free to wander.  Here they had lots of camellias, rather than the azaleas of Blickling

Back home refreshed and glad we stayed rather than a six hour round trip for what turns out to be a very short visit to my mum. Especially as she has no idea who we are. Has no conversation as you can't ask her a question or there is total confusion and she just spouts a whole load of nonsense, her latest being "tick tick" or "you're a tick tick". Touch her things and she gets cross, I moved some cuddly toys so I could sit beside her to show her photos and she got really cross, but put her music on, she smiles and she knows every word to every song..... breaks my heart every time