An Autumn pootle

Yesterday, my wife and I had dental appointments at the surgery which is in the village of Great Eccleston.

The high street of that fair village offers views of the Bleasdale Fells.

It was a gorgeous, sunny day and we had decided at long last to give the Morgan a spin, initially just to the dentists, but on seeing those hills we thought sod it, let's go for a drive and a picnic!
Pork pies were bought from the local shop and off we went.

Taken in September 2011 in the same place as yesterday.

The car behaved impeccably, as usual attracting both attention and a couple of appreciative comments.

Also taken in 2011 when I was 6 years younger!!....but the car looks the same!

It was great to get out in it again after a period of some stress and hard work, certainly once again attracting me to the possibility of once again venturing across the Channel on another adventure.

Return to Norfolk

What a joy it was for me to return to my beloved Norfolk and the Broads in particular during Autumn.

It is a place in which I could live happily but alas business commitments and I suppose family, have meant that it is unlikely that will happen.

An Autumn view of the River Bure from the lawn of our cottage.

My love of boating, both yachts and motor cruisers, also means that I have a deep yearning to own a boat in that area, but once again the practicalities of ownership at a distance of 300 miles or so has deterred me from doing it, to say nothing about my recent spell of bad health coupled with,. advancing years!

Picnic moored in Fleet Dyke

Ah well! The holidays that my wife and I are now spending in the area which also give me the opportunity of some boating activity are sufficing to a large degree.

Approaching Coltishall on the upper Bure.

We were fortunate in having first class weather in the first four days of our visit which allowed us to make full use of our little dayboat in exploring once again the River Bure.

The sun on the afternoon of October 16th when dust from southern latitudes was blown north on the tale of hurricane Ophelia.

When the weather finally broke we travelled to the north Norfolk coast, specifically to visit once more Nelson's birthplace at Burnham Thorpe and the church in which he was christened. Heavy rain and mist spoiled the views across the North Sea but it was pleasant to see once again those lovely villages such as Wells and Cley.

A cormorant roosting on the evening of the same day.

Another visit is planned for April where the cottage we have rented is situated in Horning, a good central location for visiting more distant areas of the Broads in our better equipped picnic boat.