East Anglia

I had hardly time to get my breath back after Argentina before it was time to set off on an overdue trip (14th - 24th November) to East Anglia to catch up with some old school, and other, friends. I planned the route to include Leicester and some of my old bird-watching and sailing haunts in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, sometimes camping in my X-trail and sometimes staying with friends.

First night was a stopover with my Décor Advisor Carolyn, followed the next day by morning coffee with Drinking Ken in Leicester. In the evening I camped on the promenade at Great Yarmouth (quiet at this time of year) and I awoke to a frosty Friday morning and moved on to see nearby Oulton Broad where I spent many happy childhood sailing holidays with my parents and sister (Lorenzo the Llama).

Oulton Broad on a Frosty Morning. Little seems to have changed in 40 years

Next stop was the RSPB Reserve at Minsmere where I spent the day walking around the reserve (and purchased my Christmas cards in the visitor centre). It was a glorious sunny winter day, with the ice on shady parts of the mere still unfrozen from the previous night. I bedded down in the car within walking distance of the Eel's Foot Inn at Eastbridge, right on the periphery of the Minsmere swamps, where a couple of pints of Adnams Real Ale could be enjoyed without further driving.

Reed beds at Minsmere: habitat of Bearded Tit and Bittern

After calling in at Southwold, it was time to locate the tiny village of Kenton in deepest Suffolk to meet up with the first of two old friends from Colchester Royal Grammar School, Stuart, and his wife Christine. Shortly after arrival, a cycle ride to the nearest pub in Debbenham (The Woolpack) was called for. A more detailed account of the ride is found at TCA, here.

Stuart and I set off to "the local". Barney, the cocker spaniel, did not come with us

A Sunday-morning walk in the local countryside with Stuart (during which I harvested a road-killed pheasant that later stewed up well on my camping stove) was followed by a sumptuous Sunday lunch at which another CRGS Old Boy, Howard, with wife Hai-Ying, was present. The next day I headed south into Essex to camp the night near Mersea Island, another location where many happy summer days of sailing used to be enjoyed.

A November evening draws in over the mudflats at Mersea Island

The following day it was time to progress deep into the Essex Marshes at Tolleshunt D'Arcy to meet the second of my school mates, Jeff, and his wife Sue. It was with Jeff that I made my very first foreign trip: a post-A-level jaunt (1962) in a Morris Traveller around France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Andorra. I believe that during the years that have ensued we have bored countless people to tears recounting our adventures on that trip.

Our main objective was to explore the marshes of the River Blackwater estuary on a 10.1 mile trek from Tollesbury to Goldhanger, where Sue kindly collected us and a pub lunch and hot soup was enjoyed, as a prelude to her excellent cooking in the evening.

Jeff and I set off to explore the Blackwater Estuary

The Blackwater at Tollesbury on a calm morning

An afternoon's shooting was also attempted, but strictly with "clay" pigeons!

A final reunion with both Stuart and Jeff, with Christine and Sue, was dinner at the Crown Inn at Stoke-by-Nayland. It is hoped that a chorus of the Old School Song by the three men over liqueurs did not embarrass the girls! Floreat sodalitas - 'tas Colcestriensis!

Jeff, Sue, Stuart, Christine and me at the Crown Inn, Stoke-by-Nayland

I departed with gratitude to both my hosts and with resolutions all round that the next reunions would be in Cumbria.

But that was not the conclusion of my East Anglian sojourn. I had in my pocket a treasured ticket for a dance performance at the Aldeburgh Festival, in the Snape Maltings concert hall, by my favourite ballerina, Sylvie Guillem. Although this was not a classical dance, she was nevertheless superb with her partner Russell Maliphant in the performance of his ballet Push, and additional works. A splendid conclusion to an excellent ten days.

Inside the Snape Maltings concert hall. Once one of the largest barley maltings in East Anglia, it was converted in 1965 into a concert hall for the Aldeburgh Festival

Sylvie Guillem and Russell Maliphant dance in Push