Fish 'n' Chips

Sometimes the simple things in life seem to bring the greatest pleasure.

It was really grim up here on the North Norfolk coast last week but late on Friday afternoon the sun finally broke through the gloom and the clouds and rain disappeared. We took the short drive to Wells-Next-The-Sea when Sue got home from work.

After scrumptious fish 'n' chips from Plattens on the quay we walked out along the embankment running alongside Wells harbour towards the sea. Not a cloud in the sky. A bright red sun setting behind the pine trees along Holkham beach and the mist starting to creep out over the marshes. Just a perfect end to the day.

On the way home we followed up a recommendation to try the Three Horsehoes pub at Warham just up from the coast at Wells. Worth the detour. Very atmospheric old pub with lots of space to sit outside on a summer's evening. Looks a great pub for the winter though. Very cosy with a great menu full of Norfolk goodies such as suet pudding.

Wells and Warham are about 20 mins in the car from Bridge Cottages.

Norfolk 'n' Good. The latest views from Bridge Cottages.

Just some of the recent comments posted in our guestbooks by guests who have stayed at Bridge Cottages over the last few weeks-: W & T & family Jul 07 What a truly wonderful cottage. Perfectly situated, beautifully decorated..........we really enjoyed our stay and will be back!!! F,A & C Aug 07 "We have thoroughly enjoyed discovering North Norfolk and coming 'home' to Bridge Cottage. It is perfectly located........"

Meet the management!!

The first of a short series of profiles of the team responsible for the smooth running of Bridge Cottages. Meet the 'Ducks' (alias Ronnie & Reggie). The 'Ducks' have been in charge at Bridge Cottages HQ for the last eight years and kindly allowed Paul & Sue to join the team in 2006. They have a very 'webs off' management style and have delegated the day to day running of the cottages entirely over to Paul & Sue. Don't be fooled by their cute? appearance. They are hard task masters and have something of a reputation locally. It is rumoured that they are wanted for questioning by the local 'old bill' for-:

• Demanding food with menaces on a regular basis.
• Stealing grain from neighbouring households and local bird tables.
• A number of reported assaults on the local pheasant population.

They have a love hate relationship between each other but persistent rumours that they are the only gay ducks in the village have been hotly denied!!

A 'big sky' day in North Norfolk today. A blustery southerly wind keeping the rain clouds moving by. Took this mornings ramble from Bridge Cottages HQ here at Bessingham. Still very quiet on the birding front. Hardly a bird in the sky or anywhere else for that matter! House Sparrows busy in our front garden. The odd Yellowhammer, a brace of RLP's the ubiquitous Wood Pigeons but not much else. Even the swifts seems to have decided that it's time to start heading south. Still plenty of wildlife to see however. Meadow Brown, Large White, Red Admiral and several Gatekeepers all on the wing. Also a new butterfly for me a Green Veined White along one of the field margins. Also a first for my Bessingham ramble a male Banded Demoiselle looking rather exotic as it hawked along a hedgerow. (Some distance from the nearest stream and pond) A couple of females of the same species close by as well I think. Then I inadvertently flushed four Red Deer from a partially harvested field of Barley. Two hinds with last years young? Not an uncommon site around these parts but still great to see. Having only just moved back to the country I am still amazed that such big beasts seem to thrive in a very arable farming orientated area. We have also seen Roe Deer and Muntjac (in the garden!) at Bessingham over the last year. The same three species of deer have also been sighted at or close by Bridge Cottages. We have watched Roe Deer in the field at the rear of the cottages. Muntjac seen in Bridge Road and by recent guests in the woods adjoining the cottages. We also had a very near miss with a Red Deer hind when driving down to the coast at Cley earlier this summer. Just goes to prove that there is lots of wildlife around these parts even outside of the RSPB,NWT Reserves etc!

Bridge Cottage Ramblings

Monday 6th August 2007 The first 'rambling' posted here! Took a stroll from Bridge Cottages down to the coast at Kelling Hard this morning. Not too much to report on the wildlife viewing front. High cloud hanging around but still a lot of butterflies on the wing. Small Skipper, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper and Red Admiral all active on Kelling Heath. Peacock, Painted Lady and Large Whites at Kelling Quags. Birding very quiet only a solitary Golden Plover of note by the coast. Willow Warbler on Muckleburgh Hill. Sparrowhawk above. Great views along the coast towards Blakeney and beyond though as the sun broke through. Young family staying at no.3 this week had a great day 'crabbing' at Blakeney harbour yesterday. The boys enjoyed themselves so much that they are planning to have another go today. PS