Jane’s Walk 2023 – Day 4
We wake this morning to a grey mist, which the Scots would call an easterly ‘Ha’. The forecast predicts hot sunshine reaching 28C, but this mist never lifts all day, and we walk through a somewhat ethereal landscape with the sound of the sea in the distance but not visible. It’s probably for the best, as there is no breeze today and no shade along the Norfolk Coastal Path that we have now joined; we would have been very hot in the sunshine.
Our morning walk had been planned by my son-in-law to be in a big circle. I think this was a way of keeping our mileage up over the completed walk. Much of the morning walk took us along the side of Old Hunstanton golf course, empty at this time of day in the fog! Having been walking almost entirely on our own for the last 3 days, we now pass a constant stream of dog walkers, all with their dogs on leads while Moses gambles in front of us.
We walk through some smart new housing developments, which I imagine cater to the growing retirement population who enjoy the golf and the sea air. Eventually, we make our way down to the beach, high tide being around 11 am, and Moses enjoys a time fetching sticks in the sea while Tom gets into a deep conversation with an ex-army major and his wife. We lunch back in Old Hunstanton, having completed our circle and meet up with a couple of ZANE supporters who have joined us for the afternoon.
We are now walking through a conservation area, well maintained with information boards detailing what to look out for. In some areas, tall wooden posts have been erected apparently to conserve the sand dunes from erosion. One board describes 2 prehistoric sea henges made of wood but similar to Stonehenge, but, with
the visibility being so poor or because the sea is so high, we cannot see anything.
The coastal path bends away from the seashore, and we are now in a massive area of salt marshes which must look spectacular in the early summer with the number of flowering plants, many of which are unfamiliar to me. The path has recently been rebuilt on stilts, giving easy access to wheelchair users as this is a bird sanctuary looking across a beautiful freshwater lake teaming with waterfowl. Unfortunately, visibility is very poor, so it is difficult to identify them.
Eventually we arrive at the pretty village of Thornham. We say goodbye to our companions. Michael is very pleased with how well he did, having broken his hip some months ago.
