The day started with taking the bus from East Runton to Holt and then walking out to the country park, stopping off at the local supermarket to get some doughnuts for breakfast. There is parking in the country park for those who wish to drive.
The OS map indicates that the path follows the road alongside the country park but luckily we met a park worker at the entrance to the park who, after a casual conversation about our days walking, directed us to the footpath which is off the road and is not immediately obvious. This path runs parallel to the road until it comes to a clearing where work was in progress with felling of the trees. Here it was ambiguous as to the direction to continue in, with what looked like a track across the clearing. After a few moments of hesitation we followed our intuition to keep close to the road and continued along the edge of the clearing where we found the path amid the undergrowth - once again this was not totally clear.
We had similar navigation issues at Mannington Hall. The main entrance, a long straight avenue of trees to the Hall is sited where the road turns a sharp right with a car park on the left. Signs on the gateposts to this entrance clearly indicated this was not a right of way and the OS map depicted the path to follow the road around the double bend. This we did, expecting to find access to the hall further on, but the only other entrance also notified us it was not a public right of way. We eventually took a footpath beyond the Hall that met back up with the official route on the far side of the grounds. My guess is that we should have taken the drive into the car park but there was certainly no obvious waymarker here.
Despite these two sections, the rest of the route is very well waymarked although we found a few waymarkers, near Hempstead and close to Barningham, vandalised and tossed down into ditches. Nonetheless with an OS map it is perfectly clear as to the route one should take in these instances.
According to the OS map there is a pub at Baconsthorpe, and I had calculated that if we kept a good pace we should reach this about 2pm for a deserved drink and possibly a bite to eat. Sure enough, we kept to schedule and as the footpath emerged on to the road at Baconsthorpe the pub was immediately on the left with a large signboard across its side declaring "The Hare and Hounds". A large garden was set to the side and rear of the pub with a fenced border along the pavement. What I thought was the landlord came striding across the garden and bid me a pleasant hello. I asked if the pub was still open for the lunchtime session, and it was quite a shock when he replied 'No, the pub closed a year ago'. This was such a letdown. Not only because this should have been a rewarding drink and a chance to rest our legs for half an hour but so sad to see yet another traditional English Pub closing its doors for good. We had to content ourselves with a seat on the style and a drink of our diminishing water supplies.
Every good walk has to have some challenge and this one was no exception. As the path heads south from Little Barningham it comes to a track marked as 'Watery Lane' on the OS map. A curious name which soon became clear. Its course follows a stream which it has to cross before heading off across the farmland. This part was a little muddy despite the lack of rain in recent weeks. And then came the challenge, the crossing of the stream had no bridge or stepping stones, not even a makeshift plank or tree-trunk. A steep bank led down to the stream which, with a spring in ones step, could just be jumped. I am certain when rains came this would entail getting ones feet wet and is probably why this was called Watery Lane! This obstacle was immediately followed by a large fallen tree which had a style carved out of it!
As we returned through Hempstead, the path takes a track down to Hempstead Hall. Here, it passes through the farm with a duck pond by the entrance. The immediate area was covered with a badling of ducks making a cacophony of quacks and cackles with the resulting din sounding very much like combined laughter. Occasionally the quacking would cease for a couple of seconds and then it would start again as if another joke had been told. Play the video below and see if you get the joke!
It had been a long days walking without much in the way of a rest break and Kat was suffering a little by the time we walked back into Holt. We had a little time before our bus back so opted for a deserved pint of Wherry in the Railway Tavern. The rest was very welcome and it also gave us time to review the collection of sweet chestnuts we had managed to harvest throughout the day.
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