Fellbrigg Hall & Cromer

It was almost by chance that we happened upon 'FellBrigg Hall'. I had noticed that there was a public footpath at the end of the drive where we were staying and thought it would be well worth exploring. Felbrigg Hall is a 17th-century English country house and a National Trust property. The house is noted for its Jacobean architecture and fine Georgian interior. the Felbrigg estate covers some 1,760 acres (about 7 sq. km) of parkland including the 520-acre (2.1 km2) of Great Wood, which shelters the house. There is public access to the grounds along a number of waymarked walks through the estate, including the Weavers' Way long distance footpath.

 
 As we made our way through woodland and then round the lake we were treated to the wonderful sigh of a young Roe Deer. We managed to watch it for a few minutes before it disappeared into the undergrowth. Created by joining together the three smaller ponds, the new lake was the perfect place to lazily unwind during long summer days or entertain visiting members of the genteel set who were enjoying holidays in nearby fashionable Cromer.

 

 Planted over many generations the primary purpose of this 380 acre wood was timber production. There are a wide variety of trees of all ages, including ancient Beeches, some of which were pollarded in the past, (indeed part of the Great Wood used to be known as Felbrigg Beeches). You can also see Oak, some ancient, Sweet Chestnut, Hawthorn, Ash and Sycamore. We could have continued our walk as far as Cromer, about a further 3 miles journey but time was against us. Instead we picked up the car and drove to a busy bustling Cromer. Like Sheringham (and most seaside resorts I guess) another haven for fish and chip lovers. Although it's real delicacy is 'Cromer Crab' although I didn't indulge on this occasion.


 It was RNLI day so there was a lot going on around the Pier. Plenty of side stalls an demonstrations to raise money for this very worthy charity. The Lifeboat station operates two lifeboats - one for inshore work and the other for offshore work. The current lifeboat station on the end of Cromer Pier was re-built between 1997 and 1999 to replace the smaller 1923 one which was re-located to Southwold in Suffolk where it is used as a lifeboat museum. The station at Cromer is one

of the most famous of those operated by the RNLI . Always nice to wander on the Pier and see all the young and old with their crab lines and buckets trying to induce the local crustaceans from their watery home. Some evidently were having more success than others. I didn't do an in depth study but it seemed that 'thick cut back bacon' was the flavour of the day.