Cromer holiday Part 2

Fisherman's cottage

Sunday dawned overcast but we set out to exploreCromer.  Lots of narrow roads which opened out into a larger one with Cromer church towering over the whole town.  I dragged hubby around some of the shops and trundled down to the seafront before we set off to Morrisons for supplies and then back to the cottage for some lunch.  In the afternoon we visited Cromer Museum which had a typical fisherman’s cottage all kitted out as well as geological finds, including a mammoth found in nearby Runton (East or West, can’t remember!).  While we were walking round the sun came out so when we left the museum we walked along the cliff top towards Overstrand but only as far as the lighthouse.  Lovely views back towards Cromer from the top of the hill.

Cromer Lighthouse

 On Monday we took the bus to Sheringham, a few miles along the coastline.  What a pretty place.  They had all their red, white and blue flags out.  It was busy with lots of shops, especially gift shops and eating places.  We visited The Mo (lifeboat museum) which had lots to look at including a parade of old shops, paintings, a tower with 360 degree view and the Shoel Wind Farm Visitor Centre where you can learn all about the 80 odd wind turbines off the coast.  There are a couple of telescopes for a closer up view of them.  I found this really fascinating.

 After we finished there we grabbed some sandwiches and went and sat down on the beach to eat them.  Another look at the shops (of course!) and then we considered taking the little train but it was expensive and that day there was no steam engine only diesel so we decided to grab a tea from buffet, take some pictures and then get the bus to West Runton and visit Hillside Shire Horse and Animal Sanctuary.  Well, I fell in love with all the animals.  Such sad stories of the conditions some of these animals were found in when they were rescued.  How lovely they have such surroundings to live in now and are so well looked after.  Animals included a mule, Shire horses, ponies, donkeys, ex-battery chickens, cows, sheep, pigs, two sweet little deer found after a collision on the road, al paca (not sure if spelt right!) goats, rabbits, guinea pigs and geese (I’m sure I’ve left something lout!).  As well as the animals there were displays of farm equipment and machinery and how horses have been used over the years not only to pull ploughs but pulling gun carriages in the First World War and coal trucks down the mine.

Horses have always been a favourite with me so I am in the process of adopting a pony from the sanctuary!  We came away with a goodie bag and leaflets.  Forgot to say that while in Sheringham the animal sanctuary had a charity shop there which I went in!  I bought a book on Vegan baking and will be trying out some recipes soon!  It was the staff in the shop that gave us good directions to walk to the sanctuary from the bus stop.

Having heard the weather forecast we changed our plans for Tuesday.  Originally we were going to leave going to Wells’next-the-Sea until Wednesday but I thought it would be best to go while there was less chance of rain (which didn’t really happen anyway!)  It was sunny but very blowy when we got the bus (driving through Sheringham we noticed the steam engine was there, drat!).  It was even windier at Wells.  We started walking along a path with the sea to our right.  I went to stand on the bank top and nearly got blown off!  We headed back to a seafront café for a hot chocolate!  After that we walked in the other direction but still along the seafront before heading back to the town.  There is really only one street.  It’s very small, pretty, but not a lot to do if you can’t sit and watch the world go by or go on a walk.  However, it was too windy to do much so we got the bus back to Cromer and I sat outside in the courtyard garden reading in the afternoon.  It was sheltered so felt quite hot away from the wind.

On Wednesday we chose to walk up to Amazona Zoo which is a short walk from the town on another sunny morning.  When we reached it the lady told us they had a power cut so they couldn’t take credit cards and the lighting was out in the shop, there was no hot food/drink and the place where the snakes were wouldn’t be lit so we might not see them!  I asked if there was a reduction. No!  I said we’d come back the next day.  Instead we went to the Henry Blogg Lifeboat Museum in Cromer.  This again was interesting and we had a look at lifejackets through the ages.  The first one was made of cork and tremendously heavy….doubt if I’d have stood up in it!  There was a morse code machine so of course I had a go spelling out my name with dots and dashes. Great fun.  To the side of the museum is the Rocket Café and we went in there for a drink (hot chocolate again….had a few of those on holiday).  Huge windows look over the sea and as well as tables there are cosy sofas.  They had local art on sale (paintings and some driftwood sculptures).  There is also an outside area but no one was braving the wind, except for a dog who had no choice in the matter!

Part 3 coming soon!

Cromer pier