Norfolk holiday 4

Beeston Priory

Because we were making dinner Thursday evening, we didn't stray too far that day; in the morning we visited nearby Beeston Priory, then some gardens in the same area which featured a large hedge maze. (I mapped it. :)

The priory was pretty cool; apart from a few information boards and some brick reinforcements to stop the gateway falling down, it was pretty much left as-is.

Spider's web in a hole in the wall.

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Standing wall segment with small tree growing out of it.

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Archway with ruin and trees.

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You mean this is an area! (OK, not technically part of the priory, it's just street signage on the way somewhere.)

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Sheringham Park

We went out for a walk in the afternoon after we were done preparing everything to cook later, dragging with us a little girl who wanted to come. I forget how old she was but it was 2 years younger than I guessed, so maybe a 6-mile walk was a bit excessive, but she survived it. :)

We went to Sheringham Park, which used to be the grounds of some mansion; the mansion is still privately-owned, but the grounds are now National Trust property.

A 'temple' folly. Frankly, if I were the totally-unspecified god or goddess being worshipped here, I'd be insulted.

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Tunnel through woodland, featuring Questionable Focus (tm).

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A tall observation platform had been built on top of the hill, so that you could climb above the treetops to see the view. I'm not quite sure why. Anyway, this is its stairs.

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Train ride to Holt!

Friday began with a ride on the local preserved railway, which operates a pretty decent service. I used to be hugely into railways so steam trains are good. :) More later, too.

Large 'British Railways' logotype on the engine that pulled our train. Also demonstration of barrel distortion from lens which I am too lazy to correct using software.

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After we reached Holt, the engine was uncoupled and moved around to be ready to pull the train back.

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A church in Holt (antique-shop infested twee town, with a large private school and lots of money to spend on nice new shrines and lighting).

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Watermill

We were walking back from Holt and came across a working watermill. Well, it wasn't actually working that instant (although it was about to, later), but you could still go in and look around for a small fee.

Apparently they supply flour to all sorts of high-class establishments. Needless to say, mum didn't buy any for her kitchen.

Wheel thingy!

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Weight.

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Mill wall, by the pond.

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Mill wall again.

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Millwheel through cool wire mesh.

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Weybourne

We continued to a place called Weybourne, which had a church with a ruined priory attached (like you do).

Twisted signs, part N in a series of N+1.

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Think this just tells you where a fire hydrant is, but it's a pretty cool sign.

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The church reuses some Roman stonework.

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Buried treasure in the church (maybe).

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John Cooke, John Cooke, so good they killed him twice. In fact, there's a third John Cooke gravestone just out of this shot, but I couldn't get it in frame without having them all be too small to read.

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Obligatory ruined-priory shot (with non-ruined church in background).

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Weybourne Station

A station on the preserved rail line. Our route passed over the road bridge beside it, just at the same time as they were bringing their trains back at the end of the day.

City of Truro steam engine, apparently the first to top 100 mph, with an old-fashioned diesel multiple unit in the background.

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Driver, fireman, and er... another guy.

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Upper Sheringham

Kind of offshoot/old remnants of where Sheringham used to be.

Cool superstructure crossing the church from one side to another at the bottom of roof level. No idea what it's for.

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Norwich riverside

Bear with me, we're nearly at the end! On Sunday, heading back home, we had some time to kill changing trains in Norwich, so we went for a little walk by the riverside. It's a slightly different view from the pictures I took earlier in the week.

'Norwich Furniture Restoration Centre'. I just hope they do as good a job with the furniture as with their premises.

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Metal strengthening pins in wall above converted barge.

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Tower block peeking over old factory roof.

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The end!

And that's it! This epic journey is finally over! (Aren't you glad that, apart from odd single days, I only go on holiday once a year?)