Royal Norfolk County Show with Russell, Brigitte & Jackie

 Royal Norfolk County Show 

Today was the first of our two fabulous days at the Royal Norfolk County Show, and it did not disappoint! This grand celebration of Norfolk’s rural life was packed with events, competitions and displays. We then watched the adorable pig racing. The piglets, wearing numbered vests, raced around a mini track—Harry Trotter, Pigachu and Justin Beboar taking the wins in their respective heats. In the Horticultural Tent, we were wowed by displays of fruit, vegetables, and stunning floral arrangements. Our final stop was the impressive collection of steam traction engines. The sheer size of the tyres amazed us; they were nearly as tall as we were! Some of us even climbed into the tractor cabs and felt like we were sitting on top of the world.

 We stopped at the farriers’ demonstration, where we saw traditional horseshoes being made, followed by some incredible chainsaw carving—including bears, owls and dragons! The highlight of the day came at the show-jumping arena where we watched with bated breath as riders expertly guided their horses over each jump. We watched more show-jumping displays in the main arena before enjoying another one of our favourite events—pony racing. The young jockeys and their ponies raced with serious speed and determination, and the atmosphere was electric.

It was off to the Livestock Arena, where we admired magnificent cattle breeds including Aberdeen Angus and Simmentals. Some of the cows were enormous! The Shire Horses certainly were a sight to behold. We learnt that they are one of the largest and most powerful horse breeds in the world, renowned for its strength, calm temperament, and impressive appearance.

Next was the Military Zone, where we had a friendly chat with an RAF officer who let us try on a real 40kg backpack—it was seriously heavy! We also visited the Police stand and got a close-up look at one of their motorbikes. 

We sat in amazement as we watched the sensational R.A.F parachute regiment jump out of their plane that was flying a few thousand feet above us. Six very well-trained parachuters made their descents down, completing different drills in the air which had us in awe. Huge cheers greeted all the parachuters once they landed safely. 

Under sunny skies, we made our way to Snettisham Park, a 329-acre working farm ready for our much-anticipated deer safari. With excitement in the air, we boarded the tractor trailer and set off through fields of sugar beet, wheat and barley. Along the way, we passed grazing sheep before reaching the stunning herd of red deer. We were amazed to be able to hand-feed them, and they were only too happy to take the food from us! 

Today we headed to the Georgian market town of Holt to its charming country station to catch the steam train. Spirits were high as we boarded the heritage Poppy Line for a scenic 25-minute journey to the seaside town of Sheringham. The train, with its nostalgic charm, reminded us of the Hogwarts Express—we half expected Harry Potter to appear at any moment! On arrival in Sheringham, we wandered through its quaint streets and made our way to the promenade to enjoy fantastic views of the beach and cliffs. No trip to the coast would be complete without fish and chips, which we tucked into at the award-winning, family-run Dave’s Fish Bar. We followed this with ice creams from Ellie’s Ice Cream Parlour which was perfect on such a sunny day. 

Another highlight of the holiday was a morning spent seal hunting. We boarded the  Wash Monster—an impressive amphibious vehicle originally used by the American Marines in Vietnam. 

With Captain Willie at the helm, we ventured out across the tidal sandbanks and were thrilled to see a group of Common Seals basking in the sunshine and swimming in the shallows. The star of the show was a newborn seal pup—only the second of the season! We learned all about the seals’ behaviour: how they travel up to 4 mph on land and can swim submerged at speeds of 30–40 mph, using their sensitive whiskers to hunt prey at night. It was a moment we wont forget!

 

Afterwards, took a short walk to the Sea Life Centre. This state-of-the-art aquarium took us on an underwater journey where we saw clownfish, sea horses, stingrays, jellyfish, sharks, and even a giant turtle. The baby penguins, fluffy and full of character, stole our hearts. 

How lucky were we to be able to meet the goats and had a go at bottle-feeding the lambs. They were very eager and strong, and holding on to the bottles was quite a challenge—resulting in lots of laughter. 

It was game on down at the bowling alley. There were some impressive shots and friendly competition, and it was Patricia who emerged victorious. Congratulations to everyone for being great sports!