Norfolk - Boats, Trains & Seaside
The perfect start to the holiday! Introductions were made to the amazing volunteers who were on hand to help us with all our fun activities that we had planned. We boarded our leisure cruiser at Ludham Bridge for a relaxing journey along the Broads. During this exceptionally wonderful experience we practiced our royal wave to all other vessels we passed. We were treated to the amazing sight of The Albany, one of the five remaining wherry vessels which were the original form of transporting goods on the broads. 
An ice cream stop was a must and we found just the place in a quaint little village called Thurne. We all managed to buy some great gifts and postcards, too.
Our next stop was at Holt Stream Railway which felt like stepping back in time. This old fashioned station had its own museum, original carriages and a 1932 dumper truck! 
Our journey took us through a mixture of country and coast until we ended up in the pretty little seaside town of Sheringham. Once again, this station was full of memorabilia for us to enjoy. As we walked through the town centre, we browsed the many quirky gift shops and made our way down to the seafront. We enjoyed listening to the breakers hitting the shore and watching the adventurous swimmers enjoying the sea. There were also a variety of Air Force planes whizzing past us in the skies.
After more shopping, spending our holiday pennies in the arcades, we treated ourselves to another ice cream! It was a unanimous vote for a Fish and Chip supper, well we were besides the sea after all!
It was time to head to the water where we donned our life jackets and made our way down to the jetty for more fun on the water to have a go at sailing. This was an amazing experience and we took to it like ducks to water. We all had the opportunity to hoist the main sail, handle the jib sails, steer the rudder and winch up the keel.
Our next activity was canoeing! Once again, we worked well in our group, doing everything as a team. Our instructors were so impressed with our skills that they let us go further afield than normal. That’s praise indeed. With smiles on our faces, we took in the beautiful scenery whilst feeling proud of our hard work.
Another fascinating find along the river was The Abbey of St Benet at Holme. It lies deep in the Broads, close to the meeting place of the rivers Bure and Ant. This was the only Norfolk monastery founded in the Anglo-Saxon period which continued in use throughout the Middle Ages, and is the only monastery in England which was not closed down by Henry VIII – the Bishop of Norwich is still the Abbot. As well as being of great historical interest, St Benet’s Abbey is also very atmospheric. For over 200 years it has been a favourite spot for artists, photographers, and tourists.
It was then our turn to take to the helm and be in charge of the boat. This was an amazing experience and we all agreed we made great captains!
Being next to the water, being so close to nature felt so calming and peaceful.
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