Day 305: Titchwell to Holkham
Distance: 11.30 miles
Ascent: 396 feet
Weather: Sunny
Accommodation: The Victoria, Holkham (kindly Complimentary)
I slept well and due to the fact that today was one of the shortest of the walk at about 12 miles I didn’t have to rush to leave. In fact, it was going to be an unusually luxurious day with lunch having been organised, a friend joining and another kind offer of a room tonight. I headed over to breakfast about 8:30 , and the Briarfields breakfast was lovely. After a lovely stay I set of on the walk about 9:30 into the glorious sunshine.
I followed the pavement to Brancaster and then rejoined the Norfolk Coast Path. It took a lovely route on a boardwalk along the edge of the marsh behind the lovely traditional houses until reaching the embankment at Burnham Deepdale. The walk along this sea embankment was lovely with great views over the marshlands, windmills and suddenly the air erupted with geese at a quick estimate I would say 5,000 of them and the noise as they took of was incredible.
About two and a half hours after setting off I reached Burnham Overy Staithe, where Jules Sheridan who has been following the walk online lives and though she was away today she had very kindly organised paying for me to have lunch in The Hero Pub. On top of this Priya (a uni friend) and her mum kindly came to join me in the pub. Having had a large breakfast and now a large lunch I suppose I would have to get out walking to burn it off.
The sun was still shining and Priya would be joining me for the next 4 and final miles of the day. This started on a lovely embankment and then headed through the dunes until we reached the car park at Holkham Gap. We then walked up Lady Ann’s Drive to the Victoria Inn at Holkham where Priya’s mum was waiting and I would be staying. I thanked Priya and her mum for joining me for the afternoon and then they were off on the way to Norwich.
Via the power of the internet and started by Simon Allfrey (I believe he found out about the walk when I posted about meeting Ross Edgley the swimmer several months ago) the Victoria Inn knew about the walk and had very kindly offered me a room complimentary for the night and to my complete surprise also a little bottle of prosecco and a cake. The room is absolutely stunning, and for the second night in a row I had a bath, I am slightly wondering how I am going to go back to a tent on Monday Night! Simon had also very kindly offered to pay for my dinner at The Victoria Inn, and with a shooting party in the food was really nice, with a terrine to start, venison haunch for main and spiced treacle tart for desert. I know what you are thinking and yes I am being spoilt absolutely rotten at the moment (if anyone has just started following the walk it is not normally like this!) and I am extremely grateful for it.
A really nice short day, in fact everything was perfect from the weather, to the company, to the food, to the scenery and what can I say about the accommodation. I have so many people to thank including the Victoria Inn (Holkham), Jules Sheridan, Simon Allfrey, Briarfields Hotel, Priya and her Mum.
