On day thirty-four, after a walk around King’s Lynn, we got back on the road and headed for The Queen’s home at Sandringham (our third royal location on our trip). We then continued along the Norfolk coastline to Lowestoft, with plenty of windmills and lighthouses along our journey. We packed a lot into today.
Photo of the day
Amazing street art at Sheringham.
Sandringham
Popping in for tea with the Queen at her Sandringham Estate. We were the first to finish the house tour that morning… speedy! Mind you, we halved the average visitor age 😉Some of The Queens’s favorite things, starting with racing horses. Estimate, who won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.A whole series of stones set in the garden walls, remembering The Queen’s dogs, with lovely little messages.The stunning ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ adorning one of the Rolls Royce bonnets.Jarno giving a royal wave in the Lychgate of St Mary Magdalene’s Church, where The Royal Family normally attend the Christmas Day service.The beautiful ceiling of the 16th century church.It was the 20th anniversary of the death of Diana.Many tributes had been left at the Sandringham gates.Driving through the tranquil Sandringham Country Park.
Heacham
We made a quick stop at Norfolk Lavender set among 100 acres of lavender fields (yes, we know this isn’t lavender). However, we’d just missed the lavender blooming season (June to August), so made do with a quick walk around their cottage garden.
Hunstanton
Hunstanton Beach, the only holiday town beach in Norfolk that faces west, so great for viewing the sunset (if we’d been later in the day).The Old Hunstanton Lighthouse built in 1840. Its predecessor had the world’s first parabolic reflector in 1776.
Burnham Overy Staithe
Windmills became a common sight as we drove along the Norfolk coastline. The Tower Windmill at Burnham Overy Staithe, a pretty cool National Trust holiday let.
Holkham
We decided not to visit Holkham Hall, as we’d already spent quite some time in the morning at the Sandringham Estate. So we made do with just viewing Holkham Hall’s North Gate instead.
Wells-next-the-Sea
The very busy (with tourists) and picturesque Wells-next-the-Sea, with its impressive granary malting building and huge canter-levered gantry.
Blakeney
More picturesque villages as we drove along the coast to Blakeney, where we stopped for a coffee at the National Trust run Blakeney National Nature Reserve. The largest seal colony in England, and a very important breeding ground for grey seal pups in the winter months.
Cley next the Sea
We almost gate-crashed a wedding party staying in Cley Windmill.
Sheringham
As we stopped to take photos in Sheringham several locals asked if they could help us. Very friendly, or we just looked lost.Amazing street art murals on the walls outside the local Mo Museum.Fishermen posing for street art.In memory of the local town crier.
Cromer
The Victorian Cromer Pier, famous for its end of the pier variety show, the last remaining one in the UK.
Trimingham
The radar station at Trimingham (AKA Trimingham Golf Ball). This location was established in the early 1940s to detect low flying German aircraft and E-boats.
Mundesley
More colorful beach huts along Mundesley Beach.Stow Mill, the local corn windmill, just outside of Mundesley village, now another holiday let.
Happisburgh Lighthouse
After driving through yet another lovely Norfolk village, we arrived at the very handsome Happisburgh Lighthouse across the fields. It’s the only independent lighthouse (run by local volunteers) in Great Britain, and the oldest working one in East Anglia.
Horsey
Eerie lighting as the dark rain clouds passed over us at the National Trust’s Horsey Windpump.
Winterton-on-Sea
As we drove past Winterton-on-Sea, we noticed this lighthouse protruding above the coastal houses. As we got close we realised it was also now a private home (holiday rental), so just took a quick photo from a neighbour’s drive and continued on our way.
Caister-on-sea
Whilst hunting down a fish & chip shop for our dinner, we came across brightly painted fishermen’s tractors behind the beach at Caister-on-Sea.
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth pirates on the lookout for a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.No, we are not in Las Vegas. It’s the other Caesars Palace, the one in Great Yarmouth.Finally, as the night closed in, we drove south along Great Yarmouth’s promenade reaching Peel Ports. Giant wind turbine blades were sitting ready to be shipped to an off-shore wind farm. Next stop, down the road at Lowestoft for the night.
