27th July 2025
Today we packed up and headed for Norfolk. Our destination was the campsite beside the Reedham Ferry Inn. On the way we stopped off to see my grandmother’s nephew Rodney and had a chat with him. He’d had a bumper crop of apricots. We grateful took a bag full to enliven our breakfasts. We mentioned we were on our way to Reedham Ferry and planned to have lunch there. He was very polite about our choice, but gently warned us not to expect anything special. Reedham Ferry pub and the ferry have been run by the Archer family since 1949.
How right he was. The pub wasn’t very busy, and the Sunday lunches were certainly nothing remarkable. They did, however, have several real ales on tap, including some brewed locally in Reedham. A couple of days later we visited the small brewery and left with a dozen bottles—six different brews, all pleasantly tasty.
The campsite was quite busy that Sunday. A large group of campers had spread themselves out generously with what felt like a small fleet of cars. We feared they might be noisy, especially with their unruly children, but in the end it wasn’t an issue at all.
They all left on Monday. For anyone wanting real peace and quiet—and not needing a hook-up—there was a huge adjoining field that was completely empty.
It was fun watching the eponymoous ferry shuttle back and forth, and equally entertaining watching the people sitting outside the pub on the staithe gradually edge their chairs backwards as the exceptionally high tide crept in.
A Walk to Cantley
28th July 2025
The next day we walked upstream towards Cantley. Cantley is home to the British Sugar factory, one of the main processors of sugar beet in the region. The factory has been operating since the early 20th century and remains a major landmark on the river. There’s also a small passenger station where trains from Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth stop. I used to travel that line from home in Waterloo to school in Norwich.
Although the footpath runs along the top of the river bank, you don’t actually get a view of the river. A thick wall of reeds blocks the view, so all you can see of the boats are their sails, floating above the greenery like strange, detached shapes. On the landward side, the drained fields, ditches and hedges sit below river level. They’re kept dry by electric pumps, which replaced the many traditional wind pumps once common across the Broads.
Norfolk wind pumps were iconic features of the landscape from the 18th century onwards. They used wind power to drain the marshes and maintain the agricultural land. A beautifully restored example survives at Hardley Mill near Hardley Cross, now open to the public—although not to us, as it was closed mid-week and stood on the opposite bank.
In the ditches and meadows we spotted numerous swan families—two attentive adults shepherding their fluffy grey cygnets. Along the way we also managed to spot cranes, oystercatchers (a little far from the seaside, but evidently happy), and several butterflies: tortoiseshells, cabbage whites, and a wall brown, but no Swallowtails.
Back at the Reedham Ferry Inn we enjoyed a pint while watching the tide rise once again, wondering whether we would have to move our seats or not.
Burgh Castle and Norwich
29 July 2025
Today we packed up again and headed towards Norwich to stay with step-mum Ann. On the way we decided to make a completely unnecessary but enjoyable trip across the Reedham ferry. The chain-link ferry only takes two cars or vans at a time, and the short hop across the river still feels like a small adventure.
Once across, we drove towards Haddiscoe, taking a brief detour to the railway station to see how it had changed in the last fifty-five years, since I used to use it. Then we crossed the River Waveney to visit Burgh Castle (pronounced “Borough Castle”). The fort is one of the best-preserved Roman structures in Britain, built in the late 3rd century as part of the Saxon Shore defences. Its massive flint and brick walls once housed Roman troops tasked with controlling the local tribes and guarding the river estuary. A group of people were obviously having a celebration of life ceremony.
After our visit we continued to Norwich via Great Yarmouth, where we ended up staying two nights (in the van) with Ann, Lizzie and Bob. We took our usual walk around Eaton Park and once again failed to sit on Mike’s bench—someone always seems to get there before us.
On Wednesday evening we went out to a Turkish restaurant called Haggle on St Benedict’s Street, where we all chose mezze plates to share. Very good indeed.
Thursday we said our fond farewells and left for home.
