North Norfolk Living Summer 2012

NORTH

HOME & GARDEN/FOOD & DRINK/PEOPLE & PLACES

NORFOLK LIVING COVERING THE COAST, BURNHAM MARKET, WELLS, HOLT & SURROUNDING VILLAGES

ELIZABETH II – our Norfolk Queen says Ray Monbiot REVIVE YOUR MIND AND BODY with Tidal Therapies’ Linda Black SPACE FOR LIVING Amanda Loose and wooden frames buildings

FREE IN NORTH NORFOLK £1.50 where sold Early Summer 2012

www.northnorfolkliving.co.uk

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PLUS:

WHERE TO SHOP KIDS ACTIVITIES LOCAL PEOPLE WHERE TO EAT

18/5/12 10:21:08

Coastal Lifestyle Gallery

ORIGINAL IDEAS FROM THE COAST, TO YOUR HOME. Established ten years ago by local landscape photographer Martin Billing, Bringing the outside in has forged a reputation as one of the ‘must see’ galleries along the North Norfolk coast. With the elements at it’s heart, Bringing the outside in, is a retail experience unlike any other where all customers are free to explore and discover everything it has to offer.

AN EXHIBITION OF LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY

BY MARTIN BILLING Find us next to the entrance of The Victoria & Holkham Estate…

The exhibition runs from 2nd June throughout the year at

Bringing the outside in.

Offering an eclectic range of day-to-day fashion and accessories combined with a well-travelled collection of homeware.

Nomad & the Bowerbird is nestled alongside ‘Bringing the outside in’, on the Main Road in Holkham.

Pop in when you’re passing by! www.nomadandthebowerbird.co.uk find us on facebook / follow us on twitter: @andthebowerbird

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BTOI / Main Road, Holkham, NR23 1AD 10:30 – 4:30 / Closed Tuesdays www.bringingtheoutsidein.co.uk T. 01328 713093

follow us on facebook & twitter @BTOI_Holkham

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NORTH NORFOLK HELLO

SUMMER CONTENTS

E A R LY

W W W . N O R T H N O R F O L K L I V I N G . C O . U K

T

he splendid photograph that I have chosen for our front cover for this, our Jubilee edition, opened my eyes to just how warm public feeling is for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The picture was the product of a collaborative photo shoot involving several of our young, up and coming North Norfolk business people; young people celebrating the Diamond Jubilee in their own creative way.

This got me thinking about how vibrant our young North Norfolk business community is. Despite being up to our necks in the latest economic depression, there are new businesses pushing up green shoots all over North Norfolk, evidence of a new generation of young entrepreneurs. Without them, we’d have a lot less jobs in the area and a lot less choice!

I am quite sure that our Queen would look upon these enterprising young people with a sense of pride; a feeling that I know is reciprocated!

Have a wonderful Jubilee year Your Majesty.

Lin Murray

Editor

@NNorfolkLiving Editor Lin Murray Email: lin@northnorfolkliving.co.uk Write to North Norfolk Living Magazine, PO Box 208, Stamford.

Lincs. PE9 9FY Advertising Manager Lin Murray 07881 657944 Email: lin@northnorfolkliving.co.uk Head of Design Steven Handley Email: steve@locallivingdesign.co.uk Senior Designer Nik Ellis Email: nik@locallivingdesign.co.uk Publisher Nicholas Rudd-Jones 01780 765571 Email: nicholas@bestlocalliving.co.uk Published by Local Living Ltd, PO Box 208, Stamford, Lincs. PE9 9FY www.bestlocalliving.co.uk 01780 765571 Printed by Warner’s of Bourne

5 Beachcombings: What’s on! What’s Good and Where to go!

7 Beach combings: What’s on! What’s Good and Where to go!

8 Out and About: The Golden Caroline - A fascinating treasure hunt

with a difference!

10 Beachcombings: What’s on! What’s Good and Where to go!

13 Health and Beauty: Linda Black from Tidal Therapies helps you put

the spring back in your step 15 Property: Kate Cleaver finds the ‘perfect home by the sea’ in…

Blakeney!

16 People: Paul and Honor Welford explain how they escaped the rat race 17 Profile: Raymond Monbiot explains why HM Elizabeth II is very much

the Queen of Norfolk 18 Home: Amanda Loose finds ancient craft and tradition alive and well

and living in a wooden framed building in Norfolk 20 Profile: Way to go!! Eroica Mildmay sees the signs – waymark signs 22 Little Living: Kirstin Crane checks out great places to go and things

to do for the kids 24 Eating: Alfresco dining in style!

26 Art: Daniel Loose discovers a towering self taught talent in the form of

local artist Rebecca Lloyd 28 Gardening: The Diamond Jubilee has a lot in common with heritage

vegetables says Trish Le Gal 30 Eating Out: Honor Welford enjoys great service as well as great food

at The King William in Sedgeford

The faces behind this issue Front cover image:

Raymond Monbiot

Linda Black

Amanda Loose

Eroica Mildmay

Subscribe to North Norfolk Living

Kate Cleaver

Gill Carrick Cowlin

Trish le Gal

Mary Kemp

Frank Watson

Stephen Clark

Mike Chivers, Rebel Heart Photography, 01553 761257, www.rebelheartphotography. co.uk

If you would like to subscribe to North Norfolk Living Magazine (5 copies per year), please write to Local Living Ltd. PO Box 208, Stamford, PE9 9FY. Annual rate £15 (UK only) including postage. Please enclose cheque made payable to Local Living Ltd. Or you can subscribe via the website at www.bestlocalliving.co.uk NORTH NORFOLK Living EARLY SUMMER 2012

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17/5/12 14:11:33

LOCAL NEWS

Beachcombin gs What’s on , What’s good and Where to go!

BERBER AT HOLKHAM – WITH SOMETHING A LITTLE SPICY THROWN IN! Berber Interiors from Holt has opened a new shop, Berber, in the Ancient House at Holkham, on the main coast road. You will find beautiful items from their collection of Moroccan rugs, mirrors, leather and carpetbags, hand woven fabric and readymade curtains, pottery and candles.

There is also a new addition to the homeware range - Berber Kitchen. Unique to Holkham, with its range of tempting pickles, sauces, bottled lemons and own recipe spice paste for the making of the traditional lamb tagine, authentic flavours of North Africa available in North Norfolk! There is also a choice of cookbooks with delicious recipes from Morocco to entice and inspire anyone with a love of Moroccan cuisine.

To celebrate our beautiful Norfolk coast, Berber has paintings, both original and prints, by local artist Rachel Lockwood for sale. Also available is Rachel’s book ‘North Norfolk, A Painted Landscape’, a year long record in the life of a dedicated artist and lover of the rich wildlife and landscape of Norfolk.

Berber at Holkham – open 7 days a week 10am–5pm Tel: 01328 711517 info@berberinteriors.com www.berberinteriors.com

cley garden cafe A5 leaflet_. 12/04/2012 09:12 Page 1

TEA AND CAKE AT THE Join usWINDMILL in the summerhouses and gardens of owner of Cley Julian Godlee,

Cley Windmill Garden Café

Windmill along with managers Charlotte Martin and Simon Whatling are putting the final touches to the new Garden Café at the windmill. As Julian says ‘the gardens of the windmill are one of the mostcakes stunning peaceful Enjoy delicious andand savouries the coast with coffees beautifulor served spots with aonchoice of teas, views over the reed beds – the a refreshing glass of wine or beer under sunsets are unforgettably lovely (to the sailsquote of the historic Cley Windmill.

Alistair Sawday!)

‘We wanted to share that with Then browse through our windmill shop people and have converted the for a momento to take home. garden buildings so that we can provide a great spot to enjoy a glass of wine or beer, teas, coffees, cakes and simple food.

‘We are perfectly positioned on the footpath between Cley village and Cley Beach. We’re sure it will be very popular.’

For more information: Tel: 01263 740209 info@cleywindmill.co.uk www.cleywindmill.co.uk

‘...what an idyllic setting for a café’

SUPERHERO BACK IN NORTH NORFOLK! The Norfolk Superhero Challenge will take place on Saturday 23rd June. It is a grueling quadrathlon in which 140 competitors, in teams of two, swim a mile, kayak four miles, cycle 45 miles and then run eight miles of which the last mile is across the marsh at Burnham Overy. Phew! Last year the event raised over £20,000 for local The Mermaid Appeal at Wells Community Hospital and a further £23,000 for various charities chosen by the competitors. This year the Superhero is supporting Big C, Norfolk’s own Cancer Charity. If you would like to make a donation please go to www.justgiving.com/NorfolkSuperhero. It’s a great event to watch so do go along and support.

The organizers would like to offer their ‘very special thanks to all the residents of Burnham Overy Staithe for putting up with the lunacy of the event.’

For more information go to www.norfolksuperhero. co.uk or keep up to date on twitter @superherochall.

NORTH NORFOLK LIVING EARLY SUMMER 2012

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16/5/12 12:02:45

LOCAL NEWS

10 YEARS OF ‘BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN’ 2012 brings with it a landmark anniversary for North Norfolk photoghrapher Martin Billing.

This year sees the celebration of his 10th exhibition - simply entitled ‘10’.

Growing up a stones throw from the water’s edge at glorious Brancaster, Martin has always had the coast at heart and admits to always having a camera strapped to his wrist. Back in 2002, aged 18, he started to appreciate that there was a ready market for his landscape photography and set out to turn his hobby into a career. With a childhood spent exploring the wilder parts of the North Norfolk coast, Martin gained a wealth of inspiration, which he creatively translated into photographic images.

The first exhibition entitled Bringing the Outside In, was a huge success and gave Martin the drive to move forward. With several more successful annual exhibitions under his belt, in 2006, he took the plunge and moved into photography full time.

Ten years after the first exhibition, Martin’s work can be found permanently exhibited at his gallery, named after that first exhibition, Bringing the Outside In, at Holkham. ‘10’ is not only a celebration of ten years of Martin’s photography but also a celebration of the

COUNTRY CLOTHING STORES GOES FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH

CW Country is forging ahead in 2012 and has expanded their retail space into a second unit at Creake Abbey, just outside of Burnham Market.

The expansion comes just in time for the arrival of their Summer range including labels such as Musto, Laksen, Magee, Toggi, Aigle, Falke and more…! For the men there are stylish rugby shirts, lightweight jumpers, polo shirts, trousers, shirts, jackets, fleeces, socks, and for the ladies, there are beautiful jackets, blouses, polo shirts, gilets and accessories too.

The extra space has allowed room for lots of new lines such as picnic hampers, picnic rugs, cookware, gifts!

01328 738983 / 07725 550970

Beachcombin gs What’s on , What’s good and Where to go!

NOMAD AND THE BOWERBIRD

places that Martin loves, places like the vast golden sands of the famous Holkham beach and the winding tidal creeks of Thornham Marsh.

‘10’ is launched on 2nd June 2012 at Bringing the Outside In, Main Road, Holkham, Wells-Next-theSea, Norfolk NR23 1AD Tel: 01328 713 093 www. bringingtheoutsidein.co.uk

Not so much the eagle has landed as the Bowerbird has joined the party!! Sarah Billings has teamed up with photographer husband Martin at the Holkham store Bringing the Outside In and has opened her new clothing outlet Nomad and the Bowerbird. Sarah is offering something different in the clothing department with brands such as Darling, which Sarah describes as ‘ultra feminine, vintage inspired and quintessentially English’, and Danish brand Soaked in Luxury offering luxury fashion at everyday prices.

Opening Nomad and the Bowerbird realises Sarah’s ambition of having her own shop and to be able to spend more time with Martin.

COMMUNITY CINEMA WELLS SCREEN-NEXT-THE-SEA SUMMER SEASON

CINEMA IN THE CREAKES

For second Mondays we have:

North Creake Village Hall commencing at 7.30pm

11 JUNE: THE ARTIST cert PG 100 mins 9 JULY: THE IRON LADY cert 12A, 105 mins; 13 AUG: HUGO cert U, 126 mins

Tuesday 19th June Midnight in Paris cert 12A, with Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdam, Directed by Woody Allen

For fourth Mondays we now have: 28 MAY: A SEPARATION cert PG, 123 mins; 25 JUNE: THE GUARD cert 15, 96 mins.

23 JULY: CARNAGE cert 15, 80 mins; 27 AUG: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO cert 15, 115 mins.

Tuesday 17th July Hugo cert PG With Ben Kingsley, Frances de la Tour, Jude Law and Christopher Lee Directed by Martin Scorsese Winner of an Oscar in 2012

7pm prompt start unless otherwise stated TICKETS: “Kinsleys”, Staithe Street; “The Shop”, Church Street and teletickets: 01328 710883 Check the website: www.wells-cinema.com or phone 01328 711085 for further details.

Tickets £ 5.00 which includes a complimentary drink are available by calling 01328 738959 or email: phillips.npp@btinternet.com www.northcreake.org.uk

NORTH NORFOLK LIVING EARLY SUMMER 2012

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LOCAL PEOPLE

A treasure hunt with a difference!

Colin Rawlings from Red Dot Gallery in Holt explains the inspiration behind his collaboration with an artist from Cromer, a wood carver from Guestwick, a guilder from Sheringham, Blickling Hall and a ‘lost’ apple tree!

A

few years ago I enjoyed a perfect day at The Royal Norfolk Show, no rain just sunshine. I happened upon a delightful display of fruit trees, which was in fact promoting a charity entitled The East of England Apple & Orchard Project that works to protect, promote and save historic varieties of fruit trees of the Eastern counties. My eventual purchase, six apple trees named ‘Caroline’. Living so close to The Blickling Estate how could I resist a variety that originated from those very gardens. The ‘Caroline’ had been raised in the 1820’s and consequently named after Caroline Suffield the then lady of the house. At some point the variety had all but been lost; thankfully one tree was located nearly 150 years on and thus saved.

This rather romantic notion of a lost apple with its strong connections to Blickling was simply something I felt could be celebrated and that’s when co-incidence took hold! I had wanted to exhibit the work of artist, Lizzie Riches, for many years but without success so when a phone call came asking if I would be interested in meeting Lizzie I knew I had a plan. I had worked previously with Helen Bailey (General Manager) and Jan Brookes (House Manager) of Blickling Hall; together we had staged a very successful exhibition in the beautiful Long Gallery. Thus the notion of an exhibition to explore, through paintings, history and the flora and fauna of Blickling was born.

Lizzie has embraced the project beyond my wildest expectations, creating sixteen exciting works that I believe will be enjoyed by those who see them. These will be shown in the Long Gallery in Blickling Hall during July and August as well as for the years ahead.

And so to the ‘twist’! In order to make the exhibition extra special, a treasure trail will be created, effectively clues inspired by the paintings whereby one lucky and clever person will win a specially commissioned prize that is ‘The Golden Caroline’; a carved replica of a Caroline apple which has been gilded in 23ct gold, its quarter slice when removed will reveal four faceted black sapphire pips. The whole sits on its down filled cushion inside a miniature beehive which itself is made from 2000 year old bog oak.

This exhibition and event is intended to celebrate Norfolk, only the gold and sapphires were not created in the county – the paintings, framing and treasure all have strong connections to our lovely county.

Good Luck and enjoy what has been a privilege to, in part, create.

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The Exhibition will be held in the Long Gallery at Blickling Hall during July and August and along with the ‘treasure hunt’ is brought to you

by The Red Dot Gallery in association with the National Trust.

For further details call Red Dot Gallery 01263 710287

NORTH NORFOLK Living EARLY SUMMER 2012

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Advertisement Feature

GALLERY

Seals at The Anchor, A Golden Apple in Blickling and a Friesian for your kitchen....

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1. Historic patterns from as early as the 1790’s given a new twist, Sue Foster has just released a range of wonderful cushions to celebrate a colourful part of the heritage of Norwich - & they are made in Norfolk! Touch, feel and buy at Red Dot. 2. Quirky sculptures are always part of the selection at Red Dot – the endearing ‘Daisy’ the Friesian is most certainly a kitchen statement to say the very least. £195.00 from the gallery.

3. ‘The Angels of Salthouse’, a silkscreen edition of just 50 copies. Each signed and numbered by artist Alan Page – the image captures our iconic North Norfolk church in a mysterious moonlit setting. Exclusive to Red Dot Gallery.

4. Hannah Giffard, the BAFTA winning artist, has created two vibrant new paintings to celebrate the seals of Blakeney Point.

The paintings along with limited editions can be spotted in The Anchor at Morston, prints are also available at Red Dot. 5. ‘And All Was For An Apple’ a brand new silkscreen edition launched in conjunction with the Lizzie Riches exhibition which opens at Blickling Hall late June.

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LOCAL NEWS

Beachcombin gs What’s on , What’s good and Where to go!

PETER LOW AT GRAPEVINE GALLERY SHARES WITH US HIS HIGH REGARD OF LOCAL ARTIST BRIAN HINTON

Hazel Denslo w and John Wa

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and John Warha

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NORTH NORFOLK LIVING EARLY SUMMER 2012

The Burnham

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£23.50

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£23.50

‘The Burnhams, People and Places’ is the third book in the ‘People and Places’ series with Thornham and Wells being first and second. It is a photographic portrait of these popular North Norfolk villages and the people who live and work in them.

With 192 pages and 500 colour photographs taken between 2010 and 2012, authors John Warham and Hazel Denslow have set out to capture the essence of what makes the Burnhams so popular.

This book is also part of a ‘Made in Norfolk’ project using local printers Dolphin Graphics of Dersingham and designer Dick Malt from Hoe near Dereham.

The Burnhams – People and Places is available from the White Horse Bookshop and the Hoste in Burnham Market, Waterstones in Kings Lynn or by post from John Warham, Red Brick House, Hall Lane, Thornham Norfolk PE36 6NB. Price £26.50. Tel: 01485 512 546/email: johnwarham@hotmail.com

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People & Pla ces

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The Burnham

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Brian Hinton may rightly be regarded as one of Norfolk’s unsung heroes. His extraordinary and highly distinctive paintings, typically concerning music and musicians, will be familiar to many who live or love in and around the Burnhams - without actually knowing why. The answer lies in The Hoste Arms or more particularly in jazz at The Hoste, where his paintings are to found in the main dining room. Unsurprisingly, they are now much sought after and appreciated by a new younger audience.

Whatever the theme of Brian Hinton’s paintings - it is always the people that spring to life from the canvas. His profound understanding of the human form and his skill as a draughtsman ensure that he conveys in his images both a compelling sense of movement and readily understood body language. Hinton’s meticulously composed paintings are filled with energy and vitality, his swirling, sensuous figures glowing with vibrant colours.

Now achieving deserved recognition outside Norfolk it is hard to imagine any local art collection worth its salt without its quota of his work.

A new exhibition “All That Jazz” which opens at Burnham Grapevine on Friday 1st June celebrates a lifetime drawing and painting performance - particularly jazz and dance - with drawings and sketches going back 20 years together with a small number of new paintings.

Grapevine Gallery, Overy Road, Burnham Market, Norfolk PE31 8HH 01328 730 125

Sil ve rJ ew ell er y n& e, Fa sh io Co stu m Rocks n’ Rubies at Norfolk Lavender, Caley Mill, Heacham, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE31 7JE Tel: 01485 579 352 for more information.

Opening hours: 9am-5pm, 7 days a week.

Bringing contemporary Morocco to Holkham

Berber, Ancient House, Coast Road, Holkham Village, Norfolk, NR23 1AD

Open every day: 10am – 5pm T: 01328 711517 E: info@berberinteriors.com www.berberinteriors.com 11

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16/5/12 12:03:30

Are you a holiday

home owner?

With 20-plus years of experience and more than 400 holiday cottages across Norfolk, we’re uniquely positioned to offer you the best financial returns and marketing expertise. And our VisitEngland gradings and Quality Accredited Agency status assure all who deal with us of the very highest levels of service, always.

If you’d like to know how we can help make your property work better as a holiday let, call 01263 715779 or see www.norfolkcottages.co.uk for details – our advice is free, our service personal and friendly!

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16/5/12 12:04:13

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Putting the Spring back in you step!

In her Jubilee year, Raymond Monbiot looks back over the substantial royal link with North Norfolk

Ten top tips to renew your energy and revitalise by Linda Black of Tidal Therapies

1

Massage – back pain, tight stressed out shoulders and a sluggish lymphatic system all contribute to ‘getting us down’.

Massage, especially Linda Black when combined with hot stones, helps to ease out the stresses and strains of modern day living.

Using a combination of uplifting aromatherapy oils to enliven the senses with an invigorating deep tissue massage can leave you feeling a pleasant mix of relaxed but re-energised at the same time.

2

Water – feeling sluggish, bloated and lacking drive? Every cell of your body contains a large proportion of water and ideally needs to be replenished every couple of days to enable the toxins that build up to be flushed out allowing us to function at our optimum energy levels. Not drinking enough water means cells can’t replenish and hence are forced to hold onto fluid leading to water retention. Ideally we should drink 1.5 – 2 litres of fluid a day, which should be either water, green tea or diluted fruit juice.

3

Sleep – ideally an adult should have 7 – 8 hours of sleep a night. Struggling to get to sleep? Ban TVs, mobile devices and computers from the bedroom so as not to overstimulate the brain before bed time and relax with a warm bath with relaxing Norfolk Lavender oil and a calming cup of chamomile tea. Research has shown that lavender oil can help slow down the nervous system, improving quality of sleep and promoting relaxation – thus enabling you to awake feeling refreshed and energised.

4

New look – we all get stuck in a rut sometimes and need to make a change to feel renewed – whether that be a new hair cut/colour or treating ourselves to a new outfit.

5

De-Clutter – has that pile of ironing/ unopened mail/newspapers grown to huge proportions? Facing this day in day out saps your energy. Set aside time by decluttering your diary to give yourself the opportunity to tackle this and your energy levels will be boosted.

6

Exercise – don’t just focus on the gym – North Norfolk has breath-taking opportunities for outdoor exercise – whether it’s walking the dog across Holkham Beach, taking an outdoor class such as Nordic walking

or power walking – or a yoga/pilates class.

Struggling to incorporate extra exercise?? Ditch the remote control. Take the stairs not the lift, walk those few blocks instead of taking the car – but above all have FUN!

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Nutrition – eating healthily can not only boost energy levels but a recent study by a Swedish university has shown that a diet of fresh veg, olive oil and fish can increase the chance of living longer by 20%. Oily fish also contains the essential fatty acid Omega 3 which boosts energy levels. Eating locally caught and sustainable fish has the added benefit of reducing your carbon footprint. Improving iron levels by eating red meat, green leafy veg such as spinach and a glass of orange juice will also increase energy levels.

8

Have a laugh! – Whether this is a good loud chuckle or simply smiling encourages the ‘feel good factor’. Smiling plumps cheeks, lifts the skin and stimulates the circulation – all helping us fight the signs of aging too! Meet your friends and have a good

oldfashioned gossip and a giggle and trigger the ‘happy’ chemicals in your brain.

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Breakfast – skipping breakfast results in the body having to find those energy stores that have been dormant during the night thus depleting available energy to kick start your day.

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Take Time Out – all of us get caught up in the stresses and strains of life.

Taking some time for yourself – whether that be walking along the wonderful North Norfolk coastline, enjoying a beauty or holistic therapy treatment, relaxing in an aromatherapy bubble bath or just taking time to reflect is vital to allow your body’s natural endorphins to re-boot.

• Tidal Therapies at Creake Abbey or Holt.

Appointments available Thursday to Saturday 10am to 8pm and Sunday 10 am to 4pm. Creake Abbey Courtyard, North Creake NR21 9LF 07854 001590/Suite 4 High Silver, 35 High Street, Holt, NR25 6BN 07773 252170 www. tidaltherapies.co.uk info@tidaltherapies.co.uk NORTH NORFOLK Living EARLY SUMMER 2012

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Sleeping -Nine individually decorated bedrooms Dining -Local , seasonal food with a hint of the Med Drinking -An extensive wine list and four cask ales on tap Buzzing with lively informality Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/WhiteHorseBlakeney or Twitter @FGuildea

Extensive selection of animal food, treats, toys and a wide range of accessories for all you pet needs.

A fully equipped Grooming Parlour ID Chipping for all your pets Dry cleaning and shoe repair service (Monday – Thursday Snettisham store only)

T: 01485 541438 107 Lynn Road, Snettisham, Norfolk PE31 7QD www.pets-emporium-norfolk.co.uk NEW STORE NOW OPEN In “The Old Apple Store” Drove Orchards, Thornham, PE36 6LS

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17/5/12 11:26:46

PROFILE

BLAKENEY

Could this beautiful coastal village hold the answer to the ultimate property question, ‘Where might I find the perfect home by the sea’?

W

hether as a coastal getaway, a retirement home or an escape from the rat race, Kate Cleaver goes in search of the ‘holy grail’ of the property market. I spotted a sales board outside a new development called Samphire Close in Blakeney - it read ‘houses designed for luxury living’. This made me curious to investigate further, to see if these really were the ‘perfect home by the sea’. I was not to be disappointed!

The ‘Location, Location, Location’ factor places Blakeney, with its small population of just under 800, a very convenient 129 miles from London, 21 miles from Norwich and 5 miles from the lovely Georgian market town of Holt. In a stunning Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the harbour (still serving small boats) and surrounding marshes are owned by the National Trust. These one-off properties, there are seven, in the heart of Blakeney, just minutes from the sea, have been built as an exclusive and charming community of homes which, on inspection, are definitely setting the benchmark for new house builds on the North Norfolk coast. Designed and built to a very high specification by North Norfolk developers Novus Homes, they combine local vernacular design with contemporary living, using state-ofthe-art sustainable solutions. Their eco-friendly credentials protect both the environment and the new owner from ever increasing future fuel bills! Novus Homes director Chris Wells is proud of his achievements with Samphire Close; “Our most recent project (in Wells next the Sea) was lauded by North Norfolk’s conservation architect as ‘a new gateway development, which frames one of the main approaches to the town.’” The luxurious interiors boast beautiful oak or stone floors with under floor heating, wood burning stoves, carefully designed, energy efficient lighting schemes and fabulous travertine tiled bathrooms. Combine this with sociable open-plan spaces, light streaming in through glazed gables, warm cosy living rooms and these are definitely homes to enjoy!

The houses are most definitely stunning but I was keen to see if the amenities in Blakeney completed the ‘perfect

home by the sea’ scenario. Again a 100 per cent score:

There are: • Several pubs including the newly refurbished and very relaxing White Horse.

• The wonderfully stocked Blakeney Deli • A post office on the High Street in the small but well loved supermarket • Fresh fish shop • A bus service (the famous coast-hopper) • A thriving village hall • A church and primary school • A range of shops at Holt, just a short drive away If schools are important, the highly regarded Greshams Public School is only a few miles away.

There’s even a petrol station

offering full car servicing, an increasingly rare commodity in North Norfolk.

You don’t have to take my word for it – Chris has organised a viewing ‘open day’ for interested parties between 11am and 3pm on Saturday 23rd June so…. if it’s a perfect lifestyle by the sea that you are looking for come and take a look! There are two houses remaining, due for completion this summer...it’s not too late to stamp your own style on the finish to these unique properties, if you move quickly...

• For more details on these houses or the exciting harbourside development coming soon at Wells next the Sea, look at the Novus Homes website on www.novus-homes.co.uk or contact Andrew Wagstaff at Bedfords in Burnham Market 01328 730 500 / bmkt@ bedfords.co.uk

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LOCAL PEOPLE

The spirit of enterprise!

From bank manager to award winning gardener and dental nurse to local food producer Paul and Honor Welford epitomise the spirit of enterprise that exists in North Norfolk. Lin Murray charts their progress over the years 1984-86 - At the age of 16, Paul, after doing his O’ levels, was meant to go the Agricultural College, to study horticulture, as he wanted to work in a plant nursery. However when his family moved from Essex to Norfolk he ended up going to Sixth form college, doing A’ levels and that is where he met Honor who always dreamed of running a small country tearoom.

But as so often happens, things changed.

1987 - Honor ended up working in a dental surgery and Paul started working in a bank.

2000 – They progressed through their careers, with Honor working as a qualified Senior Dental Nurse and Paul as a Bank Manager and both looking for a new challenges.

2000 - Honor decided to go part time in her dental job initially, and then left dentistry all together, when they started their own business, Thistlefield Plants, on a part time basis, evenings and weekends.

2002 - Paul left banking and they were both involved in running the business full time.

Not just the nursery, but also designing and landscaping.

2005 - The business went from strength to strength, and they were approached by local sculptor Mark Reed, to help with the planting of his stands at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Flower Shows at Chelsea and Hampton Court.

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2006 – They helped design and supply all the plants for Mark’s stand and saw him win his first RHS award at Hampton Court, leading to further awards at Chelsea in 2007 and 2008.

Fired with enthusiasm Paul went to evening classes to study a two year RHS horticultural course.

2007 - Autumn saw the start of Thistlefield Soups, realising Honor’s dream of working in the food industry. She started by making and selling fresh soups at Fakenham Farmers Market and then supplying Farm Shops.

2008 - Thistlefield Soups, using their own grown, seasonal and local produce continued to expand the product range.

2009/10 - After working with Mark Reed for several years and always up for a challenge, Paul and Honor decided to ‘have a go’ at building their own show garden. ‘We applied to construct a small show garden at the Sandringham Flower Show. Our design was accepted in December 2009 and we built our first garden in July 2010, with great success.

The judges Chris Beardshaw and Alan Mason awarded us a Gold medal and Best in Show.’

Also in 2010 the food side of the business continued to grow, making soups, but also jam, chutney, cakes, Christmas puddings and a number of other culinary delights.

2011/12 –They went on to win another gold

medal, this time for their large show garden at the Sandringham Flower Show in July 2011.

Thistlefield foodie goodies and plants are available at Fakenham and North Creake Farmers Markets, and at a growing number of Farm shops and Delis throughout Norfolk.

Thistlefield Soups product range The soups do not contain artificial ingredients or preservatives and are very seasonal. The range includes: Asparagus - Beetroot - Broccoli & Binham Blue - Carrot, Red Onion & Sweet Chilli - Leek & Potato - Mushroom -Norfolk Summer Vegetable - Pea & Mint - Roast Pumpkin - Spicy Parsnip - Vegetable.

The jam and chutney is also made using no artificial ingredients or preservative or pectin.

They are mainly made with local fruit and vegetables (except Seville Marmalade!) and are very high in fruit. The range includes – Jam: Damson – Greengage – Raspberry - Rhubarb and Vanilla - Seville Marmalade – Strawberry Victoria Plum preserve. Chutney: Beetroot – Green Tomato -Norfolk Piccalilli - Red Onion Marmalade - Rhubarb and Ginger - Ripe Tomato - Spiced Plum - Spicy Apple – Tomato. www.thistlefield.co.uk 01366 347365

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LOCAL HISTORY

HM The Queen… of Norfolk In her Jubilee year, Raymond Monbiot looks back over the substantial royal link with North Norfolk

Q

ueen Elizabeth II is acclaimed and respected across the globe but nowhere is she better loved than in Norfolk where she is very much our own Queen. For the majority of her subjects she has been Head of State for most of our lives. We have grown up in a world where so much has changed but her enduring presence is perhaps the only feature to hold on to through peace and war, in times of challenge and stress for us and our families. Across the world countless millions can also identify with her continuity because at some time in their lives she has come close to them on her tours and travels generating indelible memories.

But The Queen and her family are special to us and we are justified, living in and loving Norfolk in taking particular pride. She lives amongst us at Sandringham which has been in her family since 1862 celebrating 150 years in 2012. It was bought by Queen Victoria for her son the future King Edward VII and for four generations it has been a favourite home from which they have identified with Norfolk life.

Royal connections with Norfolk go back for 1000 years when William the Conqueror founded Norwich Castle as a Royal Palace.

Henry II granted Norwich a Royal Charter in 1158. Norwich was to become the second city in the Kingdom after London. Queen Elizabeth I who visited the city in 1578 is thought to have

stayed at the Maid’s Head Hotel. King’s Lynn was granted a charter by King John in 1204.

Edward IV fled from King’s Lynn at the height of the Wars of the Roses in 1470 but returned triumphant a year later at the head of an invading army travelling in Hanseatic ships.

The Queen and the Royal Family and the last four generations since they have lived and relaxed at Sandringham identify continually with life and events in the county. At the Golden and Diamond Jubilees 4000 people attended a Garden Party on each occasion and the annual Sandringham Show is a massive event attended

by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall driving around the exhibits in an open carriage drawn by magnificent horses.

Prince Philip has been world champion in pony carriage driving. Royal watchers are regular onlookers as the Royal Family attend different churches across the Estate on Sundays. The Royal Stud at Sandringham has some of the finest mares and foals in the world of racing and when apples are ripe on the Estate there is a constant stream of pick your own visitors with Cox Orange Pippins, Bramleys and the enormous Howgate Wonders as the most prolific varieties.

The Royal Norfolk Show has been so designated since 1908. Queen Mary was a regular shopper at Willamsons jewellers in Burnham Market. Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother made the Sandringham branch of the WI very much her own and Queen has

continued the tradition. The Queen Mother was Patron of the King’s Lynn Festival for 50 years. She used the Royal train frequently from King’s Lynn and was able to give the station master good advice when he was suffering with his chest. He attributed it to the impossibility of getting the vests which buttoned up to the throat. The Queen Mother suggested that he should wear his vest back to front and achieve relief that way. Today the Queen travels on the regular service. Diana Princess of Wales was born at Park House on the Sandringham Estate in 1961 and lived there until 1975. The Thursford Collection hosted Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first public engagement when they attended the Christmas Spectacular in 2010. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh participate with enthusiasm in local functions and county wide events. They surprise and delight many a school in the county by accepting invitations to visit whilst they are staying at Sandringham. They take a close interest in and often participate in the lessons. The Queen and Prince Philip will drive themselves to functions across Norfolk recognising residents on the way. The occasion when Prince Philip encountered a building on fire and called the fire brigade is remembered.

One of the features which will recall the Diamond Jubilee for future generations is the planting of millions of trees to form a Jubilee forest in various parts of the country. The first trees in this project have been planted on the Sandringham estate.

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HOME INTERIORS

NATURAL SURROUNDINGS Amanda Loose meets the craftsmen from Norfolk Post and Beam – a company with tradition at its heart

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A

t a barn in the heart of North Norfolk, traditional and cutting edge design collide rather seamlessly.

Inside, conversations are littered with the intriguing and rather poetic language of woodworking, talk of dragon ties, lapped dovetail joints, wedged tusk or teasel tenons.

Here, age old methods and good old English oak are combined with the very latest tools and hi tech materials to give a 21st century take on hand crafted timber frame buildings, designed for 21st century living.

Specialising mainly in extensions, garden buildings and garages, though new houses are an option, Norfolk Post & Beam was set up about seven years ago following the building of a cart lodge garage in South Creake. It is a “partnership of equals”, all local and passionate about building with oak and timber: John Falvey, his son

Frank Falvey and John Goldsmith. They also have an apprentice-framing carpenter, Justin Rawnsley.

“The transformation from a general building company to a partnership of men building with oak and timber began with that cart lodge garage. Discovering that there were no local or county wide companies building traditional timber framed structures, we decided to begin offering such a service,” says John Falvey.

“New contacts needed to be made in the world of foresters and timber suppliers, specialist tools acquired and geometry relearned in order to construct the amazing variety of joints which can be used.”

Norfolk Post & Beam use fresh sawn oak, commonly known as green oak, sourced from English woodlands, and recently used local Norfolk oak for the frame and

17/5/12 15:30:21

Top tips from Hunters Interiors on how to decorate an extension

roof of a new building at the National Trust’s new visitor centre at Stowe Gardens in Buckinghamshire.

“Every oak frame comes with its own individual character,” says John. “The timber is formed into a building soon after it is cut down, so as the building seasons and dries, the wood moves into a settled state. The revealed nature of the structure allows you to see how it all works.

“Our experience in the restoration of old houses and the conversion and repair of old barn buildings has helped us build up a knowledge and understanding of how they are put together, what is possible and where common faults may be found. This understanding of what has been built allows us to explore what may be brought from the past to resolve or enhance a building in the present.

“One of the reasons we enjoy working with wood is because of the many ways it can be used. We are always looking for new design ideas, either from architects or clients’ requirements. Wood is so adaptable.”

It is perhaps the simplicity of this traditional design form which allows it to harmonise with period or modern properties, replicating the seamless blend of custom and contemporary materials and methods. For example, large areas of energy efficient glass – very 21st

century – can be incorporated into the design to create living spaces which are at once cutting edge and traditional. John says: “Traditional techniques are now being applied in contemporary ways. The development of ever more efficient insulations and the progress in glass technology has allowed for very efficient double and triple glazing systems to evolve which we have found ways of using. We recently constructed an oak frame garden room, and an innovative detail was introduced in order to conceal insulating blinds in the oak eaves beam.

“Simple structures like garages and store buildings are always a pleasure to build.

Any arrangement of buildings can be made, so you might have one that in two parts is a garage and a home office, with a workshop or gym in the third part, or in an upper floor over the garage. We recently completed a structure like this in Great Snoring.”

Norfolk Post & Beam use both hard and soft woods. They have built frames from locally felled Douglas Fir and used local cut chestnut trees for cladding. Whatever the wood, little is wasted. The oak wood shavings are used down the road at Gurney’s fish shop in Burnham Market for smoking salmon. Larger off cuts are used for firewood, and shavings for horse bedding.

All very eco-friendly and contemporary,

• The space and function of an extension is key and will have been decided when the design was agreed.

• The next important aspect is the lighting plan which is crucial to enhance the rooms, both for daytime use and at night. Consider when you are going to use the room.

• Furniture layout is key for the comfort and flow of the room. Focus on the best feature of a room and how it could be dressed up. The furniture must be practical and comfortable. Consider the furniture layout from both inside and outside of the room.

• Be aware of how the new rooms relate to existing rooms and keep continuity of colour and style, so there is the feeling that the extension has always been there, rather than is an add on.

• If you have an extension with lots of glass, keep the window treatments simple, compliment the timber frame do not compete! Blinds are simple yet effective or consider rattan blinds which filter the light.

• Colour is a very personal choice, but if you want to introduce texture consider wallpapers rather than paint. Metallic wallpapers have a reflective surface and are a good source of light. It is also important to get your base colour correct and them you can add colour and texture in the soft furnishings. Tel: 01780 753351 info@huntersinteriorsofstamford.co.uk

but also timeless. And despite technological advances, one traditional and very fundamental element of timber frame building remains unchanged, says John: “Although the posts and beams are made using green oak, the oak pegs which actually make the whole building firm are made from dry, seasoned oak. This is because when the dry pegs are driven into the joints, the dry pegs absorb the moisture from the surrounding joint. The joint becomes firm and slowly dries into a tight union. Bolts however, would become loose as the oak dried.” www.norfolkpostandbeam.co.uk John Falvey 07788 585015 NORTH NORFOLK Living EARLY SUMMER 2012

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LOCAL HISTORY

A Way to Go

Eroica Mildmay goes foraging for milestones with Nigel Ford of The Milestone Society A ‘lost’ milestone.

Nigel Ford on the case.

‘P

ussycat, pussycat, where have you been? I’ve been to London to visit the Queen.’ But the real question is how did Pussycat, pussycat get to London? Or, what about Dick Whittington, who, on one summer’s day, ‘ran away, yes, ran away to London city!’ With the help of milestones, obviously . . . I love a good nursery rhyme, perhaps a little unfashionable at this point in time, but nevertheless enduring and I can’t see a milestone without thinking of those classic rhymes and fables.

But, milestones have been slipping into invisibility for far too long. And, if it wasn’t for The Milestone Society which was formed in 2001, and specifically Nigel Ford who resurrects these long lost waymarkers here in Norfolk, many might have disappeared into ditches and hedgerows forever. Nigel’s work entails locating milestones, refreshing and painting them, and in some cases effectively rebuilding them, well, upending them. This entails removing the bulk of the original milestone from the ground, putting on a false bottom, pinning the two halves together with a metal pin, sinking the newer stone element into the ground and getting a stonemason in to carve in new numbering and lettering on the original older section which is by now sitting proud out of the ground. Hey presto!

The milestone goes way back to Roman times, who marked their legendary straight roads with a mile marker. Mileposts were then made compulsory in 1767 on turnpikes (which were essentially a booth or hostel or similar with gate or barrier preventing access until a toll had been paid.) These turnpike milestones not only informed travellers of direction and distances, but punctuated the landscape in the

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process which in turn helped to schedule coach journeys and to calculate postal charges. The Turnpike Trust was set up to collect tolls by an Act of Parliament which were used to maintain highways as the condition of roads could be appalling for both carriages and pedestrians alike, hence another rather appropriate nursery rhyme . . . ‘Doctor Foster went to Gloucester, In a shower of rain, He stepped in a puddle, Right up to his middle, And never went there again!

Clearly Doctor Foster’s chosen route was not a maintained toll road! So pay up Doc! Well, that’s the history, but the future obviously lies in future generations, and their care of milestones. And, that is why Nigel gets schools involved whenever he can. Children are given the opportunity to paint milestones on quieter stretches of road and these school trips are very popular by all accounts. The Highways Authorities are also finally waking up to the value of these stones, and the industrial flailcutters, the mortal enemy of the milestone, are also being alerted to the serious damage they can do to them when trimming grass verges.

Nigel still has many miles of stones to go, but he hopes to resurrect 60 this year in honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. He points out yet another long-forgotten milestone tucked into a hedge, tipped slightly to one side, peering out at us. It had a small hook on one side, and I asked Nigel what it’s for, to which he answers that no-one’s quite sure what function it served.

So, I asked if perhaps it was there to hang a lantern on? Nigel said that was a very plausible idea, imagining a small helpful glow on a dark moonless night, just as I was – lighting the way ahead for the adventurous Dick Whittington and Pussycat, pussycat on her way to see the queen in London all those years ago. A nice thought.

And, right up-to-date, with our modern-day

A classic roadside milestone.

Below right: Photographs for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Milestone Book Queen Elizabeth II set to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee it somehow seems entirely appropriate that The Milestone Society is to present her with a special leatherbound book to mark her personal milestone. This book which will contain both photographs and text will hopefully be re-produced at a later date to fund many more milestone repairs – pulling them out from wherever they are, in order to show you exactly where you are!

• For more information and details on how to become a member of The Milestone Society see www.milestonesociety.co.uk The Milestone Society is supported by Norwich City Council, with support from Norfolk County Council.

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KIDS STUFF

LIVING

As we roll into summer North Norfolk is buzzing with an air of excitement and celebration. With the long bank holiday weekends and warmer weather, Kirstin Crane has found there is plenty for kids to get involved in, inspire their creativity and fire up their imaginations!

FALCON (Festival of Arts and Literature for Children of Norfolk), Holt Hall Saturday 9th June 2012, 10-8pm (gates open 9.30am)

Fairy Fair 2012 Holt Hall

Don your fairy wings and prepare to be enchanted as the Norfolk-based Fairyland Trust sprinkle their magic dust over the Jubilee weekend for the 11th annual Fairyland Fair.

Attracting all ages, but designed especially for families with 3-8 year olds, The Fairy Fair combines entertainment, magic, nature and conservation spread throughout the gardens and woods of Holt Hall. Join one of their popular workshops in weather-proof tents where you can create a Fairy Garden with real wildflowers, or make Elf Sticks from native trees but you must book in advance as these sell out quickly! You can meet wandering musicians such as the fantastic Bug Band, visit the Pirate Fete or take part in drop-in activities such as posting a card at the Pixie Post Office and create a winning mud pie in the Cooking for Trolls competition. Don’t miss the fabulous puppet show for younger children ‘Mr Browns Pig’ or the trail to find the Fairy Queen herself.

Sunday 3rd - Monday 4th June 10am-5pm Tickets bookable in advance from www. fairylandtrust.org £7.50 per person under 3’s go free

This brand new annual children’s arts and literary festival (FALCON) brings together a wide range of inspiring authors, musicians, storytellers, scientists and artists all ready to stimulate and celebrate children’s creativity, drawing them into the magic world of the arts. Using the wonderful grounds of Holt Hall it involves an exciting mixture of creative workshops, demonstrations, stalls and performances. All ages are welcome to have a go at interactive storytelling with puppets, sign up for the Slippery Slime workshop or work with a professional children’s writer to create something brilliant! Aimed at children aged 3-14years there will be a whole host of activities to discover, explore, watch, hear, and participate in, with a bookstall and toyshop, opportunities to purchase refreshments and food, and a jamboree evening of readings, music, storytelling and much, much more.

Children £5.00 in advance or £10 on the day. One adult free with every child To book contact info@falconholt.org or visit www.falconholt.org

Teddy Bears Picnic Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve

Take a teddy and a picnic down to the beautiful surroundings of Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve and you can take part in some fun activities to introduce young children to the natural environment. The education and visitor centre at Sculthorpe Moor is a great base for a programme of walks, talks, courses and activity sessions for people of all ages. Imaginative displays inside the centre introduce children to the special wildlife habitats, plants, birds and other animals of Sculthorpe Moor. £2.50 per child, £3 donation suggested from adult visitors. 5th July 2012 12noon-2pm Book in advance 01328 856788 or email info@sculthorpemoor.org

A Norfolk Tale of a Norfolk Trail

Its fair to say there are a whole host of Norfolk Guide books on our bookshelves but none so aimed at 8-12 year olds. The By Mistake Guide to Norfolk: Demons Dragons & Ducks is a new travel guide with a difference. Written from the point of view of tenyear-old boy Jim it is a delightful diary about his adventures during a year of family outings in Norfolk and so ‘by mistake’ he writes a guide to the county. You can follow in his footsteps as he sees wildlife spectaculars, finds some really smelly funghi, explores fantastic castles and swims with seals. With his Mum, Dad, sisters and Gran in tow, his hilarious adventures are captured in his own words accompanied by some very funny hand drawn sketches that will make you laugh out loud. Not just a fictional read the book encourages kids to get out and explore the county offering ideas for things to do in Norfolk throughout the year and focuses on some of the less well-known places that are either free or very low cost. You can meet author Caroline Davison and pick up a copy at a very special book signing at the Blue Jacket Workshop, Morston, on Saturday June 2nd between 11am and 3pm.

The By Mistake Guide to Norfolk:Demons Dragons & Ducks by Caroline Davison Paperback £7.99. Copies available direct from Black Dog Books www.blackdogbooks.co.uk Kirstin Crane Bells and Whistles Kids, The Courtyard, Creake Abbey, North Creake NR21 9LF www.bellsandwhistleskids.co.uk Tel: 01485 543173

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OUTDOOR LIVING

Go alfresco!

With the warmer weather and the imminent Jubilee celebrations our minds are turning to dining ‘alfresco’! North Norfolk Living’s Amanda Loose has scoured North Norfolk for all things picnic…

Various tableware from £5.95 Norfolk Living Market Place, Burnham Market, Norfolk PE31 8HF Tel: 01328 730668 enquiries@norfolkliving.co.uk

“Jubilee” Picnic wear from £2.99 Bakers and Larners 8Market Place, Holt, Norfolk NR25 6BW 01263 712 244 www.bakersandlarners.co.uk

Thermos Flask by Greengate £18.95 Coolbag by Greengate £35 Coloured large plastic wine glasses by Rice £7.50 Coloured large plastic large tumblers by Rice £6.50 Melamine Beakers by Greengate £5.95 Sweet Raspberry at: Big Blue Sky Wells Next the Sea, Norfolk NR23 1QA 01328 712 023 www.bigbluesky.uk.com

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‘Oilcloth cushion’ - designed and made in Hunstanton - perfect for the garden, beach.

Damp-proof, wipe clean, light and easy to carry £20 Potter & Dibble 61 Manor Road, Dersingham, Norfolk PE31 6LH 01485 540117 / 07540 723697 www.potteranddibble.com

NORTH NORFOLK Living EARLY SUMMER 2012

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Situated in the pretty coastal village of Thornham, minutes from the coastal path leading to sandy beaches. We have 13 bedrooms, some of which have been recently re-furbished. Enjoy a delicious meal in the traditional history soaked bar, conservatory or elegant recently renovated restaurant and sit in the garden sipping a Pimm’s while the kids are happy in the play area….

See our webite for rates and special offers.

Dogs and muddy boots welcome!

A Stones throw from Thornham Harbour and stunning sandy beaches, this charming former coaching Inn offers a delicious menu of locally caught fish dishes , pizzas, pies and much more.

Stay in one of our 12 warm and inviting bedrooms.

Family friendly, the childrens menu will tempt even the fussiest toddler , while the outside play area will keep them occupied while you relax!

Please see websites for opening times and special offers.

Foxes in Spring Forest, Rachel Lockwood Sandpipers, studio glass, Julia Linstead

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www.cherrytreechocolates.co.uk www.cherrytreechocolates.co.uk Situated oninThe High Street the Victorian Town of Hunstanton, Situated on The High Street the Victorian Town in of Hunstanton, Cherry Tree Chocolates has been delighting has our customers since 2009.our customers since 2009.

Cherry Tree Chocolates been delighting Now in our third year, we continue to tempt our customers both old Now in our third year, we continue to tempt our customers both old and new with a selection of hand finished Belgian Chocolates, and new with a selection of hand finished Belgian Chocolates, scrumptious creamy fudges, and a great range of Diabetic, Gluten free creamy fudges, a great range of Diabetic, Gluten free and Dairy Freescrumptious products. We are delighted to offerand a range of Booja-Booja dairy andfree Dairy Free products. We are delighted to offer a range of products with are also Booja-Booja dairy free soil certified and organic

www.cherrytreechocolates.co.uk Situated The High productson with are alsoStreet in the Victorian Town of Hunstanton,

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We will shortlyNow be the in our and bestthird partyear, of we continue to tempt our customers both old introducing some other and- locally new with a selection of hand finished Belgian Chocolates, all made! delicious handmade scrumptious creamy We will shortly be fudges, and a great range of Diabetic, Gluten free chocolate bars and lollys Dairy products. introducing some other We are delighted to offer a range of that are made and just up in Free the coast inourBooja-Booja home dairy free delicious handmade county! products with are also

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9 High Street, Hunstanton PE36 5AB T: 01485 534992 ituated on the High Street in the Victorian Seaside Town of Hunstanton,

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ART

Big Norfolk Skies When I first read this piece by Daniel Loose I was a little taken aback by the ‘intense, in depth’ nature of the writing style – however, having seen the pictures and met the delightful Rebecca Lloyd, I have printed the piece pretty much in full. Enjoy the pictures, enjoy the words…or both – which ever ticks your box! Ed

W

hen Laura Pocock, from ‘The Artmonger’ gallery in Burnham Market introduced me to Rebecca Lloyd’s pastel paintings I was ‘wowed’. Any prejudice toward the Women’s Institutes’ favourite art medium was called into question. [Glad to hear it – Ed and WI fan!]

Confronted with imagery that is not only compositionally correct and technically brilliant, I was speechless as I absorbed an image of Norfolk’s vast sky. But, Rebecca‘s paintings are not just another attempt to tap into the market fuelled by romanticism and nostalgia, a “nice” picture to remind one of a summer holiday on the North Norfolk coast.

There is a huge tradition, and subsequent discourse in the fine arts surrounding the English Landscape. From Turner through to Hockney (who recently had a major retrospective at the Royal Academy in London), English artists have focused on the landscape as a means of forming an understanding of national and self-identity. We all know the work of Constable, but what are less known are his radical studies of pure sky and sea. It is in this tradition that I want to suggest Rebecca’s work can, and should be situated.

John Constable ‘Rainstorm over the sea’ 1825 Owner unknown!

Rebecca Lloyd, who was born in London and moved to Norfolk 10 years ago, trained as a classical dancer and then worked in the theatre. She is largely self-taught, a title she is uncomfortable with, as she never consciously set out to learn by a method. Rebecca defies all the stereotypes that have developed around local artists - Rebecca and her paintings have a life beyond the village hall art exhibition.

Rebecca explains how she has “always been fascinated with the way we interact with the landscape. As a child I loved to lie staring up at the sky - the feeling of being enveloped by the enormity of it, the sensation of movement, that it was me being transported by the clouds rather than the clouds moving and that overriding sense of smallness.”

Looking at Rebecca’s images, almost void of human life, and with no reference point, the viewer is pulled into a dialogue with space and nothingness. The overriding question that has developed around Rebecca’s work is the place of Man in Creation. The clever composition creates a sense of mass that forms

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Above: Brancaster 1, Right: Brancaster 2 philosophical perspective between the relative insignificance of ‘us’ and creation.

It would be a mistake to say that these paintings were oppressive, thus compressing Man, but they are limitless, existing beyond the imposed physical constraints of the frame and therefore we are confronted with our own insignificance.

If you are not asking these questions, or indeed not agreeing with my essay, then don’t worry - these questions have challenged scientists and philosophers from Plato through to our own Richard Dawkins - but to fully appreciate these stunning paintings we need to look beyond the ‘canvas’.

Human self-importance needs to be put aside as we are faced with a perfection that clearly transcends the realm of Man in terms of its beauty and nature.

I encourage you to go and enjoy these paintings, and I hope that you are transported by the clouds, into a heavenly realm, of beauty and perfection.

Rebecca Lloyd, ‘Sea and Sky’ is open from the 16th June until 24th June at St Edmunds Studio, opposite The Artmonger, North Street, Bunrham Market. Tel 01328 730 370 www.theartmonger.co.uk

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GARDENING

The North Norfolk Veg Patch The last 60 years not only tells the story of Elizabeth II, but that of the F1 hybrid and heritage vegetables. Trish le Gal explores the changes that have taken place in vegetable growing while our Queen has been on the throne

Cherokee Trail of Tears

F

irst generation cross cabbages, carrots, courgettes, you name it, have become commonplace since the 1950’s. These offspring are the result of matchmaking two talented vegetable parents. They are large uniform plants requiring lots of fertilizer to grow and pesticides to protect. Maturing at the same time they convey huge advantages to mechanised growers supplying the supermarkets.

Many back garden and allotment growers were seduced by the vigour of F1s and forsook their open-pollinated varieties. Their popularity was such that small seed companies went to the wall and larger companies flourished. Seed lists shrank. Unlike open-pollinated varieties, F1s do not come ‘true’, and their advantages are not carried forward in their seeds. Seed companies became necessary for people who would otherwise have saved their own and passed them down the generations. Some people (like me) claim that heritage (openpollinated) varieties taste better than F1s and, once adapted to local conditions, very

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The Gladstone Pea productive. Others suggest that they don’t have the disease resistance of the F1s.

A heritage vegetable is therefore any variety that is over 50-60 years old. Many are of course much older and have interesting histories. There is evidence of peas going back to 7000 BC. I grow the 4 foot tall Gladstone pea for use fresh and dried in the winter. The Cherokee Trail of Tears climbing French bean is also delicious in winter stews and very fine used young. It is said to have been among the most precious possessions of the Cherokee nation saved when they were displaced from their land in 1838.

Gardeners passionate about maintaining genetic variation have organised seed swaps and gene banks of this heritage. Unable to sell unlicensed seeds, non-profit making organisations charge a membership and supply a service. Here in the UK, the major organisation is the Heritage Seed Library. This is part of Garden Organic, a charity set up by Lawrence Hills in 1954.

I have recently joined the Garden Organic

Master Gardener volunteer program that offers free advice to gardeners wanting to grow their own. Their website is http://norfolk. mastergardeners.org.uk/ .

The Master Gardener program is very exciting. People who register as a ‘household’ with one of the volunteers get a free growing pack to start off with and free advice for a year - check it out on the website. The Norfolk group is based at Gressenhall. The volunteer coordinator is an exceptional woman name of Gabbie Sharp.

Happy gardening!

[Having been lucky enough to have been the recipient of gardening top tips from extremely knowledgeable Trish when I had my allotment in years gone by – any readers who feel they would benefit from some free vegetable growing support – don’t hesitate to contact Trish – you won’t regret it! – Ed] My own website is www.growyourownbooks. co.uk if you want to contact me.

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EATING OUT

The King William IV in Sedgeford Back by popular demand Honor Welford puts another local eating establishment to the test – this time it’s The King William IV in Sedgeford

M

y sister and partner were staying for the weekend and on Sunday it was bright and sunny, all be it a bit fresh. So we decided to take a ride along the coast. Having heard good reports, we decided to stop at ‘The King William IV’ at Sedgeford for lunch.

Off to a good start as we entered the pub, we were welcomed by a friendly smiling face from the other side of the bar, as we ordered some drinks, prior to going through to the restaurant. There was a warm and relaxed atmosphere.

On entering the restaurant it was very busy, with the background hum of voices, people in full conversation, chatting away as they tucked into their food. We were greeted at our table by Amanda, who gave us the menus.

As well as the traditional Sunday roast, there was a wide and varied menu to choose from. So whether you just fancied a light lunch or a full three course meal, you would be sure to find something that appealed to your taste buds.

Starters were priced from £4.65 for Fresh Soup to £6 ish for Smoked Salmon. Light lunches such as Salads and Pasta dishes started from about £6.50, or a more substantial main course from around £10. With the usual tempting deserts, for about £5 to £6.

We all decided to have a starter. We chose Garlic Mushrooms, Liver Pate with Red Onion Marmalade and warm toast, Mussels and Roasted pepper stuffed with sun dried tomato and goats cheese. All were served promptly and were reasonably sized portions, not like some starters we’ve had previously from other establishments, when the starter is dwarfed by the garnish on the side of the plate. Even when Lucas had polished off his toast and still had pate left, it was not too much trouble to provide some more toast. We could not find fault with any of the starters, in fact we

30

thought they were so good, we all would have been happy to try another starter and miss out the main courses we had ordered, but we were glad we didn’t!

There was a breather of about 10 to 15 minutes, before Amanda brought us our main courses. We chose Stuffed Breast of Guinea Fowl, Sunday Roast Beef, Steak & Ale Pie and Fish Cakes. All were served with vegetables and potatoes, except the fish cakes which came with chips and salad. We ran out of gravy and asked for some more, another jug promptly arrived and again that was not too much trouble. All of the main courses were a fair size, served hot and we enjoyed every one of them.

But the one we wished we all had ordered was the Steak and Ale pie, it tasted fantastic and was packed full of steak.

After two great courses, time was running on, so sadly we had to give the desserts a miss; otherwise we would not have made it along the coast, well not in daylight anyway!

All in all, The King William is well worth a visit. From start to finish a very enjoyable experience, both the bar and restaurant were clean and in a good decorative order, from the welcoming smile when we entered the bar, to the friendly and bubbly service awarded to us by Amanda, when nothing was too much trouble and not forgetting the great food. We will definitely be returning again.

King William IV Heacham Road, Sedgeford, Hunstanton, Norfolk PE36 5LU Tel: 01485 571765 Email: info@thekingwilliamsedgeford.co.uk www.thekingwilliamsedgeford.co.uk

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