north norfolk living spring 2013

NORFOLK LIVINGNORTH

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

HOME & GARDEN/FOOD & DRINK/PEOPLE & PLACES

FREE IN NORTH NORFOLK£1.50 where sold Spring 2013

www.northnorfolkliving.co.uk

Celebrate the great outdoors... ...with a visit to Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve

Amanda Loose meets one of our greatest children’s authors: Kevin Crossley-Holland

Skillful Art – Eroica Mildmay meets thatchers, Ben and Marcus Thompson

P L U S : WHERE TO SHOP KIDS ACTIVITIES

LOCAL PEOPLEWHERE TO EAT

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5 Beachcombing–What’sOn!What’sGoodandWheretogo!7 Beachcombing–What’sOn!What’sGoodandWheretogo!8 EroicaMildmaymeetsalocalfirmoftraditionalthatchersonthe rareoccasiontheyareontheground!10 Boldlygo!AmandaLooselooksatthelatesttrendsinfabrics13 HappyBirthdaytoyou!OurfantasticlocalnaturereserveSculthorpe Mooristenthisyear14 It’sspring!(nearly…)GetoutdoorsandenjoyitsaysAmandaLoose17 PeterLowexplainstheworkoftheBurnhamOveryHarbourTrust andhowtheyneedsupporttoprotectourcoastline17 AhiddenNorfolkgem:TheRiddleinWalsingham–realfood,cooked properlysaysLinMurray19 OurresidentchefNaHansellextolsthevirtuesofher‘Heavenly HoneyCake’.19 Ifyouwanttoimproveyourunderstandingandappreciationofwine, joinLee’swineclub–greatfun!20 Timetogetoutinthegarden:amixofgardenretailandTrishleGal kickstartingyourgardeningyear22 OurFriendsElectric–OurmotoringcorrespondentBrianVertigen checksout‘green’cars24 Aroundupofallthingsartyupanddownourcoast.27 NutritionalcoachBoTylerasksthequestion‘Whatdoesitmeanto behealthy’27 Anotherseasoninthetopflightforthe CanariessaysFrankWatson28 RaymondMonbiotmeetsthe extraordinaryRichardBird30 Internationallybestsellingauthorand NorthNorfolkresidentKevinCrossley- Hollandtalksabouthisbooks withAmandaLoose

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

Editor & Advertising ManagerLinMurrayEmail:[email protected]:[email protected] EditorAmandaLooseEmail:[email protected] to NorthNorfolkLivingMagazine,POBox208,Stamford.Lincs.PE99FYHead of Design StevenHandleyEmail:[email protected] Designer NikEllisEmail:nik@locallivingdesign.co.ukPublisherNicholasRudd-Jones01780765571Email:[email protected] byLocalLivingLtd,POBox208,Stamford,Lincs.PE99FYwww.bestlocalliving.co.uk01780765571Printed byWarnersofBourne

NORTH NORFOLK LiviNg SPRING 2013 3

Springismyfavouritetime.Life

ingeneralbecomesalotmorebenignandweareabletogetoutandfullyappreciatewhatawonderfulareaNorthNorfolkis.

We’vegiventhisissueanoutdoorthemewithlotsofideasforthingstodo.

Firstlytakealookatourfrontcover–itremindsmeofhowspecialourcoastlineis.Consideralsowhatafabulousareaitisforwildlife–readourpieceonSculthorpeMoorCommunityNatureReserve–suchagreatplacetogoforpeopleofallages.

ReadAmandaLoose’sOutdoorLivingpageforlotsofoutdooractivitiesforthecomingmonths.

Whateverticksyourbox,culturalvisits,wildlifevisits,educationalvisits,shoppingtrips-we’vegotitallinNorthNorfolk–youjustneedtogetoutthereanddoit!

Lin Murray Editor

@NNorfolkLiving

Cover photography by Martin Hayward Smith (shown here working with Ray Mears). Ariel shot of Burnham Overy Harbour.

NORTH NORFOLK HELLO

SUbSCRIbe TO North Norfolk Living

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

Raymond Monbiot

Amanda Loose

Eroica Mildmay

PaulMacro

Gill Carrick Cowlin

Trish le Gal

FrankWatson

Stephen Clark

The faces behind this issue

SPRING CONTENTS

NorthNorfolkLivingmagazine

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LOCAL NEWS

NORTH NORFOLK LIVING SPRING 2013 5

BeachcombingsW h a t ’ s o n , W h a t ’ s g o o d a n d W h e r e t o g o !

Let’s go cruisin’!Offering the best of both worlds as an independent travel agent, new Hunstanton travel shop Cruise Holidays UK offers the best of the cruise holiday options including river cruising as well as bespoke and package holidays, fl ights and theatre trips

They offer a personal VIP, service taking care of everything, just tell them where and when you want to go and they will do the rest! They will even visit you in your own home to discuss your options.

As cruise specialists they are members of the Association of Cruise Experts membership and hold Cruise Line training certifi cates, highly regarded in the cruise world. By going direct to the cruise lines

they can always assure a competitive price. Specialising in luxury cruising they deal with companies such as Regent, Oceania, Seabourne, Silversea, Star Clippers, Crystal, Celebrity, Holland America.

They also offer the North Norfolk Cruise Club that has many member benefi ts and the North Norfolk Travel club and hold quarterly free cruise evenings.www.ktcruises.co.uk 68 Westgate Hunstanton 0800 021 4460

London antiques dealer comes home to NorfolkSophie Smith has just opened Artemis Homes & Antiques in Blakeney, selling an eclectic mix of antiques, including furniture, books, ceramics, fi ne art and mirrors. Occasionally Sophie will stock a range of reproduction wares for home furnishings. Sophie used to run antique stalls in London, including a regular well-known antique location in Islington’s Camden Passage. Now Norfolk-born Sophie has returned to her native county with her partner, to live the dream of running her own shop, indulging her passions for beautiful object d’art from the past.

Sophie says: “My favourite eras are Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Arts & Crafts. I like the idea of recycling beautiful things from the past and introducing them to the modern home. The detail, craftsmanship and beauty of antiques are hard to match these days and sit well in contemporary environments.”Artemis Homes & Antiques, 5 Westgate Street, Blakeney www.artemisantiques.co.uk [email protected]

North Norfolk’s very own ‘Chelsea Flower Show’?Saturday 25th May sees the return of Creake Abbey’s annual Plant Lovers’ Day, an event bursting with colour and choice from old roses to bamboo. More nurseries than ever have booked to attend and almost the full range of the prestigious Norfolk Nursery Network will be there. Newcomers include Cottage Memories specialising in classic roses, cottage perennials, grafted shrubs and trees.

The organisers have teamed up with Norfolk based landscape designer Lucy Roberts to offer visitors the opportunity to discuss specifi c aspects of their garden with a range of experts to include advice on design, hard landscaping, structure, water management, soil type, pruning and plant ailments.

There is no-where else in Norfolk where you can meet so many nurserymen, purchase such a wide variety of plants and shrubs while enjoying the beauty of the setting at Creake Abbey. The private gardens will be open for this day only and admission at £3 is charged with all profi ts going to support Wells Community Hospital at Wells next the Sea. The new Creake Abbey Café and Food Hall will ensure you don’t go hungry or thirsty while you browse. 10am to 4pm.http://www.creakeabbey.co.uk/plant-lovers-day-2013 07801 418907 or on Facebook

The Victoria at Holkham reopens!The Victoria at Holkham closed in January for an extensive refurbishment, which will bring an even warmer welcome to the historic inn at the centre of the internationally renowned Holkham Estate.

Local designers and craftsmen are working together to bring to life the character of the Estate and a relaxed elegance to the rooms, bar and restaurant. The new menu will refl ect the traditional British Country Inn ambience with local produce and of course game from the Holkham Estate.The refurbishment will be complete and the hotel reopened on 10 May as The Victoria Inn. Bookings can be made now for both the restaurant and the newly refurbished rooms by calling 01328 711008.

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Titchwell Manor Hotel and Restaurants Coastal boutique hotel serving great food. Dine in the informal Eating Rooms with its sea view terrace or the Conservatory which also offers Eric’s tasting menu.

50% off the Eating Rooms menu on Wednesdays throughout November, lunch and dinner, booking essential.

Pre Christmas party menu £25 per person.

01485 210 [email protected]

Titchwell Manor HotelTitchwellNr BrancasterKing’s LynnNorfolk PE31 8BB

Titchwell Manor Hotel and RestaurantsCoastal boutique hotel near Brancaster renowned for exceptional cuisine. Head Chef Eric Snaith was awarded three AA rosettes in January for his Conversation Menu and won the Eastern Daily Press Norfolk Food and Drink Chef of the Year Award 2012.

Dine from the à la carte menu in either the elegant, candlelitConservatory overlooking the gardens, or the informal EatingRooms, a striking and informal dining area and bar with a largeseaview terrace.

Eric’s distinctive style focuses on modern European cuisine takingadvantage of the superb local fish and seafood as well as fine gameand meat from nearby estates. A gourmet four and eight-courseConversation Menu, with optional matched wines, is also availableevery evening in the Conservatory allowing you to sample aselection of his most innovative dishes. On Sundays lunch isserved in the Conservatory offering traditional favourites instylish surroundings or come in for afternoon tea between 12 noonand 5pm.

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LOCAL NEWS


BeachcombingsW h a t ’ s o n , W h a t ’ s g o o d a n d W h e r e t o g o !

Royal Air Force Bircham Newton Heritage CentreA memorial to those who served there from 1918-1962OPEN DAYS 2013Sunday 31 March / Monday 1 AprilSunday 5 May / Monday 6 MaySunday 26 MayMonday 27 MaySunday 30th JuneSunday 28th JulySunday 25th August / Monday 26th AugustSunday 29th SeptemberOpen 11 am to 5 pmThe National Construction CollegeBircham Newton NCC is signposted off the A148 and B1454 Postcode:- PE31 6RBCome and discover the fascinating history of this former Royal Air Force station and its satellite airfi elds.Admission & parking FREE. Disabled accesswww.rafbnmp.org.uk

Three AA Rosettes for Titchwell ManorTitchwell Manor is celebrating being awarded three AA Rosettes for its outstanding cuisine.

Revamped in a contemporary style, Titchwell Manor started out as a Victorian farmhouse, but now does business as a rather chic country

hotel. It sits in a lovely spot overlooking the RSPB Titchwell Marsh reserve, and has been run by the Snaith family for a quarter of a century, with Eric Snaith directing the action at the stoves for over a decade. Guests can dine in either the informal Eating Rooms or the sage-green Conservatory overlooking the walled garden, which serves as a stage for Eric’s innovative dinner-only, four and eight-course Conversation menus. These showcase the splendid local produce, particularly fi sh and seafood.

Thrilled to receive this prestigious accolade, Head Chef Eric Snaith said; “We’re absolutely delighted to have achieved three Rosettes, it’s great for the whole team to receive this recognition from the AA, and it makes us very proud to be amongst the top restaurants in the UK.”

Eric has a reputation for producing exquisitely presented, experimental and innovative food using the fi nest local ingredients and cutting-edge techniques, refl ecting his self-taught ability and enthusiasm for modern food.

AA Rosettes are awarded solely by AA Hotel and Restaurant Inspectors with no infl uence from hotels, restaurants or other guides. 01485 210 221 www.titchwellmanor.com

Village Cinema NORTH CREAKETuesday 9th April Quartet (cert 12A)Directed by Dustin Hoffman starring Maggie Smith, Tom Courtney, Pauline Collins, Michael Gambon, Billy Connolly and Andrew Sachs. A comedy drama set in a retirement home for ageing musicians where preparations for an annual gala are thrown into chaos by a new arrival. Great fun.

Tuesday 14th May Skyfall (Cert 12A)The latest James Bond fi lm featuring a stellar cast including Judi Dench, Albert Finney, Ralph Fiennes and of course Daniel Craig. Directed by Sam Mendes. Tickets are £5.00 each, available by calling 01328 738959. Performances start at 7.30pm in North Creake Village Hall. The admission price includes a complimentary drink with the bar opening at 7.00pm

SYDERSTONE VILLAGE CINEMA IN ASSOCIATION WITH CREATIVE ARTS EASTSaturday 27th April Great Expectations (12A)Mike Newell’s new version of Dickens’ novel with stars including Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes and David Walliams.Amy Robsart Village Hall, Syderstone PE31 8RX.Starting at 7.30pm, advance tickets £3.50, £4 on the doorTel. 01485 578588 and 578171

SCREEN-NEXT-THE-SEA - WELLSMonday 8th April Skyfall (Cert 12A)Monday 22nd April Rust & Bone (Cert 15) Starring Marion Cotillard, French with English SubtitlesFilms start at 7pm, (Skyfall also has a matinee performance on 8th April at 2.30pm) The Granary, Wells-next-the-Sea. Tickets £5 adults, £3.50 child. All tickets from Ticketline 07900316606Bond... James Bond

Local property fi rm opens new offi ces in WellsLocal property agency Sowerbys are expanding their holiday cottage arm of the business to include new offi ces in Wells next the Sea.

With over ten years in the business Andrea Sowerby and her team have built up a solid track record in all aspects of holiday letting based at their original offi ce in Burnham Market.

‘We offer a fl exible, tailor-made service where you decide how often you use your holiday home and how much you’d like us to do for you’ says Andrea. ‘We are always on hand to offer advice or help to our guests, or deal with any emergencies’.Sowerbys Holiday Cottages 01328 711711 [email protected]

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PEOPLE

8 NORTH NORFOLK LiviNg SPRING 2013

Top NotchEroica Mildmay meets thatchers, Ben and Marcus Thompson.

What a very long way thatch has come . . . Of course, it stands to reason that

a form of basic foliage roof covering to shelter underneath has probably existed long before fire was discovered and baking clay to make tiles was even thought of. No direct archaeological evidence of thatch remains of course, because a foliage roof just composts back into the earth, but from South Sea islands to Scottish Highlands, from palms to ferns, local plant life all over the world has had it covered for a very long time. The popularity of thatch in Britain has waxed and waned throughout history though, and thatch became a mark of poverty, associated with rural peasantry, following rural depopulation after the Enclosure Acts which spanned from approximately 1750 to 1870. These various draconian Government Acts favouring the rich and their desire to corral the countryside for their own gain, swept peasants unceremoniously off the land into towns and cities, and the number of thatched properties steadily declined, as did the number of professional thatchers. But, arguably the Twenties and Thirties reclaimed the craft of thatching again, with the thatched cottage motif often sentimentally reproduced on crockery of the time, with the typical idyllic rose cottage complete with country garden becoming very popular. We’ve all seen a thatched cottage teapot, have we not? Thatching has successfully been built up since then, to such a degree that now the humble thatch has become a symbol of wealth rather than poverty.

The art of thatching has had to scrub up a bit for modern day requirements, as with the requirement for a fire retardant that can hold off flames for up to an hour, but that’s a technicality really. Essentially though the craft remains the same, and Ben and Marcus Thompson who are based in north Norfolk, but work extensively across Norfolk and Suffolk, are literally doing what still comes naturally, in the form of reed and straw. And, as Britain has more thatched roofs than in any other country in Europe, their skills are in constant demand.

It was Marcus who began thatching first, as an apprentice, and Ben soon followed behind and between them, they have over forty years experience. They have necessarily expanded the team to meet demand, with a new generation of apprentices on board, who will in turn take the craft forward. The materials they use are water reed, largely sourced from Hungary because of the quality, more fibrous

and less brittle than some of the more home-grown produce apparently and long straw, always selecting the best from every season. The finished product, a tight, neat thatched roof is a thing of beauty, a statement, often imposing, always something to marvel at, a span of uncompromisingly hand-made precision work that demands consideration as such. It is robustly human, and thankfully, something that robots could never do. They might build cars, but thatching a roof? Nah, I don’t think so, do you? Thatching is always a custom-made job (and robots wouldn’t get that) but once completed, a good quality reed thatch can last up to 60 years. Thatch is a natural insulator, keeping warm in the winter, yet cool in the summer as I can testify as my grandfather lived in thatched cottage. I particularly remember, as a child, liking the depth of the thatch around the dormer windows; it was like living in a loaf of

bread. (There is however, and it’s easy to forget this, no guttering with thatch so a ground-level gravel surround and soak-away drainage under the lip of the thatch is absolutely essential.)

Although thatching and re-thatching is an expense to bear in mind as a home-owner, over and above tiles and slates, that’s what you sign up for when you choose that roof material. But, thatch has many passionate and committed devotees, who wouldn’t have it any other way, and with thatch these days, it’s definitely less of the waning, and more of the waxing!

• For a gallery of exquisite examples of their craft, go to www.mandbthompson.co.uk For further information email Ben and Marcus Thompson at [email protected] or call Ben on 01953 603059 or 07899 890747 or Marcus on 01362 692324 or 07771 723058

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A celebration of British Wildlife – Badger and Red Fox ceramic sculpture feature in our Easter collection

‘What To Look For In Spring’

Life size, Life like Merino Sheep – could be coming to a garden, orchard or courtyard near you. £295.00, Lambs have just arrived!

THE RED DOT GALLERY2 LYLES COURT, LEES YARD, HOLTNORFOLK. NR25 6HS.01263 [email protected]

Star Struck! – ‘Donkey, Moon & Stars’ from Georgina Warne, hand coloured etching. Call us for a complimentary folio ‘In Celebration of Nature’

A Palace fit for a Pug! One of the new paintings from Lizzie Riches – always lots of dog paintings, prints and sculpture on show at the gallery.

Heirloom Cushions in 100% wool with the softest velvet backing and feather filled – from an extensive range in the gallery. £55.00 each.

Star Struck! – ‘Donkey, Moon & Stars’

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HOME INTERIORS

Fabrics


Be bold. If you’re clinging on to your creams or buckling under your beiges, but fancy a quick change, the word on the interior design street is that fabrics, both patterned and textured are a good bet. Whether you want to mix, match or clash, it’s a great way to update your room easily without changing your whole scheme. By Amanda Loose

Interior designers are not immune to room fatigue, says Nanci Gillett of Burnham

Interiors: “I go into my sitting room at the moment and feel ‘eugh’ but I know if I spend a bit of time and buy half a dozen new cushions, I would be delighted. Fabrics are not just for curtains and blinds but also for room accessories such as cushions and bespoke lampshades, which are made by most fabric houses now. They are an instant update and can freshen up or totally change the room.

“When mixing and matching various patterns, the fabrics and accessories should all have the same colour palette to unite the various elements and keep the overall look cohesive.”

You can use bold fabrics for a statement piece like a chair or cushions, without necessarily a huge outlay, says Nanci. One of her top tips is textile design company Corita Rose, whose boldly patterned velvets, linens and silks would add more than a little va va voom to any room. “And we’re fortunate up here to have a couple of very cool fabric houses in our county – St Jude’s, who have a studio in Norwich, and Nicole Fabre Designs, whose head office is in Syderstone.”

Jo Griffiths of Vintage Home & Garden agrees. “Fabric accessories are a really good way of injecting colour and updating a room. I tend to do it seasonally in spring and autumn. I take down my winter curtains and replace them with a lighter fabric for spring and summer, and it’s the same with my cushions – I use darker colours and heavier fabrics like linens and corduroys in autumn and winter, then from Easter I swap them for lighter colours.

“With pattern keep it simple and go for a statement. If you use a really wild pattern, use it in one area and keep everything else simple. Like my natural history cushions, I would have one in a room so you don’t lose the impact.”

So what are the best dressed homes sporting this season? Anything goes says interior designer, Annie Lambert of Home by Annie Lambert: “However, lots of designers are using ‘pops’ of colour to enhance neutral schemes. This is a really cost effective way to update a scheme. Changing cushion covers, even seasonally is a great way to change bedroom and sitting room décor.

“I’ve seen lots of hot colours around recently - pinks and purples, greens and yellow. Interiors

often follow the catwalk as we’ve seen before with the use of animal prints and several chintz patterns are making a comeback too.”

Amanda Oldfield at Jack Oldfield Interiors, agrees. “People are mixing different colours, patterns and textures, using bold oversized patterns, including geometrics, botanicals and natural history prints.”

Emily Sutton Deep Sea, St Jude’s, £42 per metre

Mark Hearld, Bird Garden, St Jude’s, £44 per metre

Truly a statement piece - the Amor sofa by Corita Rose

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Top tips from Sara Norman-Smith from Hunters Interiors on how to use patterns:

• Be brave! Using large scale fabrics in particular can be a bit daunting – even if you have fallen in love with the fabric itself. If you are unsure how to use it – take advice – an interior designer will give you their ‘talented eye opinion’ on how it can be used or avoid a costly mistake with long term consequences. • When using patterns, use colours that are present in each of the patterns, this way they will have an link to each other• Use large and small patterns as a combination – not all large or all small• The key is to use a spread of pattern and strength of design within a room. The curtains may be a large pattern, the sofa medium, the cushions small• Textured fabrics – cut piles, embossed and velvets all create patterns, but don’t shout too loud in a scheme• Don’t feel restricted by the size of your room – large or small – there’s a scale of pattern right for each• To give a tired room a lift – try cushions. A really cost effective way to inject some new life into a room

ADDreSS BookBluejacket Workshop, Morston 01263 740144Burnham Interiors, Burnham Market 01328 730989Corita rose www.coritarose.comHome by Annie Lambert, Creake Abbey, North Creake 07796656384Hunters Interiors 01780 757946Jack oldfield Interiors, Harpley 01485 521823Nicole Fabre Designs 01485 576200 www.nicolefabredesigns.comSt Jude’s www.stjudesfabrics.co.ukVintage Home and Garden, Drove Orchards, Thornham 01485 525 714

Mixing and matching blues by Hunters Interiors

Cushions from £30 and walkies fabric from £35.99 per metre by Voyage Decoration from Jack oldfield Interiors

Mixing different colours, fabrics and textures, cushions from £30, fabric from £63.99 per metre, by Voyage Decoration from Jack oldfield Interiors

Cushion £60, Vintage Home and Garden

Above: Temara by Nicole Fabre, 100% linen, £142 per metreBelow: Manon Purpura by Nicole Fabre, £110 per metre

Above: Antique Chesterfield with a fitted loose cover made by Saffron Paffron, using vintage William Morris fabric pieced together with linens and velvet piping, £1,200, Bluejacket Workshop

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Visit our showroom five days a week: - A16 Uffington, Stamford PE9 4TD or telephone: 01780 757 946 www.huntersinteriorsofstamford.co.uk

DESign To SUiT yoUr TASTE

BE originAl AnD hAVE A TAilor mADE SofA By hUnTErS


WILDLIFE


Good for wildlife, Good for people!

A very happy birthday to our local wildlife champions The Hawk and Owl Trust at Sculthorpe Moor Community Nature Reserve.

Sculthorpe Moor is a beautiful place set in the Wensum valley just outside Fakenham, the perfect antidote to the stresses of modern

life. Managed by wild bird of prey conservation charity the Hawk and Owl Trust, it is a haven for a wide variety of wildlife from marsh harriers to glow worms, water voles to butterflies. By managing this important valley habitat for wild birds of prey, the whole ecosystem that the birds depend on as top predators, benefits. ‘It’s one of the most effective ways you can help Britain’s birds of prey’ says their President wildlife presenter Chris Packham.

2013 sees Sculthorpe Moor celebrating its 10th birthday; the Reserve was officially opened by HRH, The Princess Royal back in 2003. They have come a long way since then and to celebrate they are dedicating 2013 as their Year of Biodiversity with a packed calendar of events for all ages running throughout the year. The Reserve’s 10th birthday party will be a Birthday Bioblitz event on 21/22 of September when everyone is invited to come and help find as many different animals and plants on the reserve as possible. They will be dipping in the pond, wandering through the woodland and rooting through the reed beds. Bugs and birds, mosses and mini-beasts, flowers and frogs, they will be looking for them all so please put the date in your diary – a brilliant day out both for children and adults.

With over a mile of curving boardwalk, the reserve has excellent access, leading visitors through the various habitats; ideal for discovering what is round the next corner! This is an experience everyone can enjoy including wheelchair and mobility scooter users and those with young children in buggies.

Feeders attract birds close to benches and hides along the way, where you can stop, rest and maybe, if you are lucky, enjoy watching an acrobatic stoat or a water vole. You don’t need to be a ‘twitcher’ with binoculars to appreciate the wildlife at Sculthorpe Moor!

The reserve is easy to get to on foot or by bicycle from Fakenham and there is a bus stop close by. The car park at the reserve has space for

coaches and bicycles as well as cars. When you first arrive you will see the visitor and education centre, built from sustainably sourced wood - this provides facilities and information for visitors and school groups. We are lucky to have such a great educational facility on our doorstep.

Children can discover all sorts of interesting objects and have a go at games and quizzes in the activity chest. After a stroll round the reserve you can get a welcome cup of coffee or hot chocolate whilst viewing CCTV footage from the wildlife cameras, which allow visitors to see wildlife that might otherwise be hidden. There are always lots of volunteers around to help you get the most out of your visit. A classroom provides space for courses, activities and talks as well as providing a base for visiting school groups. All teachers take note; bring your pupils to have a go at building shelters in the woods or learn about pond creatures.

Come on an owl prowl to learn more about tawny owls, watch glow worms glowing, join us for a midsummer wildflower walk, spot an elusive woodcock as it makes its display flight or listen out for bats by using a bat detector. Spend a day learning how to identify bumblebees, learn to draw trees using charcoal or how to photograph small creatures. Or just enjoy a quiet stroll.

More information about Sculthorpe Moor Community Nature Reserve and the programme of activities for this birthday year can be found on the Trust’s website below.

There is a suggested minimum donation of £3.50 from adults visiting the reserve to help maintain the habitats for wildlife and the facilities for visitors but members and children are free.

Sculthorpe Moor is open all year round Tuesday to Sunday except Christmas Day. If you are an early bird you can visit from 8am when the car park opens and as the lighter evenings arrive the reserve will open later.www.hawkandowl.org/sculthorpe/about-sculthorpe/Telephone 01328 856788 Twitter @sculthorpemoor

Ruddy Darter

by Dave Brice

Pond dipping

anyone?

Easy access boardwalk at Sculthorpe by Pat Jones

Peacock Butterfly by Dave Brice

Evening Hunterwww.pebbles photography.co.uk

Turf moor road autumn by David Gittens

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There are Easter events aplenty in our area. Creake Abbey are running an Easter Egg Hunt and craft activities from 28th March to 14th

April (excluding 8th April) from 10am - 4pm. The hunt costs £1.50 with a separate small charge for the Easter craft activities which include making a wooden spoon bunny or chick. www.creakeabbey.co.uk

The National Trust has teamed up with Cadbury again to offer National Trust Easter Egg Trails thoughout the UK over the Easter Weekend, challenging members of the family to take part in fun-filled activities and games to find their Cadbury prize. Join the fun in North Norfolk at Felbrigg Hall 29th March to 1st April, 11am – 3.30pm, Blickling Estate 31st March to 1st April, 10am – 5pm and Sheringham Park 28th March to 14th April, 10am – 4.15pm. A small fee applies. To join in with the trails in your area, visit www.eastereggtrail.com.

There’s an Eggstraordinary Easter Egg Hunt at Drove Orchards, Thornham, between 25th March and 7th April from 10am – 4pm. Collect your hunt sheet from Bells and Whistles Kids then walk through the magical archway into the apple orchard where the hunt awaits you. Proceeds from the hunt will be donated to Nelson’s Journey charity. Bells and Whistles Kids 01485 540559

Pensthorpe Wildlife & Gardens near Fakenham is holding an Easter Eggstravaganza, taking place daily (10am to 5pm) from 28th March to 14th April. The event teaches visitors about nature in spring time and a fascinating trail weaves explorers through the Reserve, unearthing secrets about enchanting Easter traditions. Included in admission price to the Reserve which is £9.75 for adults, £8.00 for seniors and £6.25 for children (aged 4-16) www.pensthorpe.com

Cley Marshes is running a Spring Treasure Trail, a self-guided themed activity for families with children, daily from 29th March to 14th April during visitor centre opening times. Search for clues on the nature reserve and solve the puzzle for the chance to win a prize. £1 per child. www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk

There’s a lot going on in Brancaster Staithe and Burnham Deepdale this spring and summer. Down at the harbour, Norfolk Fishing Trips’ catamaran, Katie Louise makes her first trip from Staithe on 1st April. Enjoy an 8.5 hour summer fishing trip, including lunch, for £85 per person or a 3.5 hours trip for £35 per person. www.norfolkfishingtrips.co.uk

The National Trust’s Brancaster Millennium Activity Centre have some great taster sessions on offer this spring and summer, such as an hour long Kayaking session in Brancaster Harbour (£9.60 per person, 8 years +, various dates including 2nd to 5th April) or an hour’s sailing in their Drascombe Longboat (£15 per person, several dates including 2nd to 5th April. Children under eight must be accompanied by a paying parent or guardian) Visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/brancaster for more information, times and to book or call the booking office on 0844 2491895.

If you have always wanted to sail but never had the chance to have a go, then head down to Brancaster Staithe Sailing Club’s Open Day on Saturday 18th May 2013 from 9.30am to 14.30pm. Everyone is welcome to come along and try sailing in the beautiful harbour at Brancaster Staithe; all for free. The event is part of the Royal Yachting Association’s ‘Push the Boat Out Weekender’ on 18th and 19th May. Contact Mark Foley [email protected] 078 3333 2055 / 01362 688 946 to book your place.

Don’t miss the Deepdale Outdoor & Wildlife Festival on 20th and 21st April at Dalegate Market, Burnham Deepdale, for a weekend of all things outdoors and wildlife on the North Norfolk Coast. There will be stands, entertainment and activities including walking, cycling, birding, water sports, archery, orienteering, to name a few. Entry is free. www.deepdaleoutdoorfestival.co.uk

Finally, Burnham Market Traders Association are holding a Duck Race along the Goose Bec from Westgate Hall wall to the heart of the village (as long as the Bec is still running) on Sunday 5th May from 2pm, to raise funds for the Burnham Market Christmas Lights 01328 730 370.

OUTDOORS


The evenings a lighter, the days are hopefully brighter. It’s time to head outdoors and enjoy all that North Norfolk has to offer. Here are just a few of the spring highlights chosen by Amanda Loose

Get up and get out there!

Above: Easter egg trails © ntpl/Stuart Cox

Left: Pensthorpe tracker trail

Below: Cley Marshes, February by Anna Guthrie

NORFOLK LIVINGNORTH

We are looking to continue expanding our advertisement sales teamWe are looking for an individual who:l Has previous advertisement sales experiencel Is hungry to succeed, with a positive outlookl Must be based in North Norfolk

We offer:l Apart-timeopportunity(fiveissuesperyear)workingfromhomel Flexible hoursl A strong brand and a fun team to work with

If you are interested in pursuing this opportunity email Nicholas Rudd-Jones at [email protected] telling us a bit more about yourself, or call 01780 765571 to find out more.

NNL JOB 1-4.indd 1 14/3/13 15:24:49

Norfolk Fishing Trips

14 OUTDOOR copy 2.indd 1 14/3/13 16:43:55

15

FOOD & DRINK

I took the opportunity to have a tour of the place, offered by the Café and Food Hall

team when I visited the Farmers’ Market at the beginning of March. Very impressive! Huge picture windows looking out over the water meadows surrounding the site and fl ooding the café with light with two lovely terraces perfect for a sunny day.

For those not so sunny days customers have been more than adequately catered for. Under fl oor heating throughout will ensure a cosy atmosphere and to top it off, there will be a full size Aga in the customer area. I can see them warming scones in this to go with the afternoon teas!

Speaking to Tom, my guide for the visit and manager of this illustrious new establishment, things bode well for the food offering too. I was delighted to fi nd out that my favourite local chef Ali Yetman (ex of Wiveton Farm Café and Yetmans of Holt) is taking up residence as Head Chef. She will defi nitely be making use of the Aga…

Discussing the products that will be on sale in the Food Hall and served up in the café, it’s obvious that a lot of effort has gone into sourcing the best they can fi nd. Stephen Harrison, the fi ne food entrepreneur behind the new business, is keen to highlight that there will be a fabulous selection of local Norfolk produce, especially in the butchery but there will also be lots of equally delicious items from other regions of the UK and beyond. Tom has just come back from meeting with a truffl e supplier in France, truffl es that are hunted for not by dogs but by pigs!

We have a treat in store - I have no doubt!

ALI YETMAN’S ASPARAGUS & GRUYERE TARTThe Pastry • 225g plain fl our• 125g butter • 1 egg yolk• Water • Good Pinch SaltThe Filling• 3 eggs • 1pt double cream• 225g Gruyere Cheese • 750g Asparagus• Salt • Freshly Ground Pepper• Quarter Of A Nutmeg, Grated• Small Bunch Chives

First make the pastry. In a roomy bowl, rub the fl our, salt & butter together till they resemble fi ne breadcrumbs, make a well in the centre, drop the egg yolk into it & enough water to just bring the mixture together into a rough ball using your fi ngertips. Alternatively, blitz the dry ingredients together in a food processor & then add the egg & water on pulse.

Wrap the dough in clingfi lm & chill for about 30mins. Preheat your oven to Reg5 /190c/170c fan oven. Roll out pastry on a lightly fl oured work surface, into a circle about half a centimeter thick & line a buttered 24cm/3.5cm deep loose bottom fl an tin with it. Push pastry carefully into the bottom corners of the tin. Prick the bottom with a fork. Take a 30cm circle of baking parchment, line the inside of the

pastry, fi ll with baking beans & bake in the centre of your oven for about 30 mins. Remove the paper & beans and pop back in the oven for 5mins more to brown & fi rm up the base. Reduce the oven temp to Reg2/150c/fan130c. Whilst it’s cooking, make the fi lling. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus & immerse it in water for a few mins to remove any grit or sand. Blanch in a shallow pan of fast boiling salted water for 1 - 2mins, drain & refresh under cold running water. Drain again & cut into 2cm lengths. Whisk eggs to break up, add the cream & season, snip chives small & stir in. Grate the cheese. Sprinkle half the cheese over the base of the fl an, followed by the asparagus, then the remaining cheese. Carefully pour over the custard until it comes to the top of the pastry case. Bake in centre of oven for about an hour. You don’t want it to cook so much that the fi lling puffs. Take it out of the oven when there is sill a little wobble in the centre. • Creake Abbey Food Hall and Café. Creake Abbey. North Creake. NR21 9LF. www.creakeabbeycafe.com For bookings and enquires email: [email protected] call 01328 730 399

THE NEW CREAKE ABBEY CAFÉ AND FOOD HALL

We have been watching with eager anticipation, as I’m sure many of you have, the transformation of the old buildings off the car park at Creake Abbey, North Creake. Gradually they have been carefully

refurbished and the transformation is quite extraordinary.

gone into sourcing the best they can fi nd. Stephen Harrison, the

rub the fl our, salt & butter together till they resemble fi ne breadcrumbs, make a well in the centre, drop the egg yolk into it & enough water to just bring the mixture together into a rough ball using your fi ngertips. Alternatively, blitz the dry ingredients together in a food processor & then add the egg & water on

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16

ART & CULTURE

“Looking through the bottom of a pint pot, or over the rim of a

wine glass, life is casually seen. People amuse, dogs delight, inanimate objects become alive and suddenly the world is on your doorstep. It leads one to love all animals and some people. The world is a miraculous accident. I intend to stick with it for some years. The Greek philosophers took the same path.” Lawrie Williamson This June sees a return to the Blakeney Hotel in Norfolk, for the fourth Annual Exhibition of new and recent oils and works on paper by the Artist Lawrie Williamson. This year will see Lawrie celebrate his 81st birthday, and he is inviting well-wishers to come and help him celebrate over the course of the weekend.

June’s exhibition has added relevance, marking as it does the publication of a limited edition book detailing some of this modern master’s most striking work from over the last 50 years, as well as his own musings on life, art, philosophy and family.

About The ArtistLawrie can look back on a long and successful career which has taken him from studying at L’Ecole des Beaux Arts, in Paris to being elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is past winner of both the Stanley Grimm Prize at the Annual Exhibition of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, and the Canson Prize at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists. Widely acknowledged by art lovers and critics alike as a modern master, Lawrie’s highly collectable paintings stem from a lifetime of experience and observation. However a single factor is common to all his work - the use of light. Whether it be a smokey pub interior, bonfire night, flying kites on the beach or stunning views of Venice, each painting is underpinned with light which comes alive off the canvas. His work has made a deep and lasting impression on the commercial art market and, with a loyal and ever-increasing fan-base in place, continues

to steadily increase in value year upon year.The dates and times of the exhibition are as follows;• Friday 31st May , 10.30 a.m - 8.00 p.m • Saturday 1st June, 11 a.m - 7.30 p.m • Sunday 2nd June, 11 a.m – 4.00 p.mAt The Blakeney Hotel, The Quay, Blakeney, Nr. Holt, Norfolk NR25 7NEAfter these dates the exhibition will transfer to the Fairfax Galleries at Burnham Market and Holt for the summer.• For more information about the upcoming event, please get in touch via the email address below. www.cheshireartagencies.co.uk / [email protected]

Lawrie wiLLiamson nDD. Frsa. rBsa. maFa.4th Annual Norfolk Exhibition 2013 at Blakeney Hotel

‘Oil sketch for St Marks , 20” x 24”

Lawrie wiLLiamson nDD. Frsa. rBsa. maFa.


COAST


Burnham Overy Harbour by Peter Low

Burnham Overy Staithe is loved by so many – residents and visitors alike – and it’s not hard

to understand why. Just as you don’t need to be religious to appreciate and enjoy the beauty of ancient churches, you don’t need a boat to enjoy the creeks and saltmarsh – and in both instances you would be in the majority. What is less easy to appreciate is that there is a substantial cost attached to managing places like Overy Staithe. The fact that Cathedrals fall down if they are not cared for at considerable cost is more readily appreciated than the fact that these creeks

would silt up and disappear if they were not cared for - also at considerable cost.

Traditionally, the groynes - these are the banks of stone you see in the creek at Overy - were maintained as a matter of tradition and routine in order to direct the currents and maximise the scouring effect of the tide. With the decline of working boats this traditional pattern of care and maintenance passed into history and the channels become increasingly shallow. Ultimately, without maintenance, the groynes would pass into history and so would any navigable channel. Life and landscape would change - not as a result of activity but of inactivity, and there would be more and more mud and less water. Whatever we think about the current state of play it is hard to

find anything particularly good about such a change. The question is how even maintaining the status quo is to be funded.

Since 1986 the care of the creek has been in the hands of the Burnham Overy Harbour Trust. Every boat that is launched at Overy is required to pay and display but the income raised in this way is very modest in relation to the £70-80,000 needed to repair a couple of groynes. Dredging would cost even more. Over the last 25 years, such projects have only been possible through specific appeals and donations.• If you love Overy and Scolt Head, the Trust needs your support now even more than ever. You can find out more about Burnham Overy Harbour Trust on Facebook or phone 01328 730125.

Harbour management at Burnham Overy

As we approached the Norfolk Riddle from the car park we were greeted with a

fantastic smell coming from the kitchen – the smell of real food being cooked properly.

I had been recommended The Riddle by several people but it had never really been on my radar. This, as it turns out, is a pity as I am delighted to report that the Riddle is a real Norfolk gem!

Head Chef and Manager Hervé Stouvenel, the person responsible for creating the lovely smells, is a full-blooded Frenchman and as such has a very particular attitude to food. He has a philosophy that he shares with many of his countrymen that is naturally simple and draws on the local bounty.

The Riddle is part of the Walsingham Farms Shops family and Hervé has direct access to the best quality meat and vegetables from their own farms just down the road; reassuring after the recent horse meat shenanigans!

The entrance to the Riddle is all but traditional! You enter through the fish and chip shop, which is also owned by Walsingham Farms Shops and directly next door. The dining room is cosy and comfortable and the

staff friendly – it has a relaxed air that I think is important.

I asked the waiter to recommend a dish and without hesitation he suggested the slow roasted belly pork. My partner chose the local mussels and a bottle of locally brewed Yetmans Beer – it was my turn to drive so fizzy water for me but there is a nicely stocked wine list and several interesting soft drinks.

The food was delicious, with every scrap of it home made – no pre-peeled potatoes or packet gravy here! It arrived in a timely fashion, well presented and hot. Clean plates all round I’m happy to report. I would definitely recommend the Riddle especially for a relaxed lunch!

Lunch – served from 12 noon with last orders at 1.45pmSet lunch menu: £15.50 for two courses, or £17.50 for three. Dinner – served from 6pm with last orders at 8.45pm

• The Norfolk Riddle, 2 Wells Road, Walsingham, Norfolk NR22 6DJ01328 821 903 www.norfolkriddle.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK The Norfolk Riddle - Walsingham

17.indd 1 14/3/13 11:12:27

18

Come Aboard Our Luxury 12 meter catamaran and experience some excellent off shore sea fishing!

We have 10 fishing stations with bait, rods, reels and tackle included.

Plus on our longer trips your Skipper turns into a talented Chef and will prepare you a delicious lunch.

[email protected] 517610 Monday-Fridaywww.norfolkfishingtrips.co.uk

Norfolk Fishing TripsNorfolk Fishing TripsSea fishing at its best!Sea fishing at its best!

Now with over 200 cottages along the coast,Norfolk Hideaways is proud to announce the opening of

their new office at 67 Staithe Street, Wells-Next-The-Sea.

Pop in and see us this Summer

location, location,location

Norfolk Hideaways, found in all the best locationsvisit us on www.norfolkhideaways.co.uk

or call 01485 211022

New Office

Opening

in Wells


Food and drink

Heavenly Honey Cake Na Hansell shares another one of her fantastic recipes!

Here's a delicious treat packed with hidden

health. My Heavenly Honey Cake uses wholemeal flour and soft brown sugar to boost flavour and texture, as well as making it less refined than with white flour and sugar. Ground almonds in the cake keep it moist and full of 'healthier' energy than sugar and the pumpkin seeds in the topping are full of zinc, which is great for regulating hormones and boosting the immune system. Use one of the many fabulous Norfolk honeys to drizzle over - nature's natural antibiotic as well as sweetener.

• 250g soft butter• 250g light brown soft sugar• 150g wholemeal plain flour• 150g ground almonds• 2tsps baking powder• 4 eggs• 30g each flaked almonds, pine nuts and pumpkin seeds• 4 tbsp runny honey• A 23cm loose bottomed round tin, or a 20cm square tin, lined on the bottom with baking paper.

Preheat the oven to 180C. Cream the butter and sugar together, add the eggs, flour, ground almonds and baking powder and mix until well combined. Spoon into the prepared tin and sprinkle the nuts and seeds on top.

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until it feels springy in the middle and is nicely coloured on top. If it browns too quickly, cover lightly with a piece of tin foil.

Remove from the oven, allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes then remove from the tin and slide off the base. Once on a wire cooling rack, drizzle 4 tbsps runny honey over the top. It may well sink in the middle if you do this while it is still very warm but there's not much you can do about it and it will still taste delicious, anyway.

Serve warm with creme fraiche (stir a teaspoon or two of a flavoured syrup into a pot of creme fraiche - (I like the Monin cinnamon or

gingerbread ones), or just cooled with a cup of tea.The ground almonds and honey in the cake help it

keep well for a few days in an airtight container or tin.

• na, Mob 07766 578656, na Hansell Lifestyle

Cookery Limitedwww.nahansell.co.uk

adnams HolkHam: Cellar & kitCHen Wine Club neWs alert!Adnams Wine and Kitchen Store wine buff Lee Newstead introduces his new Wine Club.

We are proud to introduce the new Holkham C&K Wine Club. Your chance to try different and intriguing wines from around

the world. There will be wines you have never tried or ever think to spend your time or money trying; there will be wines you will want to try again and again, plus many of your personal favourites too. If you enjoy wine, a little education, socialising, wine and food matching, wine storage and simply getting the best from your bottle, then this club is for you.

On the last Thursday of every month, starting 28th Feb 2013 at 7pm onwards, we will open the six top selling wines from all Adnams stores in 2012. I will give you general information plus brief factual descriptive notes from the pen of our wine buyer. There will be nibbles too plus 10% off all wines ordered on the night and free delivery on all purchases.

At the end of the evening you can choose the theme of the next meet, helping ensure you all have something to look forward to on the next evening. There will be nights where the wines opened might not be to your taste, there will be other nights where you feel your eyes have been opened to something new and fantastic. An open mind is a must. And remember there is no such thing as a bad wine in good condition, simply a good wine that doesn’t suit your palate.

On the 3rd ,7th and 11th month, members can attend a well priced wine dinner with the theme chosen again by the members. Here we can combine our favourite wines with the perfect food. We will be hosting the Wine Club at The Globe, The Buttlands, Wells-Next-The-Sea, Norfolk NR23 1EU. • if you’re interested or would like more information, do not hesitate to contact us, you can email [email protected], call on 01328 711714 or even ask us directly on your next visit.[I have been to one of Lee’s wine classes before and they are brilliant – Ed]

Lee newstead - adnam’s wine buff

NORTH NORFOLK LiviNg spring 2013 19

19.indd 1 14/3/13 11:13:08

I get the feeling, from the increasing number of vacant allotment plots, that

a lot of you ‘would-be’ gardeners out there gave up in the face of the terrible weather last year. Fortunately, it’s not always so tough, food prices are going up, AND your home grown will taste better. Here are some ‘back-to-basics’ notes on how to grow a good lettuce.

Summer lettuces (e.g. Red and Green Salad Bowl) do well on my free-draining

coastal soil and they should be sown now. They start faster under cover so set seed thinly in 8-9cm pots inside. When two proper leaves are visible, prick them out 4cm apart into trays of compost, and put them outside somewhere sheltered. If expecting a frost, throw a net curtain over them. When the plants are big enough (see photo), plant them out 20cm apart - closer for smaller lettuces like Little Gem. If you are bothered by slugs, get some organic

pellets. I scoop out about a cupful of soil, set the seedling in the hole, and fill it with water. If it drains quickly I fill it again. I draw the surrounding soil in and firm the plant down. Keeping the dry soil on top further discourages slugs. If it doesn’t rain for 3 weeks, water the soil around them thoroughly.

When harvesting, start with the leaves from the bottom, leaving at least six on the plant. If you leave a bit where the leaf joins the plant it will rot and attract slugs,

so make sure you detach the whole leaf. Using this method will increase the yield several times, even with cos-types such as Chartwell. Lettuces are neutral in the rotation and can be inter-planted with other, late-maturing vegetables like climbing beans or autumn cabbages. Unlike winter lettuces, summer lettuces like a moderately rich soil to support their rapid growth.

Different varieties can be sown all year round. The Lattughino plants in the photo were sown in the autumn under cover. The tiny seedlings next to them were sown at the end of December.www.growyourownbooks.co.uk

‘LETTUCE’ BEGIN!THE NORTH NORFOLK VEG PATCH with Trish le Gal

GARDENING


GARDENING ADDREss bookbig blue sky, Wells-next-the-Sea 01328 712023Christopher William Country, Creake Abbey, North Creake 01328 738983Great to be Green, Holt 01263 711733Nelle, Drove Orchards, Thornham 07990 593750Plum, Holt 01263 711572Potter & Dibble, Dersingham 01485 540117Urban Armour, Burnham Market 01328 738880

GARDEN GIFTS

Deakin & Francis sterling silver cufflinks £235, Urban Armour

Wooden seed trays £14.50 each, big blue sky

Vintage flower pots from £1 each, vintage garden tools from £7.50, vintage garden tables and chairs from £15 each, Great to be Green

oilcloth kneeler £15, Potter & Dibble

Heavy duty cotton striped hammock £58, matching cushion £22, Plum

Ilse Jacobsen wellies from £95, Nelle

Laksen backpack with cooler and seat attached, £110, Christopher William Country

20.indd 1 14/3/13 11:14:35

21

HOME & GARDEN

Running from 4-12 May 2013, Grand Designs

Live is the UK’s leading contemporary home show. The WIBBC are very excited at the prospect, which will see them take a little piece of North Norfolk to the big city. They will also be accompanied by their ‘supermodel’ bed ‘Grace’, fresh from a series of photo shoots along the North Norfolk coast, including the beach at Wells-next-the-Sea (see picture) and Drove Orchards in Thornham.

Based in Harpley near Fakenham, WIBBC is truly a family company, with founder Amanda Oldfield working alongside husband Stephen and sons Jack and Harry, who is about to join the team. Their range of wrought iron, brass and nickel beds are handmade in Norfolk by a team of craftsmen using traditional construction techniques.

Amanda says: “Grand Designs Live is an amazing opportunity. So many people are pleased and surprised when they come across us and

find that you can get a bed handmade in this country, and by a small family company in North Norfolk.

“My Mum used to say there are two things you need in this life: a good pair of shoes and a decent bed and mattress because when you’re not in one, you’re in the other, and it’s true! All our beds are handmade to order and are guaranteed for the buyer’s lifetime. Our styles are based on simple, clean country designs and we also build bespoke beds.

“We’ve being running for nine years now, and people keep coming back. A lady

has just bought her third Daisy bed as she has now three daughters. You follow families all through their different stages and get to know them.” The Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Co will be the only bed company at Grand Designs

Live. You can visit them (and Grace) at stand L27. • www.wroughtironandbrassbed.co.uk 01485 521823.For more information and to book tickets visit www.granddesignslive.com

A bed for lifeThe Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Co (WIBBC) will be swapping the North Norfolk countryside for the bright lights of the London this May when they stand alongside over 500 exhibitors including the likes of John

Lewis, Miele and Dwell, at Grand Designs Live at London’s ExCel.

www.camrovision-photography.co.uk

HOME & GARDEN

Running from 4-12 May 2013, Grand Designs

Live is the UK’s leading contemporary home show. The WIBBC are very excited at the prospect, which will see them take a little piece of North Norfolk to the big city. They will also be accompanied by their ‘supermodel’ bed ‘Grace’, fresh from a series of photo shoots along the North Norfolk coast, including the beach at Wells-next-the-Sea (see picture) and Drove Orchards in Thornham.

Based in Harpley near Fakenham, WIBBC is truly a family company, with founder Amanda Oldfield working alongside husband Stephen and sons Jack and Harry, who is about to join the team. Their range of wrought iron, brass and nickel beds are handmade in Norfolk by a team of craftsmen using traditional construction techniques.

Amanda says: “Grand Designs Live is an amazing opportunity. So many people are pleased and surprised when they come across us and

find that you can get a bed handmade in this country, and by a small family company in North Norfolk.

“My Mum used to say there are two things you need in this life: a good pair of shoes and a decent bed and mattress because when you’re not in one, you’re in the other, and it’s true! All our beds are handmade to order and are guaranteed for the buyer’s lifetime. Our styles are based on simple, clean country designs and we also build bespoke beds.

“We’ve being running for nine years now, and people keep coming back. A lady

has just bought her third Daisy bed as she has now three daughters. You follow families all through their different stages and get to know them.” The Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Co will be the only bed company at Grand Designs

Live. You can visit them (and Grace) at stand L27. • www.wroughtironandbrassbed.co.uk 01485 521823.For more information and to book tickets visit www.granddesignslive.com

A bed for lifeThe Wrought Iron & Brass Bed Co (WIBBC) will be swapping the North Norfolk countryside for the bright lights of the London this May when they stand alongside over 500 exhibitors including the likes of John

Lewis, Miele and Dwell, at Grand Designs Live at London’s ExCel.

www.camrovision-photography.co.uk


MOTORING

22 NORTH NORFOLK LiviNg spring 2013

Red… Amber… GREEN!Brian Vertigen guides us through some of the new

generation ‘green’ cars

Filling up your car with petrol or diesel has become a painful experience – even diesel is

no longer a cheaper option as prices climb. But there are alternatives that can help reduce your fuel bill.

A little thought about your driving can make the car more efficient. Make sure the tyres are correctly inflated, keep a steady speed with no sudden acceleration or braking, turn off the engine in traffic jams and for short journeys, why not walk instead!

But if you want to ditch your petrol car and join the Green revolution, there are now plenty of viable electric and hybrid alternatives around, which also have the benefit of tax discounts and other exemptions.

Hybrid cars have a large battery and a fuel tank and work in tandem. Honda, Toyota and Peugeot are currently the biggest producers of hybrid cars but most other manufacturers have models in production.

Full electric cars are perfect for city driving and short journeys. But they need a daily recharge and are not practical for long journeys or motorway driving. But in London there is free

parking for electric cars!Another alternative is a Liquid Petroleum Gas

(LPG) powered car. Because of lower tax, this is currently around 45 per cent cheaper than petrol or diesel. But there are not many LPG pumps although there is a Shell PG pump in Fakenham.

But because of the cost of developing these hybrid cars, which have relatively small sales, they are still quite expensive although as technology develops and more people adopt it, the cheaper these vehicles should become.

Beyond hybrid power lies even newer emergent technology such as fuel cells that run on hydrogen rather than fossil fuels. But there are still some technical hurdles to overcome first so the first hydrogen-powered car you can buy, perhaps in 2015 or so will cost a pretty penny.

Here are a few of the hybrid and electric cars on the market today.

Toyota led the way with its Prius models and the latest plug in hybrid from Toyota will achieve around 134mpg. They cost around £25,000

The Peugeot 3008 hybrid4 diesel-electric boasts 74 mpg. The French decided, unlike Toyota it wanted a diesel-electric hybrid and is the first car of its type – it can run up to three miles on electric only power They will cost around £27,000.

The Vauxhall Ampera will achieve around 175 mpg. This is an electric car with a range of up to 50 miles on its battery. When that range is reached it switches to its onboard petrol generator which charges the battery rather than powering the wheels – and it can keep on driving. It comes with a Government grant of £5,000 but will still cost around £29,000.

If that is too expensive look at the Renault Zoe, a Clio-sized car that is all electric with a top speed of 84 mph, a range of 100 miles and 0-60mph in eight seconds. It should cost less than £15,000.

However it must be remembered that the electricity has to be generated first and only if it comes from renewable sources such as wind-power can the electric car be truly considered to be Green!

22 MOTORING.indd 1 14/3/13 11:15:10

23

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Linda, an advanced clinical massage therapist, who trained

at the Jing Institute of Advanced Massage Training in Brighton, says: “I am currently working with clients to alleviate pain from migraines, sciatic pain, whiplash, lower back pain, recuperation from hernia operations, frozen shoulders, carpal tunnel and toothache from tension in the jaw. I am also qualified in pregnancy massage and work with local chiropractors/osteopaths as I can support the work they carry out on the skeletal structure by helping to rebalance the supporting muscles.”

So what is clinical massage? Linda says: “Clinical massage involves working with the soft tissue (muscles and connective tissue) which supports the skeleton and the body’s organs enabling them to function efficiently. I work to alleviate pain, stiffness and tension using a variety of techniques including stretching.”

So how does it differ from say, sports massage? “Sports massage works with the muscle groups affected or damaged during a specific

sport helping the muscles to function properly during that particular activity -such as running,” says Linda. “Clinical massage works much more holistically looking at how different parts of the body affect each other. For example, pain in the shoulders can be associated and a direct result of stiffness and tension in the lower back. 40% of my client base is male with most of my regular male clients booking my signature massage.”

Your appointment will include a detailed consultation prior to the treatment to pinpoint problem areas and the massage is then tailored to your specific needs.

Linda’s Signature massage combines aromatherapy, hot stones and clinical massage, £50 for an hour/£60 for 90mins. Hot stone, aromatherapy (using blended oils), hot Thai compress and back massages

also available. Pregnancy massage £35 for an hour. • Tidal Therapies, Creake Abbey 07854 001590 and Holt 07773 252170 [email protected] www.tidaltherapies.co.uk

A right pAin in the neck! Doesn’t hAve to be…

Linda Black offers clinical massage at Tidal Therapies at Creake Abbey and in Holt, which has many remedial uses, as well as helping to relax and ease tension, as Amanda Loose discovers.

[email protected]

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CHANGE WHAT YOU EAT AND IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH, WELLBEING & PERFORMANCE

Would you like to lose weight? Would you like to improve your sporting performance? Or maybe you just want to eat more healthily. Nutritional coaching can help

To see if nutritional coaching can help you to achieve your goals contact:

Bo Tyler, BA (Hons), Dip. NT MBANTNutritional Therapist and Zest4Life Weight Loss Coach


ART & GALLERIES


Daryl Williams -ArtistLocal artist Daryl Williams has sold a few paintings, lucky old him. Actually, he’s not old at all. He’s only just clocked-up his quarter century so he’s got lots of painting-time on his side discovers Gill Carrick

And he’s ever-so-happy to stay put in his home patch of North Walsham to perfect his strokes and draw on the wider area for inspiration. “Being an artist and living in north Norfolk is ideal. The countryside and coastline are breathtaking. And as they change on a daily basis, this creates the

perfect surroundings for me to do my work. “

A bit of passion helps too. While Daryl’s more than happy to paint landscapes and portraits, illustration is his main reason to get up in the mornings.“ I’m passionate about illustration and I love the way you can sum up a story, or an article, with a single picture. This probably explains why I’d

rather read a children’s picture book, than a 600-page novel. As the old saying goes ‘a picture paints a thousand words’. “

Daryl’s first steps artistically started close to home; or more accurately, at home. “My dad was a big influence on my artwork. I remember at around the age of three, watching in awe as he scribbled a cartoon face on a piece of paper while chatting on the ‘phone. From then on I was hooked. I’ve also drawn inspiration from children’s book illustrators such as Oliver Jeffers and Shaun Tan. Their unique styles and humorous illustrations are all-inspiring. “

Luckily, Daryl’s work is never dull. He’s painted lobsters for the Cromer and Sheringham Crab and Lobster Festival (“which was fun”) and he’ll try his hand at most things. “Sometimes I get rather crazy requests. The one that springs to mind is when someone asked me to paint their dream – and a weird dream at that. I didn’t take that job on in the end. “Further information: Daryl’s work can be seen at Rossi’s Leisure Centre in North Walsham; at www.dwdecorator.co.uk and on the illustration website he shares with friends and other artists: http://mesh-collective.blogspot.co.uk

North Norfolk Gallery round- upBy Amanda LooseSpring has sprung in many of our North Norfolk galleries! Over in Holt, The Red Dot Gallery’s Easter exhibition (27th March to 11th April) ‘What to Look for in Spring’, is an eclectic mix of paintings, prints, sculpture and ceramics taking their inspiration from the Ladybird Book of that name and all featuring elements of springtime in Norfolk. Colin Rawlings at The Red Dot says: “I have invited several of the gallery artists to take their cue from the text and revisit the images so beautifully created by Charles Tunnicliffe”.

Spring is also in the air at Pinkfoot Gallery, Cley, where exhibits include new pictures by Jane Hodgson who paints fishermen, mussel and oystermen and reed cutters along the North Norfolk coast and a series of vibrant still lifes by Peter Wileman (President of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters). And Rachel Lockwood has been outdoors watching the

forest transform from winter to spring, painting animals she’s seen passing through including deer and hares.

Fairfax Gallery in Burnham Market are holding a solo show of new work by artist Alice Scrutton from 27th March to 7th April. Best known for her instantly recognisable seascapes, Alice’s paintings of the North Norfolk Coast such as ‘Spring Tide Wells’, capture both the sense of place and a personal response to it.

SALT glass studios’ Spring Programme offers an exciting range of courses and demonstrations in glass and printmaking in April and May, from glass blowing and printmaking onto glass to creating an Easter Egg paperweight. Based in Burnham Thorpe, courses cost from £15 to

£120. Course gift vouchers are available. Glass making demonstrations are free.

Stephen Clark of Pebbles Photography is holding his spring exhibition ‘Coastal Skies’ from 2nd to 6th May (10am-6pm) at Brancaster Staithe Village Hall, featuring images of Norfolk’s landscapes, seascapes

and wildlife, including the beautiful ‘Sea Lavender’.

Burnham Grapevine www.burnhamgrapevine.co.uk 01328 730125Fairfax Gallery www.fairfaxgallery.com 01328 730001Pebbles Photography www.pebblesphotography.co.uk 01485 210810Pinkfoot Gallery www.pinkfootgallery.co.uk 01263 740947SALT glass studios www.saltglassstudios.co.uk 01328 738873The Red Dot Gallery www.thereddotgallery.com 01263 710287

Jane Hodgson, Pinkfoot Gallery

Alice Scrutton, Fairfax Gallery

Christine Cummings, The Red Dot Gallery

Fiona French at Burnham Grapevine

24.indd 1 14/3/13 11:15:49

25

A special gallery in one of the UK’s most evocative villages. Nestled on the N. Norfolk coast, edging the marsh.

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

FOOTBALL


Staying UpAfter a superb unbeaten run of ten games in the Autumn carried them to the dizzy heights of

7th in the table Norwich City endured a more taxing period either side of Christmas. A dismal sequence of four successive league defeats was followed by three dreary home draws punctuated by a dire 0-5 drubbing at Anfi eld. The light relief of an FA Cup run was short-lived, too, when after an encouraging win at Peterborough in Round 3 The Canaries suffered the humiliation of a home defeat against non-league Luton Town at the next hurdle.

All of which has left the club in a slightly precarious position as the season nears its end. The accepted wisdom is that 40 points ensures Premier League survival, this year it could be one or two fewer, and as February nears its end City have 29. Most pundits consider that they should reach safety with some room to spare but in the fraught atmosphere of recent Carrow Road games few seem to be taking it for granted.

Unable, despite repeated ambitious bids, to land his top target in the January transfer window, Gary Hooper of Celtic, Norwich manager Chris Hughton had to settle instead for a swap deal with Leeds which saw Luciano Becchio coming in and Steve Morison going the other way, and the signing on loan from Kansas City in the MSL of Kei Kamara. Both are signings which are more optimistic than inspirational.

As has been well-documented Hughton has opted for pragmatism over style in his bid to keep City in the top fl ight, witness the fact that top scorer, Robert Snodgrass has only fi ve goals and the side has in league games scored fewer than a goal a game on average. Hardly the stuff of dreams! Spoiled perhaps by the exciting attacking fare they have witnessed in the last three seasons there have been rumblings of unrest among the ‘Yellow Army’ and a clamour for more entertainment.

Don’t expect any change soon, though. Chris Hughton is a driven, determined professional and there is only one goal which interests him – staying up!

As the Premier League season enters its closing stages Frank Watson suggests that all that matters for Norwich City is:

accepted wisdom is that 40 points ensures Premier League survival, this year it could be one or two fewer, and as February nears its end City have 29. Most pundits consider that they should reach safety with some room to spare but in the fraught atmosphere of recent Carrow Road games few seem to be taking it for

Unable, despite repeated ambitious bids, to land his top target in the January transfer window, Gary Hooper of Celtic, Norwich manager Chris Hughton had to settle instead for a swap deal with Leeds which saw Luciano Becchio coming in and Steve Morison going the other

MSL of Kei Kamara. Both are signings which are more

the top fl ight, witness the fact that top scorer, Robert

average. Hardly the stuff of dreams! Spoiled perhaps

Don’t expect any change soon, though. Chris Hughton is a driven, determined professional and there is only one goal which interests him – staying up!

What it truly means to be ‘healthy’Nutritional coach Bo Tyler goes beyond the dress size and the blood pressure

What does it really mean to be “healthy”? Is it the absence of disease? A number on the scales, a

blood pressure score, jeans size, or something else? Too often we defi ne ourselves by how we look or our dress size but this ignores the most important aspect; what it feels like to be healthy.

Feeling healthy comes from a mix of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Feeling good is not a picture-perfect look but manifests itself as having a sense of purpose, contributing fully in life and fulfi lling individual potential.

So you may be wondering how you can achieve this? When we shift our thoughts, fears, worries

and insecurities about our health from how we look to how we feel, we set ourselves up to achieve health and happiness.

We can all improve how we feel by

following a clean and healthy diet, managing stress levels, and engaging in regular physical activity. How we fuel ourselves infl uences our perception of life, how we respond to its challenges and the quality of our relationships.

Remarkable results can be achieved from the powerful combination of a personal programme of nutritional guidance combined with coaching to support you to meet your goals. If you are looking to increase your energy and vitality, your health, your sporting performance or to lose weight, either call or email me and we can work together to devise a plan that works for you.

Bo Tyler, BA (Hons), Dip. NT, MBANTNutritional Therapist & Zest4life Motivational Weight loss PractitionerTel: 07747 [email protected]

Bo Tyler photo by Antoinette Eugster

27 FOOTY.indd 1 14/3/13 11:16:21

PEOPLE


The Bird that ran into the history books!Raymond Monbiot CBE talks to Richard Bird, Town and Borough Councillor for Hunstanton and record-breaking marathon runner.

Richard Bird was born in 1946 in Harrow and raised in North West London and Luton.

There were 60 in his class at school and being slightly dyslexic he did not find the schoolwork particularly rewarding. He sought fulfilment in outside activities, realised he was good at running and cycling and joined the cycling club working his way to championship mode. At 16 he rode in the All-England Schoolboys’ Championships at Crystal Palace. However the allure of nightclubs and girls eclipsed his enthusiasm and gave up competitive sport for the next few years.

“I was married at 18 and over the next five years we had three children who took up a lot of my time and energy.

I started my first business retailing paint and wallpaper at the age of 19. Fortunately this was successful and we expanded rapidly until there were five shops and sixteen staff. But in my 30’s my life changed. I was divorced, out of condition and I decided to return to sport. I took up running and eventually ran marathons.

Reading a Guinness Book of Records I saw that Jay Helgerson held the world record for running 53 marathons in a year. I believed I could beat that. So the gauntlet was thrown down and in 1988 I took up the challenge to beat Helgerson’s record. Between my 41st birthday and my 42nd I ran 71 marathons, a feat that was corroborated and entered in the Guinness Book of Records.

The story of my marathon challenge was told around the world; it was translated into twenty different languages. Among the magazines that carried the story was the American People magazine, which had a multi-million readership.

Luton elected me as Sportsman of the Year and invited me to organise and be the Race Director for a marathon in 1990 to promote the town. The focus of the town was changing from manufacturing to University, Sport and Leisure. This was my introduction to working with a council and by 1991 it was the selection race for the home internationals and the largest marathon in England, second only to London.

By 1992 I was working for a major international company running a sales and marketing operation based in England with its HQ in the USA. A high-pressure job that meant I was often out of the country. By this time I had moved to Hunstanton with Elaine, taking over the family home from my mother who had recently died.

A corporate decision was taken to move the

UK operation to Belgium, a decision that quite frankly didn’t appeal to me. We were holidaying in Cape May, New Jersey, USA and were amazed at how similar it was to Hunstanton.

It was on the East coast facing West, had a bird sanctuary, lighthouse, whale (rather than seal) watching trips and had everything that was familiar in Hunstanton but with the addition of many bike hire shops.

I determined then to leave the corporate world and to start bike hire in Hunstanton. We were advised by a good friend to sell bicycles too. It was just as well. On the first day we opened we sold 7 bikes and did not hire any. So were now in the bike sales business, and over the next fourteen years we developed the business into one of the UK’s leading race-bike specialists with not only the retail premises in Hunstanton but with an internet presence selling bikes and equipment all over the world.

We sold the bike business in 2010.My wife and I have always been passionate

about politics. Elaine was pursuing national politics as parliamentary candidate for Boston and Skegness in 2001 but despite her long hard campaign sadly lost by a slim margin of 515 votes. Elaine retired from front-line politics and developed a long-needed local monthly magazine She is also a magistrate on the King’s Lynn bench.

So now it was my turn, and following my election at the first all-postal By-Election vote in the Borough, I joined the Hunstanton Town Council in February 2005. I became Deputy Mayor in 2006 and was Mayor in 2008 and 2009. In 2011 there were Borough Council Elections and I was elected for the Hunstanton Ward. Sometimes the work is challenging and difficult but I always aim to make a difference for my community.”

28 RICHARD BIRD.indd 1 14/3/13 11:18:31

29

LIVING LIFE IN COLOUR

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PEOPLE

30 NORTH NORFOLK LIVING SPRING 2013

Kevin Crossley-HollandHe’s a Carnegie Medal winning author whose children’s books have taken him back to the days of King Arthur and the Vikings. He’s President of the School Library Association and visits schools, colleges and festivals around the country. It’s fair to say Kevin Crossley-Holland is really quite busy. By Amanda Loose

Scramasax, the second novel in his Viking Saga for older readers, has just been

published in paperback and he’s just fi nished a short children’s novel about Vivaldi which will be illustrated by Jane Ray. Kevin is talking to Nobel prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney about his life and career this month [March22] at the Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival. He’s also starting a children’s novel about the Great Flood of 1953. And where was Kevin himself during the fl ood? “Burnham Overy Staithe.”

Because that’s the thing. He may travel the world and indeed journey back in time, but Kevin, his poetry and prose, are very much rooted in North Norfolk. His intriguingly entitled collection of poems, The Mountains of Norfolk, won the Poetry Award at last year’s EDP-Jarrold East Anglian Book Awards. In fact, Kevin’s very fi rst poem was written about his Grandfather dying at Burnham Overy Staithe, his second about the windmill at Overy.

“North Norfolk is my heartland,” says Kevin. “My Grandparents bought two little fi sherman’s cottages at Burnham Overy Staithe in 1928 and retired to them. Lots of the best times were spent here, wonderful holidays mucking around in the Creek. We came up every holiday and for a big chunk of the summer holidays until my Grandmother died in 1980. My Grandfather helped to found the sailing club in Overy Staithe.

“I have a sense of being an outsider but also an insider – there are lots of people I have known since I was a boy here. My children love it here. The area has infl uenced much of my writing and given rise to what I feel to be some of my stronger poems. Waterslain is a cycle revolving around the people who lived here I remember as a boy, and I took a lead from the angels in South Creake Church in my children’s book Waterslain Angels.

“Moored Man: A Cycle of North Norfolk Poems is the embodiment of the saltmarsh and network of creeks. This is quite a tough landscape, isn’t it? Some people come once and that’s enough, other people are magicked by it. The elemental nature of the North Norfolk coast calls for similar, simple, fi erce vocabulary.”

Kevin’s role as President of the School Library Association, an independent charity which supports all who work in school libraries and believes every pupil is entitled to effective

school library provision, means he’s “galloping round like Stevie Smith’s cat” he says. But North Norfolk is still very much part of his life. Kevin is currently involved with exciting plans to overhaul the library at Burnham Market Primary School:

“I’m eager to initiate or support projects close to home – such as our community anthology, Between the Land and the Sea (published last year) as well as trying to speak for school librarians across the country. I’ve worked quite often in our local primary schools, and am delighted to be involved with the new head teacher and chair of governors at Burnham Market school in a wholehearted effort to restock and refurbish the frankly pitiful school library.

“There is nothing more important than literacy, because it affects every other aspect of children’s learning; and with the help of the whole village – not only those who live here but those who do not – we can give our children the best possible start in their lives.”

When Kevin was a child, he had no intention of becoming a writer: “I wanted to be a radio commentator, a sports commentator. ‘Yes’, said my mother. ‘Good idea. You talk the hind leg off a donkey!’ Then I wanted to be an archaeologist, then a tennis player or test cricketer, then a priest. But once I started writing, I bashed on, started reading more, went to Oxford, translated, wrote and wrote…” and the rest, (or some of it) you might say is history.

• The Mountains of Norfolk: Selected Poems (Enitharmon Press, £10.99)Scramasax (Quercus, £6.99) www.kevincrossley-holland.com

school library provision, means he’s “galloping round like Stevie Smith’s cat” he says. But North Norfolk is still very much part of his life. Kevin is currently involved with exciting plans to overhaul the library at Burnham Market Primary School:

“I’m eager to initiate or support projects close to home – such as our community anthology, Between the Land and the Sea(published last year) as well as trying to speak for school librarians across the country. I’ve worked quite often in our

am delighted to be involved with the new head teacher

frankly pitiful school library.

learning; and with the help

When Kevin was a child, he had no intention of becoming a writer:

30 KEV.indd 1 14/3/13 11:19:00

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north norfolk living spring 2013

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