Day 4 Thurs 10 May

Day 4 Thursday 10 May 

Today started with an energy sapping waddle along miles of shingle bank. Well I did say I wanted to be by the sea!!! I managed to avoid most of the rain and the brisk breeze was sort of behind me.

I climbed up & down Gramborough Hill near Salthouse to get some respite from the shingle.

I had reverted to my very old, British made (on a British last!) boots today. Much more room for my bandaged feet. Although the shingle was killing my calf & thigh muscles it seemed to ease the pounding on the ball of my feet a bit.

At one point on my waddle I  came across a strange collection of objects that someone had arranged!!

It was great to see the guns at Kelling Hard. We're as safe as houses!! The Royal Artillery are on the job!! At this point I was off & on the shingle & grassy/stony path for a while with the last bit of shingle near Weybourne.

From there until Sheringham it was grassy clifftop paths with vegetation & land formed into waves by the wind!! Flutters of sand martins & the constant chirrup of skylarks accompanied me most of the way.

At Skelding Hill, just before Sheringham, I spied another Coastwatch lookout right next to the path. I introduced myself and chatted for a while to Paul Clarke. (I'm afraid that, though he told me I should introduce myself to the lookout at West Runton, it was a step too far down a steep slipway!)

The Two Lifeboats was my pub stop - right on the pathway. I did a running repair on my feet whilst drinking my pint - no mean FEAT!!! I passed on the crab sandwich as too expensive. I set off along the prom and stopped for lunch (a sandwich made at breakfast!!) I sat in the sun & out of the wind on the sea defence rocks with my back against the sea wall listening to the calming sound of the waves.

After lunch there was a steep climb up Beeston Bump (site of an old WW2 ‘Y’ Station listening post sending info back to Bletchley Park)  & back down the other side. Then golf courses & caravan parks until near Cromer when the path diverted to the main road thanks to coastal erosion (& the inability of caravan park owners to allow a pathway across their land!)

One would have thought that Cromer would have been the one place in Norfolk where one could purchase an abundance of crab in all its delicious forms. Not so - I found one tiny stall selling seafood - no prices on display which makes me nervous!! There were loads of pubs/restaurants advertising crab dishes (no doubt at equally inflated prices) I think I was spoilt by yesterday's offering. Cromer seemed to be more a fish & chip & amusement arcade place than further up the coast.
Last haul began with another steep climb up towards the old Cromer Lighthouse. The parkland in front of it was awash with a haze of bluebells. Then onto Royal Cromer Golf Course towards Overstrand.

Day 4 done & dusted - around seventy miles completed - 2 slightly sore feet (but not as bad a yesterday thanks to Dr Denise!!) - but I'm raring to go tomorrow.
May 11th 1943 was when 26 ATS soldiers lost their lives in a single bombing raid when their billet received a direct hit. The girls had not long come off night shift. Tomorrow there will be a short remembrance at the site of the bombing. The WRAC Standard will be paraded and ladies from Norfolk Branch WRAC Association (incorporating the QMAAC & ATS Old Comrades Associations) will be attending. Unfortunately I will still be walking but I'm hoping to meet up with some of them later. RIP to those who made the ultimate sacrifice & "Thank-you" to all the brave women of the ATS for lighting the way for us all to follow.