"Can I have a ride next please...?!!"

We woke to find a family of grebes on the River Ant near our boat, which was moored at Ludham Bridge - so naturally the camera had to come out quickly! We loved the way one of the babies was having a ride on its parent's back. We've seen several baby grebes this last week and we like their stripy head patterns in particular. It's worth viewing large if you've time.

We just had a short "sail" today to South Walsham Broad, and then walked to Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden. The Garden was created by Major Henry Broughton, who later became the 2nd Lord Fairhaven. The hall, woodland, water garden and inner broad were all part of the South Walsham Estate, which he purchased in 1946.
The house and formal gardens had been used as a convalescence home and the woodland and water garden as a training ground for the home guard during World War Two. Pleasure boats were sunk in the inner broad, which was also covered with barbed wire, to prevent flying boat landings. Tanks were hidden in the garden; the house had fallen into disrepair and the garden had become a jungle. He set about renovating the house and then the garden and made a great job of them. When he died in 1973 the Garden was left in Trust for public access. His son, the 3rd Lord Fairhaven, is currently Chairman of the Trust.


The "extra" is one of many lovely views in the Garden. When I get round to making a flickr album there'll be more.