The half term holiday seemed to arrive too early, the kids had only just got back into the school rhythm after the extended Easter break.
The weeks holiday cut through the middle of the AS exams the eldest was taking and more time off from school seemed detrimental to his attempts at focussing on work. He discovered that if you create something gorgeous and delicious you are left to get on with it, so baking became a great alternative to revision. We ate lemon drizzle cake made for his sister’s birthday and on another day chocolate torte. And yes during the baking sessions I stopped nagging him to revise – the results were too fabulous to put a halt to.
When the kids went to see their father for a few days and I drove to Norfolk with a friend. Norfolk Courtyard bed & breakfast near Fakenham proved an excellent place to explore the North Norfolk coast from. The barns have been stylishly converted to individual suites, cleverly offering complete privacy and relaxation by including a fridge in each one containing everything you might want for your continental style breakfast. Luxurious adjoining bathrooms and tables in the courtyard to eat breakfast at in the early morning sun. Home made cherry cake and a bowl of fruit were waiting for us when we arrived, could you ask for anything more? (Ok there’s a flat screen tele and a table inside too incase it rains).
Norfolk Courtyard
My favourite walk was on beautiful Holkham Beach, wind swept white-gold sand covered in tiny cockle and razor shells. We walked for several miles with pine woodland on one side and the sea on the other, horses were being exercised through the shallow waves creating magnificent spray. The beach is so vast that you could sing at the top of your voice and no one would hear you – perfect. Ahead we saw the masses of coloured beach huts of Wells-next-the-Sea, we returned through the pinewoods.
Our hosts suggested The Bell in Wiveton in the evening, I ate delicious haddock smoked locally in the Cley Smoke House.
The beach at Cley Next The Sea