The Bears Abroad (pun intended)

Easter weekend dawned bright and sunny and the Bears hitched the Hodmedod and set off to terrorise the traffic on the A140. An hour and a half later, they were pitched a mere stone's throw from the wet stuff that is the Norfolk Broads. Womack Staithe, to be precise.

Comfortably esconced

View from the Hodmedod

A short walk took them to the middle of nowhere, although the waterways were quite crowded with rental boats.

The Smaller Bear on a short walk

Low flying birds were in abundance

Greylag goose

Even lower flying boats were also to be seen.

This free mooring was full earlier in the weekend

On the Sunday, the Bears drove about for a while and ended up at The Museum of the Broads in Stalham. It was an interesting little place and, in my opinion, well worth the entry fee of five of Her Majesty's Finest English pounds. They looked at a restaurant called the Mermaid's Slipper, but did not really feel like a large meal. So, the Bears hopped back into the Bearmobile and headed off in search of some lighter fodder. Sea Palling was the eventual destination and some rather good fish and chips were consumed. The Bears found the beach to be very pleasant (and crowded), the village itself.......not so much.


On Monday, the Bears took to the water in an electric day boat. rented from Simpsons Yard in Stalham.

The Small Bear took to navigating a small craft like a duck to the M25

They glided almost silently along the River Ant and across Barton Water (several times, 'cos they got lost) to How Hill. More dickbods were spotted along the way.

Marsh harrier

Grey heron

A lunch of sandwiches purchased from a garage the previous day was partaken of before the boat was expertly brought about and the Bears headed back to Stalham. Both bears agreed that, "There is nothing, absolutely nothing, half so much worth doing as messing about in boats".
There is one caveat to the above. The Bears also agreed that, if they were to hire a boat again, they would get one with a bloody toilet on it.