We all moved on to Broadlands Caravan Club site close to Ludham. Ludham is a medium sized riverside village with the main residential area on one side of the main road and the church and staithe (landing stage for on/off loading goods onto the boats/barges ) on the other. The village staithe gives access via boat to Womack water and then the River Thurne.
On our second day here we had made arrangements to meet friends Roger and Margaret. On that afternoon four of us went for a walk along the River Thurne for a bit of geocaching and to see the wherry Albion pass by with Roger skippering it. He can be seen in the stern looking this way.
The Albion is a 114 year old traditional Norfolk wherry and known as a ‘black sailed trader’. She is one of only two remaining trading barges built specifically for the Broads. At their peak there were over 300 of these craft.
| St Benet's Level wind pump. | Found the cache |
Later that day – in the awning with Roger recounting his nautical tales.
A few minutes before our friends leave for Harwich and then home.
After everyone had left we went to the Horsey windpump which was about a 30 minute drive away.
The windpump or drainage windmill was working until it was struck by lightning in 1943. It was acquired by the National Trust in 1948 from the Buxton Family and has been restored.
| Horsey windpump | Fantail detail |
The view from the top.
From the windpump we made the short journey to Waxham Barn –
this is the longest thatched barn in the country.
Then down to the coast, a ten minute walk – not a lot of people around.
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