Brinks Royale - Day Seven

The last full day (for me at least) is the wind down day, because you have to be close to the boatyard for the morning return - or like me moor in it - it is not a day where you might want to do as much as previously and so it was for me.

I left the moorings a Paddy's Lane after 10:00am and though very much less windy than the day before it was certainly not calm.  I headed off to Neatishead just to go back up their via Lyme Kiln Dyke  which is beautiful, in fact I would go as far to say  that in summer when you have all the foliage on the trees and the birds are in song it is the most pretty stretch of water on the Broads.  It just feels like the most back water of backwaters so quiet and special.

After turning it was back to Barton Broad then down the River Ant - funny how the weather can change things for we had not had much in the way of rain but the wind direction and pressure had caused the tide to do strange things - it was incredibly tight under Ludham Bridge today indeed could not have had the camera attached to its mount for it would have been struck by the bridge. 

Once through I decided to go to moorings at St. Benet's where I could pack all my gear up and do the boat review - it was exposed here and the wind was blowing onto the bank which was handy as it made mooring easier but would make the departure interesting later  - I helped a German family moor their 45ft Connoisseur from Herbert Woods of course this was when the World Cup was in full swing and they were confident they would be going all the way.  Well they might be good footballers in the World Cup but needed me to help them moor

After the boat review was filmed it was time to decide what to do - the weather was getting more unsettled so I thought best return to the boatyard then I can head out for some nice Fish & Chips.

  It felt like a long - almost sad journey back up the Bure to Wroxham.  The ain came and went, the wind would not let up but I thought back to all I had done the places visited and the hot sunny weather that I had enjoyed earlier in the week.

Once back in Wroxham I picked one of the last slots in the boatyard, there was a few other boats there with people on and had the feel people had hunkered down for the night already.  I walked into Wroxham and on a Friday early evening it certainly looks a forlorn place once Roy's has such up shop and so it was into Grays Fish & Chips - then a walk back to the boat the spots of raining once more returning - but only a short while after getting back on the boat the heavens opened and it rained and rained  and indeed did on and off most of the evening.

Once again though it was a lovely trip, and goes to show what a magnet the broads is - not to mention the many new things you can try and discover each time you come.  I've recently taken up cycling again after last rising a bike around the age of 15.  Now I am rising again and I can imagine how good it might be to ride in some of the countryside and especially if one had their own boat how a folding bike could bring a whole new perspective on things if nothing more to ride in to the likes of Rockland St. Mary for more beer and not have to carry it