A Bike!
When I was presented with the end of a piece of string by my partner on Christmas morning, I was filled with excitement! I followed the string which lead me through the hall and kitchen, out to the conservatory, where it was joined on to a bike. I must be honest, it wasn’t something I had asked for and I certainly hadn’t expected, but I thanked Andrew warmly and told him it was a lovely gift. (Inwardly I was disappointed, but I certainly didn’t show it). A few days later Andrew suggested it would be a lovely day for a bike ride to Holkham Park. He wasn’t wrong, the weather was gorgeous! It was also very cold, so I dressed appropriately and off we went.
Beautiful Countryside
Living in Wells-next-the-Sea we are blessed with some beautiful countryside around us. With the sea on one’s side, we are limited slightly for which direction we can go in. However, we have lots of choices of quiet country lanes to cycle along. We decided to go in the direction of Holkham. It is only a couple of miles from our home and a great first venture out on my new bike. The ride was lovely! Having a very old bone rattler to take me to the shops and back, this was very different. With umpteen gears and lightweight body (the bike’s, not mine), I found it a real pleasure to ride on. My spirits very soon began to lift, and I found myself enjoying it rather than enduring it.
Holkham Park
We cycled through the East gate to enter Holkham Park and over a couple of cattle grids, before encountering the grazing deer. We passed the cycle hire shop and in front of the back of the stately Holkham Hall. It is a majestic building and a wonderful sight. Holkham hold lots of events throughout the year and it is always a great place to spend a whole day if on holiday in North Norfolk. After passing the geese settled on the south end of the lake, we carried on past the ice house. We continued up past the towering obelisk and on towards the south gate. Here we turned around and returned to the hall. We took in the front view of the hall as we freewheeled back down the hill. Finally, we parked up our bikes and enjoyed a wonderful hot chocolate with cream in the café.
I truly had the best time! I enjoyed every minute and felt incredibly alive with the wind in my hair and the sound of my heart in my ears when I was working hard on the hills. My bike turned out to be my best present; I had no idea how much fun it would be! I would highly recommend anyone visiting the area to enjoy doing the same.