Sandringham Summer Camp 2022

Sandringham Estate Summer Camp 16th-18th August 2022.

Cycling UK Louth’s Summer Camp had been in the planning for a number of weeks. We’ve visited the campsite on the Sandringham Estate before, the last time with Tim Newbery and Rob Cook in July 2021 when the weather was hot and sunny. This year, Alan Hockham would join Tim and Rob and we were delighted to have Paul Linder with us too. This would be Paul’s first camping trip for many years.

Following the most severe drought in decades with weeks of hot, sunny weather it would have been reasonable to have assumed fine conditions for the camp. However, with Tim in charge of the arrangements it was almost inevitable that severe thunderstorms and localised flooding were forecast on the very day we were due to visit.

Tuesday 16th August 2022

Having arrived at the campsite by 11 am, we would follow Alan’s route to Burnham Market for lunch. Passing through West Newton we noted the typical estate workers houses built of the local ironstone, before taking a short break at Anmer. Here, there’s an interesting village sign which depicts on one side a Roman Centurion and on the other a Boy Scout wearing as his badge the coat of arms of Norfolk. The boy scout symbolises the connection with the estate which hosted jamborees in the 1950’s and the centurion because it was near here that Boudicca is said to have fought a battle against the Romans.

We would follow an undulating route to Great Bircham where fine refreshments were enjoyed at the local delicatessen (Tim thanks Rob for the coffee and slice of old-fashioned bread pudding which fortified him throughout most of the day).

Continuing, we passed by the former RAF station at Bircham Newton where trials of the Kestrel (Harrier) jump jet were conducted in the 1960’s. Beyond Stanhoe, Rob spotted an abundance of greengage plums and stopped for a spot of foraging. Sweet and tasty.

Arriving in Burnham Market at 1 pm, there was time to take a leisurely lunch. A fellow cyclist commented on Paul’s Roberts bike which he much admired. Indeed, he was knowledgeable on all our bikes.

Weather radar and apps were consulted which indicated that a band of rain and showers were heading our way. We hoped for the best as up until now the weather had been warm and bright, indeed we took time to stop at Docking to look at the village stocks.

Continuing past the attractive Norfolk village of Fring skies were indeed darkening and by the time we had arrived at Shernborne the rain started in earnest. Sheltering under trees gave no respite and with frequent lightning and loud rumbles of thunder we made a dash for the campsite. Rain now bounced off the road, trickles became rivers and puddles turned into lakes. With difficulty in seeing where we were going, the group briefly scattered before all arriving at the campsite at the same time, drenched! A ‘character building’ end to the day’s ride and what a re-introduction to camping for Paul. We were pleasantly surprised however to be offered hot drinks by our nearest neighbour who I think took pity on us.

Wednesday 17th August 2022

The first night proved uneventful and Wednesday dawned dry, if rather cloudy. Tim dutifully consulted a range of weather apps, all promising dry conditions to last all day. However, the radar rather ominously showed a scattering of showers meandering a lazy, chaotic path not far away. Tim packed his heavy-duty waterproofs not convinced and the rest of us were equally sceptical.

Tim’s choice of a ride to Castle Acre for lunch with a detour suggested by Reg Bagshaw to the local water mill near West Acre (he had taken an involuntary swim in the River Nar nearby).

Having travelled north on the first day, we would on this occasion head south through Roydon and Grimston with its quintessential village thatched cricket pavilion. Good progress was made to Gayton Thorpe where the church of St. Mary boasts a well-preserved Saxon round tower. At East Walton Paul would succumb to the first puncture of the holiday, expertly dealt with and the unscheduled break gave us an opportunity to examine the wheel wrights oven. Very few of these ovens now survive, this one having been restored in the 1970’s and again in the 1990’s.

With Tim briefly missing the turning to West Acre, we ventured along cycle route K5, descending the Nar Valley and the rather fine Narford Hall with its sweeping tree lined avenues. Owned by the Fountaine family, the gardens and landscaping were at the cutting edge of design.

We would eventually arrive at West Acre Common and the water mill, with Rob suggesting a crossing of the River Nar via a series of fords. Perhaps this is where Reg went swimming. Along West Acre Road and not long now to Castle Acre where there were a number of venues for lunch. The fish and chippy looked temping but, in the end, hot drinks from Café Wittles and sandwiches from the Spar shop were consumed by the village green.

With skies darkening and a slight drizzle descending, just enough time for Rob to ride through Bailey Gate (dating to 1200, one of two stone gatehouses which defended the Norman settlement), to view the River Nar before moving on.

Our final refreshment stop of the day was taken at the Cartshed Tea Rooms at Great Massingham. Tim had visited just a couple of weeks previously to check the route, the village pond at that time almost dry but now well topped up after yesterday’s storms.

Continuing north to Bunkers Hill, there were a number of Bronze Age Barrows clearly visible alongside Peddar’s Way, the route of a Roman road.

Much to see on today’s ride although by the time we approached Anmer, totally un-forecast, the drizzle turned to increasingly heavy rain. A shortcut along the King’s Avenue was called for and by the time we made it to Sandringham, once more roads were flooded and we had difficulty on seeing where we were going (at least that’s the excuse Tim had on missing a turning.

Time to find a dry set of clothing before making our way to the Coach and Horses in Dersingham for an evening meal (we had dined at the Feathers the evening before). Fine fayre once more with Alan trying a pint of ‘Ratcatcher’. He survived.

An interesting and memorable couple of days. Thanks to all (we enjoyed Paul’s jokes in keeping up our spirits in the inclement weather) and Tim thanks all who plied him with drinks, food and cakes on the journey.