Hop River Trail

Kim and I went for a nice walk last week down the Hop River Trail.

The trail follows a river and an old railway line that isn’t in use anymore.

There’s some wildlife along the trail like chipmunks and red tailed hawks but it’s a popular walk way so I think that scares off most of the animals.

There’s a lot of little waterfalls along the trail draining into the river.

Parts of the trail still have old railway sleepers on it.

We parked at Bolton and did about 6 and a half miles out Vernon way and back.

Then we went to try the ‘best’ fish and chips in the area… they were good but not the same as England… English fish and chips has a stodgy quality that isn’t quite reached here. They did have malt vinegar for the chips though which isn’t popular in the USA – no one seems to put vinegar on their chips.

So that was a nice Saturday… until my poor car Ruby decided to flash the check engine light, doom!! $$$$

Gay City State Park

Last weekend we decided to celebrate the brief break from snow with a nice trip to Gay City State Park.

Gay City was settled by a religious sect (honestly, a sect!) as a mill town that was eventually abandoned and is now a state park. There were a few graves that we saw that hinted to the history but we didn’t come across much more in the part we walked in.

There’s a lake to swim in (perhaps when it’s a little warmer…?) and picnic areas.

There’s a bridge over a dam that leads to some walking trails.

And for once the trails are actually marked out and colour coded. The state forest near us is purely guess work!

So we walked the two and a half mile trail which was very pleasant apart from when I managed to lose an earring that I had only bought two days ago! Ugh!

We drove home and put the kettle on for a cup of tea and after a few minutes noticed our house was surrounded by 3 police cars, so being nosy we looked outside. The house across from us is up for sale and the chap who owns it has been completely renovating all of it for the past 6 months and was urgently waving me over. So I stepped outside and he said “Can you tell the police that I live here? I locked myself out and had to climb through the window!” Briefly considered lying and saying I’d never seen him before but as he helped me shovel out our driveway one time I decided to own up to knowing him and off the police drove after saying “thank you ma’am”.

The rest of the weeks been pretty busy with work for Kim and I. We went out to dinner with one of Kim’s coworkers and her boyfriend to the Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant which was a treat.

The snow is back though, and that’s decidedly not a treat. Although I did get to see this parade of turkeys on my way to work this week, young mister turkey guiding all his girlfriends across the road.

There were zillions of turkeys outside this house… I haven’t seen any wild turkeys this year and then about 20 all at once! This weekend Kim and I are off to celebrate out second wedding anniversary a bit early so hopefully it doesn’t snow anymore whilst we’re away and we can get in the drive way on the way back! Roll on spring.

Merrow Meadow

I was a bit bored last weekend because Kim had to work so on the advice of a co-worker, I took a trip to Merrow Meadow just down the road.

There’s a nice walk that’s partially paved with conservation swamps and a canoe launch area.

And the Willimantic River runs past it which was very pretty.

Where it’s been very cold the river has left massive chunks of ice all over the ground randomly and I made a buddy when I had to help an old lady across all of the ice at one part.

Then I drove into Manchester (a different Manchester to the UK one of course) but I was a bit early so I stopped by Target for a Starbucks and a browse. There aren’t many Starbucks around here so I have to make the most of it when I’m near one. I think my fake American accent must be coming along nicely because the woman wrote something close to Hayley on my cup instead of ‘Heidi’ which everyone seems to hear when I say ‘Hayley’.

All the Valentines stuff is already out so I browsed that. Some of the suggested gifts I think must have hidden meanings, e.g. the below. You’re yappy like a foofoo dog but I still love you?

Or… Happy Valentines Day, clean your hair out of the plughole?

I think someone before me was trying to kill time in Target too.

And then I went to the movies because they were showing a live Russian ballet perform Romeo and Juliet, it was $18 but I only paid $7 because of my MoviePass – I love a bargain.

And that was my weekend.

Thanksgiving 2017

Just a short post about Thanksgiving – I had the day off from work for Thanksgiving (and also black Friday off – score) and Kim was working in the afternoon so one of my colleagues invited us over for lunch which was really kind. I asked what we should bring and was told potatoes and I’m not a big fan of mashed potatoes so I made sauteed with herbs etc and I was thinking we’ll need a lot so I almost tripled the recipe for two people and created a production line of potatoes – needless to say my fridge is still full of millions and zillions of potatoes.

So we had a tasty lunch then Kim had to go to work and I stayed and won a very inventive game of pictionary with another colleague.

Accompanied by 4 weeny dogs – super cute.

My nemeses, the leaves, have been slowing down finally. I tried a new trail out in Nathan Hale State Forest.

Again the leaves were against me and hid the path at one point on the way back so I just followed my GPS on my phone back to the car – nice try leaves.

Angles Way Bank Holiday

Hey readers, so I had two days off from work together at the bank holiday (shocker) and decided I’d embrace the daylight and venture out for a walk just down the road from my house in Cobholm.

Early morning along Angle’s Way… it was gorgeous.

It was pretty early morning so hardly anyone was out, no dog walkers but lots and lots of wildlife. Kim’s nemesis: swans. And also a couple herons.

It was my favourite weather of all time – grey. Yes this is actually my favourite weather. Grey is perfect, it’s not too hot or cold or wet or windy… just grey. The perfect weather for any activity one might want to partake in. Sadly on the way home my lovely grey was usurped by bright sunshine leaving me with a slightly red neck (good preparation for going to live with the Americans?).

There were zillions of butterflies out, these are just the slow ones I could take photos of.

Also I saw a golden snail… I like to think he won some sort of race.

I’m really going to miss living right next door to the broads but Kimmy just completed on our first house (finally!) so I’ll be swapping the broads and the sea for a lake in just 36 days.

 

Wherryman’s Way

Kimberly and I live really close to the Norfolk Broads, and we decided we’d walk part of Wherryman’s Way marked on this route.

The walk was really pretty but we needed to wear wellies because the grass was damp.

The broads are in a national park and there are all sorts of different birds and wildlife around. Kim and I even saw a barn owl out as it got a bit darker.

Half way through the walk (the part where you turn back or take the railway back to Yarmouth) is a strange pub that time forgot called the Berney Arms. You can’t get to the pub by road so you can only reach it by walking, railway or by boat. There were a few old men at the bar discussing their love for teenage and young girls so after a drink we headed back because as Kim put it, the atmosphere was a bit “rapey”.

    

Luckily we got home safe as we had a tasty lemon meringue pie stashed in the fridge.

Winterton On Sea

We went to the cinema the other day to say the film adaption of Bill Bryson’s book A Walk In The Woods (I’m a die hard Bill Bryson fan) but we went for a nice walk ourselves lately when we took a trip down the road to Winterton on Sea.

We parked up and walked towards the beach but instead of going onto the beach we took a left across dunes all covered in heather which was really pretty, we saw about a million dragonflies.

Then we took a little detour before turning away from the beach because sometimes there are apparently seals on this part of the beach but I think we were too early because we didn’t see any.

Then we walked across some farm land and through some forested areas and Kim saw pheasants for the first time. We walked past the ruin of St Marys Church which was still in pretty good condition. It must have been abandoned ages ago because there’s a fairly sturdy looking tree growing through what must have been it’s centre.

Just before the end of our walk we took a little side track down past some allotments and came to a beautiful little enclosed duck pond and picnic area that was maintained by the allotment owners and we fed the ducks.

Also I discovered ducks don’t like popcorn… in case you wondered. They did like granary bread though.

Joy’s BBQ & A Walk In The Woods

 Joy had a BBQ last night, by which I mean two mini BBQs, and my sausages would just not cook. They’re bottom left in the photo, they were the first things on and the last things off! Very unjust. Also, in case you’re wondering, the BBQs are set on top of professional barbecuing roof tiles we found in Joy’s garden.

But it was still a fun night with so much food and loads of animals, Joy’s house is like a mini farm. I petted a chicken! And just look at this little guy Harry. He had a good evening of frisbee throwing, sausage eating and petting.

And we played charades… well I suppose more articulate but with no board.

And then we watched some of the election, which Nancy was stressed by because her beloved labour lost (viva the conservatives, w00t!). So that was niiiiice, then today I took the next of my driving missions to take a stroll down Marriott’s Way.

I don’t think I mentioned about my driving missions but I don’t actually need to drive at the moment but I definitely need practice so I’ve been setting myself little missions like getting petrol and going to the supermarket. Today was country roads and using the sat nav. I think it went well, only one person swore at me.

      

Marriott’s Way is so beautiful, I saw 33 animals out today (yesssss I counted). I walked Lenwade to Whitwell and back which was 5 miles. You guys, Whitwell Station was weird, they’re obviously renovating it…

But when I went inside to investigate slash have an ice cream, the old station cafe bit was full up with retired people dressed like they’d been to Downton Abbey (why do they always want to pretend to be the rich people?? No one ever wants to dress up as the poor people that their relatives most likely were). I decided I wouldn’t stay, also would hate to ruin the ambiance with my polka dot wellies.

      

So I had a pretty good night/day, and my lovely Great Aunt (my only Aunt left now!) rang to say she was sending a cheque to put towards my car funds so that was really kind of her and made the day extra good. Tomorrow I’m off to London (not to buy a Heat magazine).

Walking Out

I had a bit of a walking day today, I walked over ten miles all in all.

There’s a chunk of Marriott’s Way near to my student house so I thought I’d have a little investigate and walked to Drayton as I had the afternoon off from Uni.

It was so nice, it wasn’t that busy and all along it were little pieces of art or carvings.

It was so pretty with all the leaves everywhere and really bright out today.

As I got to Drayton and decided to turn round the sun started to set.

Which was really pretty, and all the wildlife started to come out.

I even saw a deer! I counted 16 different animals I saw.

So that was nice but then it was reallllyyyyy darrrrrkkkk but I only had a little way to go so it was ok.

Marriott’s Way

The boyfriend and I both happened to have the bank holiday Monday off this week (after a fiasco where I tried to get to placement at 6am on the bus before realising it was running Sunday hours – duh!). And the boyfriend suggested we go for a walk.

And I had just been taking to someone about Marriott’s way a few days before, so I looked it up online where there is a handy website and there’s cool route maps. We only walked the tiniest part, from Attlebridge to Lenwade, the way goes along the old railway route and so there are houses scattered around that used to be small stations.

So we set off to Lenwade after parking up (there are free parking areas along the route), and the weather was gorgeous but we were nice and shady beneath the canopy.

There were nice things to see along the trail, I do’t think these cows had been fed because they were very excited to see people on the way to Lenwade but on the way back to the car they weren’t bothered.

The river dipped in and out of the trail.

I went off the beaten track to have a little investigate… you know… just to see a couple things.

There were little art pieces along the trail too, some of which could be utilised into seats which was handy because a lot of elderly seemed to enjoy the trail.

And then we got to Lenwade station that is now a house.

And walked down the road to the pub where we had a well deserved cold drink.

And some tasty lunch. If you live in the area definitely check out Marriott’s Way for a walk or with your bikes, it is so pleasant and away from all the traffic. This won’t be my last visit only next time I’d like to go more than 5 miles there and back.