A Change of Heart

We have been thinking further into our holiday plans for 2012 and have come to the conclusion that we will save Ely and Cambridge for another year. Instead of having a two week holiday in the middle of the summer, next year we will split up our summer holiday into two separate weeks, one in July and one in September.

It was lovely to have a two week break this year but it has meant a long slog from the beginning of July all the way to Christmas with no holidays. So next year we plan to have a week in July to head out onto the Norfolk coast to Wells next the Sea and a week in September to head down the Trent and up the Ouse to York.

We will never tire of going to Wells, it makes for a great coastal trip and the town and harbour have so much to see and do. If the weather is right a nip around the corner takes you to Blakeney bay, a great place to spend an afternoon at anchor. With good weather the dinghies come into their own exploring the many tiny creeks and inlets cutting into the main navigation channel. If the weather is not so great, then it is only a short bus ride to one of many local towns and villages and a pleasant walk back along the coastal footpaths exploring the Norfolk coastline by foot brings a whole different perspective to the experience. The harbour staff are all extremely helpful and friendly which ensures a great stay is guaranteed, nothing is too much trouble for them. On the way back from Wells we may, if time allows, spend an evening at Fossdyke on the tidal Welland. A spot we have yet to explore but we have heard great things about the local pub’s grub.

The trip to York is one we have done a couple of times now, however it is again one which we will never tire of. York is a great city to spend time in and to visit by boat is just the cherry on the cake. The trip to York takes in a wide variety of waterways from canals, to tidal and non tidal rivers and very briefly the Humber estuary. We will pick a week to go when the tides allow us to make it from Torksey to Naburn in the one tide, anchoring at Trent Falls to await the incoming afternoon/evening tide to carry us up the Ouse. This ensures that we have as much time as possible to explore the city before heading back for home. We usually take the long way home, entering the canal system at Selby and navigating through the Selby Canal, River Aire, Aire and Calder and the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigations before finally exiting the system onto the Tidal Trent at Keadby. This little detour breaks up the trip and takes in some surprisingly pretty scenery despite the very commercial nature of these navigations.

These two familiar trips will complement our plans to travel to places unknown for our first two holidays of the year; Leeds at Easter and Whitby and Scarborough during Whitsun week. They will also enable us to spread out our cruising for 2012 and enjoy the places we know and love for more of the year.