HGsucks!: Sweaty mess!

Day four of our mammoth walk from Norwich to Great Yarmouth. It is mammoth because each walk seems to get harder and harder for me! Mum, on the other hand, feels as if it is getting easier!

The past few days have been extremely hot so I was very glad when I realised today would be cooler. It was overcast so realised I would not be able to wear my new hat with inbuilt solar panelled fan due to the lack of sun. We had our usual photograph at the start of the walk - back again at Reedham Ferry.

It was only 1 1/4 miles into Reedham village but by the time we got there I was a sweaty mess already. I am taking postpartum sweating to the extreme!!

At Reedham we met our third and final sculpture of a boat builder at work. If you look closely in the background you will spot the Cupcake Tearoom. We debated for some time whether 1 1/4 miles walking was long enough to warrant a cup of tea already but as it was 15 minutes to opening time we sadly walked past the cakes.

I took some very uninteresting photos of Reedham despite it being a picturesque village along the river - the cloud didnt make a nice backdrop. The route took us up through the village and over to the Reedham Swing bridge.

(not my photograph)

It carries the Wherry Railway Line between Norwich and Lowestoft, across the River Yare. In a typical year it is opened 1,300 times (good old google).

Our next sign post stated it was 3 1/2 miles to Berney Arms - our only chance of a drink on the walk!

Our view for most of todays walk consisted of reeds - for miles and miles all you could see were the reeds.

However, every now and again the reeds were gone due to flood defence work. We were not very happy when we saw this...

but were relieved when we realised we just had to walk down the mound rather than turn around and walk back.

We stopped for a break in between Polkey's Drainage Mill and Cadge's Mill where we spotted a new mooring for boats.

By now we had a clear view of Berney Arms - although we had several bends in the river to contend with before we got there.

We also had our first sighting of my Mums house - our final destination of the day (look closely and its the white blob in the middle!)

After admitting defeat last walk and wearing trainers that caused blisters I was even more determined to wear my flip flops today - however my feet took a battering!

We finally came to Berney Arms Drainage Mill (the tallest in Norfolk) ...

and then a little while later to the Berney Arms Pub. There is no road access to the pub and it can only be reached by foot, train or by boat. It is a good walk from mum's so as a result we have visited this pub several times over the years.

After a coke (no cup of coffee for Mum today) we stopped for lunch a little way up the river. We would have made my Nanny proud as in true Dugdale style we dipped our feet whilst eating!

We went back on ourselves to the mill again in order to walk to Mums house. We would pick up the last part of the Wherryman's Way route on our last day of walking. Instead we joined the Weavers Way route towards Halvergate.

We passed Berney Arms train station - although only two trains stop each day!

We have completed this walk several times in all weathers so we didn't need to use the map at all. However, we came across the obstacles in the form of animals. We also discovered I have a fear of some animals.

Animal obstacle number 1 - swans with three cygnets who decided to sit right in front of a gate! I discovered I hate hissing swans.

Animal obstacle number 2 - a field full of bullocks. I am convinced these bullocks were after us. Mum thinks there were only 30 in the field but to me it felt like 300. They were circling us at point with evil in their eyes. Ok slight exaggeration but I have discovered a fear of bullocks!

I was so focused on the bullocks that had circled us and were trying to attack us from behind that I didn't even look for cow pats! Slimy cow pats at that!

After finally composing myself of obstacle number 2 I had to contend with the next obstacle only two fields along! I was happy enough walking through fields of cows especially as Mums house was getting nearer...

However we came across animal obstacle number 3 - some cows with their calves smack bang in the middle of the path. There were not moving. Mum told me to go to the left of her as we edged round. After the tension of the other field I must admit I even grabbed Mums hand - have no idea how that was going to help! Anyway, we get through the gate and Mum confesses as to why she got me to go to the left of her - so I wouldn't spot the massive bull in the field!

(admittedly it looks tiny on the picture but in real life it was huge)

So technically there were four animal obstacles if you include the bull that I didn't know about.

We finally got to Mums house where my stepdad waved at us from the garden - look closely and you may spot him!

After our long walk we had a well deserved foot soak!

We have two differing figures as to how far we walked today. According to Wherryman's Way sign posts we walked 8 miles. However, we tracked the walk using Mums phone which put the distance as 10.3 miles!

So only one more walk to go for us to have completed the Wherryman's Way route!

As requested - more photos of Adam. This week we discovered that although he was physically ready for a door bouncer (he has had control over his head from birth and can nearly sit) we isnt actally tall enough for one yet! The poor boy was just dangling from it and even when Chris pushed it down his feet still wouldnt touch the floor - hence Adams puzzled expression!