Day 3 - SUTTON TO WOMACK WATER 

As we had moored in the dark last night, we weren't 100% that the space we were moored was actually a mooring and we might have blocked someone. So, when I was woken by the sound of the boat next to me moving off, I was relieved. We went ashore and pulled the boat round into the mooring, before anybody came a knocking.

Properly Moored, At Last

I walk around and had my first real look at Sutton. The staithe is on a village green, overlooked by the Hotel, it is a very pretty place to moor. I crossed the busy road, and was soon at the village duck pond. A lady walking her dog told me that the post office had closed down, and I should head off the other way for twenty minutes to the garage. I decided that we have enough milk for breakfast, and headed back to the boat.

Pretty Sutton Staithe

The Green at Sutton

After breakfast Paul and I returned to the duckpond, and set out to visit the Potteries. It was a lovely morning and Sutton is a very pleasant village. We wandered down the deserted lanes, eating blackberries as we went. We came to a crossroads, and looking across the fields we spotted Sutton Mill, which is the tallest mill in the country. Turning left we soon approached a small group of cottages, the end one being Sutton Potteries. The showroom was in a kind of barn, and was attended by two ladies, who told the Potter was out for the morning. The pottery was very nice, with some unique finishes, I bought a cream jug on a saucer.

Sutton Lanes

Sutton Mill

Sutton Potteries

On our way back, we passed a bungalow which was well planted with flowers and scrubs. We got chatting to the owner, who was busy planting up the front garden. His name was Ian, he was so interesting, we must have chatted for over an hour. He told us that he used to work for a farmer, who sold him some land, and he then built the bungalow, so he could marry his sweetheart. He invited us into his back garden to see the view. It was fantastic, looking right across the fields to Sutton mill. It was on whole a very pleasant and interesting morning.

Ian Tending His Garden

Lovely Back Garden With A View

Once back at the boat we had a cuppa, and then moved off, recrossed both Sutton and Barton Broads. Our food supplies were still low, in fact we hadn't done any food shopping at all, apart from bread and milk back at Acle. We decided to try the shop at Neatishead again, the one that was closed yesterday. We crawled down the very narrow Lime Kiln Dyke, where a huge boat was trying to moor in the very narrow staithe. There was no way we were going to moor there, so we U-turned and continued back down the Ant. We had planned to moor at Womack Water that evening, so we could do our shopping in the supermarket a Ludham.

Narrow Lime Kiln Dyke

Back Down The Ant

As we passed St. Bennett's Abbey, half the river had been cordoned off for about 30 sailing boats, I think they were learning to sail. We turned onto the River Thurne, and then onto Womack Water, the staithe was busy, but there were about four spaces left.

Hunters Yard, Womack Water

On the way to the village, I phoned the pilot at Potter Heigham to find out if it was possible to get under the bridge at low water in the morning. The pilot said it wasn't going to be possible, in fact he thought it was unlikely for the rest of the week. Well that was our plans scuppered now, so we would have to come up with a new plan, as we had thought to spend two nights upstream from Potter.

Ludham Village

We were quite hungry, so as soon as we got to Ludham village, we went inside Al Fresco tea rooms, and ordered toasted sandwiches, pot of tea and a cake each. A big thumbs up to the tea rooms, the food was great, with a nice view of Ludham's pretty church. We got talking to the proprietor who had moved there a few years ago, he used to live in Bermondsey, South London. It turns that he used to go to the same pub that I sometimes frequented when I was in my early twenties. We also found out that he was a first cousin of Jade Goodey's mother.

Tea At Al Fresco's

View of the Church From Al Fresco's

We did a shop in the mini market there, and wandered back to the Horizon. We filled up with water, and sat up on deck, and fed the ducks. There were plenty of ducks, geese and swans here, and it didn't take long to get through the big bag of duck feed we bought in Horning on Saturday.

Feeding the Ducks

Have to Get Another Bag

That evening we wandered back to the village and had a delicious dinner at the Kings Arms. The torches came out again, as the path back to the staithe was long and dark.

Kings Arms For Dinner