Saturday 29th March 2025 - A Spring Morning Walk

A perfect start this morning to a late March day.  Out on our usual morning litter pick in the village, we decided to walk up Madams Lane and from here, along the field edges and the back of the allotments before passing the old station and down onto the Cromer Road.  I really should have taken my camera, as there were a few shots I missed out on.  Instead, I had to make do with the camera on my phone.  On the field edge the gorse continues to flower and the pussy willows have almost all burst open.  The wild plum and blackthorns are in blossom with the alexanders on the verge of breaking open.  We normally see blackthorn blossom as individual flowers but on one bush there was a cluster of flowers which formed an unusual ball (see the photo below).

I spotted coal fungus, growing on a dead tree.  This fungus is also known as cramp balls and because of its burnt appearance and ability to be used as a fire lighter; King Alfred’s cakes.  Elevated on the old railway embankment, a muntjac deer stood watching us.  We stood for a while, returning its gaze until we moved off, continuing our walk and the deer disappeared over the other side of the embankment. 

Moving on to the allotment field track we could hear a bird calling and there perched at the top of a fruit tree was a kestrel.  It stopped calling and not fazed by our presence it remained in the tree as we carried on past.  We couldn’t help but notice, two of the allotments had eviction notices posted on their gates and a number of the plots are in need of attention.  Yes, we have just come through winter when there is little that can be done in the way of fruit and vegetable gardening, apart from harvesting winter vegetables but it still has to be said there are plots which are a bit of a mess and of course, there are those which are an absolute credit to their tenants.  This led me to ponder, with dwindling interest in maintaining an allotment, as to whether this land will eventually be wholly or in part used to develop and extend Lutyens Drive.  It only needs for the railway embankment to be levelled to enable access.

On our way down to the Cromer Road, we stopped and observed the path, which has yet to be opened.  I understand this will run across the back of Station Farm and Bracken Avenue, emerging on Northrepps Road.  Back on the Cromer Road we continued litter picking and made our way home for breakfast.   The photos I missed out on where the deer, coal fungus and kestrel.  That’ll teach me not to carry my camera but in my defence; we didn’t set out with the intention of doing this walk.