Having recently arrived home from a holiday in Norfolk, thrown some washing in, greeted the cat and waved off my Other Half to the pub, I thought I had better do some catching up on blog posts. 🙂 Firstly it’s time to update my progress on #30dayswild, which The Wildlife Trusts have organized to challenge people to experience 30 random acts of wildness in June. On Day One I made Wild Watermint Tea here and since then I have been staying on the coast in Hunstanton , aka Sunny Hunny. 🙂 Here are some Wild Moments!
Day Two. Red Striped Cliffs and Nesting Fulmars. As soon as had we settled into our accommodation , we headed to the beach with Hugo. The first thing we noticed was the extraordinary red and white striped cliffs. The red chalk is due to iron staining. They are certainly a stunning sight.
The tide was out and below is our view toward the Sea. Rock pools have formed in between the boulders. Hugo is out there somewhere! We did not find even a solitary crab in the pools, but they do have rather a lot of predators. Looking up to the cliffs once again , we couldn’t fail to see ( and hear ) hundreds of pairs of Fulmar, nesting in the craggy rock face.
Fulmars look like Gulls but are apparently members of the Petrel family. They are able to drink sea-water and have ”tube-noses” enabling them to excrete excess salt through their nostrils. You learn something new every day! We wish our labrador had a Tube Nose, he does tend to take the odd sea sip, when he thinks we are not looking….
Day Three. Coastal Butterflies & Wildflowers. On a walk along the Norfolk Coastal Path from Hunstanton to Holme , here are some of the plants and butterflies that we spotted. Now despite studying a couple of Collins Guides , I’m not confident with all my IDs. So if you know better, please let me know. 🙂
This walk was a dream for me. Some of these flowers and insects, I have never seen before. I just couldn’t stop smiling. 🙂
Day Four. Eating Lavender. Norfolk Lavender is one of the country’s largest Lavender Farms and as it was only down the road from us at Heacham , I persuaded Wil that we needed to try their Lavender Cake! Lavender has been used since Roman times ( indeed it was the Roman’s who probably brought this fragrant flowering herb over to our shores) in medicines, lotions and potions. I for one had never tried it in cake….. or in Lemonade.
The cake was quite nice ( in a fragrant flowery way) but even though Wil and I shared it, we couldn’t finish it. Now that wouldn’t happen with Chocolate Cake! The lemonade was refreshing but very very fizzy, so I couldn’t drink all of that either. Most disappointing was the fact that about ninety percent of the lavender isn’t in bloom yet, so if you are planning a visit, wait a few more weeks.
Day Five. Collected Shells on Brancaster Beach. On Day Five we took Hugo for a walk On Brancaster Beach. Norfolk is great for Pet Friendly Beaches and Brancaster is just one of many lovely stretches of sand. Our walk was incredibly windy so we got somewhat sandblasted. I’m not sure my photo really does the conditions any justice!
I probably gave up collecting shells after about five minutes , so my little collection is a bit sad. What you can see are a couple of oyster shells, a razor shell, a couple of cockle shells, pebbles and a couple of trough shells. I think they are all quite common on British Beaches.
Day Six. Rainy Walk In a Country Park. This day was wet and windy so we decided to have a wander round nearby Sandringham Country Park. The canopy from the woodland offered some protection from the elements. At this time of year the Royal retreat is adorned with flowering Rhododendrons and Foxgloves. We spied a Roe Deer, several squirrels and a couple of cheeky Jays. They were all very camera shy. So here are some facts about foxgloves. 🙂
Other names for Foxgloves include Fairy Thimbles, Floppydocks and Goblin Gloves.
The name Ffion is Welsh for Foxglove.
Foxgloves , though highly toxic, are used in Heart Medicines.
Plant Foxgloves in your garden and you will attract fairies.
The White Spots in each bell are marks left by fairies.
Fairies apparently taught foxes to ring the bells, warning other foxes of hunters in the area.
Bad fairies told foxes to wear the flowers on their paws ( like slippers) so the hens in the hen house wouldn’t hear them coming.
In mythology the Roman Goddess Flora touched a foxglove to Juno’s belly, so she could conceive a child with Jupiter.
Thanks for reading my update. More to follow in a few days. 🙂
sunshine and celandines 
I love your photos of the wild flowers, particularly the orchids and your doggy pics. I’m glad you found the North Norfolk coastal path and Holme and Brancaster, two of our favourite places. Your Fulmars look cute! Happy Wild days!
Thank you. Yes I especially loved all the flower finds in between Hunstanton and Holme. Just stunning ! 🙂
They’re beautiful! We’ll go to North Norfolk in July and expect to be spoiled by finding orchids at Holme. I love the simple sea lavender found on the salt marshes. I’m pining for Norfolk already!
I would have loved to see the sea lavender. Not out yet. Saw Sea Holly. There was an amazing little gift/vintage store in Old Hunstanton, which I loved called The Strandline. HAve you been? Have a great time in July. I am sure to post some more blogs about Norfolk before then.x
What a lovely holiday with some wonderful walks! Loved the butterflies! Hows Hugo’s joints? Riley is a secret beach water drinker too lol. It looks like you had a really wild holiday in Norfolk! 😃 xx
Hugo seems to be tip top now thank goodness. You would think they would learn wouldn’t you, about not to drink sea water. Hugo never does! Norfolk was amazing. Xx
I love your flower pictures! I found a few teas with lavender in them, and I really enjoy them I’ve been wanting to try a few recipes with it, but haven’t taken the leap yet.
If you have enjoyed the tea, I am sure you will enjoy other lavender recipes. I might be up for sampling Lavender chocolate. 🙂
Oh, that would be interesting! I have a recipe here for lavender shortbread that I’ve been wanting to try…I can just about taste it with a cup of lavender tea.
You’ve had a great start to 30 days wild! A much wilder week than I’ve had! The moth is a cinnabar 🙂
Thanks Louise. I did have Cinnabar in mind too. There were tons fluttering around. I think being on hols somewhere completely new, helped me with my Wildness so far.:)
Lovely pictures, looks like you’ve had a great break! Lavender cake is delicious, mmm, you’ve made me want to bake 😀 I think your first plant picture may be viper’s bugloss, http://mobile.wildlifetrusts.org/site/wildlifetrusts?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wildlifetrusts.org%2Fspecies%2Fvipers-bugloss&utm_referrer=#2927 lovely picture of the orange hawkweed, I know it by the name fox and cubs, beautiful flowers! Think you have the mallow ID correct and the orchid.
I think you are right about it being Viper’s Bugloss. A really striking flower. Fox and cubs is a much nicer name than Orange Hawkweed. 🙂
What a lovely place, to be honest any coast is nice. Loved looking at your wild flowers, still looking to see what your last one is. The Lavender cake , never tried anything like that but it does look lovely. We are going away at the end of June to the East coast , near Hornsea, can’t wait…
Great start to your 30 days wild.
Amanda x
I’m really not sure what it is. I only saw one on its own. I bet you are so looking forward to Hornsea. NOt long now. 🙂
Think I have found your flower Tansy- leaved phacelia
http://wildflowerfinder.org.uk/Flowers/P/Phacelia(TansyLeaved)/Phacelia(TansyLeaved).htm
Wow I think your right. Thank you.X
I’ve been to all of those places and am a little envious, It’s always so lovely there. I learned to knit in a caravan park at the top of those stripy cliffs about 28 years ago!
How lovely! It was my first time in Norfolk, hopefully not my last. Loved the stripey cliffs. 🙂
Oh what lovely pictures, super week.
Thank you. There will be a couple more in Norfolk and then it will be rainy Lancashire. X
Hunstanton is a lovely place, isn’t it? I only spent one day there but I liked it a lot. 🙂 🙂 My daughter’s wedding cake had one layer with lavender in but it was combined with something else. Can’t remember what because I didn’t try it. Looks like you had a great time.
It was my first time in Norfolk and yes we loved it. Hopefully we will return someday. There are some beautiful villages and towns along the coast. X