Brancaster Beach (and an unexpected trip to Titchwell Marsh!)

Hubby and I had a weekend to ourselves because my Mum had the children for a few days. We'd booked to see the Nimmo Twins on Friday evening. They were hilarious-if you get the chance to see them you must go. It's all about 'Normal For Norfolk' and it made me love my new home county even more!!  

On Saturday I had a horrendous migraine so I slept most of the morning and rested on the sofa for the rest of the day. By Sunday we were desperate to get out of the house and enjoy our last full day without the children. I suggested a leisurely walk along Brancaster beach. We discovered it a few years ago but it's quite a trek from our house so we haven't visited it as often as we would have liked. 

When the tide is out the sand goes on for miles-as far as the eye can see. 

It's the perfect beach for flying kites as you can't get in anyone's way! 

As we walked along the water's edge we found all sorts of creatures and shells. The children would have loved it.

This is where we made a huge mistake. We walked across a channel of water not realising that the tide was coming in. We carried on walking (as far as Titchwell Marsh we later found out) but once we returned to the channel of water hubby managed to wade across but it was too deep and muddy for me.  It was so deep that 3 seals were making their way up the channel. I was trapped. It was a horrible feeling and I'm just glad I didn't have the children with me.

Luckily I had guessed there must have been a way through to the main road as there had been lots of bird watchers on the beach before we turned around. Hubby walked to the car and I had to walk towards Titchwell and then another mile through the marsh until I got to the RSPB car park. I was already in pain with my hip dysplasia so you can imagine what another 1.5 miles did to me, especially when I wasn't sure how far I needed to go at the time!

These sandpipers were so funny to watch. It was as though they were on fast forward as they moved and worked so quickly!

The remains of an old tower on the beach at Titchwell. The beach was used for target practise by the RAF during 1914-1918. There are also two rusting tanks somewhere on the beach and a shipwrecked boat, by Scolt Head Island, that was used as target practise. At low tide it can be seen quite clearly.

Having to walk through Titchwell Marsh wasn't all bad though as I got to see some fantastic sights. I used the time I need to stop and rest my hip as a good opportunity to get some photos of the wildlife and scenery!

More remnants of the beach's wartime history.

A grey heron (I think)

Some Canada geese hiding in the marshes.

When I told Charlie about all the different types of birds I saw I knew he'd want to visit one day with his binoculars. It's a beautiful place and I'm quite glad I 'accidentally' discovered it.

This was the biggest beetle I have ever seen!

We returned a week later with the children and we spotted at least 3 signs telling us not to cross any channel of water, especially if we didn't know the tides. It was sheer stupidity and plain ignorance on our part. On the day we went when the tide was still going out and there were people walking way off in the distance, out towards the sea, but I still wasn't confident enough to walk beyond the first pool of water on the beach. Hubby wanted to walk out, saying we'd be fine because the tide was going out but I refused to. We'll be safely staying on one side of any channels of water in future!