SLN FIELD WEEKEND - JULY 6th - 8th 2007

The plan was to visit the Norfolk Coast, and a place called Burnham Deepdale on a weekend in July. There is  a bunk barn there with good accommodation and local services.

• Local field visits

• Possibilities include a seal boat trip out to Blakeney Point (dependent on the tides)

• A meal at the Lord Nelson in Burnham Thorpe is a  possibility, or perhaps the Red Lion at Stiffkey.

• One possibility is to produce some local maps and produce a VIRTUAL FIELDTRIP of an area of, or feature of the Norfolk Coast.

• We could also aim to hit a blank area of GEOGRAPH and fill it in. Norfolk is one of the areas with the most empty spaces. I will print off some checklists.

• A Google Earth file with images that we had produced could also be created to showcase this stretch of coastline.

• Here is an ITINERARY (only a suggestion...)

AFTER

So what actually happened ?

FRIDAY

Friday started early for me: a 6 o' clock wake up, collected a colleague, then minibus to Peterborough to pick up  train to Leicester and walk through to the final meeting of the Young People's Geographies project at the Ramada Jarvis hotel in Leicester. We had been involved in this project since November 2006 and the final section was for all 7 schools to report back on their progress, and for David Lambert of the GA to draw everything together in a plenary. We set up our display on GLOBAL WARMING, and added a YELLOW ARROW to add interactivity.

For more on our work see the YOUNG PEOPLE'S GEOGRAPHIES page.

Our students worked very well, as they have throughout the project, and it was interesting to see the creative way in which they engaged with the mapping task.

One of the good aspects of the day was to meet up with David Balderstone and also Dan Ellison, who has produced a fantastic resource ideas for teachers: the THINKING SPACE map. For more information on this go to my THINKING SPACE page and order lots....

Back on the train - had to stand most of the way to Peterborough, then drive the minibus back to school. I snatched a veggie burger from the catering for the staff tennis tournament, then headed home and got back shortly after 6. During this time, people had been making their way across the country from Scotland, to the North (well, Derbyshire) to the Midlands, to the SE and the Home counties...)

Left for Burnham Deepdale at around 7.30, and most people had arrived and were sat around a bottle of gin in the bunkbarn, which is recommended as a place to stay. Go to the BURNHAM DEEPDALE site for more information. Why not rent a tipi ?

Out to Brancaster Staithe: some people opting to walk in the evening sunshine, others to drive to the "Jolly Sailors". A pint of BRANCASTER BREWERY IPA. Bit nippy in the beer garden, so moved inside onto the comfy chairs. Sat in the back room and had a meal: entire shoals of whitebait, and "Old Les" sausages (that's a beer, not a person) Some people arriving later, but there was some communal sharing of food and stories.

Had a night time drive home...

SATURDAY

Breakfast in the cafe: the "five piecer" was recommended. Sun was out for a while, but most of the morning was punctuated by clouds, which were actually keeping the conditions a little more pleasant. A drive out to Morston Quay: National Trust owned, and a round of tea and millionaire shortbread. Most people had slept well, and were fit and raring to go.

Bean's Boats, one of 3 companies who now operate out to the seals at the end of Blakeney Point. Both boats were full of passengers - a good day to go out. There was a bit of a wind making conditions a bit choppy, but also more interesting. Out through Morston harbour, and plenty of movement:

Yachts, many with burgundy sails whizzing around. Out past the spit in the shelter of the spit, with the distinctive blue of the former lifeboat station.

Sea bird colony: terns starting to be heard. Plenty of chicks which were amazingly camoflauged against the beach pebbles. Out to the end of the spit - good to be able to see right across the 10 metres or so of shingle at the distal end, and the seals were hauled up on the edge, being dive-bombed by terns whenever they threatened to squash their nest. A few turns around the end, and then back to Blakeney Point: a landing on the spit, and up to the dunes with blowout and little fishing huts. Was reminded of the hut on Scolt Head Island which Roger Deakin mentions in his "Waterlog" book.

Back to get the boat for the final trip - in all it was a 2 hour round-trip and once again, was very much recommended.

Stiffkey was a 5 minute hop along the coast, and up to the Red Lion: a few 'issues' with a particular member of staff who obviously hadn't done the customer service course yet... but the beer was Woodforde's 'Sundew', the lobster was fresh, and the haddock came with chunky chips ! Sat out in the sun and took our ease, and admired the moraines in the top car-park.

Sun came out at that point, and we enjoyed the sun for the rest of the day. Out for a post prandial stroll - down the Greenway, past the famous elephant hedge, and the mini-moto racers to the car park at the end. National Trust sign on Stiffkey Salt Marsh had curiously vanished. Wandered out onto the marsh. Photo opportunity on the bridge across the creek. I usually see the marsh in October, when the plants have finished flowering, so good to see it in bloom.

Looking for shrubby seablite, and then out beyond the sea wall to the slob zone and as far as we could go before the tide stopped us. Wandered back up the beach, and then another short trip along to Wells, which was unfortunately packed out - can usually get parked at the top near the Crown Inn, but apparently a Tamil Festival was taking place, linked with a pilgrimage visit to Walsingham - apparently there were up to 40 000 people there this weekend. So instead, went a short hop to Holkham where there was the pottery and the Adnams shop. Very welcome retail opportunity for some.

I then had to leave to go home, but the evening continued with ice creams, and then a meal in the "Jolly Sailors" before a red wine and chocolate cake session into the early hours...

I forgot to suggest a trip to Burnham Market, which would have been another nice way to spend the early evening. Maybe next time !

SUNDAY

A beautiful sunny start with not a cloud in the sky. On with the Factor 25 (although I missed the back of my neck, which is now red as a cooked lobster...)

My wife and kids were off to beach hut at Wells next the Sea, and I headed off to meet up with the others. Tea and chocolate cake in the kitchen at Burnham and exchange of Secret Santa gifts. My contribution of a "Cloud Appreciation Society" handbook going down well. Also picked up book I'd missed at the 21st Century Geography meeting in Leeds the weekend before, and piles of other OS maps and other stuff.

Drove in convoy to Thornham through Titchwell and parked up at the boathouse at the end of the road. A few boats moored up down at the end of the creek, and out to see the famous old dead trees (are were they planted there as a photo-opportunity ?)

Up along the sea wall, and skylarks singing, cows grazing on the marshes, and into the boardwalk at Holme Nature Reserve. Down through the dunes and onto the beach for a paddle, despite the possible (alleged) exposure to faecal coliforms. Made some messages on the beach in razor shell rather than dog whelk font.

Sun blazing down, and huge clouds building up. A big Norfolk sky.

We were pretty much the only people on the beach - just a few groups of people in the dunes.

Wandered back with lunch on our minds. Drove back in and to "The Old Coach House". The Orange Tree and the Lifeboat would have been predictably full of folk... Sat outside under a parasol and watched the world go by with a pint of IPA and a very fine margherita pizza. There was a bit of an issue with the description of the 'mango' smoothie, but that was sorted with a replacement. The staff member saying "I'm not going to argue with you...", which is just as well, as that's not "service"... Food very nice and more appropriately priced than the neighbouring places.

Back along through Holme and Old Hunstanton, and could see the lighthouse car park was full, and all along the parade too. Searle's land train out in force, and Hunstanton was clearly heaving with the first decent weather since April ! As usual, the friendly local Tesco had plenty of space and a comfortable 2 hours free parking .Wandered down to the fun fair, and along the promenade. The place was packed out and lots of UK seasidey stuff... Buckets and spades, rock saying "Sex maniac" through it, the Wash Monster heading off, the crazy golf where Jade Goody was spotted recently, ice creams with strawberry sauce, fake Crocs etc.

There was a ride in the fairground called the 'G FORCE' which was very apt.

Back up for goodbyes. Some long journeys and the traffic always builds up around tea time.

Norfolk lavender: pause for photos - very Provence like...

Back to my house, which was just 5 minutes away - some others had rather longer to travel home !

Reviewed my booty from the weekend and it was rather pleasing - possibly even better than last time round.

A pleasant evening...

Book: Make your own coral reef... - large 3D pop up book

Zafferana Etna Video: A village and its volcano (26 minutes)

Leeds in the 21st Century: a huge hardback book "Twenty First Century Leeds: Geographies of a Regional City" - impressive book which could form basis for a large unit of work, along with the handouts and details on the website. Thanks to LittleMiss for carting that down to Norfolk for me.

Half a bar of Green and Blacks Maya Gold chocolate (I ate the rest on the beach)

CD from Val: a range of excellent resources: some old classics

CD from David: a selection of resources produced for GeoInteractive - most of which I hadn't seen before

CD from Chris: fantastic 6 week SoW with high quality resources for teaching about Food Miles: The UK FOOD MILES DEBATE, plus resources for Fair Trade Footballs and Blood Diamond. These go straight into my new KS3 !

CD from LittleMiss: plenty of interesting resources on a range of topics

DVD from Katharine Hutchinson: complete KS3 and KS4 materials and resources - very generous ! - some good ideas and assessments

CD from Emma: good Soils materials !

A range of badges made by LittleMiss (unfortunately my GGiP hand went through the washing machine...)

Also a new lead to a piece of hardware called Dazzle DVD Recorder.

For more on the area you can see the sites of Brancaster Staithe and Burnham Deepdale.

Also picked up lots of tourist leaflets - always good for local projects and display material, or resources for an investigation.

PHOTO COMPETITION

Please e-mail me the actual photo or the URL of the photos that you want to enter for the following 4 categories, and I'll put up a photo page.

I will then create a page, and a link to a voting page on Survey Monkey and advertise it on SLN for a week. I will then announce the results.

So, thanks finally to David Rogers (Mountainman) for suggesting the second get-together, to Katharine for organising the event, and for everyone who came ! and of course to Kate and Chris for starting this whole SLN thing off...

The plan is to do something in the early part of 2008, and below is a suggestion for 2009 which we came up with...

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