Hankies, Sticks and Real Ale…

As part of the annual pilgrimage by the Aldbury Morris Men, now accompanied by the more youthful Hemlock Morris Dancers, the two sides descended on Norwich to dance and sing and cavort around the locality.

Sue and I took mum up a day earlier travelling through Essex and Suffolk visiting gardens on the way.

Our first stop was at the RHS Hyde Hall, currently showing the Surrey Sculpture Exhibition. This garden has changed a lot since we last visited many moons ago and it is clear they are continuing to expend and evolve as new buildings and gardens are being built. It is a large sprawling area with several different garden types and plenty of space to soak up people so that you never feel crowded out.

Our next stop was at Beth Chatto’sGarden, a smaller and more intimate place centred on several ponds, a woodland area and a large dry garden, a style of gardening pioneered by the celebrated horticulturist.

We then drove onto our hotel at Norwich where the Morris sides would join us the following evening.

The next day was spent wandering around the historic old city of Norwich visiting starting with the spectacular Romanesque cathedral (the other Gothic revival cathedral being just outside the old walls), and then we walked down to Pulls Ferry, along the river to Cow Tower and past the large mill and cut back into the old town up the cobbled Elm Hill towards the Lanes and Market Square (where there is a good view of the large Norman Castle and the lovely Victorian Royal Arcade). Outside the walls near the other cathedral is the peaceful and secluded Plantation Gardens, a hidden gem, ideal for a rest after a long day of being a tourist. In the evening we met up with the arriving Morris at a local pub for drinks, food and music and singing.

A bus was waiting for us in the morning to take us on our tour around the Broads. But first it was up to the cathedral for a few dances and then back on the bus to the Rising Sun beside the water for a dance (and a pint for those so inclined).

On to The Swan Inn near a busy little marina for a few more dances (and drinks).

And then to the peaceful The Pleasure Boat Inn near another marina where we danced some more (drank some more) and had lunch.

Revitalised we continued on to the Nelson Head, a remote and quirky public house full of strange paraphernalia for another dance or two (and a few more drinks).

There had been a plan to dance outside the pub we had been in the previous night, but as we arrived the Lord Mayor’s Parade was assembling and filled up the street with many spectators in attendance. Some of the Morris Men crashed a young group of dancers to much merriment but soon the floats moved off into the city and the rest of us returned to our hotel to freshen up for the evening meal and final ceilidh.

On Sunday the two sides headed off towards another venue (mum travelling with Terry and Gill), and Sue and I went home to some quiet and peace for a few days.