After a very quiet New Year’s Eve in Kings Lyn, we take advantage of fair weather and rise early on New Year’s Day. The very expensive taxi (no buses) drops us off at a spot called Shepherd’s Port – the last time we were here was in 2015 when we walked north to Heacham.

Built in the 1720’s by Britain’s first prime minister Sir Robert Walpole, Houghton Hall was passed to the Cholmondeley family at the end of the eighteenth century. The current owners, Lord and Lady Cholmondeley (pronounced Chumley), are great fans of the American sculptor James Turrell and his explorations into the effects of light.

11. & 12. Mundesley to Caister-On-Sea (two days) | 05.05.12

Wide open skies, deserted sandy beaches and wind. Beautiful home for two days  – Gig House. Forced to do our re-cycling homework. Families of seals dreaming on the beach and kite surfers riding the waves. Best bacon butty ever and vertiginous climb up the Happisborough Lighthouse.

The brightly coloured beach huts  – the jewels of Wells beach – walking against the wind through the never-ending dunes – beautiful moth hitches a ride on my thigh.

Distance: 14 miles

2. Sheringham to Cromer to Mundesley  05.08.11

On a bench on the way to Cromer, “Life is mostly froth and bubble, two things stand in stone – kindness in another’s trouble, courage in your own”. Today I walk along deserted beaches, past ruined groynes, to the sound of screeching seagulls. Crumbling cliffs offer no escape, so as I have no way of knowing whether there is soon a path up onto the cliff I follow a set of footprints – that person must have got down onto the beach somewhere! Soon I see a family approaching, walking slowly, Mum in flip flops – they give me directions for a path up to the village with its photo exhibitions and chip shops. On the bus back, Stowmarket gels on the raz take over the carriage trilling and shrieking, disturbers of the peace – am I getting old?