West Raynham Village Sign showing Raynham HallWest Raynham Village centre is always a stunning picture, especially when the blosson fills the cherry trees on the green as in April and May. This quiet village provides an ideal area for walkers and cyclists with several local circular routes of varying distances.
The village itself provides a relaxed stroll in 30 minutes from The Street up to a small hamlet passing the school, on to The Drove and down again past a children's adventure playground to arrive back in the centre. A further 20 minutes ramble down a tree-lined country lane with wide grassy verges and views of meadows and woodlands, brings the visitor to the impressive Raynham Estate St Mary's Chruch which overlooks a calm lake. You will probably want to continue feasting your eyes on this delightful and unspoilt corner of North Norfolk. If so then there are two different paths. One leads up beside the church and out of the village to the South and East Raynhams and the other passes in front of the church, past the private entrance to Raynham Hall , through the farm along signed pathways.
The Hall is not open to the public. It is the ancestoral home of the Townshend family. Sadly the Marquess Townshend of Raynham died this April just before his 94th birthday. His family has owned the land in West Raynham for 600 years since the reign of Edward IV. One of the ancestors, 'Turnip' Townshend, helped launch the agricultural revolution.
The route through the farm is a public path taking you through various livestock gates, along the edges of fields with woodlands, to eventually circle back into the village via the Helhoughton to West Raynham Road.
There are many more walks and cycle routes to explore of course in this rural area, and not least the vast number of coastal North Norfolk paths a few miles away!
The amazing Mo Museum in Sheringham, built with Heritage Lottery funding in 2006, is a fascinating venue for all the family to learn about the local fishing and lifeboat history of the Shannocks - as the people of Sheringham were known. Light airy galleries and walkways lead the visitor through time from Sheringahm as a 19th century village to today's modern 21st century, popular tourist town. Within there are impressive views above lifeboats and up in the high glass lookout, panoramic vistas over the town and beach. This newest of seafront icons, 'Mo' takes its name from Morag, a young local girl who lived about 130 years ago.
West Raynham Village Sign showing Raynham Hall
The winter of 2009 - 10 left lasting images of freezing landscapes, icey roads and much disruption but ..... all was calm and tranquil & cosy at Pollywiggle Cottage where the virgin snow lay thick and crisp.
Norfolk has been referred to as 'sky country', particularly in the area of Broadland. The Norfolk Broads are large man-made lakes left from 12th century peat digging. They are interconnected by a network of navigable rivers. There are numerous boat hire companies which have pleasure craft to suit all ages and purses. You can hire a boat by the hour, for a day or two, a week or a season. This picture was taken from the top deck of The Southern Comfort mock paddle steamer on a four hour cruise. We sailed on the most perfect of October late afternoons celebrating a family wedding with about 50 friends and family enjoying good food, drink and dancing. We recommend the experience! See http://www.southern-comfort.co.uk/
