Aug 6th Burgh Castle

Burgh Castle

My parents took me for a short walk at Burgh Castle today. The castle is actually a well preserved roman fort with its tall walls still mostly intact. It sits above the bank of the River Yare, surrounded by wildflower meadows on one side and reedbeds beside the river. Butterflies and dragonflies fluttered and patrolled the two habitats in reasonable numbers. A large flock of greylags and several little egrets gathered along the river, while godwits, avocets and curlews were feeding from what was left of the exposed mud that was receding from the incoming tide. It appears that we had arrived at the wrong time as this tidal river is a great place to wader watch when the the tide is out.

A field of Ragworts

Fluffy seeds of the thistles

Greylag Geese

Little Egrets and Greylags

Little Egret

View of the River Yare (the white building was the pub I visited last year) 

Across the river was one of the most remotest pubs in England, which closed down earlier this week. You could use to get there by boat or by one of the few trains that stop nearby or by taking a very long walk along the Marriots Way. Last year, I took the 5 mile walk from Great Yarmouth to get to that pub and then walked the 5 miles back. Looking at the pub from Burgh Castle, the memories of one of the longest walks I've ever done was flooding back. It was exhausting! Every muscle in my body was hurting from the long walk and it took several days to recover from it. On the plus side, I did get to see clouded yellow butterflies and a mystery masked bird that I am still unsure to what it was to this day. I don't think I want to do a walk like that ever again!

Windmill

Collard Dove

Marsh Sowthistles

Godwits flying

Shore Crab in the seaweed