Binham Priory, Norfolk
After missing the B1156 turning to Cley at Langham and deciding to just go with the detour, the sight of Binham Priory on Warham Road made me stop for a quick look. Among the most complete and impressive ruins of a Benedictine priory in Norfolk, the sites dates from the early 12th century and it's worth a stop for a walk amongst the old walls, with no entrance charge. The nave still acts as the local parish church and is on a grand scale, as its height in the photo above shows.
Cley Next The Sea is world famous for two reasons: its picturesque windmill, which is a well-known landmark that adorns many a painting or calendar and is now a stylish B&B, and Cley Marshes, a Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT) reserve that is one of the best places in the world for birdwatching and a beautiful part of the Norfolk Coastal Path. Having said that, this picture postcard village itself is unmissable, with its narrow streets, magnificent church, art galleries, deli and one of my favourite pubs in The George.
Cley Marshes, from the Avocet hide
The marshes has a fantastic, modern visitor centre and this is always first call, both to buy a reserve pass (£4) and find out what's out on the reserve. With breakfast a distant memory, I also took advantage for the first time of the café and enjoyed a sandwich and pastry looking out the panoramic window over the nearest pools to the coast.
With no particular goal in mind, I strolled out to the nearest hides and enjoyed an hour watching typical birds for the season. Black-tailed Godwits, Ruff, Lapwing, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Snipe and Avocets waded amongst Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall, Shelduck, Shoveler and a solitary Pintail. Simmond's Scrape from the Dawke's Hide.
Photographing the godwits from the Avocet hide, thoughts started to turn towards finding some accommodation for the night. However, a Stoat suddenly appeared, just a couple of metres from the hide! Stunned, I am ashamed to say I didn't get off one capture before he disappeared again into the long grass. Within a moment or two, he reappeared and promptly spent the next few minutes hunting up and down a nearby fenceline but not getting within photo range again. Shucks. Returning to the car, two Marsh Harriers were gliding over the reedbed, a small flock of Meadow Pipits flew over and a Stonechat watched me pass from a nearby fencepost.
With news coming through of an Olive-backed Pipit on Stiffkey Marsh, I was soon parking up on Greenways lane and walking out 800m across the marsh (see left) to the Stiffkey Meals, on the edge of the saltings. There were some thrills and spills in the deep tidal creeks and mud! Frankly, wellies are essential (and I didn't have any). 
Out on the Meals, the Pipit was showing intermittantly but more fun was searching the gorse strip (see left, looking back towards Stiffkey) for migrants. We found Robins, Goldcrests and a Redstart before finally a Yellow-browed Warbler - which had been calling constantly - gave good views.
There are some great walks at Stiffkey, either from the National Trust car park on Greenways lane (can also park at the south end of the lane if you don't mind a longer walk) or from the layby on the A149, although there is little option for a circular route. Do keep to the footpaths in this area - or you can be quickly up to your thighs in mud! The car park is a great place to watch raptors combing the marsh in winter and the small, stunted woodland running west from here is also a good place for migrants in spring and autumn.
Looking south west from Saltmarsh beach car park towards the village
Today, there were more people than birds - tonight's tide was to be the highest of the autumn and there were many groups fishing along the beach. A Wheatear and Brambling were flitting between the meadow and the shingle, and a couple of Common Gulls were amongst the Black-headed Gulls gliding past.
With dusk, I set about the Blackberry to find somewhere to stay and took a room at a very reasonable rate at the Blakeney Manor Hotel. The en-suite room was on a single-storey courtyard development adjacent to the main hotel and, whilst basic, was fine for £45 and a night on my own. A pint of bitter at the bar was less than great but I'd already decided to spend the evening elsewhere. Checking out early the following morning did prove more of a hassle, with no-one manning reception before or during breakfast.
The Blakeney Manor Hotel: cheap and cheerful-ish;
the courtyard area is pictured below
For dinner, I headed along the quay to the White Horse, sister pub to The George at Cley - and, I must say, at least it's equal. The pub was packed full and the owner hoped he could squeeze me in to a table later. So, I sampled the ales - all excellent, Adnams and a local micro-brewery - and tried a glass or two of red, whilst reading a good book. After an hour and a bit, the owner beckoned me to a table for two and I ordered the ribeye steam, medium rare, and excellent is was too, especially with a glass of Argentinian Malbec. It's not a cheap place, but if back this way with the other half, I will try to stay here first.
After the White Horse, I strolled a little further up the road to try out the Kings Arms, an authentic, traditional Norfolk pub that dates back to the 17th century. Immediately recognisable due to its red pantiled roof adorned with "FH • 1760" in large letters, the interior is just as unique and the beer well kept. Definitely worth stopping in to slake your thirst and admire how pubs used to be.
The following morning, after negotiating check-out from the Blakeney Manor Hotel, I walked outside to a day as bright and beautiful as the previous one was grey. The tide was indeed high (see left) and local people and visitors were enjoying the weather and the view, strolling north along the seaward paths or taking to their boats.
After a few minutes of the air and sun, I took to the car, another day of walking and birding ahead.
Boats off Blakeney Quay at high tide, October 2010
