— (101) Barnby, The Street —

(visited 06-Oct-2024)

Where's Barnby, you're asking? Next to North Cove, if that helps. Near Mutford? OK, they're all betwixt Beccles and Lowestoft.

Cast your mind back to the late August bank holiday. I suggested to G. that we, as a couple, could get the pushbikes then let the train take the strain up the East Suffolk line (think I developed a taste for the journey on a birthday trip to Lowestoft). Alighted (alit?) at Beccles, rode up Gaol Lane, had the best takeaway croque monsieur evs from the tiny Two Magpies, then cycled out via Worlingham in the vague direction of Oulton Broad.

Mr Google directed us on a safe path alongside the A146 through the aforementioned North Cove and into previously unknown Barnby. Obliged to stop at the charming Chapel Coffee Lounge for caffeine 'n' cake, and back on the saddle along The Street. Hold on, what's that on the left?

Of course, I haven't seen a wall properly unless I'm with me old ma. Cue a revisit, this time en voiture, in early October and still with patches of blue sky. Parked on the grass opposite gives a very clear view of the Clearview contemporary crinkle-crankle; well, once the guy walking his miniature horse has gone by. Street View's snaps from 2009 show a totally different picture of a bungalow set back in plenty o' garden. That must have been totalled and replaced by the current development. And, walking back past the nearby primary school, there are definite masonic curves at Wiggs Acre too. Closer you get to Carlton Colville, the higher the wavy wall count.

— (102) Beccles, Laurels End —

(visited 06-Oct-2024)

My plan, post Barnby, was to park in Beccles and stroll to the other to-do destination half a mile away. What I hadn't appreciated was the steep ascent from the Waveney Meadow car park on Puddingmoor (yes, near that sweet wall) to Ballygate and the subsequent many hundred yards past Hungate Lane, along London Road and left on Peddars Lane. Did my mum bring any water? Did I? Nope. Was mightly glad to hit Ingate and cease our weary gait at Laurels End.

On that same bank holiday cycle trip we'd eventually caught the train back from lovely Lowestoft. Coming through Beccles, I felt a bit like William Shatner wiping the plane window in that Twilight Zone episode: nothing on the wing this time but heck, isn't that a wall out there?

Over there's the railway line. Over here's an infill handful of houses with some waviness -- on both sides! -- at the entrance, probably of a similar modern vintage to Barnby. My mum, heart rate slowly normalising, quite liked the walls but was a whole lot less keen on the bins, wanting to shift them for her Facebook photos. Bonus points for the autumnal hues draped over the coping stones. And everybody much happier when we were tucking into well-deserved desserts at The King's Head, aka the local 'Spoons.