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Have you ever ever ever ever dreamed of taking a safari? Of recognizing a distant motion by means of the binoculars, adopted by the shuddering kickstart of a Land Rover engine as you set collectively to chase an indistinguishable shadow or glimpse of fur all by means of the grassy panorama… would you concentrate on me if I acknowledged you presumably can presumably merely do that? All through the UK.
Final weekend I lastly bought to take a long-awaited North Norfolk Safari with Martin Hayward Smith — creator of My Yr With Hares.
I’d first heard relating to the North Norfolk safari excursions a few 12 months and a half before now, after they featured contained in the Japanese Day by day Press newspaper; and I immediately knew that that was how I wished to spend my 30th birthday weekend – recognizing a few of Britain’s most iconic species!
Correctly, for sure; with a June birthday, it’s taken a couple of months and a few good timing between UK lockdowns to make that dream a actuality, however in belated celebration; I packed my baggage and headed to a shepherd’s hut by the river in East Barsham.
Bohemian Blue Hut
What a dreamy weekend! We spent 2 nights staying contained in the Bohemian Blue Hut on the banks of the River Stiffkey, having pleasing with most likely basically essentially the most lovely time filled with affection, laughter, vivid colors, vibrant nature, rustling leaves, noisy rain, fireside wine, midnight snacks consumed open air by the sunshine flowing (and evidently otter-occupied!) river, basking inside the fragile light of too many stars to rely…
Martin Hayward Smith — a cameraman of thirty years, together with an creator and safari data — furthermore constructed the breathtaking Bohemian Blue Hut that you just presumably can see inside the pictures correct proper right here.
Crafted with beautiful consideration to element; together with re-purposed church pews used for the tip of the Edwardian mattress, actual artefacts from far-off lands and a mantle clock that stopped telling the time many moons before now: there actually was nothing to do however lose ourselves contained in the romance of all of it.
With the sounds of barn owls emanating from open air, the tantalising prospect of catching a glimpse of the resident wild otters from the window; a crackling log fireside to warmth the within of the hut and hammering rain on the roof open air: I can’t take into consideration wherever extra idyllic to spend a snug October night time time time.
And that was solely the start. The following morning we stepped open air of the serene woody comforts of the riverside hut for an early (and fortuitously dry!) begin all by means of the autumnal Norfolk countryside. There was promise of unknown wildlife all by means of the land and skies and we couldn’t wait to hunt out what our safari wished to offer.
Safari staycation in Norfolk
We had been delighted to be given the probability to see fairly a couple of the hotspots talked about in Martin’s My Yr With Hares e guide (printed by Purple Hare Publishing) and as we cherished the actual safari expertise of bumping alongside mud observe roads and splashing by means of muddy ravines contained in the Land Rover; we had the pleasure of recognizing pheasants, partridges, kestrel, buzzards — and before too extended, hares.
We spent a extremely distinctive morning recognizing wildlife and speaking about Martin’s unimaginable profession as a wildlife cameraman; together with among the many many predominant assortment he’d filmed with Ray Mears.
From swapping fond recollections of our separate works with Discovery Channel and Animal Planet to chewing over tales of bygone travelling days spent in Australia’s outback — we had a great deal of notes to match!
Over a mid-morning cup of tea to mood the nippiness of the brisk October air, I used to be honoured to be promised the probability to look over Martin’s images from his time working with the legendary George Adamson, of Born Free fame.
Martin was merely 24 years earlier when he travelled to Kenya to assist at George’s camp in Kora, and his tales of the Flying Physician, Kora the lioness and naturally George himself, had been fascinating.
Norfolk Safari sightings
The latter a part of the safari launched with it two separate sightings of roe deer and the beautiful view of a number of of pink toes geese gliding in overhead.
Even so, I’d be mendacity if I acknowledged I that by the aim we had been heading as soon as extra to our place to start out, I wasn’t misplaced in ideas of George alongside collectively together with his private lion pleasure, marching alongside Kenya’s dusty roads.
A Born Free connection
True to his phrase, on the top of the tour we had the distinctive expertise of wanting by means of Martin’s private and beforehand unpublished images from George’s camp. Merely wow!
What an unimaginable numerous, to see letters written by George and despatched from Kora, notes from the Royal Geographical Society advising Martin on his deliberate journey (i.e. Take a case of whiskey for George!) and images of Tony Fitzjohn reprimanding a misbehaving leopard.
It could want been a couple of months late and re-planned pretty a few occasions, however this was a belated birthday weekend far earlier my expectation.
Due to my household for serving to to make this occur; and to Martin Hayward Smith for being so beneficiant alongside collectively together with his time, experience and unimaginable tales!
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