Albatros, the venerable Dutch barge moored on the quayside at Wells-next-the-Sea, was ever our favoured lunch venue on outings to north Norfolk. Boasting a pancake-heavy menu, deckside dining and, as several Windmillers can attest, authentically nautical (ie primitive) B&B accommodation, who can forget the precipitous staircase between topdeck and the cosy bar down in the hold? An old boat can be a perilous place after a pint or two of Adnams.
Alas in 2019 and shortly after the above photo was taken Albatros disappeared from the quayside. We wondered where it went.
The good news is that Albatros (look, you spelling pedants, that’s the name on the bow, it’s Dutch) is back on quayside following an extensive rebuild in Maldon boatyard and, according to its website, will eventually re-open as a B&B and maybe even a lunch venue and bar. Hurrah! We will keep an eye out for further news.
A year on from our last foray to Wells-next-the-Sea, it was high time for a return visit. So it was that Keith set about organising this year’s outing and Roger and Geraldine once again hosted us at their Norfolk idyll.
Having lingered over coffee and croissants chez Phillips, we set off at 10am and made short work of the 16 or so miles to Binham Priory where we pulled in for refreshment, explored the nave and wandered around the graveyard with it’s interesting headstones, ancient and new.
From Binham we headed for Wells-next-the-Sea where having inspected the Albatros, we pulled in at the seafood stall and Keith purchased a crab for his dinner. How does one keep seafood fresh when you have miles to go on a hot day in July, we wondered? The stall holder kindly obliged with plentiful ice and a poly bag – and we hear Keith enjoyed his crab supper with no ill effects.
From Wells we headed west, pausing at Holkam Hall for a photograph, before turning south and completed our 32 mile loop at Sculthorpe Mill, just half a mile from Roger and Geraldine’s and a lovely spot for a good lunch.
Our outings to the coast are always memorable (some more so that others!) but this was up there with the best and our thanks go to Roger and Geraldine for their hospitality, Keith for his organisation and Ric, this week’s birthday boy, for his generous round of drinks.
And for the record the turnout was: Brian, Keith, MartinB, Rach, Ric, Rod, Roger and Simon.
