Pilgrimage to Walsingham

North Norfolk is the location of the pilgrimage to Walsingham so we travelled east along the coast from Kings Lynn

which leads to numerous small, quintessentially English, seaside towns.

Hunstanton is one of the nicest of these towns with its a mix of low cliffs and extensive sandy beaches though, as Jasper Jacob  shows, it was a chilly day so the beach was not at its best.

Storms and cold weather at the start of March had swept onto the beach a variety of dead sea life, including starfish

and clams which were like a crunchy carpet, making walking almost impossible.

Carrying on a sunny theme from the Sunstar-fish! we had a break in The Orange Tree Thornham. Not only is it the Norfolk “Pub of the Year” for 6 years running, but UK Seafood Pub of the Year and innumerable other awards.

It was a shame to miss out on a seafood lunch at The Orange Tree but we had a banquet organised for dinner, so very good sandwiches fitted in.

The pilgrimage centre at Walsingham was the culmination of our time along the coast. This centre in the heart of rural Norfolk was totally unexpected, with its Italianate setting for the buildings and a very Catholic feeling Anglican centre dedicated to the Virgin Mary, after several apparent visions in 1061 during which she appeared.

As the shrine and associated priory were demolished in 1538 under Henry VIII, this centre is very much a 20th-century concept.