Why the North Norfolk Safari is the right UK staycation

Have you 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 put together to chase an indistinguishable shadow or glimpse of fur throughout the grassy panorama… would you consider me if I stated you could possibly just do that? Within 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 in regards to the North Norfolk safari excursions a few 12 months and a half in the past, after they featured within the Japanese Each day Press newspaper; and I immediately knew that that was how I wished to spend my 30^th birthday weekend – recognizing a few of Britain’s most iconic species!

Nicely, 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 within the Bohemian Blue Hut on the banks of the River Stiffkey, having fun with probably the most lovely time full of love, laughter, vivid colors, vibrant nature, rustling leaves, noisy rain, fireplace wine, midnight snacks consumed outdoors by the light flowing (and evidently otter-occupied!) river, basking within the delicate mild of too many stars to depend…

Martin Hayward Smith — a cameraman of thirty years, in addition to an creator and safari information — additionally constructed the breathtaking Bohemian Blue Hut that you could see within the images right here.

Crafted with beautiful consideration to element; together with re-purposed church pews used for the tip of the Edwardian mattress, genuine artefacts from far-off lands and a mantle clock that stopped telling the time many moons in the past: there actually was nothing to do however lose ourselves within the romance of all of it.

With the sounds of barn owls emanating from outdoors, the tantalising prospect of catching a glimpse of the resident wild otters from the window; a crackling log fireplace to warmth the within of the hut and hammering rain on the roof outdoors: I can’t consider wherever extra idyllic to spend a comfy October night time.

And that was solely the start. The next morning we stepped outdoors of the serene woody comforts of the riverside hut for an early (and fortunately dry!) begin throughout the autumnal Norfolk countryside. There was promise of unknown wildlife throughout the land and skies and we couldn’t wait to find what our safari needed to supply.

Safari staycation in Norfolk

We had been delighted to be given the possibility to see numerous the hotspots talked about in Martin’s My Yr With Hares ebook (printed by Purple Hare Publishing) and as we loved the genuine safari expertise of bumping alongside dust observe roads and splashing by means of muddy ravines within the Land Rover; we had the pleasure of recognizing pheasants, partridges, kestrel, buzzards — and earlier than too lengthy, hares.

We spent a very distinctive morning recognizing wildlife and speaking about Martin’s unimaginable profession as a wildlife cameraman; together with among the main collection 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 plenty 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 possibility to look over Martin’s pictures from his time working with the legendary George Adamson, of  Born Free fame.

Martin was simply 24 years previous 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 section of the safari introduced with it two separate sightings of roe deer and the surprising view of hundreds of pink toes geese gliding in overhead.

Even so, I’d be mendacity if I stated I that by the point we had been heading again to our place to begin, I wasn’t misplaced in ideas of George along with his private lion pleasure, marching alongside Kenya’s dusty roads.

A Born Free connection

True to his phrase, on the finish of the tour we had the distinctive expertise of wanting by means of Martin’s private and beforehand unpublished pictures from George’s camp. Simply wow!

What an unimaginable alternative, 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 pictures of Tony Fitzjohn reprimanding a misbehaving leopard.

It might have been a couple of months late and re-planned quite a few occasions, however this was a belated birthday weekend far past my expectation.

Thanks to my household for serving to to make this occur; and to Martin Hayward Smith for being so beneficiant along with his time, experience and unimaginable tales!