WHITLINGHAM: A spa? A boutique hotel? No thanks.

6th July 2012

I got a shock today when I was looking at the EDP website.  Finding an article about Whitlingham I casually began reading; "Bold visions for the development of Whitlingham CP include everything from a spa and open air theatre to water lodges built on stilts around a new lake".  Before this sunk in, I picked out the phrase "boutique hotel" from the next paragraph and was overcome with bemusement.  You can read the whole article here (EDP website).  

I later came back to the article and read it a bit more.  It turns out there are three options being considered, with the brief appearing to be a novel building, weird accommodation of some sort and then extra other buildings or activities.  The obvious question is "Why?"  I have never heard a person go to a country park and say "well its nice, but if only there was a hotel built in the middle of it".  Ditto the spa.

Here are the three options:

Option 1 - Feilden and Mawson say they were inspired by "the peace of the site" - and intend to shatter it with a high-level rope walk, mountain biking and a courtyard for cafes and workshops.  They want either a spa or classical music venue, and three types of accommodation including timber pods built half into the ground.

Option 2 - Hudson Architects want to build a restaurant with training kitchen and retail outlets (which lets face it, sounds a bit like a town centre doesn't it).  They would move the car park away from the broad, which is probably a good thing.  Mr Hudson also suggests an orchard and wildlife-friendly planting, which is also good.  He then somewhat spoils it by wanting an equestrian centre, conference centre, backpackers hostel and his wacky accommodation choice, "upmarket shepherd's huts"

Option 3 - LSI Architects want to "take advantage of the seclusion of the site" by building a boutique hotel (that sound you heard was a golden goose dying).  They also want an amphitheatre, and their bonkers accommodation is tree houses and lodges built on stilts above a new lake.

There is a public display of these plans at the flint barn at Whitlingham, so I intend to go and find out more about this idea.  It is only up for less that two weeks, which doesn't sound very promising if they are taking the public consultation seriously, but I'll go and have my say, and I would encourage anyone else who has an interest in Whitlingham to do the same.

Incidentally there were seven suggestions, and presumably these were the three "best" ones.  If you can come up with one of the rejected options (remember the unwanted large building plus weird accommodation combo) then please comment with your ideas.  I'm also setting up a poll to gauge other peoples views, so please vote in that too.

Track that Eider!

15th November 2011

So, you find yourself with a week off and don't fancy wandering around Hunstanton on the off chance you find a garden with some buds in? Why not take the big Eider challenge? Ben Lewis originally found a female-type Eider on the river at Buckenham on Sunday, and then yesterday it was seen heading west past Strumpshaw. Continuing along the river, hopefully it will get to Whitlingham (and even more hopefully it will stay there. Unfortunately work prevents me from going each day and checking, but if anyone goes to Surlingham C.M., Brundall, Bramerton, Postwick, Whitlingham Sewage Works or Thorpe & Whitlingham please keep an eye out! Lets get some more sightings on the Map of Duck below.

Other random bird news:
Waxwings have returned to Norwich for the winter, with a small flock around the Hall Road area (thanks to Will from the Birdbeards blog for updates on these).

The Hawk & Owl Trust have put up a new camera on the Cathedral to look at the Peregrines next year. I don't know why they need a new one, maybe its conitnuous rather than shots every two minutes. Anyway, its good that the male is still holding territory around the Cathedral.

Woodfordes have given the NWT a cheque for nearly £2400, raised from sales of its "Once Bittern" beer launched earlier this year.

MEDIA: Whitlingham Ferry?

Whitlingham was in the news last week, with Thorpe St Andrews council considering building a chain ferry between the C.P. and Thorpe Marshes. Whilst this would obviously be convenient for me, I don't really understand what benefits they think it would bring. The quoted cost of up to £250,000 means that it is highly unlikely to go ahead in any case. Perhaps they could have saved some money by looking at the one at Reedham rather than a similar one in Scotland. There would be a bit more mileage in linking Thorpe riverside with Whitlingham (allowing people to have a walk then go to a bar or cafe), but the railway line is in the way. Anyway, interesting to hear its being contemplated, and something to keep an eye on over the next few years.

WHITLINGHAM: Thorpe & Town House

25th & 26th July 2011

Thorpe Marshes (25/07/11) - c50 Lapwing, Stock Doves, not much else.
Thorpe Green (25/07/11) - Black Swan (1)
Whitlingham C.P. (25/07/11) - Usual stuff, plus some juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Thorpe Marshes (26/07/11) - c60 Lapwing, Stock Doves, still not much else.

Its no wonder everybody sacks off inland birding over the summer with wonder hauls like this. On Tuesday after Adam & I had looked around Carey's Meadow and Thorpe Marshes we decided to go for lunch at the Town House, and despite the drizzle we sat outside so that we could scan the river and areas of scrub. This proved to be the most productive hours birding of the holiday so far, seeing a Sylvia warbler triumvirate (Blackcap, Whitethroat and Garden Warbler), a family of recently fledged Goldcrests and the icing on the cake, a Kingfisher.

Also a hearty congratulations to Whitlingham Country Park on receiving the Green Flag Award for the fifth year in a row (Broads Authority Press Release). However, when will the Broads Authority give up and stop calling Whitlingham "The Gateway To The Broads"?*

I'm off to learn Two-barred Crossbill calls in anticipation of an invasion. Come to think of it, I'd willing take Common Crossbill locally.

* The Norfolk Broads, in case you don't know, are a series of shallow lakes in East Norfolk that were excavated as peat diggings. When the Broads Authority started marketing Whitlingham they put signs up on the approach road saying "Gateway to the Broads". They had to remove the signs from the entrance as there was a lot of derision and complaints, mostly from places that are actually in or close to the broads. Acle has signs saying Gateway to the broads, and many people would consider Wroxham the broadland hub. Whitlingham, lovely as it is, isn't in the broads, and the great Broad and Little Broad aren't proper broads as they are flooded gravel diggings.

NORWICH: Birds and beer in the local news

2nd March 2011

There are a number of beers named after birds, including the Wagtail Brewery's Best Bittern. Today Norfolk's best known brewery, Woodforde's, announced that their "Once Bittern" Ale will go on sale in pubs across Norfolk. It had initially been brewed last autumn exclusively for Wetherspoons pubs, but will now be released as a seasonal beer for this spring. For every pint sold 1p will be donated to the NWT. The press release doesn't say where it will be stocked, but if you're into your ale you probably know which pubs tend to get Woodfordes seasonal beers (Trafford Arms, Murderers etc).

For more information see EDP article

Also in the news today, Norwich Cathedral and the Hawk & Owl Trust have announced that they have erected a custon nest box for the Peregrines that have frequented Norwich Cathedral for the past few years. There are cameras focused on it, and they hope to follow the pair breeding via screens in the catherdral visitors centre. A welcome addition to Norwich's birdlife, and something to keep the Feral Pigeons on their toes!

Some pictures from the EDP can be found here