Trip 161 - Lawshall, Suffolk

Thursday 9th April (Day 1)

Today we are off to meet Chris and Carolyn, our longest friends of over 50 years,  who we haven’t seen since the 2nd August 2025. The site is an Independent camp site called The Brighthouse Farm Camp Site, at Lawshall, Norfolk. We left around 1120 and our first stop was the local Aldi to get the last minute items we needed. We should have arrived at the site by 1300 but when just a couple of miles from our destination we found the road that had road works and a great big lorry blocking our route. We actually stopped behind Chris and Carolyn! We waited around fifteen minutes for the lorry to load up the earth and move off and then had no problem getting to the site. We were soon set up and had lunch sitting in the sunshine. Next we caught up on many happenings in both families. Around 1600 we decided to walk into the village. A pleasant short walk across fields and a visit to the church. Which was nice but not exceptional. Having left we heard a visitor to the church wailing and screaming to God, she had clearly lost someone close. Even fifty metres away it was audible, clearly someone in deep despair. We strolled on and found the local pub opened at 1700 whereas the pub’s website stated 1800. A pint was in order (Wadworths 6X). We then left to return to the motorhomes and as we left it started to rain and it got heavier as we walked with a strong wind. By the time we got back to the motorhome two things happened. One, the rain stopped, and two we had to strip off as we were soaked through. A short while later it was over to Chris and Carolyn’s motorhome for a Thai curry followed by fresh fruit. More chat and bet around 2300

Friday 10h April (Day 2)

A quiet night and a bright sunny but colder day. After breakfast we prepared the slow cooker as we were cooking for the four of us this evening - goat casserole. About 1115 we set of on a circular walk that Chris K had planned to Hartest. A pleasant three mile walk by road and fields to this village and The Crown pub. Here we had a beer from a small local brewery (Brew Shed). Hartest is a lovely picture book village around a main green. After the beer we walked on another short circular walk stopping overlooking the village for lunch. Back in the village we found the butchers; closed for about 18 months as the butcher had a stroke, he is still living. Then a visit to a very solid church and this was followed by a second pint. It was chilling down so we made our way back to base. On the way we saw abut 40 deer in the adjoining field. Arriving back we had traveresed about 7 miles in total. By 2000 we gathered for the evening meal and chatted until well past 2300 before parting company

Saturday 11th April (Day 3)

We awake today to find it was 0915. A shower and bacon bagel for breakfast. The weather was overcast and again colder than yesterday. So we sat in our respective motorhomes and listened to the radio and read. By lunchtime it had brightened up and any rain looked to be gone. That said it did rain soon after lunch. We sat and watched two of women’s six nations; France .v. Italy and England .v. Ireland. Both France and England won comfortably. After that we left for a two plus mile walk to Shimpling and The Bush pub where we had booked in for an evening meal. We arrived early and had a nice meal leaving around 2015. We had discovered a route back by a different from the journey to the pub. Again we met (the same?) forty plus deer. By the time we returned it was quite dark.

Sunday 12th April (Day 4)

Another sunny day. Breakfast, shower and pack and then we said out goodbyes about 1030. One stop on the way home to purchase Sunday dinner and then arrived home at 1300