Christmas has been very different for everyone this year and many have spent it alone as I did. I decided to make a sandwich and a flask of tea and set off to Wixham on the Norfolk coast. The SatNav took me through Winterton and Horsey before reaching Wixham when the heavens opened and heavy rain descended. It was a chance to eat the sandwich before walking to the beach. It was cold and there were a few dog-walkers and families. I saw one cow and pup seal and a bull hanging around in wait. Several young bulls tried to swim ashore but the bull on the shore soon made them unwelcome. I had hoped for some sanderlings, and a variety of gulls but I had to be satisfied with a Herring Gull who was standing on one leg near the seals looking like an opportunist.
I was lucky to have a glimpse of Horsey Windpump in the sunlight before the rain. The present structure was built in 1912 on the foundations of the 18th-century Horsey Black Mill. The windpump was working until it was struck by lightning in 1943. It was acquired by the National Trust in 1948 from the Buxton Family who still manage the Horsey estate, emphasising nature conservation. Because of this, the estate has become an internationally important wildlife site. The windpump looked in great condition after a resent refurb.
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