Once again Marilyn Williams, made the annual pilgrimage from her home in Liverpool to Norfolk to take part in the Bike Ride, Drive & Walk. We always look forward to seeing her photos and hearing the story of her day. What keeps bringing her back is that she ‘loves North Norfolk where she grew up and feels its charm would be greatly depleted without its beautiful, ancient church buildings which cost so much to upkeep.’
Turning 80 at the end of May, she really wanted to do the ride again this year. Thankfully, John Wallis from Heacham cycles came up trumps again by lending her an electric bike, for which she was especially grateful after her experience of running out of daylight on a push bike in 2023.
She says weather wise the morning turned out gloriously sunny with a gusty head wind as her sister and other volunteers at Hunstanton Union Church, saw her off. She rode, mainly downhill, to Heacham St Mary’s, continuing up to Sedgeford to avoid the narrow, dangerous footpath along the busy A149. Then it was on to St Mary’s Snettisham and St Michael’s Ingoldisthorpe.
In Dersingham she passed both the Catholic and Methodist churches. The latter had thoughtfully left the foyer open and a paper to sign. She recalls on her first visit to St Nicholas at Dersingham in 2023 that they had been holding their flower festival, and she had received a warm welcome and a very much appreciated cup of coffee there.
She met Anthea there, a lady who had done her nurse training in Liverpool and knew people from Marilyn’s church. Last year St Nicholas’ kitchen was being given a makeover and there was no hot water, so no coffee! Returning this year, it was the flower festival once more, the kitchen was up and running and new indoor toilets had been installed. She says she received the same warm welcome as in previous years, a voucher for a free coffee, and a selection of delicious cakes or chocolate to choose from. She also met up with Anthea again.
Fortified with a hot drink and a bar of dark chocolate Marilyn continued towards St Mary’s Anmer. Trying to preserve the battery life she was finding the uphill sections here difficult. At Anmer Church, in its beautiful rural setting, she said she got a second wind and the 7 miles to Harpley didn’t seem too hard.
Passing the former Methodist chapel and riding up to Harpley church she discovered her saddle was loose. Luckily two fellow cyclists stopped to help. She received a warm welcome at St Andrew’s Little Massingham and a lovely lady who signed her in and took several photos. Then on to Great Massingham for another friendly welcome and more refreshments. There was a very heavy downpour while there so she fortunately could take cover. Donning rainwear she returned to St Andrew’s hoping to meet Olly Birkbeck, the owner of the vast Massingham Estate as she follows his rewilding posts on Instagram. She found him there and ready to chat, but by now the wobbly saddle problem had reoccurred. A friend of Olly’s went home for a pack of Allen keys, and the lovely Olly lifted her bike up onto a pew and fixed it. With rejoicing all around Marilyn set off for another seven miles passing Houghton Hall and on to Great Bircham, a lovely, mainly downhill ride past green pastures and overhead trees.
There, the owner of Great Bircham Stores, who had previously donated generously, welcomed her with a large pot of tea and a very delicious slice of nutty flapjack.
The rain started again as she headed past Great Bircham St Mary’s but that did not stop her crawling through a gap in a hedge to photograph the ruin of St Andrew’s church at Bircham Tofts during a thunder and lightning storm, which she found very dramatic.
A bit of cramp and some discomfort made her think it unwise to head for Stanhoe and the Burnhams as planned, so, braving the rain, she headed via Bircham Newton towards Docking. A beautiful rainbow, as she says the symbol of God’s Promise, greeted her at the Syderstone junction, then disaster struck! A puncture! A long walk ensued to and through the village ending up at Docking, St Mary’s where John Wallis from the cycle shop collected her and the bike and drove her home to Hunstanton.
She says she enjoyed the day immensely, especially the people she met en route, however she was disappointed to only visit 16 churches, as she had intended to visit at least another 12. However, we feel Marilyn, as ever, made a fantastic effort, raising just under £550 for Hunstanton Union church.
She had thought that this would be her last year as the event delays her return to Liverpool for the start of term and her volunteer English teaching. However, having enjoyed the day so much and grateful for God’s blessing of good health, she is not so sure.
Watch this space!
