I’ve just spent a few lovely days of noticing nature in Norfolk. I’ll be honest, none of us knew what to expect and we usually head for more upland areas. Yes, it is flat, but at the moment that is perfect for me. What pleasantly surprised me was the abundance of green and varied scenery – woodland, meadows, wetlands and of course the broads. As some of my favourite nature writers, Emma Mitchell, Simon Barnes and Mark Cocker write so vividly about their home patches I should have known this, but I am now converted. (Do go and check their writing out, such eloquent studies of our wonderful native landscapes. )
The slow nature of our activities gave lots of opportunities for noticing the smaller things too. As the grasses along the canal waved in the breeze, the damselflies skittering amongst them, occasionally checking out my sup. They were jewels glittering in the sun, blues, greens and reds. Impossible to photograph until the last day when it was dull and very windy and I found this one hiding in the grass.
On the canal the going was occasionally impeded by the thick stems and old leaves of water lilies getting caught on our keels. But the clear water, so rare in Sussex, meant I could see the flower stalks reaching up to escape the water. Once there, the perfect tight sphere slowly started opening into a buttercup like flower.
The other wonderful thing about so much time spent fully immersed in nature (we were camping) is the birds. From our camp chairs we saw herons commuting, listened to constant song thrush territory defence and woke to the dawn chorus. A buzzard nearly won the battle of the skies after being mobbed by three crows, but decided to let them win that time. At one particular narrow, reed lined section of canal, whether walking or paddling a bird shouted it’s displeasure at our being vaguely near it. I think it may have been a sedge warbler, but as they don’t commonly visit suburban sussex gardens I really can’t be sure! I did teach the children the call of a chiff chaff though and actually got them to be silent long enough to hear a far off cuckoo. I can see why some of my favourite nature writers have so much to write about living in East Anglia.
So, yes, the Broads may be an entirely man made and maintained landscape, but it seems, from my limited knowledge and experience, that nature is thriving and its a great place to be immersed in it. All of us left feeling refreshed and revived.
Noticing nature 