Guillaume’s Petit Coin

We’re back in Norfolk again, having rediscovered it last year. This is not our normal camping time of year, it being the height of Satan’s Little Disciple season. We should have been here just before the schools broke up and released the little darlings but family bereavement caused a delay. So, here we are trembling with fear but in search of some R&R.

The first time Guillaume pitched up in Norfolk, we lucked out and found a grass pitch in the far corner of the campsite. From our point of view, this seemed to be the most desirable pitch here, largely because:

1. it was a grass pitch (as opposed to gravely hard-standing);
2. it has only two neighbours, one of which is quite a distance away (great for we antisocial types);
3. it is bordered by a very tall hedge on two sides offering a secluded seating area.

When Guillaume and I returned, sans Francine, for our male bonding trip in late September, I was both a little surprised and delighted that we lucked out again and found our favourite pitch empty once more. Guillaume immediately snagged it and was very comfortable.

On our way up today, I couldn’t believe that Guillaume’s petit coin [little corner] would be free in the height of the season but we crossed our fingers, hoped and set off. With dreadfully disruptive road works on the A11 causing chaos on the main route into Norfolk, I over-rode Sally Satnav and changed our route to skirt that area. We hit had a good journey and hit the A47 round Norwich a little further east. Not far enough further east as it turned out – we got stuck for 25 minutes in works designed to cause even more chaos at a junction on that road. More works that are going on for 72 weeks! Anyone stuck in both sets of road works, a quite likely occurrence, would have been spitting feathers.

Eventually we got through, arrived, albeit 30 minutes later than expected, and checked in. We learned that there is even worse traffic disruption approaching through Kings Lynn – a closed bridge. The planners seem to be determined to cut Norfolk off. However, joy of joys, Guillaume’s petit coin was once again free. We instantly got over our traffic frustration but I was decidedly bemused. Why, on three occasions, have we managed to find what we think of as the best pitch on site free? Hmm, here are a few potential contributing factors:

1. this pitch is about as far away from les sanitaires as it’s possible to get (doesn’t bother us ‘cos we tend to use Guillaume’s facilities anyway);
2. it is grass but a lot of folks seem, oddly, to prefer gravel these days;
3. the tallest hedge. which this pitch is very close to, is to the south and a satellite dish has about as much chance of picking up a signal as there is of finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

Whatever the reason, Guillaume is very happy once again.