Eddie cleaned the replica grindstone display table in the visitor centre as it was still dirty from displaying our model outside at the last open days. The anchor strap which Brad found when magnet fishing in the river is now on this table, the strap would have held the hinge post of the mitre gates in the staunch.

Emma cleared weeds from the hammer mill, brick floors, cistern top and saladin box. Eddie and I pulled up the remaining weeds in the bypass channel where I found a large bolt with metal plate near the upstream tunnel.

We cut all the grass and strimmed the edges. The mower got jammed with baling string so we put it up on ramps and removed it, we also oiled the bearings and cleaned the cutting deck while it was accessible. We cut the track from both ends, only the middle needs cutting now, which we plan to do soon.

We saw a Red Kite, Buzzard, Pied Wagtail, Greenfinch, Moorhen with 2 chicks and a 'Large Skipper' butterfly which is actually tiny. We stopped on our way to the mill and cut back large brambles overhanging the track while Oyster Catchers were flying overhead.

Alec who was walking on the footpath told us he saw the remains of a fish which an Otter had eaten, so we went across the bridge to look, the head and tail has been left. While on the footpath we topped up the box of cards on our information sign and tried out the bench which Dennis fitted new side tables to recently. 

Lesley and Brian who are staying in the holiday cottages came to the mill with their lovely Golden Retriever, we showed them round the visitor centre and they sat by the river for a while, we had a nice talk with them. They asked about the next Heritage Open Days which are on 18 & 19 September 2021, we plan to have the water wheel turning again.

The mill volunteers had a discussion about how to preserve the brick floors and prevent further winter damage from freeze/thaw which breaks up the bricks. We will look at the options, we agreed we don’t want to permanently cover any more areas but realise it will be necessary at some point. We also talked about having a wildflower meadow in our soil heap area.

On our way back we saw a Marham jet in the distance and we had to wait for the Swan family to move off of the track before we could get past.

Graham Bartlett                Interactive Plan      Site Activity      Mill History    Volunteer      Previous  Next