Alas! No footmen...

Marty is here!

And outside is really cold, snowy and icy!  What better time for a traditional English country walk?  So this morning, Marty put her life in my left-hand side and we drove out to Blickling Hall.

My lens is not wide enough to include the wings.

Quite the country house, dating from at least 1609.  The house and formal gardens are closed at this time of year; one can walk the estate. The weather insured that we had the place to ourselves.

The view from the front of the house.
Hedgerows flank the drive.

Mini Marty!
No seriously, the passageway through the hedgerow.

UNDER the hedgerow!

We walked around the lake behind the house.  From there the true scale of the main house is revealed.

From the far end of the lake.

Ducks all pointing the same direction.

We passed a few other hearty and hale walkers.  Best greeting: "A bit crowded today, isn't it?"

M & me

We waited for a bit but ---  alas!  NO footmen appeared with hot drinks!
Downton Abbey it was not.
So we headed into Aylsham for lunch at the Black Boys Hotel for lunch of...

mussels and

Game terrine.

Onwards!