Watcher on the marsh...

Ben, Alex and I drove up to Old Leake to visit our friends who live in a wonderful old cottage just on the edge of the Wash. Normally I'd prefer not to visit on a bank holiday, because of the heavy traffic heading to Skegness, but the freezing temperatures and bitter winds were clearly acting as a good deterrent, as the roads were fairly quiet.

We always have a good time together, and today was no exception, with plenty of stimulating chat, much of which centred on the proposed changes to education and the woeful Michael Gove. In between the cups of herbal tea, Ross and I had a brisk walk along the sea bank. The sense of space is amazing - open skies, saltmarsh, distant sandbanks and a string of pearly white buildings (Hunstanton) shimmering through the haze. Not surprisingly there weren't many people about - one dog walker and this hardy birdwatcher, staring out over the marsh.

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