November in the East of England

Come and enjoy November in the East of England, with our 10 great ideas. Plant a tree as part of National Tree Week, discover our curiosity corner featuring pingo’s and turf mazes, or watch the wildlife spectacle of floodlit swan feeds.

1. Event of the Month: Floodlit Swan Feeds
This amazing wildlife spectacle takes place annually at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Centre www.wwt.org.uk at Welney in Cambridgeshire. From the heated observation gallery, visitors can see thousands of wild swans being fed on the reserve by floodlight, alongside a live commentary by an expert. The event runs from Wednesday 9 November to Sunday 26 February (2006) - every night (except Monday and Tuesday) from 1830.

2. Cycle Route of the Month: Nelson’s Norfolk
This circular day ride of 29 miles (47 kilometres) starts from the market town of Fakenham (Norfolk) - and heads north into an area of rich rolling countryside, with pretty flint villages and spectacular views of the coast. Here, one of England’s greatest heroes, Lord Horatio Nelson was born. Make a pilgrimage to his father’s church, and to the famous shrine of ‘Our Lady’ in the religious centre of Little Walsingham. Further information: map available from the East of England Tourist Board on +44 (0)870 225 4852. Price: £2.50 including post and packaging. Click here to discover our full guide to
cycling in the East of England.

3. Recipe of the Month: Suffolk Pork Casserole
Ingredients: 2lbs/1kg lean pork pieces, 6 good size spring onions,
6 courgettes, ¼lb/120g button mushrooms, 1 garlic glove (optional),
1 sprig of tarragon, 1 glass of water, ½ glass of East Anglian white wine, 2oz/60g butter, 1 tablespoon of oil, salt and pepper.
Method: saute the pork pieces and chopped onions in a flameproof casserole with the butter/oil mixture. Only saute a small amount at a time, so that the meat colours well on all sides. Add the sliced unpeeled courgettes, herbs and sliced mushrooms, stir well and add the wine. Cover and simmer over gentle heat for 2 hours. The vegetables form a puree around the meat. The sauce should be very short. Check seasoning. Serve with carrots and potatoes.

4. Market Town of the Month: Aylsham (Norfolk)
For 500 years, this picturesque and thriving small town was an important centre for the manufacture of linen, then worsted cloth. The open market place is surrounded by handsome 18th C. buildings.

Visit on Monday and Friday for traditional market day in the town. There is a monthly farmers’ market on the 1st Saturday of the month. Aylsham also holds regular antique auctions.

Pay your respects to Humphrey Repton (1752-1818), the famous 18th C. landscape gardener who is buried at St. Michael’s Church. Faced in flint, the building has a 14th C. tower.

Full steam ahead! - jump aboard the narrow gauge Bure Valley Railway for a nine mile trip to Wroxham (in The Broads) and back.

The town is the starting point for the Lords of the Manor cycling route. This 29 mile (47 kilometre) circular ride winds through gently rolling countryside and pretty villages - passing the grand
country estates of the rich and famous. Map available from the East of England Tourist Board on +44 (0)870 225 4852. Price: £2.50
including post and packaging.

Take a short drive out of the town to reach Blickling Hall, a magnificent Jacobean redbrick mansion, noted for its superb long gallery, plasterwork ceilings and fine collections of furniture, pictures, books and tapestries. Enjoy a walk in the surrounding parkland.

5. Countdown to Christmas
Head to the East of England Showground at Peterborough (Cambridgeshire) for the Christmas Festival www.eastofengland.org.uk/christmas.htm on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 November (0900-1700). Discover hundreds of beautiful gift and inspiring food ideas. Children can meet Father Christmas in his Winter Wonderland, plus enjoy a ride on the Victorian fun fair. Click here to discover our full guide to Christmas in the East of England.

6. Walking Route of the Month: North Blackwater Trail
Enjoy a bracing walk along the sea wall of the Blackwater estuary, running for 12 miles (19 kilometres) between Maldon and the village of Tollesbury in Essex. This area is internationally renowned as an over-wintering area for large numbers of waders and wildfowl.
Further information: leaflet available from the Maldon Tourist Information Centre on +44 (0)1621 856503. Click here to discover our full guide to walking in the East of England.

7. National Tree Week
Marking the start of the tree planting season, this nationwide celebration of trees and woods runs from Wednesday 23 November to Sunday 4 December. There will be opportunities to help plant trees,
or to take part in guided walks, story-telling and tree dressing.
The Tree Council web site www.treecouncil.org.uk/projects/ntw.htm has listings of events and activities. Alternatively visit our guide to Forest and Woodland in the region.

8. Famous Person of the Month: Katherine of Aragon (1485-1536)
First wife of Henry VIII. During the annulment of their marriage at Dunstable Priory (Bedfordshire) in 1533, she was held at the former Ampthill Castle (Bedfordshire) - the site marked today with a gothic cross. It is reputed that she taught the local villagers the craft of pillow lace whilst here. Later she was removed to Buckden Palace
(nr. St. Neots), and then Kimbolton Castle where she died (both in Cambridgeshire). Katherine is buried in the north choir aisle at Peterborough Cathedral (Cambridgeshire). Click here to discover our full guide to famous people in the East of England.

9. Idea of the Month: Curiosity Corner
Have you visited our on-line guide to discover the flipside of the East - a land full of unusual curiosities. From a chalk lion and pingo's, to pyramids and a House in the Clouds. Visit a shell grotto, turf mazes and an underground nuclear bunker. Click here to visit our Curiosity Corner section.

10. Landscape of the Month: Lee Valley Park
A mosaic of landscapes and habitats - with lakes and watercourses, nature reserves, meadows, open spaces, farm and woodland - inlaid with centres for leisure, sports, heritage and entertainment. The park stretches 26 miles (42 kilometres) on both sides of the River Lea, from the more rural areas of Hertfordshire and Essex, down into the heart of London’s East End. This was once a great industrial area - barges transported goods (coal, timber and malt) along the important 'Lee and Stort Navigation', whilst mills produced flour, gunpowder and paper. Later came market gardening and gravel extraction. Today the park offers opportunities for cycling, walking, watersports and birdwatching - in recent years, around 200 different species have been recorded. It is also one of the best places in Britain to see wintering bitterns. Key places of interest: RSPB Rye Meads Nature Reserve (Hoddesdon) - range of wetland habitats. Lee Valley Boat Centre (Dobbs Weir) - hire a boat, or enjoy a river cruise. River Lee Country Park - old gravel pits now an excellent wildlife habitat. Waltham Abbey - dragonfly sanctuary and Royal Gunpowder Mills. Further information at www.leevalleypark.org.uk