emmoworld

If you have ever been to Little Walsingham you may have noticed it has a a large gay community. No idea how it started but I guess the large influx of priests over the years may have had something to do with it - seen as a safe haven for those of a particular disposition. The Bull, the main pub in the village, was previously owned and run by Phil and Geoff and it was very much home to the pink pound. These days, it is run by Nellie and the days of Phil and Geoff are long gone. It is very much a pub for the locals and the thousands of pilgrims who frequent the village each year. It is the nearest I have come to the Jesus Arms at Greenbelt when you can wander in on a Friday evening and have to fight your way through the dog collar brigade to get to the bar. The biggest day each year is the National when the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham is carried along the high street and the Irish protestants (previously led I am told by Ian Paisley's brother) shout abuse at the Catholic procession. Unlike Northern Ireland though there are no guns are bombs to be seen and the chances are they all end up in the same pub later.

The only time we really see the police is mid August when the travellers arrive for the Assension pilgrammage. They arrive in their hundreds, white vans and caravans in tow. The children drive around in their Mercedes, trying to find a glimmer of excitement. Most shops shut in the village for the week in fearf of trouble, and The Bull becomes a private party for the week with entry to locals only. The police even locate an incident portacabin in the middle of the village. At the end of the day trouble is limited and they do put on a good firework display during their stay. The two incidents I did hear of this year were the stealing of 7000 litres of diesel fuel from a local farm, and the rustling of a large number of weeners. The police tracked them down to near Thursford Forest where I can only assume they were preparing one hell of a BBQ!

We live up the road in Great Walsingham and though less than a mile away it is like a different world. It is also a gateway to the may delights of North Norfolk and with a decent knowledge of the back roads you can get nearly anywhere without getting stuck behind a caravan. Aside from glorious beaches, pubs, restaurants, coffee shops and the market towns to visit, there are several stately homes on our door step which hold summer concerts. This year the range was from Peter Gabriel to Girls Aloud. Guess which one I chose!