Author: Petra Kidd

Norfolk UK is my home, I live in Norwich by the River Wensum where everyday there is something different to see and learn. I feel a big affinity with the river as I grew up in Cambridge, another great river city. My childhood and teens involved many walks along the Cam where we would watch 'The Bumps,' raft races and as we grew older we enjoyed adventures on our punting pub crawls. Growing up in a multi cultural university city definitely influenced my reading choices, I am a big fan of Japanese fiction, love French literature and enjoy Shakespeare. As a young teen I entertained myself with Jilly Cooper and Dick Francis and then became quite obsessed with Henri Charriere's Papillon. At school all I cared about was English, Art and French, in that exact order. When I finished with school I went to live and work in Greece for a wonderful year before returning to study English Literature and Sociology. At this point I read more classics like the Wyf of Bath, Wuthering Heights and Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man plus poets such as Wilfred Owen. My first UK full time job was with Heffer's Paperbacks where I devoured several books at a time, excited by the fact I could borrow what I liked. Bizarrely for me I remember reading The Zurich Axioms, I have no interest in the stock markets but it had me gripped. I can't remember why I picked it up but I have never forgotten it. Heffers introduced me to so many authors, via their books and sometimes in person. It was here I learned about all the genres, it fascinated me that science fiction and horror were so popular, I tried reading it all. Aside from writing letters, it didn't really ever occur to me to write anything myself for many years as I worked my way through a variety of interesting and varied jobs. Then on a visit to the London Aquarium I became struck by an idea so powerful I sat down and wrote my first novel. It went nowhere as really I wrote it because I wanted to. I wrote another novel and again, didn't have the persistance or determination to take it further, I simply enjoyed the process of writing and my characters. Then years later another idea struck me and during a severe bout of Pleurisy where I couldn't do anything physical for months, I wrote the Eight of Swords and The Putsi. This time I published them as ebooks and they became pretty popular. When I fully recovered, I had to concentrate on my business and looking after my mother who has various health issues and the writing went adrift again for many years until 2020 when the Coronavirus pandemic hit the world. March 2020 I moved to my apartment alongside the Wensum to live alone for the first time ever. During the first lockdown I began to write a diary and then the idea for a new set of short stories came to me and in February 2021 they will be published. The Covid-19 Pandemic is not simply a scary virus, it is a historical time and here we are trying to live through it. To many it will feel like a punishment but to me as a writer, in some ways, it came as a gift. Please stay as safe and as well as you can. I hope to entertain you with my stories as we all try to get through this together, even though we are apart. Petra

Great light at Great Yarmouth

In the pink at Great Yarmouth

The best trips are always the spontaneous ones. To wake up in the morning without a plan, then make a spur of the moment decision, always gives me a buzz.

Such was the case on Saturday. I love Great Yarmouth in winter best, so it wasn’t a difficult decision on a bright sky day to head that way. After an hour so enjoying the amazing Tide and Time Museum, absorbing nautical stories and sniffing the herrings, we headed over to the beach.

If you know Great Yarmouth, you’ll know what a fabulous golden sandy beach it has. In winter there are few folk around other than dog walkers and the occasional sea fisherman. One of which we passed time with, discussing his catches. He reminded us to look out for the dreaded Weaver fish if we were ever to chance our arm at casting a line.

He showed us pictures of sea bass, cod and a larger shark-like fish. Further down the beach another fisherman told us we’d never catch cod there. Who to believe… the first I think, judging by his evidence.

While we chatted, I stared out at the storm clouds rolling in above the bright whiteness of the windfarm turnbines, reveling in the drama of the scenery with my photographer’s eye.

I broke off from the conversation to take my pictures, knowing there was a good chance we might soon get wet. The only things that did get wet were my boots. I have a habit of standing too close to the incoming tide while shooting away, absorbed in what I am doing.

Storm clouds over the Windfarm

As we walked along the beach, spotting vessels heading to the port, a wide rainbow formed. I waited for one of the ships to enter the rainbow, and then pressed the shutter. As I clicked, I wondered if the crew knew they were in the center of such magic, and if it might give them special powers…

Ship passing through a rainbow

As geese flew by, the sky changed colour and shape every few moments, remnants of the rainbow still visible.

Geese fly over the remnants of a rainbow at sea

Further along the beach, my attention turned inland to the Britannia monument for Lord Horatio Nelson. This a monument I often gaze at when I visit Great Yarmouth. It is magnificent. Sadly it is situated on the outer edge of the town, incongruously in the middle of an industrial estate.

Sunset at the Britannia Lord Nelson Monument

And then the light and ambience changed yet again. Luckily I looked back as I walked away to see a bird and airplane fly simultaneously past the monument in different directions.

These are the moments that make the photographer in me smile.

Monument flights

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Norfolk Surfers – a new collection for 2023

Where to surf in Norfolk and what to wear… Norfolk surfer clothing and gift collection. Go surf Norfolk in style!

Catching Waves at Cromer Full Collection

While we are trying to keep warm, yep, I am huddling around hot water bottles as I type this, I thought it would be good to look forward to summer in Norfolk for 2023. New designs are arriving thick and fast inspired by the Norfolk coast.

Surfers and the shapes they make are always inspirational to take photographs of. The ones with a real passion for the sport, surf all year round. Yes, I think they are crazy when the temperatures are so low, but I get how addictive this sport must be. It’s addictive enough just watching. You can see how patient and fit the surfers have to be.

I would love to have a go, but would I have the strength and stamina? Hmm I’m not so sure!

While we don’t have giant rollers here in Norfolk, like in Cornwall or Hawaii, we do have decent enough waves for the local surfers to enjoy. Cromer is a favourite spot, next to the iconic Cromer pier. It’s great to watch the surf school there, tutoring the newbies. It’s fun to watch their progress.

Gorleston, Mundesley and East and West Runton are apparently also good spots to surf. From my investigations there are more secret locations, I will have to sniff them out. I have seen surfers at Happisburgh before, but that is a rare sighting. Scatby, Sea Palling, Trimingham, Mundesley and Hemsby are also good places to go. The site Norfolk Surfing Beaches is well worth a look to find your ideal location to test the waves.

The items you see here are just a snippet of my full collection of Norfolk surfer designs over at Redbubble. Choose from clothing, hats, tech and pet accessories, mugs, bags: duffle, drawstring, tote, stationery and prints. Designed in Norfolk, delivery worldwide.

Norfolk surfing hotspots covered in the collection include: Cromer, East Runton, Great Yarmouth, Gorleston, Mundesley, Scratby and Sheringham, with more on the way. Get surfing in style!

Please subscribe to be kept up to date with new Norfolk arrivals, blog posts and anything else that comes along here…

2023 Norfolk Style!

It may be January but spring/summer will soon be here. Clothing to get ready to hit the Norfolk coast in…

After a break from posting here I am back for 2023. 2022 was a bit of a roller coaster (understatement), but now I am truly able to focus on creating new images for the new year plus exciting fresh designs.

While I know not everyone enjoys January, it can be a long tough month, it can also bring beautiful skies, and opportunities to enjoy the coast while it is quiet. Having said that, it was buzzing with folk when I visited on the New Year bank holiday because the weather was so stunning.

I hadn’t been to the north Norfolk coast for a couple of years (which is something I never thought I’d say!) I used to visit at least every couple of weeks, but life intervened, including the pandemic, and I found myself city bound. This was no great hardship, but I seriously missed those big skies, the far-reaching sands, the call of the birds, and the winding roads.

It was quite an adjustment to photograph the city more instead, so I focused on the River Wensum, alongside which, I am lucky enough to live. I began a series of blogs about the bridges with a view to moving onto more river stories as the blog progressed. Now I am back on the case and the next bridge will appear in the series in the next couple of weeks, so please hit the subscribe button to see it when it arrives. Meanwhile, if you haven’t already, you can catch up with the series here… The River Wensum Series

It may be January but spring isn’t so far away and I have been creating some fun designs for t-shirts to celebrate Norfolk when you hit your favourite beaches. They are also available on hoodies, sweatshirts and hats, as well as whole variety of other items too.

Please click the images to see more items with these designs, or visit Redbubble

Plan your days Norfolk Style

New daily planners for 2023 have just been released in my Amazon store.

Norfolk scenes feature on the covers so you can enjoy your favourite Norfolk view every day. The current collection includes: Wells-next-the-sea, Stiffkey, Winterton-on-sea, Cromer, Salthouse and Blakeney. There are also Norfolk seals, and the beautiful and rare Swallowtail butterfly to enjoy.

Inside are 365 pages ready for you to fill in your daily schedule and priorities. Note important meetings or dates. Journal your water intake and what you eat. A handy way to note your moods and feelings too, what you are excited or grateful for. Keep an eye on the weather too.

The softback cover and internal pages are very tactile and the size (8.5x 11″) practical.

Ideal for personal or work use.

Perfect gift for anyone who loves Norfolk or go ahead and treat yourself. Click on the images below to buy. The link will take you to my Amazon store.

More books are on the way so please subscribe to see new notebooks, journals and planners as they arrive.

Romping across the marshes.

Marston Marshes just outside of Norwich is one of our favourite romping grounds. A quick car ride away from the Wensum, and before we know it, we are next to the Yare, romping along, looking out for the gliding barn owl, a hovering Kestrel, or Kingfishers. We are always hopeful we might see an otter too, but so far no luck.

People often stop to tell us about the Parakeets who are to be seen high up in the trees. Everyone you meet at Marston Marshes is, like we are, enthralled by the nature to be seen there.

James stops frequently to photograph wild flowers for his Instagram account, right now, there are many autumnal ones appearing: sloe berries, acorns, elderberries, blackberries, hops, and lords and ladies (which are toxic but pretty). You can also find Ragged Robin and Southern Marsh Orchid.

More recently Longhorn cattle were grazing the marshes – a real treat to see.

It is magical ducking the ancient tree branches hanging over the Yare, their twisted trunks bending with age and weight would have many a tale to tell if they could speak, I am sure. I like to imagine the likes of Kett’s men taking a breather here, but I’ve no idea if Marston Marshes was ever on their route. It feels like you are entering the tunnel of trees into another ancient, mystical world. Sometimes I half expect to see someone dressed in medieval attire coming the other way, perhaps with their lunch in a knapsack…

Marston Marshes is a 64 acre nature reserve on the southern side of Norwich in the flood plain of the River Yare where we have been reliably informed by fishermen there are pike, perch and bream to be found. Swans glide along serenely and this summer it was lovely to watch the Swan’s nest take shape. I am sure there is much more wildlife and nature for us to spot and that is why this place has become so addictive.

Our favourite time to visit is at dusk to watch the barn owl hunt his circuit. It’s peaceful and as you can see from my images the light can be positively dreamlike. I don’t always take my DSLR, all of these were shot on my iPhone.

If you are ever over Marston Marshes way, be sure to visit, like us, you are bound to fall in love with it.

If you’d like to see more of my photography adventures around Norwich and Norfolk, please take the plunge and subscribe.

You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram, come say hello.

You may also like my River Wensum Photo Series.

Colour my Cover – Norwich Castle Autumn

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Colour my Cover – Norwich Castle

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Colour my cover – Elm Hill, Norwich

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Norwich Notebooks – Elm Hill

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Norwich Bridges Notebook

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Norwich Notebook

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Fye Bridge

On a blissful summer’s evening walk along the River Wensum a couple of weeks ago, we came across one of the city’s ghostly storytellers regaling a sizeable group with tales of the women suspected of being witches who were ducked and drowned from Fye Bridge.

Matthew Hopkins, the Witchfinder General, and his colleague in terror, John Stearne, carried out the witch hunts between 1644 and 1647. You can read more about their evil endeavours at CulturaObscura.

The bridge itself looks innocently picturesque in the balmy evening light, but once it held nothing but terror for some of the folk of Norwich, mostly women, but also dishonest tradesmen.

Fye Bridge is the oldest known bridge site in Norwich. Even older than Bishop Bridge, the bridge was rebuilt in the early 1930’s, so it has a more modern appearance. The bridge site dates back to 1153, a timber structure replaced with stone in the early 15th century. You can see more details and images of the construction of Fye Bridge via George Plunkett.

Personally, I love the shape of Fye bridge, the low curves and contrasting brickwork. It’s nice to sit with a drink at the Ribs of Beef and watch river life glide by.

Fye Bridge shot from a Thorpe Island Canoe

Sometimes you can see Kingfishers doing a spot of fishing. I’ve heard otters are sometimes around, but we have yet to see one.

As with many old sites in Norwich, there are stories of a ghost. I will return to ghostly goings on in more detail as this Wensum series progresses, but the likelihood of me ever catching one on camera is extremely remote. If I ever do, the images will appear here first!

From NorfolkLive.co.uk—”Fye Bridge still stands today, and although the days of dunking suspected witches into the river are over, the bridge is said to be home to the ghost of a woman who was tried at the site. She was later burned for witchcraft at the nearby Lollard’s Pit, which is now a local pub. According to those who have had sightings of the ghost, she is dressed in rags and begs strangers to help her pick up a dropped bundle of sticks that were used to kindle the fire that killed her. It’s also believed that those that are kind enough to stop and help her will die in a fire within the year. “

It is always in my nature to help where needed, but I may avoid helping this ghost, I’ve far too many blog posts to get done yet!

The name Fye, comes from Magdalen Street which was originally called Fybriggate meaning the street leading to Fye Bridge. (Heritage Norfolk).

Please visit the sites I have linked for more information. I find the George Plunkett site particularly fascinating because of the old images of the bridges along the Wensum. It is well worth a look.

If you are interested to learn more of the history of old Norwich, the sites mentioned above give great information. Nick Stone of Invisible Works also makes for a fascinating and in depth read.

If you are new to Norwich I hope you will enjoy learning more about this fine city with its incredible history. If you already have lived here for years, I am sure like me, you are always learning new things about this remarkable place. Hopefully my River Wensum series will spark more interest and you will enjoy my images.

Please follow me on Twitter and Instagram and subscribe below to be kept up to date with what’s new here.

Please see other posts in the River Wensum Series below. It begins with the bridges, and I will go on to write about the buildings and wildlife (including some of the humans) along the river.

Images of Bridges along the Wensum by MyriadLifePhoto

Please scroll down to find links to the other River Wensum bridges in this series.

Carrow Bridge

Novi Sad Friendship Bridge

Wroxham Sailing Club Open Regatta 2022

A collection of images from Wroxham Sailing Club Open Regatta 2022.

Results and more information available via NBYC

If you would like to purchase any of the images here please email myriadlifebooks

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Norfolk Kids Collection

At last, I have created a collection for the little ones who love to visit Norfolk or who reside here already.

Introducing some crabby tee-shirts alongside the legendary Gavin the Gull. This is a lighthearted collection designed to raise smiles and a giggle or two.

More designs will be added soon.

In addition to t-shirts and hoodies, you will find fun stickers, perfect for water bottles, lunch cases, etc.

All are available to purchase via Redbubble.com/MyriadLifePhoto. Worldwide delivery and great quality products. Also, quantity discounts are available.

Selling via Redbubble enables me to concentrate on the photography and design while using experts to manufacture and deliver. I get paid a commission on each sale. So, please don’t be shy, every sale makes a big difference to this small company!

The items are printed in the country of purchase (or as near as possible).

Please visit the Norfolk Kids Collection page to see more!

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British Powerboat Championship 2022

We had the good fortune to visit the British Powerboat Championship at Oulton Broad on Saturday 23rd July. It was fast, fun and exhilarating to watch. Sadly we couldn’t stay for all of the racing but here are some shots by Sally Lloyd of MyriadLifePhoto.

The event took place at Lowestoft and Oulton Broad Motor Boat Club you can see more information via their site.

Enjoy and if you can, go! It’s a great day out.