The next part of this series follows a riverside footpath, so children and dogs will need to supervised. It can be muddy in winter and there are stinging nettles in summer. There was also a fallen tree across the path that needs to be clmbed over.
From Cache No 6, walk along the footpath, with the river on your right, over the meadow. (There are often cows on this meadow but they are used to lots of walkers passing), go over the wooden bridge and continue to follow the riverside footpath to this cache. ***You are looking for a camouflaged cache***
While enjoying your walk, look to you left over the fields and you will see the back of St Theobalds Chruch and a bit further along Hautbois Estate.
The Hautbois Estate is a particularly important feature in the history of Girlguiding in Norfolk. Before it became the activity training centre that it is today, Hautbois belonged to the Patteson family. Sisters Phillipa (b.1901) and Beth (b.1908) were committed members of Girlguiding. Their mother founded the Coltishall Guide company, sparking a life-long interest in Guiding. The sisters were given the nicknames Beaver and Badger by their guiding friends! This inspired the design of the badge for Patteson Lodge, Girlguiding Norfolk’s residential centre, built on land opposite, given by the sisters to Norfolk County.
In testament for the love they had for guiding, the sisters left Hautbois estate to Girlguiding Anglia in 1984, wishing for it to be made into a Residential Training and Activity Centre. After fundraising efforts that stretched right across the country, the facilities of the house were extended and since then the centre has been constantly updated with new equipment and activities on offer.
