Careful what you touch it could be hot!

Some of my regular readers may remember about two years ago I visited Fransham Forge – a modern craft forge in the centre of Norfolk; some seven or eight miles from Dereham. I say craft forge because Nigel is an artist in metal, producing amazing creations while he chats vigorously with the visitors.

Don’t get the wrong idea, Fransham Forge is not a sanitised establishment, immaculate and precious. It is delightfully scruffy, terribly work-a day and casual.

Nigel talks fifteen to the dozen all the time he is working, telling stories about jobs he is doing, places he is having to go to and his view of how the world should be run.

All vastly entertaining and informative. But you have to remain alert because his commentary is frequently punctuated by bangs, crashes and the sound of machinery whirring into action. All great fun – there is never a dull moment when he is on task.  

Given a captive audience Nigel will hold the floor for an hour or more. Obviously this is a good thing – on the other hand though it can mean that visitors to the forge never emerge and begin to explore the woodland which is adjacent to his work area. Hidden within this wood are works of art – all made of metal.

There are animals, tractors, nest boxes, bunches of metal poppies, hens, kettles and even a gigantic zip. There are at least two 6 feet tall spiders webs, some apple cores and a witch.   

On the technical side, regulars on the blog may be horrified to know that all the pictures in the composite view were taken using my mobile phone – that’s why they’re blurred – I was giving it a go! “Tom’s Tour” reference (just checking up that you are reading it carefully) is mentioned because he is the gentleman who organised for us to go to Fransham again and Tom features brandishing a camera and wearing a distinctive in a red jacket one down and fourth in. All the people on the tour were part of the Norwich and District Photographic Society. I’m sure if you did a bit of an explore around you would find other pictures of the visit.

However that’s it for another week – stay warm, stay dry and have a good weekend.