Category Archives: Norfolk Broads

Information about boating holidays and accommodation on the Norfolk Broads

Norfolk Broads Holidays and Wild life information

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The peaceful Norfolk Broads, National Park lies to the east of the cathedral city of Norwich, with 30 calm, shallow lakes fringed with reeds, alder or willow. They are interlinked by a series of rivers and man-made dykes to form around 200 miles of sailable waterways in serene countryside.

Due to the unique nature of the area, the Norfolk Broads and its slow-moving rivers and silent marshes make for an exquisite place to explore our native wildlife and catch migrating birds that visit the area on route as a respite from their mammoth journey south.

Hickling Broads is the largest of the freshwater lakes and research in the 1950s lead archaeologist’s to believe that it was man made in the medieval times when the locals dug out the peat from the marshland.

The Norfolk Wherry  sailing barges were once a famous site, with their shallow keel and huge red sails transporting the local goods from Great Yarmouth up to the city of Norwich along the Broads rivers.

The centre of the Broads is Wroxham, with a local rail and bus link to Norwich and the facility to hire out Broads Cruisers and Sailing Boats on either a daily or holiday basis. Hiring a boat and taking a trip up the river is really the only true way to explore and experience the natural beauty and breath-taking skies of the region.

The broads are mainly a fresh water environment, where the likes of the British Otter population seem to be making a welcome come back because of the quality of the water and the surrounding landscape. The marshland and reed beds amongst the waterways of the Norfolk Broads make the area a happy hunting ground for many kinds of birds. Mosquito repellent is highly recommended during the summer season as the unique flora attracts a variety of insects, dragonflies and butterflies.

The coast is also a well earned rest for migrating birds on route from the north flying to warmer climates in autumn and on their way back in spring. Two migrant waders from the north are the Knot, and the bar-tailed Godwit, which gather in huge flocks on the mud flats on the coastal edges of the Norfolk Broads. A real special treat for all birdwatchers to come and enjoy the amazing range of birds; whilst cruising down the rivers of the Norfolk Broads on a boat.

Rare Swallowtail butterfly on the increase in the Broads.

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Information up date from the Broads Authority Team…….

Record numbers of the rare and exotic Swallowtail Butterfly have appeared in the Broads this summer – the first increase in nearly 100 years.

The Swallowtail, Britain’s largest butterfly, draws enthusiasts from all over the UK to the Broads. This year large numbers of Swallowtails have been seen at How Hill National Nature Reserve, Hickling Broad and Strumpshaw Fen from late May until early July and a rare second brood is extending the Swallowtail season into August.

Swallowtails were once widespread across the UK but they are now found only in the Broads and at Wicken Fen in Cambridgeshire.

The rise is thought to be due to successful fen management over the last 15 years which has resulted in an increase in milk parsley which provides food for the Swallowtail caterpillars.

Numbers declined sharply in the 1920s when the demand for thatch and marsh hay for London cab horses diminished bringing about a decline in the reed and sedge cutting industry. This left the marshes overgrown and neglected. By the 1980s much of the open fen had been lost and milk parsley could not survive in the scrub which meant there was limited food for the caterpillars.

In the late nineties the Broads Authority, a member of the National Park family, set in motion a fen management strategy and together with the Norfolk and Suffolk Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, Natural England, National Trust and private landowners began harvesting the fen and clearing scrub which had been invading the fen since the Second World War. Government funding from agri-environment schemes to landowners has financed  much of the work.

Andrea Kelly Head of Conservation at the Broads Authority said ‘This restoration programme is a fantastic demonstration of how public funding is providing magnificent wildlife results for seven million visitors who visit the Broads magical waterland each year. More visitors are saying that they have easily spotted Swallowtails this year.’

Factfile:

· The Swallowtail has a wingspan of up to 9 cm. Its wings are predominantly yellow with dramatic black markings and scalloped edging at the bottom. The British race is the subspecies britannicus, which is slightly smaller and darker than its continental cousin.

· Places to spot Swallowtails are the Broads Authority’s How Hill National Nature Reserve, near Ludham, NWT Hickling Broad and the RSPB’s Strumpshaw Fen.

New web site for Norfolkbroads.com

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Some of you may have heard a rumour that the www.norfolkbroads.com site is undergoing a complete re development currently.

I was challenged on this recently in a meeting and forced to confess the truth. That yes we are redeveloping the site.

For nine months we have been working in secret to redevelop. Our goal to produce a new style of directory. We set clear aims to deliver a site fit to bring the businesses of East Anglia to the world online.

The result is an evolution of the standard business directory which offers,

A visual user experience driven by up to the minute map technologies

All information displayed on one screen, eliminating the need for navigation away from the main page.

An individual user experience allowing for the creation of bespoke mini directories.

Full incorporation of social media.

A fantastic new admin area allowing far greater control and information to businesses who have links.

All of this has been developed with the user experience in mind.  We believe that the site delivers much more, but you will get your chance to see it soon.

As soon as I have the launch date confirmed I will post it here.

This Years Tour of Britain Cycling Race comes to Wroxham

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Two stages of this much loved cycle race will come to Norfolk This year, making its way via kings Lynn to Great Yarmouth.  One of the highlights of the route will be a turn through Wroxham.

Which with its twisting roads and bridge is sure to provide some excellent racing and great photo opportunities.

Julie and the Team at the Hotel Wroxham sent through some information this morning on the details of the route and timings.  Hotel Norfolk Wroxham

Boat Hire Norfolk Broads This Weekend

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Had a call from Colin at Sanderson marine today. This weekend only he has some special offers on 2-3 berth boat hire. Starting out from the lovely village of Reedham, Oulton Broad is not far away  enjoy a weekend hire from Fri – Sun.

These easy to handle boats are fully equipped. Call Colin now to book your weekend away  01493 700 242

visit the web site Boat Hire Norfolk Broads

Somerleyton Bridge has had to be closed.

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Network Rail has just informed the Broads Authority that the Somerleyton Bridge has had to be closed.
This follows an alert from one of the Network Rail Bridge operators which resulted in an engineering test swing this morning which showed that a motor was drawing far too much current whilst operating the Bridge and had to be shut down pending further investigation.
A Network Rail team comprising structural engineers, plant engineers and engineering contractors are scheduled to conduct the investigation on Friday 16 July.
To ensure that further damage is not caused to the bridge, operation was suspended at 1035 hours today (14th) and will remain so until at least the conclusion of the inspection on Friday.
River passage to low vessels that are normally able to pass under the bridge will not be affected.
An update will be placed on the “Urgent Boating News” page of the Broads Authority website shortly.
Please note that the Broads Authority  is in direct contact with Network Rail and has reiterated the importance to boaters that the Somerleyton Bridge has as a gateway to and from Oulton Broad and the sea.
Network Rail has acknowledged this and has scheduled a full investigation of the bridge as soon as is practically possible. Contact details for Network Rail are as follows:
National Helpline: 08457 114141
Switchboard: 020 7557 8000
Image reproduced from www.broadsnet.co.uk

The Dolphin Inn Suffolk – Local produce high quality Service

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Once in  our past the village inn provided accommodation, food and a focal point of the community.

Now with rural pub closures at a record high when we find a great village pub it is worth shouting about.

David James and his daughter Kerry took over the Dolphin Inn In Thorpeness in 2007.  David set out to create a high quality local hostelry which could cater for the local community and provide top quality accommodation for tourists.

Thorpeness village itself is picture perfect, easily you can visualise an episode of Agatha Christies Miss Marple. Indeed the village has links for T.V as reportedly the inispiration for Port Merrion in Wales, the setting for 60′s TV drama The prisoner.

The village was largely built in 1912 as the inspiration of a playwright and barrister G Stuart Ogilvie who took inspiration from the works of his friend J.M Barrie creator of Peter Pan.

Beyond this are the Mere and the House in the clouds, the Mere is a man made lake  which is home to a series of islands which can be reached by rowing boats. The House in the clouds is a seven story mock Tudor building housing the village water tower.

At the Dolphin inn David has created a village shop which sources the large part of it’s stock from local organic producers. Providing a make your own hamper service, allowing you to stock up on all your favourite goodies.

The Dolphin 4 star en suite rooms are very flexible providing all expected amenities like free broad band, flat screen TV’s.  All rooms have excellent views across the local countryside. Children’s  beds can be provided and well behaved dogs are welcome.

For information on rooms call directly on 01728 454994

or visit the website directly

Improved access to St Benets Abbey

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The Norfolk Archaeological Trust has been given  a major boost to its efforts to improve access and conservation at St Benet’s Abbey on the Broads. The remains of the abbey beside the River Bure, with the gatehouse and attached drainage mill as notable landmarks, are where the Bishop of Norwich holds an annual open air service. The Abbey dates back to Saxon times and is the only one not dissolved by King Henry VIII.

The Trust, which owns all of the site except for the abbey church itself, which belongs to the Diocese, has ambitious plans to repair the upstanding remains, improve access and site interpretation and has been awarded a Round  One Pass and Development Funding by the Heritage Lottery Fund. During the Development Phase, detailed plans are being drawn up for conservation works, improved access and interpretation and these will be used to inform the Second Round Application, likely to be submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund in twelve months’ time.

The Norfolk Archaeological Trust has recently appointed Anne Mason as Project Manager and Hilary Brown as Finance Manager to carry out the Development Phase. Groups with an interest in the Broads will be contacted as part of the development work but if anyone would like to volunteer to help, please would they telephone 01760 755685 for further details.

Peter Wade-Martins, Director of the Trust, is thrilled with the Heritage Lottery Fund’s support : “The Trust is delighted that the project is now under way. The site has great educational potential, and we hope our project will be a boost for tourism in the Broads.”

The Norfolk Archaeological Trust cares for some of the most important archaeological sites in the county. It aims to provide access for everyone whilst being sensitive to their landscape setting and the needs of wildlife.

www.norfarchtrust.org.uk

The Heritage Lottery Fund is the body which distributes a share of the income from the National Lottery to projects which aim to conserve and make accessible the nation’s heritage.

Contact Details : East of England Regional Office Tel 01223 224870

www.hlf.org.uk