Sailing "White Smoke"

NIGEL'S PHOTOGRAPHIC TOUR of the NORFOLK BROADS

A virtual tour has to start somewhere, and where better than St Benet's Abbey, a peaceful spot next to one of the busiest parts of the Broads. Lots of rivers and broads converge on this spot and I suppose this was why the monks chose this bit of high ground to build their Abbey. There is not much left now, what you see is the remains of a windmill which was built into the old gatehouse. You can visit St Benet's by river or you can walk aross the fields from Ludham. A service is still held here every year. Strangely, St Benet's Abbey was not dissolved with the other monastries and so the Bishop of Norwich is also the Abbott of St Benets. Although there is not much still standing, the archaeology can be clearly seen all around and it is quite easy to trace the old buildings on the ground.

From St Benets, it is just a short trip up the River Ant to Ludham Bridge. One of several low bridges on the Broads, it forces you to lower your canopy or mast in order to get through. A popular mooring place, Ludham Bridge has a boat yard and shops, and the pub is not far away. On a busy day, it can be a tricky spot for inexperienced boat handlers, but collisions are quite rare. In any event, it is well worth the trouble of passing through the bridge because it brings you onto the upper reaches of the Ant with How Hill and Barton Broad waiting for you. The picture shows our old boat "Mandelbrot" moored at Ludham Bridge Boat Yard.

The house at How Hill was the home of the Boardman Family. Now it is a study centre. The house and formal garden is not open to the public, but the grounds are full of interest and include Toad Hole cottage museum which is well worth a visit. There are some unusual windmills as well.

Above How Hill, the Ant leads to Barton Broad, a large sheet of open water ideal for sailing and with lots of interesting inlets and side turnings. Barton Broad has recently been dredged and is a great place for boating. The photograph shows lots of sailing boats at Barton Regatta.
Beyond Barton, the Ant goes on to Dilham, a peaceful place, and it also joins the North Walsham and Dilham Canal. The canal can only be explored in a small boat or on foot. The walk from Tonnage Bridge to Honing Lock is well worth it.

If you go South from St Benet's Abbey along Fleet Dike, you come to one of the nicest Broads of all - South Walsham. Actually, there are two broads. The outer broad has a boatyard and is a good place to moor for the night, perhaps swinging round your mudweight. The inner broad is a private one, but boats can enter and explore. The picture shows a peaceful scene in the Outer Broad. South Walsham village is interesting to visit and there are some good walks in the area. 

One place you might want to visit is the Fairhaven Garden Trust. The entrance is between South Walsham and Ranworth. The water gardens are good at any time, but especially so in the Spring when the candelabra primulas are on display. There are other plants too as you can see from the picture. The gardens go down to the edge of the Inner Broad and there are boat trips available which take you on a short tour of the two broads. Not far from South Walsham is Ranworth. This village has two broads as well, Ranworth Broad (a nature reserve closed to boats) and Malthouse Broad which is where all the boats gather. There is plenty of mooring in Malthouse Broad and there are shops and a pub (The Maltsters) nearby. It can get crowded in summer and a good way to beat the crush at the moorings is to drop your mudweight in the middle of the Broad and head over to the staithe in a small dinghy. The church of St Helen is at the top of the hill and the view from the tower is the best on the Broads. You will also find at Ranworth a boardwalk leading through the marshes to a nature centre. Here you get the best view of Ranworth Broad and the centre is well worth a visit.

The picture shows the staithe in Malthouse Broad taken from the middle of the Broad. These are the best moorings but sometimes a bit crowded. The shops and pub are behind and the nature centre is off to the right.

To the East of St Benet's Abbey, the Rivers Bure and Thurne meet. Near to the mouth of the Thurne you will find Thurne Dyke with its distinctive white wind pump (now restored). The picture shows the entrance to the Dyke. It is a popular place with good moorings and a large pub (The Thurne Lion).  There are a couple of shops here and some excellent walks in the area. The church is worth a visit too. The River Thurne weaves its way through the marshes until you reach the riverside bungalows at Potter Heigham. Most visitors to the Broads end up at Potter Heigham at some point of their visit. It is a busy and popular place with something for everybody.  Don't forget to visit Latham's store.

Potter Heigham's most famous landmark is the old bridge. This bridge is so low that it is a major hazard to navigation. The hire companies will only allow their boats through with a Pilot. I have to drive through myself: 

The left hand picture shows Woodwose passing through the bridge (it just fits with the windscreen down). The right picture shows Storm passing through the bridge during the 3 Rivers Race.
The Bridge may be a hazard, but it does protect the area beyond from a lot of boat traffic. There are some wonderfully peaceful spots. Take a look at these pictures taken at Martham Broad:
 

That's the end of my picture tour for now. I hope you found it interesting. It is just a glimpse of one corner of the Norfolk Broads. There is much more to see and do. Why not visit the place for yourself?

If you would like more information, try my Frequently Asked Questions about the Norfolk Broads Page. There is a link below.