Practical Boat Owner - July 2018

Want to know more about boating on the Broads? Log on to pbo.co.uk/

norfolkbroads to see Phil’s film, featuring TV presenter Nicholas Crane, as well

as safety videos on everything from swing bridge basics to mooring and river

rights of way. PBO.co.uk/norfolkbroads

Cruising the Norfolk Broads

cruiser and yachts.

Martham Boats has launching facilities

too (www.marthamboats.com). Price is on

application and depends on the length of

the vessel. It also hires traditional yachts,

day sailers and cruisers, plus canoes.

Oliver’s Sailing Holidays at Martham

offers traditional yacht charters, and

Martham Boats has cruisers too. Other

hirers are available around Potter

Heigham, and nearby Ludham is home to

the famous Hunter Fleet of old wooden

yachts.

So what’s through the

medieval Potter Heigham

Bridge? Quite simply

some beautiful

destinations. My

favourite spot off

the Thurne is

approached by

Somerton Reach.

This is shallow,

down to half a

metre in places,

and has twists and

turns so shouldn’t be

attempted in larger

vessels. There are delightful

bankside moorings for

overnight stops along its length, and

you cross the small, unspoilt Martham

Broad. This stretch is unnavigable either

side of the main channel, but has some of

the clearest water you’ll find in the area. At

the end of the Reach is the small

settlement of West Somerton. There are

150m of 24-hour, free moorings here, and

fresh water is available at the end of dyke.

It’s a short walk to Horsey Windpump. A

longer trek will take you to Winterton on

Sea for a paddle, or go a little further to

Waxham beach and sand dunes. West

Somerton and the river leading to it can

be a tranquil hideaway with starry skies on

cloudless nights, and abundant wildlife.

Back onto the Thurne, up Candle Dyke

to Meadow Dyke and you’ll find the

delightful Horsey Mere. At the end of the

Mere is Horsey Mill, as it’s known, but it’s

actually an old wind pump used to keep

the low lying marshes drained; that work

is now done by automated electric

pumps. It’s owned and run by the

National Trust and is well worth a visit.

There are fantastic views from the top of

the wind pump across the flat, low lying

land and waterways. There’s a quay here,

and a delightful walk takes you to

Waxham dunes and beach with its long

expanse of sand. In the car park at Horsey

is a modern toilet and shower block.

For adventures with small craft, there’s a

surprising little secret off Horsey Mere

• the New Waxham Cut. It’s a narrow,
  shallow dyke, which drops to below a
  metre but goes to the ruined Brograve
  Drainage Mill and beyond. There’s a
  footpath from Horsey staithe if you want to
  do this by foot instead of navigating it
  yourself. Here you may be lucky enough
  to spot a number of rare and unusual

1-1.5m deep. The approach to Hickling

along Candle Dyke has a marked

channel, which it’s important to stick to.

The other end of Hickling, on the

approach to moorings and the Pleasure

Boat Inn requires care too, but buoys

mark the way.

Around the edges of Hickling are quiet

little dykes and reed beds where, depth

allowing, you can drop a mud weight and

just relax and watch the reeds blow, hear

the birds sing and feel the breeze. It’s a little

pleasure that’s been enjoyed for centuries.

You can have a great time exploring

these waters, and even in the height of

summer, you may just find a quiet spot

among them to enjoy one Britain’s

greatest wetlands.

birds that visit the

marshes, especially

near dusk.

The big attraction

further up Candle Dyke

is Hickling Broad, which is

big, beautiful and dominates a

reserve cared for by the Norfolk

Wildlife Trust. It has a visitors’ centre with

various facilities, and apart from the sailing

there are some lovely walks and footpaths

to enjoy. Here you’ll find great birdlife and

a stunning wetland landscape. Bitterns,

otters, cranes and others are around if

you’re lucky enough to see or hear them.

Hickling Broad though is shallow, and

can be weedy too. Lift or bilge keels are a

big advantage as it’s generally only

NORFOLK & SUFFOLK BROADS

Classic Hunter

yachts on the River

Ant near How Hill

Christopher Hill

Hire boats use a pilot in

these parts of the Broads

NORFOLK

Hinkling

Potter

Heigham

West

Somerton

Horsey

Hinkling

Broad

Candle

Dyke

Martham

Broad

Meadow

Dyke

Somerton

Reach

Horsey

Mere

Waxham

New Cut

River

Thurne

River

Thurne

PleasureBoat Inn

Whispering Reeds

Boatyard

Horsey

Drainage Mill

Martham Ferry

Boatyard

Potter Heigham

Bridge

Brograve

Drainage Mill

N

kilometres

0 2

Norwich

Waxham

North Sea

Wintertonon Sea

YarmouthGreat

Norfolk

Broads