Norfolk Broads

Lanerboy

Lanerboy

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Hi All

We are planning a 4 night trip to the Norfolk Broads at Easter and as we have never been I was hoping some of you could tell me the best area to stay in, regards getting around would be by bike once we are there

Many Thanks

LB
 
Lanerboy said:
Hi All

We are planning a 4 night trip to the Norfolk Broads at Easter and as we have never been I was hoping some of you could tell me the best area to stay in, regards getting around would be by bike once we are there

Many Thanks

LB
Click to expand...
Hi we had a share in a cruiser on the Broads for a few years. The broads are in 2 sections separated by Breydon Water at Great Yarmouth. Where you go depends on where you are picking your boat up. You won't be able to travel that far in 4 days.

As a rule of thumb it's prettier and nicer the further away from Great Yarmouth, we generally used to stick to the section around Wroxham and Horning. If you are in the section nearest to Norwich then you can moor in the city and visit Norwich which is a lovely city. Be warned ithe mooring is noisy particularly at night.
The thing that I loved to do was to drop anchor in the middle of a large broad for the night. We would wake up early total peace and quiet, the mist would hover over the water and we would feed the ducks and swans who would swim frantically to the boat from all sections of the broad.
 
Caron
Thanks for the reply sorry I didn't explain properly we are just going in the MH and off exploring on the bikes we are not hiring a boat as we have just sold a motorboat we had moored in Weymouth for 4 years so I know what you mean waking up in tranquil waters we over nighted in Lulworth cove a few times and it was magical when everyone had gone home LOL
 
There's a CL at Upton near Acle and we have seen people wild camp in Roy's overflow car park at Wroxham. Roads are narrow in places so when cycling take care as the roads are always busy.

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Lanerboy said:
Caron
Thanks for the reply sorry I didn't explain properly we are just going in the MH and off exploring on the bikes we are not hiring a boat as we have just sold a motorboat we had moored in Weymouth for 4 years so I know what you mean waking up in tranquil waters we over nighted in Lulworth cove a few times and it was magical when everyone had gone home LOL
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Sorry you did say I was misreading it
 
I love the broads but find it very frustrating that you can actually see so little of them from terra firma .... Most are privately owned with little or no access by road.

Having said that, there are some beautiful spots and camp sites but to really see the broads it is worth taking some of the boat trips like Hickling and Horsey.
 
Yes we will take a boat trip but don't want to stay on one had enough of that LOL
 
Lanerboy said:
Hi All

We are planning a 4 night trip to the Norfolk Broads at Easter and as we have never been I was hoping some of you could tell me the best area to stay in, regards getting around would be by bike once we are there

Many Thanks

LB
Click to expand...

'Very flat, Norfolk.'
Noel Coward (Private Lives)

' "My dear, never go there, it's a dreadful place; ...." '
Overheard by Lilias Rider Haggard's cousin

So in theory, anywhere should be easy to cycle to but nowhere is worth getting to :LOL::LOL:. However, there are some hills and a lot of rivers which mean that to get from AtoB you may need to go via C,D and E.

What do you want to see? Views, bird/wildlife sanctuaries, museums, stately homes, shopping centres? Norwich can offer lots of things but, surprisingly perhaps, it is the 7th hilliest city in England. Public transport may be better then cycling, although it has recently been made more cycle friendly: IF you want to get there by MH, leave it at a Park&Ride.

National Trust stately homes (Blickling, Felbrigg) are in the north of the county, away from the Broads.
Windmills, bird sanctuaries are common on the Broads: Hickling, Horning, Reedham Burgh Castle all have things in the vicinity.
Great Yarmouth has the Golden Mile and piers if they are what you need, but also museums and wildlife.
The coast is varied, with some steep hills from Happisburgh (pronounced haze-boro) to Weybourn.

Enjoy - Gordon
 
IF I was doing a 4-day (=3-nights) tour of this area that I've never visited before, then I would ditch the bikes and do a general "drive around" :) (but each to their own).

I would come down the A14 to Cambridge/Newmarket then A11 to Norwich (possibly stopping at Thetford if I was a Dad's Army fan). I would park at Thickthorn P&R, where the A11 meets the A47, and catch the bus into the city for an exploration on foot. The night would be spent at BritStop 249, 254 or 256 OR at CCC Norwich.

Day2 would be a saunter across the Yare valley, calling in at Reedham (see above - could be night1 stop) and using the chain ferry (check that you can a) get on b) afford the fare!) move down to Haddiscoe, Beccles, Oulton Broad. Spend the night at BS 247 OR CC White House Beach (you are highly unlikely to get sea-views) or CCC Kessingland (avoid Africa Alive - not enough time on this trip).

Day3 is north through Somerleyton (invention of the hovercraft) to St Olaves, Burgh Castle, Breydon Water, Gt Yarmouth, Potter Heigham, Horning, Wroxham to Hickling [BS 250/251]. Alternatively, take the coast road past Horsey windpump (NT). Consider going westwards to Blickling Hall (NT) or pushing northwards to Felbrigg Hall (NT) and Cromer. Stay at CC or CCC sites on north Norfolk coast [BS 252 is in receivership].

Day4 takes in the coast past Blakeney, Wells, the Burnhams, Hunstanton with bird reserves en-route. There is also the Poppy Line (main line trains, usually steam) running from Sheringham to Holt or a miniature line from Wells to Walsingham (various shrine with pilgrimages at Easter). Head southwards past Sandringham to King's Lynn, considering diverting to Oxburgh Hall (NT - moated) or the Iceni village at Cockley Cley. Grimes Graves (neolithic flint mine) is another possibility.

Delay leaving Norfolk for as long as possible to avoid traffic congestion then take A47 past Wisbech, Peterborough to pick up A605 past Oundle to Thrapston: A14 to home.

That would be MY plan and I would do some research about the other things which might interest me in the county. Then I would come back later and spend longer exploring in depth: I frequently spend all day at Bressingham with it's magnificant gardens (Alan Bloom) and multiple railway tracks plus fairground and museums AND available via Tesco vouchers. Enjoy - Gordon
 
Are you sure you don't work for the tourist board..... that sounds great! :)
 
Lanerboy said:
Hi All

We are planning a 4 night trip to the Norfolk Broads at Easter and as we have never been I was hoping some of you could tell me the best area to stay in, regards getting around would be by bike once we are there

Many Thanks

LB
Click to expand...
Welcome!

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There is a Caravan and Motorhome Club site at Ludham, and you can cycle to St Benets Abbey and along the bank. Hickling and Barton broads are accessible via board walks and there is a board walk to Ranworth observatory and hide. Yarmouth is not so good. Lots of NT places nearby including Blickling Hall, Felbrigg Hall, Oxnead Hall if it rains. Norfolk is not flat, it's rolling as you will find out. Look out for bearded tits, bitterns and thousands of pink foot geese. There are Quiet Lanes which are narrow lanes ideal for cycling. We live at Aylsham, not too far away. Have a great stay.
 
fantastic feedback thank you, I didn't mention the bikes are decent electric bikes with a 50 mile range and will cruise at 20mph so should be able to get around a fair bit
 
Lanerboy said:
fantastic feedback thank you, I didn't mention the bikes are decent electric bikes with a 50 mile range and will cruise at 20mph so should be able to get around a fair bit
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I have a pro-rider ebike and Sue has a TGA scooter. North Norfolk and The Broads are fabulous for cycling. Don't forget places like Thurne, Salhouse Broad and Wroxham Broad where we often park up and have lunch and a sleep.
 
We stopped at the Caravan and Motorhome site at Ludham Bridge in late July last year for a few days and enjoyed it, there is a pub nearby, which we used once, but we also walked by the back roads and farm land to the Kings arms pub in Ludham village as the main road didn't have any pavements and it was quite busy and fast, we had on separate days Sunday and Wednesday at the Kings arms a very good carvery, apart from your choice of meat there was plenty of good veg with the meal, if you want to eat at a popular time it might be best to book, at that time it was £8.95.
Ludham has a useful village store/post office, and a butchers. We also used the café for a breakfast on our last morning near the bridge a couple of minutes away also a shop there as well. The quote about Roy's large free car park at Wroxham is a good place to park, in fact Roy's is everywhere, to get to it you need to go past the railway station and a turn left it was free when we went, and to get into Wroxham go under the railway line accessed from the car park.

We also drove the van via Wroxham to the park and ride to go to Norwich, no signs indicating no motorhomes, but ours was the only one there that we saw, and payment is by way of bus fare or in my case bus pass plus £1 and we enjoyed the day out.

Just for info should you decide to go that way(y)
 
We tried to go to Norfolk last September, didn't book anything, just thought we'd book as we went, big mistake, couldn't get in anywhere as everywhere was fully booked so my advice would be book in advance :D
 
Fantastic information on here but combine the both, cycling and Narfook
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Book before you come at Easter or any other bank holiday period.
We stay at home.:)

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Foxy1956 said:
There is a Caravan and Motorhome Club site at Ludham, and you can cycle to St Benets Abbey and along the bank. Hickling and Barton broads are accessible via board walks and there is a board walk to Ranworth observatory and hide. Yarmouth is not so good. Lots of NT places nearby including Blickling Hall, Felbrigg Hall, Oxnead Hall if it rains. Norfolk is not flat, it's rolling as you will find out. Look out for bearded tits, bitterns and thousands of pink foot geese. There are Quiet Lanes which are narrow lanes ideal for cycling. We live at Aylsham, not too far away. Have a great stay.
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I forgot to say that they do coffee and a snack lunch at Ranworth church and there is a great view from the church tower. The Museum of The Broads is at Stalham and don't forget the steam launch there and the Electric Eel boat at Horning.
 
I'm a regular visitor to the Broads, usually sailing, and love the area. We had a trip there in the MH a couple of years back, I'll dig out the sites we stayed for you, but if you're looking for a cheap stay and can manage without hookup for a couple of nights I can recommend a couple of pub car park stops - The Maltsters at Ranworth have a large car park and there's a public convenience handy, they charged £5.00 for an overnight but refunded it on a meal in the pub, it's right on Ranworth Staithe which is a lovely spot with lots going on, and the view from the top of Ranworth church is stunning. The Sutton Staithe hotel has a huge car park and don't charge at all, they don't mind you using the hotel loos either - not so scenic as Ranworth though, but handy for Barton Broad for a trip on the Electric Eel. Don't miss a trip out to Hickling Broad, it's quieter as the low bridge at Potter Heigham stops the larger boats getting up there and quite beautiful. If you're near Potter Heigham on a Saturday then watching the new and inexperienced hire boat handlers trying to get through the bridge can be fun! I don't know the Southern rivers so well, but most of the Northern rivers seem to have a footpath alongside the river, not sure if bikes are allowed, the Broads River Authority could advise. Pick up a copy of the free Broads paper from any pub as soon as you can, lots of info in there on whats on in the area.
As others have said, the Museum of the Broads at Stalham is worth a visit, as is the wind pump on Horsey Mere. The Nelson Head near there is one of my favourite pubs.
 
icantremember said:
Just a small point .... The Icini Village is no more .. It closed for good a couple of years ago. :(
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Quite frankly I was always amazed it stayed as long as it did.. Over priced and poorly displayed spring to mind !
Re the o p, if you like steam grins, check out the north Norfolk line..
Well worth a visit
 
Jaws said:
Quite frankly I was always amazed it stayed as long as it did.. Over priced and poorly displayed spring to mind !
Re the o p, if you like steam grins, check out the north Norfolk line..
Well worth a visit
Click to expand...
Don't forget The Bure Valley railway at Aylsham and Bressingham steam museum and gardens are fabulous.
 
North Norfolk have a look at deers glade,old brick kilns or ccc at Sandringham

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