Sample Routes

Route 1 – Wildlife and Relaxation

First Night: St. Benets Abbey (remains)

Depart from Ferry Marina taking a left. You will be travelling in the direction of Potter Heigham and Acle on the River Bure. The journey will take around 1 hour 15 mins.

Day One: Barton Broad

Turn around and head slightly back towards Horning, taking a right turn up the River Ant after a few hundred yards, it should be signposted with a green sign. The river is very narrow so proceed slowly towards Ludham bridge, before the bridge there will be a height gauge, check your height before going under. You should get to the bridge after around 15-20 mins. Continue past the bridge to Barton Broad, it will take around ¾ hour. Once at Barton Drop the mudwieght and watch the world go by.

Night Two: Barton Broad/Ludham Bridge

You can either choose to stay on Barton Broad for the night if you have supplies on board or choose to head back to Ludham Bridge to moor up and visit the local pub.

Day Two: Potter Heigham

Leave the mooring and head under Ludham Bridge, turn left at the end on the River Ant. It will take you around 1 ½ hours to get to Potter Heigham. The is a nice walk along the river bank to Martham you will find the path on the right hand side of the river starting behind the chip shop. Once at Potter Heigham you will need to ask the bridge pilot to take you under the bridge. If you are able to get under proceed towards Hickling Broad for the night. This will take around 1 to 1 ½ hours, always check you can also get back within the week.

Night Three: Hickling Broad

Spend the night bobbing around on this peaceful broad.

Day Three: Horsey Mere

Horsey Mere is a nature reserve with lots of wildlife and plantlife to enjoy. There are conservation walks around the outskirts which can be reached by mooring up on the Staithe near the windmill.

Night Four: Horsey Mere

You can either spend the night on the broad tied onto the mudweight. Or you can get a place on the staithe moorings where you can get to the local pub which is around a 10 minute walk if you turn left on the main road.

Day Four: Acle

You will need to leave your mooring in time to get under Potter Heigham bridge at low tide. It will take around 1 ½ hours to get to Potter bridge. Once under the bridge you can make your way to Acle, you will need to turn left at the turning at Thurne, it will take around 1 hour to get to Acle.
At Acle you can take a 15-20 minute walk into the village to pick up any provisions or banking. You will also find pubs, restaurants and takeaways in the village.

Night Five: Acle/Stokesby

You can either stay at Acle for the night or move down to Stokesby, which is around a half hour trip. There is a pub at Stokesby and you are able to reserve a mooring for the night.

Day Five: Coltishall

This journey will take around 4 to 4 ½ hours and will lead you past Horning and under Wroxham bridge, you will need to get the bridge pilot to take you through the bridge at Wroxham.

Night Six: Coltishall

There are three pubs in Coltishall to eat at and moorings can be reserved with some of the pubs.

Day Six: Salhouse Broad

Leave the mooring so you reach Wroxham bridge at a low tide, it will take around 1 ½ hours to get to the bridge. Once through the bridge you prodeed around ½ hour to ¾ hour to Salhouse broad. You can moor up along the bank or swing on the mudweight. There are moorings ner a sandy beach area. There are conservation walks all around the area and through woodlands near the Broad. The village is around a 30 minute walk, you will find a pub and grocery shop.

Night Seven: Salhouse Broad

This will be the last night. If you have provisions you can stay on board, if not the local Chinese offers a takeaway service to the Broad.

Day Seven: Back to Horning

The journey will take around 45 minutes to reach us, so leave early enough to arrive back by 9am.

Route 2 – Children in Mind

First Night: Horning

There are three pubs in the village, you can either moor up outside the pubs or stay on our moorings and walk to them.

Day One: Wroxham

Head up river to Wroxham the journey will take just over 1 hour. There are a number of shops in Wroxham to look at and a small supermarket to buy provisions. From Wroxham you will be able to catch a train or bus to Norwich  which is a busy city and plenty to do.

Night Two: Wroxham

With plenty of pubs and restaurants to choose from you will find something you all like.

Day Two: Great Yarmouth

This will be a 5 ½ hour trip, so it is best to set off early. You will be stopping before the bridge in Yarmouth so you don’t have to time the tides. Once at Yarmouth there are plenty of things to do. There is a cinema, amusement arcades, golf, theatres, fun fair with rides, many shops and restaurants. When mooring up at Yarmouth take extra care of the tides – refer to the mooring up section, ask the rangers if you are not sure.

Night Three: Yarmouth

There are plenty of pubs to choose from, takeaways and diners.

Day Three: Somerleyton

You will have to time the tide to get under the bridges at Yarmouth, also as the tide runs quickly it is always best to go across Breydon Water at slack tide. Refer to the manual on crossing Breydon. When reaching the other side of Breydon water you will need to bear to the left, it will be sign posted Beccles/Oulton Broad. You will need to navigate St Olaves bridge on the way. The journey will take around 2 to 2 ½ hours. At Somerleyton there is a National Trust house, gardens and maze to look round. You can also catch a train to Norwich or Lowestoft from Somerleyton.

Night Four: Somerleyton

There is a pub and a small village shop in Somerleyton.

Day Four: Great Yarmouth

Head back to Great Yarmouth for the day, make sure you time the tide to be at slack water to get under the bridge.

Night Five: Stokesby

Leave the mooring at Yarmouth and head towards Stokesby, it will take around 2 hours, you can reserve moorings at the local pub for the night.

Day Five: Stalham

It will take around 3 hours to get there and you will need to navigate Ludham bridge. There are shops to look round and a museum of The Broads.

Night Six: Stalham.

There are plenty of pubs, takeaways and restaurants for the evening.

Day Six: Horning

It will take around 3 to 3 ½ hours to make the journey. At Horning there is an adventure park just outside the village if you take a 20 minute walk, go through the village and take a left on the main road, there is a pavement to walk along.

Night Seven: Ranworth Broad

Drop the mud weight down on the broad for a last night of peace and quiet.

Day Seven: Back to Horning.

Leave the mooring in time to get back to us by 9am, the journey will take around 30 mins.

Route 3 – See Everything

First Night: Coltishall

You will need to set off on time to arrive before dusk, it will take around 2 ½ hours to get there and will depend on the tide to get under the bridge at Wroxham, you will also need a pilot to get under the bridge.

Day One: Stalham

The journey will take around 5 hours, you will have to get under Wroxham bridge again and navigate Ludham bridge on your own. Once at Stalham you will be able to look round the shops and pick up provisions from Tesco and a number of small grocery stores.

Night Two: Stalham

There are plenty of pubs, takeaways and restaurants for the evening.

Day Two: Potter Heigham

The journey will take around 3 hours and you will stop short of Potter bridge so you will not have to worry about tides. Once at Potter Heigham you will be able to look round Lathams shop and take a walk down the river bank to Martham and back.

Night Three: Acle

It will only take around 1 ½ hours to get from Potter to Acle where you can moor up for an evening meal.

Day Three: Great Yarmouth/Berney Arms

The journey from Acle to Yarmouth will take around 2 hours. Once at Yarmouth you can moor up before going under the bridges to look round the shops, have lunch and get provisions. Depending on the tide you can cross Breydon water in time to reach Berney Arms for the night, it will take around ¾ hour to cross Breydon. If you cannot cross just stay at Yarmouth for the night.

Night Four: Great Yarmouth/Berney Arms

Berney Arms is a pub on the edge of Breydon Water and is truly in the middle of nowhere. Great Yarmouth has plenty of pubs, restaurants and takeaways to choose from. Also evening shows along the sea front and a cinema

Day Four: Norwich

It will take around 5 hours from Berney Arms and 5 ¾ hours from Yarmouth to get to Norwich. To get to Norwich you will have to navigate through Reedham rail bridge and four bridges to get to the yacht station in Norwich. Once in Norwich there is plenty of shops and shows to see.

Night Five: Norwich

There are several pubs by the riverside or a walk into the city centre will give a wide variety of places to go.

Day Five: Reedham

It will take around 4 hours to get to Reedham and you will stop short of the bridge. Once at Reedham you can enjoy a restful rest of the day, or you could take the train to Somerleyton to look round the Stately home and gardens.

Night Six: Reedham

Enjoy a riverside meal at one of the local pubs along the river bank.

Day Six: St Benets Abbey

You will need to make your way back to Horning, timing the tides you must cross Breydon Water and go through the bridges at Yarmouth, it will 1 ¾ hours to reach Yarmouth. You will need to motor on to St Benets Abbey which will take another 3 to 3 ½ hours. It will depend on the tide as to when you will need to set off from Reedham.

Night Seven: St Benets Abbey

You will be able to enjoy the peace and quiet of a mooring in the middle of nowhere with no facilities.

Day Seven: Back to Horning

You will have to leave St Benets Abbey with enough time to return to Horning by 9am, the journey will take around 1 ¼ hours.

Route 4 – First Timers – Short Break

First Night: Horning

Stay on site for the first night to get familiar with the boat and give yourself time to read the manuals

Day One: Acle

For a first day it is a good idea to go for a short distance to Acle to get used to the handling and the river is wide so you have plenty of room to manoeuvre. The journey will take around 2 to 2 ½ hours and you will stop short of the bridge so there will be no other bridges to go under. You will be able to take a 20 minute walk into the village to pick up provisions

Night Two: Thurne

The journey to Thurne is quite short only taking around 45 minutes. There is a pub at Thurne for an evening meal.

Day Two: Wroxham

The journey will take around 3 hours, so you can have a look at some of the Broads on the way past. If you wish to go under the bridge at Wroxham you will need to stop to get the pilot to take you under.

Night Three: Wroxham

There are plenty of pubs etc to enjoy also a small supermarket if you wish to dine on board.

Day Three: Wroxham/Norwich

You can catch the train or bus to Norwich for the day, if you love shopping. Or there is a small light heritage railway to Alysham, or you can catch the train to Sheringham for a day by the coast.

Night Four: Salhouse Broad

There is no mooring up to do, just find a clear spot on the broad and drop the mud weight for a peaceful night.

Day Four: Potter Heigham

You will stop short of the bridge so there is no worry about the tide height. The journey will only take around 1 ½ hours. You will be able to take a riverside walk and call into Lathams.

Night Four: Ludham Bridge

There is a pub just a short walk along the road for a meal. Or get supplies from the local shop next to the bridge.

Day Five: Back to Horning

You will have to leave in time to make it back for 9am – it is around 1 hour 15 mins.