Nearby Locations: The Norfolk Broads
The Norfolk Broads is an area of interlinked freshwater lakes and rivers, with over 200 km (125 miles) of navigable waterways. It is Britain’s largest protected wetland and holds the status of a national park, granted by its own Act of Parliament in 1988. Remarkably, the broads themselves are not natural. They were formed more than 600 years ago when medieval peat diggings flooded as water levels rose, and they are connected by dykes to the six rivers that intersect the area: the Bure, Yare, Waveney, Thurne, Ant and Chet.
The best way to experience the Broads is from the water, and day boats can be hired by the hour or the day at Wroxham, Horning, Stalham and elsewhere, with no experience needed. The area is rich in all forms of wildlife, from marsh harriers and kingfishers to otters and the rare swallowtail butterfly, so a pair of binoculars is a must and a camera is a good idea too.
The Museum of the Broads
At Stalham Staithe you will find The Museum of the Broads, which brings the stories of the Broads alive. Here you can discover the great trading wherries, the lives of the marshmen and wildfowlers, the history of boat building and how the Broads themselves came to be.
The museum is family and dog friendly, and you can even take a trip on the water aboard Falcon, its wonderful Victorian steamboat, or its Edwardian style electric launch. Nearby stands Sutton Windmill, at nine storeys the tallest windmill in Norfolk. It has now been fully restored as holiday accommodation and is no longer open to visitors, but it remains an impressive landmark on the Broadland skyline.
Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden
At South Walsham there is much to see at Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden, 130 acres of ancient woodland and water gardens with nearly four miles of trails, its own private broad with seasonal boat trips and a cafe. Look out for the King Oak, over 950 years old. The garden is open every day of the year and dogs on leads are welcome.
Ranworth
Ranworth is well worth a visit. The view from the top of the church tower is well worth the long climb up the narrow steps and ladders, with the whole of Broadland spread out beneath you. The church itself, known as the Cathedral of the Broads, houses one of the finest medieval painted rood screens in the country. Down at the staithe, a boardwalk leads through the reedbeds to the Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s floating visitor centre on Ranworth Broad.
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, where the Broads meet the sea, is a classic seaside resort with much to see and do. Fifteen miles of sandy beaches, two piers and the amusements of the famous Golden Mile sit alongside a rich maritime heritage, with medieval town walls, the excellent Time and Tide museum and the Hippodrome, Britain’s last surviving purpose built circus building.
