Norfolk broads

[johnalison]

Having taken my boat off the Thames for reasons you can find in my previous posts you will find the upper Broads quite delightful

Please can I recommend the Martham Boat Building and Development Company. They have a very decent slipway and parking facilities at a competitive and reasonable price. They also rent out a few riverside cottages so you can moor your boat securely adjacent the cottage. If Martham BB&D are booked up there are many other riverside cottages for hire nearby.

If you slip at Martham you have the great expanse of Hickling Broad to sail on and Hickling Broad is one of the best places on the Broads IMHO.

However, if you want to motor down the River Thurne to explore other parts of the Broads you will have to step your mast at Potter Heigham to get under that notorious bridge there.

There is also a possibility that you could motor your boat around to Barton Broad and sail there. I am sure that the Ludham Bridge Boatyard could fit you in to leave the boat there overnight for a reasonable charge and you could get a taxi back to your cottage. You will have to step your mast at Ludham Bridge too.

Once again, Richardson's at Stalham offer free overnight moorings to visiting boats and you can get a taxi back from there too.

{Edit} Just forgot, Martham BB&D can also issue you with a temporary registration on the spot too. They are a very friendly helpful boatyard that will value your business.

Anyway, hope this helps.

Regards.

LD.

Sorry, but Hickling is a bit like Piccadilly compared to Horsey, the connoisseur’s broad. There is all the fun of Meadow Dyke to get there too, especially without an engine.

 

[The Q]

For the 3 Rivers Race (28-29 May 2022 entries at 3rr.uk ) MD boats lend us one of their Boats as a guardship, either one of their sailing yachts or more normally one of their motorboats. Although they are old designs they are Immaculate and in very good condition... I'm most impressed with them.
Martham Boats | Norfolk Broads Boating, Cruiser & Sailing Holidays

Another possible launching place is Swallowtail boatyard at Womack water, their main business is boat building and hiring traditional sailing craft. but have been know to allow people to use their slipway.
(1) Swallowtail Boatyard | Facebook

A great place for information on the broads is
The Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association (thegreenbook.org.uk)
There are lists of all the slipways and a lot of other information.

 

[The Q]

Sorry, but Hickling is a bit like Piccadilly compared to Horsey, the connoisseur’s broad. There is all the fun of Meadow Dyke to get there too, especially without an engine.

you must have been on Hickling Broad on a race day,

Horsey mere the place to be hassled by the RSPB / National Trust..

 

[johnalison]

you must have been on Hickling Broad on a race day,

Horsey mere the place to be hassled by the RSPB / National Trust..

It's a while since I sailed on Hickling, over 50 yrs actually, but as far as I remember the sailing is mostly in the main channel down the centre marked with posts, whereas on Horsey you can sail more or less anywhere, which I find more aesthetically pleasing. I don't mind the odd bird around.

 

[The Q]

There has been a lot of dredging in the area in the last 3 years , but going outside the markers is still definitely a local knowledge job. When Hickling SC race they are often way out from the channel.
It got so bad before the dredging that yachts were running aground mid channel in Heigham Sound

The thing about Horsey was, maybe 5 years ago, either the RSPB or the National trust I can't remember which, tried to block the right of navigation through Horsey, especially during breeding season.. They've wound their neck in a bit now , but they still threaten prosecution if they think you are deliberately disturbing the birds..

 

[RumPunch]

I upset the punts last year with marks too far out the channel - it's still bad

 

[The Q]

weed ? depth ? or both?

 

[RumPunch]

Weed :-(

 

[The Q]

Yep the weed has been spreading everywhere, the broads are just too clean now. We are getting weed and lilies along the river at Horning and into Black Horse broad..

 

[DownWest]

This just reminded of a visit to some people on Hickling (?) in the early '80s. They had a nice wet boathouse with a flat above it. Wood and not big, but they were thinking of £6K for it. Had a patch of ground about it. Tempted, but busy elsewhere.

 

[The Q]

You would have made a lot of money on that, prices have gone silly ...