Back On The Broads 9th March

[Markw]

Hi all,

We have booked a couple of long weekends with Brooms again this year - first one being Friday 9th March - Monday 13th March - Broom Captain - cannot wait.....

Now, we have previously done the following (when only on the river for the weekend);

Friday - Brundall to Bramerton (Waters Edge)

Saturday - Bramerton to Beccles

Sunday - Beccles to Rockland

Monday - Rockland to Brundall (for 9.30 am boat return)

However, we fancy a change this time and may well do the following;

Friday - Brundall to Loddon (will be away from Brundall 2 pm very latest - hoping 1pm)

Saturday - Lodden to Acle (slack water at GY 10.37) - weather permitting - plan b will be to head for Beccles and not cross Breydon

Sunday - Acle to Rockland (slack water at GY 11.51)

Monday - Rockland - Brundall

So, a bit of advice would be welcome from the more well informed re Lodden as in all our years of visiting / holidaying on the broads - we have never been down the Chet to Lodden (poor form i know..).

Where is best to moor and which pub would be recommended for an evening meal - (bear in mind we are just at the beginning of the season on a Friday afternoon / evening mooring wise)?

Having looked at the BA moorings - i see a few moorings at the end in the staithe / lots of mooring at Pyes Mill and a few moorings at Chedgrave.

I see good reviews online for The WhiteHorse in Chedgrave but would welcome any advice....

I assume the walk into Lodden / Chedgrave is not too far if we decide to moor at Pyes Mill?

As always we cannot wait to be back on the water again....

Mark

[deebee29]

Hi Mark

we usually moor at Pyes mill ( although there’s no facilities there ) but there is in the basin.

White Horse at Chedgrave is a great pub. We usually eat onboard but I’ve seen the meals and they look really nice.

It’s well worth the trip to Loddon 

 

have a a great time 

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Mark, 

If you are staying on the Southern Rivers we may see you around, we are down to the Broads from 2nd March until 15th March, admittedly we will be getting the boat ready for the season start from the 2nd to 5th March.

I do recommend that you moor up at the Staithe   at Loddon, there is a choice of four pubs and cafe's, a safe haven out of the storms but you can forget phone reception, its off the map unless you stand on one leg by the road bridge.

It takes about an hour to get up the river Chet.

Rockland Staithe is good with only the road to cross from the New Inn.

We like to moor up at the Reedham Ferry, food is good and we like to watch the ferry crossing the river.

Regards

Alan

 

 

 

[Aboattime]

Hi Mark, Loddon is one of our favourite places to visit on the Southern Broads even though we are moored in Wroxham..We had a great meal at the White Horse last August and if you moor in the basin you can use the electricity ,water,and the newly refurbished toilets and showers. There is also Tea Rooms by the Mill and Take Aways, Have a great time  Regards  Kevin  

[Broads01]

Hi Mark. You'll enjoy Loddon. My personal preference for overnight is Pyes Mill because its a lovely quiet spot and the short walk to the town is also lovely. 

Regarding the rest of the trip, I love Breydon but I would find the long slog between Great Yarmouth and Acle too much to have to do two days running. Just my preference though, you go for it if you want to do it. 

[NorfolkNog]

I'm not sure about Pyes Mill in the dark. Unless you know the way I'd be inclined to moor at the Staithe. 

I tend to go for the beer rather than the grub. However I believe the White Horse has a good reputation. 

The Swan is good for beer and I think the grub is good too. 

As others have said Loddon is well worth visiting. 

[LizG]

The food at the Swan is excellent but it is also more expensive than some places I would say?

[Chelsea14Ian]

I always moor at the BA moorings,We often go to the White Horse very good food.As others have said also the Swan and the cafe.Theres also a good selection of shops large and  small.A great little Village well worth a village.Also good loos and showers available there.

[ZimbiIV]

Loddon, what can I say, we needed some milk so left Brundall down the Yare/Chet to get some milk from the COOP then fish and chips from Limmys after a pint at the White Horse then back to Brundall. Six hours to get some milk!

We had friends coming for drinks later they were not happy not to have been invited.

paul

[YnysMon]

We've had excellent meals at both the White Horse and The Swan.  Recommend mooring at the Staithe.

Helen

[Hockham Admiral]

The Indian in Loddon was one of the best we've eaten at last March when we stayed at the Swan for a couple of nights.

[Chelsea14Ian]

18 minutes ago, ZimbiIV said:

Loddon, what can I say, we needed some milk so left Brundall down the Yare/Chet to get some milk from the COOP then fish and chips from Limmys after a pint at the White Horse then back to Brundall. Six hours to get some milk!

We had friends coming for drinks later they were not happy not to have been invited.

paul

Paul you could have got milk at the co op in Brundall much quicker and a pint in the Ram.

[Regulo]

Yes, one of the TWO co-ops in Brundall!

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

I absolutely LOVE Loddon, it was from the Aston Boatyard that was, where we first started our love of the Broads at the age of 11, and 12 (i had my 12th birthday on the Sunday), in June 1970.  Recommendations are,  moor at the staithe, have afternoon tea and cakes from Rosy Lee`s tea room dead opposite the car park, then a curry in the Raj, finishing off with their pineapple ice cream, then Sunday morning, Breakfast again at Rosy Lee`s.  There`s a great butchers right at the top of the village, so if you`re taking a cold box. get some of their fresh smoked Gammon steaks.

I think the idea of crossing Breydon on a 3 night break is a real stretch, so stay on the south rivers, and if going to Loddon on Friday, why not go up to Norwich for Saturday night, then back to Rockland for Sunday night?.  3 nights on the Yare, Chet, and Wensum would be a very relaxing cruise, without the need to burn up the miles?.

Whatever you do, have a great and relaxing time, it`s what the Broads are made for.

[Markw]

Thanks for all the advice everyone... 

London sounds like a gem we have missed out on over the past few years...

As we are only able to get to the Broads twice this year - we have no issues with cruising for 6 hours or so on each full day (hence the thinking of crossing Breydon as the tides are right etc...) and as we have done Bramerton to Beccles in one hit a couple of times previously - time wise there is not much difference (London to Acle that is), and for us this is just as relaxing...

Appreciate the thinking re Norwich, but, as we spend much of our working lives in London and other big cities, the last thing we really want to do is to end up in another city on a Saturday night...

Plans however may well change when we wake up on Saturday morning, but we will definitely head for Loddon on our first night...

Alan - we will look out for Ranworth Breeze and give you a wave if we see you.

Paul - very funny re the milk... sort of thing we would do..

Mark

 

[Markw]

Loddon sounds like a gem I meant - not blinking London....

[deebee29]

9 hours ago, Markw said:

Loddon sounds like a gem I meant - not blinking London....

Ah the joy of predictive type I get London every time I type Loddon as well (got it again there  )

[Hockham Admiral]

I get similar when I'm using something with an "American English" dictionary... whatever that is. (or an apology for spelling mistakes!).      

[SwanR]

I will be interested to hear how you get on with the Broom Captain. It's a boat we've considered in the past but not hired yet. 

[vanessan]

I’ve got to give Loddon a great big thumbs up too, one of my favourite places to visit. We tend to avoid the staithe preferring to moor at Pye’s Mill or Chedgrave Common. It is a pleasant walk from both places into the villages and the moorings are quiet. However, if you are only on a short visit, the staithe will probably be best. The White Horse at Chedgrave has been good whenever we have been there but there is certainly a good choice of eating and drinking places in the area. If you need to fill up with water and can’t get in at the staithe, Pacific Cruisers is handy but just make sure you avoid changeover mornings/days. 

[Markw]

11 hours ago, SwanR said:

I will be interested to hear how you get on with the Broom Captain. It's a boat we've considered in the past but not hired yet. 

This will actually be our 3rd time on Broom Captain - we have previously also hired larger boats from Faircraft (been on Fair Sovereign 3 times or so - both with family & also just the 2 of us), and for us, for a short 3 night break, we find Broom Captain to be ideal.

 We like the configuration of the Broom Captain - especially the saloon area with the large folding doors that you can open fully - and when you also open all the rear canopy - it feels very spacious and whilst open you are still protected from the elements.

A couple of nice touches we like are the reversable seats - the main seat across the rear of the boat can reverse so you are sat facing the stern - also one of the seats in the saloon adjacent to the skippers chair also reverses meaning the both of us can be sat side by side (small gap in between) at the same height facing forwards as we cruise - then you reverse the seat to make use of the dining table (if need be).

As there is only 1 cabin at the front of the boat - storage can be a little tight (we always take way too much with us) - but there is space in a large locker under the rear deck - i was initially concerned that this area may have some water ingress - but having used this twice now (only for storing bags / cases / fishing gear) - it stays bone dry.

Handling wise - cannot fault it - very easy to moor stern on as you can simply step off the rear transom (no steps) - but if you moor side on - the rear transom is the only access on & off the boat.  All are fitted with bow thrusters etc (interestingly a couple of the models were fitted with both bow & stern thrusters - definitely no. 7 as we had this one previously) - but i believe they only fitted these on a couple of boats.

Cooking facilities are fine - fridge is actually a decent size with ice compartment and door space large enough to hold full size bottles...  and shower is good as well.

I would have liked it if there was an sunroof / larger opening roof as the only opening whilst cruising is a sliding door / panel / window (not sure what you would call it - but you can see it on the pictures on Broom website) - that is nice to open when underway (i used to enjoy the outside/upper deck helm on the Fair Sovereign).  if i remember correctly, they are fitted with a sliding roof but these are disabled / locked closed.

if there is any specific info you would like (or some pictures etc) - happy to provide... but, for us, this is an ideal size / layout etc. and Brooms are great to deal with.

Mark

 

[SwanR]

Thank you so much for such a detailed description ... I reckon that we may well go for one of these at some point.

If I may ask a few questions ... Is it an electric flush toilet? And what is the space like in the shower? What is the position of the bed like in the bow? Is it possible to walk round it or is it set to one side? I haven't been too sure comparing the pictures to the drawing of the layout of the boat. Hubby is tall and this is the one thing that really matters! Other things we can compromise on.

[Markw]

On 15/02/2018 at 19:22, SwanR said:

Thank you so much for such a detailed description ... I reckon that we may well go for one of these at some point.

If I may ask a few questions ... Is it an electric flush toilet? And what is the space like in the shower? What is the position of the bed like in the bow? Is it possible to walk round it or is it set to one side? I haven't been too sure comparing the pictures to the drawing of the layout of the boat. Hubby is tall and this is the one thing that really matters! Other things we can compromise on.

From what we remember - toilet is electric flush / shower can be a little cramped / the bed is circular - set in the centre of the forward cabin - raised quite high, and you sort of have to climb up the side to get in it....  as there are units / shelves built in along side it - not the most practical (and difficult to describe)... to get out / off the bed - you sort of have to sit up & shuffle your way down the the end

What we will do is try and take some pictures of the forward cabin / bed and the shower when we are on it in 3 weeks time and will post them up here...

[ranworthbreeze]

Here is a link to Hoseasons it shows a few pictures of the boat and the layout.

http://www.hoseasons.co.uk/boat-holidays/broom-boats-brmb/broom-captain-bh2180

Regards

Alan

[TostockTimonier]

On 15/02/2018 at 09:32, Markw said:

would have liked it if there was an sunroof / larger opening roof as the only opening whilst cruising is a sliding door / panel / window

Back in 2014 we hired Captain Horatio for the first week in September and we definitely had an electric tilt slide sunroof (operated from the helm) in the saloon, have they taken this away? We had company stop over one night and found saloon bed rather overbearing, no mud weight winch and and only two hob rings made an English breakfast a challenge but not impossible. An absolutely wonderful boat for two in my opinion, but would be a shame if the sunroof has been removed.