JennyMorgan

But are we much wiser as to what really is happening at Acle?

Thank you, Lori. I did wonder about flooding but assumed that the new owners would have checked before publicising their plans. Got to say that if they hadn't done such an obvious check then I do wonder about their plans overall.

No neighbours but us fishermen are often out after dark, we sometimes see some right goings on in riverside properties as we pass by!! Ho ho ho, not one to gossip but nocturnal and often nudge-nudge activities can make great viewing for nocturnal navigators!!

Hi Bill, welcome to both the debate and the forum. Re that National park grant, the Broads don't get it because it is a national park, which it isn't, but because quite simply that is where the funding comes from. It has to come from somewhere and DEFRA saw the National Park route as a sensible source, which makes sense and explains why the Broads is a MEMBER of the NP family. Inevitably what is sensible and reasonable has been manipulated, as we have come to expect I'm afraid.

No, didn't know about that one. I do believe that a swan peddle boat was tried at Burgh St Peters in the early 1900's though. The thought of a Broads National Theme Park fill me with dread, drive through McDonalds for boats at Horning and rangers parading around in character outfits, urghhhhh! By the way, there are peddle boats at Oulton Broad, in the park's boating lake. It's all here, if folk really want it, just needs searching out.

Maybe, Lou, the attraction of the Broads goes rather deeper than just a bit of fun? I agree that it is, in places, like visiting a dusty library but is that so bad? I love Horsey Mere with a passion, often visit it, even in the depths of winter, there are always people there. The car park can be jammed, even in January, folk walking across the marshes to see the seals for example. I agree that planning should be more relaxed, that there should be more access but perhaps more for the enjoyment of the Broads rather than just a bit of fun. The Broads is precious, we need rules, as we do more moorings and wastebins. The Broads are what the Broads is, why try to re-invent them? Why do we have to cater for all tastes, surely we need to learn how to cater for those already coming here, back to moorings etc.

I'm sorry, Lou, but is that what we really need to provide? GRP swans with slides and swings for example, can't we just leave them at the coastal holiday parks? Boating lakes, but why? Aren't there enough day boats and canoes for hire already? The things that you suggest are already here, Lou, just go to Great Yarmouth. The swans at Joyland are great fun! My wife and I also enjoy the Peak District and Snowdonia, we don't see these things at every turn there, why do we need them on the Broads? We have to be careful what we wish for if we don't want to spoil what we have.

Should the Broads become one massive Bewilderwood? Answers in no more than two letters please.

Just a thought re use of the Broads, when I sail it I rarely leave much other than wash, when I walk it I rarely leave much other than footprints. I like to walk along unspoilt footpaths, as we did yesterday, only met a local farmer. Okay, I'm selfish, I really don't want to see too much 'easy' access. If people make the effort then the rewards are there. There is access to Breydon Water for example, miles of it. Waveney Woods, wonderful. The last thing I want is made-up roads and those blessed 'interpretation' boards telling me what to look at. We should use and cherish what we already have. I'm sorry, Broads Authority, I don't trust you to get it right.

I agree, Lou, but access there already is. It does mean walking though and far too many folk don't like doing that! There is a wonderful walk from Oulton Broad right up to the Geldeston Locks, a goodly number of drive to access points along the way too. I often walk parts of it, don't see that many people using it though. So what sort of access do folk want then? Being able to drive right to the river bank? Being able to park a coach on the river bank? We have to be so careful when we provide for access in that it could be so easy to destroy what we hold dear, what we go to the Broads to see. An easy to wish for 'improvement' but one that could so easily turn sour. We already have mile after mile of footpath and cycle way providing pedestrian access. Not so much that it needs to be provided, more a case that people need to learn to use what they already have, in my opinion.

No, not that Gillingham, the near Beccles one. We went to see a 'live-aboard' friend of ours yesterday to find out it's her birthday this week. Where's the nearest pub? The Swan, naa, it's a grubby bikers pub. How wrong could I be! Tasteful decoration, no tatty, shabby chic, it's modern and really nice. The staff, all enthusiastic, all going the extra mile, impressive, some eye candy behind the bar too. But hey, the food, mouthwatering stuff, just have to recommend it. We stopped to have a 'Sunday Carvery', wow, quality, melt in the mouth meat, superbly cooked 'greens' as we say in Suffolk. Big plate, small bill, amazing! We'll be going back! Not just for the food, they keep their ale well. Clearly popular with the locals and with good reason. Thirty minutes easy walk from Beccles yacht station it has to be well worth the effort. Just head off over the old road bridge, past Hipperson's boatyard towards Norwich but stop when you get to the Gillingham Swan. If you make it to McDonalds, great place if you like bikes, then you have gone too far. http://www.gillinghamswan.co.uk/

Squiffy eyes, you need more tonic or water in it!

Good to see that Bargate Water and Surlingham Broad are both clearly identified, shouldn't be any doubts now.

Yearghh, foul stuff! Pints of Aspels or Broadside would be far more acceptable.

Dnks, well worded and my thoughts exactly, thank you for posting them.

Incidentally Pete Goodrum's excellent book is available locally in Tesco, got my copy at Beccles, for £8.99. For those that don't have the good fortune to live locally then you could try Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/1445613190/ref=sr_1_1_olp?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1476656768&sr=1-1&keywords=Norfolk+Broads%2C+The+Biography+by+Pete+Goodrum or E-Bay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Norfolk-Broads-The-Biography-Goodrum-Pete-New-Book-1445613190-/401202564212?hash=item5d69894c74:g:LPgAAOSwZJBYA0xV

That alarm bell has to ring loud and clear. Perhaps folk would care to read that excellent and very readable book by Pete Goodrum, The Norfolk Broads, the biography. It is well worth reading that book if only to gain a clear understanding of Broads politics and the national park question in particular. Anyway, when the first Broads Officer was appointed, it was announced by the once wise Eastern Daily Press, that he would have to do his job 'without offending anyone and without any clear brief as to what his priorities should be'. History records that Dr Aitken Clark would become that officer, a post that is now held by Dr Packman. Reality, as well as history, shows that Aitken Clark largely succeeded, indeed he was awarded a well deserved gong . He offended a few but by and large gained a healthy respect and a well deserved trust for and of the Authority, something that many, such as myself, would argue has been largely and deservedly lost by his successor. There is, in my view, a very clear contrast between the two men and their place in Broads history. It should be remembered that after its creation the Broads Authority had several years to prove itself, otherwise the Broads would become a national park. That it succeeded, under Dr Clark, is well documented and widely accepted, the Broads avoided becoming a national park, it remained as it was, The Broads. Marketing of which was largely down to Blakes and Hosesons, aided by the likes of Roys of Wroxham and Lathams of Potter Heigham, all successfully selling the Broads for what they are, The Broads. At one time Hoseasons was sending out over a million brochures a year, creating national recognition on the telly, all the time selling The Broads. Today the Authority has taken it on itself to market the Broads, not as the Broads, but as a national park. Dr Packman should be asking himself why is that the Broads is not, in law, a national park and why it was not made one in the past. The answer is simple, consecutive governments have recognised that the Broads is different, that it is unique, that it needed its own particular legislation, that the Broads is The Broads.

Perhaps they are closing for an overall upgrade? They have done the kitchen and the rest is still a bit last century. I say a bit, a lot might be a better description.

You mean that it's really sixty miles from Oulton to Potter? Blas bort, must have been doing twelve mile per hour the other week!

Not catching? I'm not either! I fished for two hours at the top of the tide yesterday, some bubbles from rummaging fish but I didn't manage to convert that to fish on the bank. Out at dawn this morning, breezy, drizzle and grey sky, abandoning a comfortable, warm wife, off to the river bank, full of hope, grrrr, two blanks on the trot, unheard of! Time to abandon my 'pin and float, desert the margins and head off to the rivers I reckon. Earlier than I would have expected but the holly in my garden is already heavy with berries, perhaps winter is going to be a cold one! Have just bought myself a Maver Excel feeder rod, what an animal, actually quite looking forward to deserting the Broad and playing with my new toy!

For the life of me, after some thought, I really can't see any reason why the original post would be anything but genuine. That said my first reaction was one of suspicion, such is the nature of some of the cretins who inhabit the net. Hopefully someone can help, a distressing plea.

Train to Norwich, train to Wroxham, bus to Wayford? Haven't looked into it but that would be my guess.

, Picked up from FaceBook, Broads News.

To prosecute or not really isn't for us to decide, surely.

Mum is now home, still unable to talk properly as one side of her face is still frozen but she is now able to swallow unassisted. The little girl almost proudly showed off her scars to one of my daughters. Apparently the areas from which skin was taken for plastic surgery are the most painful. We now know that only one boat was involved, no racing, just one very foolish man speeding at night. The BA are prosecuting.