charlesa

It is an enormous and continuing disappointment to me that at the age of 18 I ruined my chances of enjoying a lifetime of whisky drinking by attempting, with a friend whilst celebrating the end of A levels in 1978 ( note: this was just the end of the exams, NOT the results which were awful !), to combine a pint with a whisky chaser in as many pubs as we could in Hampstead London ! I think the modern parlance is OMG, what an error of judgement. I have never been able to touch a drop since. Even the slightest smell turns my stomach ! So, very nice and interesting thread but not for me some 40 years later...........

MauriceMynah, This is my youngest son's fiance's wedding car on Saturday . The car is called Bertie and he/she (not sure which !) is not very pleased with you !! I bought Bertie from a lady who received him/her as an engagement present ~2003. The car still had the 2003 confetti inside and will have a lot more on Saturday !! Best wishes Charles

I am VERY jealous of you all ! In 45 years of coming on the Northern Broads ( once only to the South !) I have never seen one. I have heard plenty and I have spent hours creeping round the edges of Horsey/ Hickling/Deep Dyke/ Heigham Sound etc and NEVER a peep !! When I finally retire that is all going to change........

Thanks CC

Thanks MM. I doubted the boat name but it is indeed Hoveton and is a recently refurbished 35ft boat from the Broads Boating Company in Acle. However their website doesn't work and if you google to find details you struggle too ! Best wishes Charles

Thanks guys, will do.

Good morning all, could someone local give me an idea of current clearance through Potter Heigham bridge ? I have a friend at Salhouse on a boat called Hoveton from Acle (which I cannot find anywhere on the Broads Boating Company website) and I am trying to advise him as to whether it might be worth calling the pilots. Many thanks Charles

Ah I wasn't aware of that. I seem to remember him telling me that his sister was killed by a stray piece of shrapnel from a shell that had been ditched by a German bomber at Horsey in WW2 and that he had lost part of his ear in the same incident when he was a small boy. However I might easily have imagined that after my 6th pint in the Nelson !!

Entirely agree MM, Derek Applegate has worked for the Buxton's on the Horsey estate for, as far as I am aware, most of his life. He is only doing his job collecting the £5 tolls for mooring at one of the most stunning spots on the Broads, and one of the few where you have the added advantage of being able to walk to the sea. I have seen first hand some of the abuse that he gets from pond life who want to avoid paying the fee so I am not surprised that sometimes he can appear brusque. He is actually a very nice proper Norfolk old boy.

And there was I thinking that the OP wanted to know about the fishing above PH bridge, silly me ! However as Victoryv says above there is nothing of note up there anyway. Rather than waste endless hours debating how to wreck a beautiful ancient bridge how about, as I have said on many occasions before, hiring a Janet/Judith/Juliette/Silver Jubilee/ Tumblehome from Martham: End of...... Best wishes Charles

Griff, I am the world's most inept fisherman but I do spend quite a lot of time above Potter Heigham bridge. I have heard that the last Deep Dyke mooring on the left before you enter Hickling Broad is a v good spot ( I suspect all the lovely moorings on the left there are good and they are a fantastic spot for a BBQ , seeing Marsh Harriers and maybe hearing/seeing a Bittern). I also always see pretty serious looking fishermen on the wild mooring on the right ,more or less opposite that beautiful little property the Holt on Heigham Sound as you head towards Hickling/ Horsey. I think that there may be one wild mooring suitable for BA on Meadow dyke on the right on the way to Horsey. Am sure mudweighting on either Hickling or Horsey might be a plan too but don't treat any of this as gospel because I know nothing about fishing, I'm merely passing on observations !! Best wishes Charles

Hello Spider, sorry for delay, no Wi-Fi but currently in the Dog Inn at 15.30 which could be an error of judgement ! Yesterday was fantastic around Hickling and Horsey. Moored at Horsey and was the only boat . Derek waiting at the Staithe. I do like him, poor fellow rather lonely I feel since he lost his wife. Several marsh harriers along Meadow Dyke and more herons ( at least 12 within first 24 hours) than I have seen in years. Today took momentous decision to come through bridge. Completely different; crawling with boats ! 6ft height under bridge. Moored for breakfast just as you turn in on right towards Womack. Stayed for an hour but bathtub with engine on constantly drove me away . Really odd, it was a beautiful mornings NFL Bur I was the only person with the roof off/ down. Made for the Ant and was hoping to moor at Irstead with my favourite church. I think that this will now be a rare occurrence as there is an electric point there and there was a large private boat there for several hours on my way past and back. Shame, I love it there. Went on to Neatishead where there was plenty of room. Quick lunch and walked into village. One of my favourite Broads villages. Used to enjoy the Old Saddlery there with its v pretty female owner !! Back across Barton and, as mentioned earlier, moored at Ludham Bridge. The good news is that in the time it has taken me to type this I have consumed just one inch of San Miguel , happy days ! Bob hope you are having a lovely time and apologies for any typing errors. Best wishes Charles

Bob, change of vessel, I have managed to switch to Juliette 2 my favourite Broads boat of all ! I'll look out for you.Just about to start packing. I'm just wondering whether to take Martha my Irish wolfhound. She didn't like it at all last time, she was too hot, so I had to do a quick turnaround and a 360 mile round trip. Best wishes Charles

Hello Bob, I'm on Judith 3 from Martham on Monday for a few days. What boat are you on so that I can keep a look out ? I have to say that I usually spend most of my time lurking on the East side of PH bridge but I will venture out at some point ! Weather looking pretty good at the moment. I get unbelievably excited too; my wife less so. She hasn't been for decades having found the "holiday" there which she spent huddled in the front cabin reading a Jane Austen novel somewhat trying....... Best wishes Charles

Try Basingstoke on a Friday/Saturday night, truly wondrous !! I used to love going to Norwich castle as a boy 45 odd years ago and dropping pennies down the well (if my memory isn't playing tricks) !

I come well out of season and usually keep to the Hickling side of Potter !! A touch restricting but then I am a bit odd !

Re childhood food my grandmother used to live in Bacton just south of Cromer where we used to spend a month in the summer holidays as children in the late 60s/early 70s. Anyway there was a shack/shed in the village where Colin the crab man used to boil and sell THE most delicious edible crabs. The most stupendous aroma used to hit you about a hundred yards away and then off you would go with a few of the beasties for a fantastic lunch with crusty bread.......... In fact last time I was on Martham's Juliette I drove up to Cromer from the yard to try and recreate those lunches but they weren't as nice..... Best wishes Charles

Stop it Q, no more !! You will be pleased to know that is the 1st time I think I have ever used an Emoti whatsit ! Best Charles

Thank goodness for that, you have saved my job Q !! Very nice name by the way. I bet you have to repeat the spelling a few times to our friends the Help Desk operators !! Best wishes Charles

Ok last shot before I get removed from the office: Mr Q is your name QUEREN ? Best wishes Charles

Back to my Enigma machine !! Best wishes Charles

I don't know if I'm right or not but I seem to remember The Q mentioning somewhere a boat that he may have on the Broads called Sheque and I then did a brilliant bit of "Turing" coding to come up with QUESHE but I am probably wrong ! Best wishes Charles

Mr Q I think that it is QUESHE ! Best wishes Charles Btw my work ethic had not been very impressive this afternoon having come across this thread. Great fun though !!

Damn Baitrunner I was about to suggest QUANAH too, back to the drawing board !!