SwanR

No idea where it is but what a lovely photo. Was it taken today? The weather was amazing for mid-October.

Wonderful photos again. There's something about Ranworth that I can never define as to why it's so popular. But we always spend a night or two there if we're out on the northern rivers, even if it's often the Island rather than the main staithe. So much boat watching and people watching to be done.

Enjoying your very descriptive tale and all your photos. Paddy’s Lane is one of our favourite moorings. Haven’t been there for a while. Maybe next year. Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

Lovely photos. Looking forward to reading the rest of your tale. Hired from Summercraft back in the 90s on Gracious Girl which is no longer in their fleet. Keep looking at their boats but none of them seem to have the island bed that we want. But they always look so well turned out. Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

This does sound quite similar to my test back in the 80s in Loughton. I remember the examiner chatting away to me, which I thought they weren't supposed to do. Then I went across a junction and he asked if I thought I had gone too fast and I made some reply about being ready to slow down if I needed to but the other roads were clear. I thought I must have failed and didn't feel I had driven that well through the rest of the test. Perhaps in fact I relaxed and just drove "normally". Either way I passed but with the suggestion to consider a few more lessons perhaps or at least some more time out with my instructor. Odd ... very odd. It was almost Christmas, perhaps he was feeling charitable or perhaps he thought I could have made a complaint about all his chatter. Hopefully the next one will go better Robin. Thanks for sharing your experience with us ... and enjoy Lads Week!

One note on the P plates Robin ... someone I know used these after passing his test. But he soon took them off because he found that everyone still treated him like a learner not like a competent driver. In other words they would try to overtake him, race him away from traffic lights and generally expect him to do something stupid and showed their impatience around him. That's just one view but it did make me wonder whether they are as good an idea as they sound. How would you feel if you saw a newly qualified doctor or dentist and they had a P plate on their consulting room? Or your child is taught by a teacher fresh out of training and they have a P plate on the classroom door? You might not trust them the way that you should. Once you've passed, you've passed!

Wishing you all the best for your test Robin. I'm sure there will be a number of people regularly checking the forum for updates on the day! ;)

Welcome along ... look forward to hearing all about your trip. :)

No idea about dog friendly pubs ... I don't have a dog! But welcome to the forum.

That's a bit sad Jim. But the nice thing about this thread is that really what we're all saying is that we want to be here to share about one of our favourite places - The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads. And in missing one of our most popular members being around for a while, we can all reflect why we come here and what we like about being part of this community. Come back soon Grace ... and let's all make everyone feel welcome who stops by and joins in.

I haven't yet got up the courage to actually say hello to any forum members in person! I did think that there might be friendly natives on board. Will pop in if I spot you again. :)

I've just added a video to my holiday thread - Broadly Speaking ... Almost There. :)

So we're almost at the end of our second season as caravan owners. We spent another week in the area at the end of August and have had a couple more weekends up there during September. We went back to Beccles ... I always love walking by the river there. Oulton Broad is close by so we get there every now and then for a wander and to see what boats are coming and going. We revisited the Radar Museum in Neatishead and then drove over to Irstead ... never been able to moor there yet but we sat for a while watching the stream of lunchtime boats passing by. We make regular visits to Woodforde's Brewery at Woodbastwick close to Salhouse Broad. Then we go on for lunch ... stopped in Wroxham one day for excellent cod and chips in Greys. And another time we ventured back to Horning to the New Inn ... scampi and chips is always delicious there. We have a number of things going on during October and then it will be time to drain down the caravan and close it up until next year. Some people live on the site for 10 1/2 months, the full open season. But we find that the caravan gets very cold in between visits as we're not there all the time. And you have to be careful to ensure that you don't invalidate your insurance by not draining down or not having heating on all the time once you get into November. In the meantime here's a video of clips I have put together. Hope it plays ok as I haven't checked it since upload.

Grace certainly brings her own character to the forum and I miss her being around. But I think there are a number of members that either don't visit as much as they used to or certainly don't post as much as they used to. I checked Eric's profile and he hasn't been here for a number of months. Has anyone heard from him outside of the site?

Are you back on the Broads yourself next month Helen? I seem to recall you booked Bronze Emblem for October?

Have a great time ... I'm already looking forward to your holiday tale and photos. Hope the weather stays fine for you. :)

You don't. You trust that you are in their system and that the parking attendants have that information. So you set up the app with your car reg etc. and when you park you put in the code for the car park where you are and it's all confirmed back in a text message to you. Also very good because you don't have to try to remember what time you need to leave by ... it's all there on your phone. :)

My husband has tried quite a number of their beers and mostly enjoyed them all. I've found some really nice cordials that they sell in there as well, although I know that those aren't specific to the brewery and are sold in other places too. But as someone who doesn't really drink alcohol they make a very refreshing change.

Yesterday we stopped into the brewery shop behind the Fur and Feathers for probably the last time this year. Whilst chatting to the lovely ladies serving us, they mentioned that they are moving. From possibly late October, but more likely late November, and definitely by next season, they will be inside the pub. Sounds like it's a trial as they don't think enough people find them in their current location. And if the weather is bad then people also don't bother to walk round there. They don't want to compete with the pub but are planning also to have a tearoom. I asked if I could share this on the forum and they said yes, please do. I think they are trying to get the message out so that people don't turn up and think they have disappeared. We certainly wish them well with this. If successful they are hoping that they may build an extension onto the pub to house them at some future point.

The drafts are a definite issue on that boat. Overall it’s fairly similar to Swan Reflection but you all know which one I would choose every time between them! We went back to Barnes last year because we had a voucher to use. Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

Cost of time and petrol compared to cost of parking can be a factor. At home I often walk 30 minutes into the city centre and get the bus back on a Saturday. We rarely go further afield just to get free parking. For us it depends whether we can get what we want and support local businesses. We quite enjoy nipping into Lowestoft when we’re at the caravan. We can combine a bit of shopping with a coffee stop or a walk by the harbour. Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

We had one of the three Sonnets last year. Still a good boat but in need of some tlc internally. Calling it part of their elite fleet felt like stretching things somewhat. I don’t know whether they gave them any kind of attention over the last closed season so if someone has hired one this year then they might have an update. Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

We pay for all our parking by phone. Of course that means having the right apps downloaded and paying a small admin fee but it avoids the need for real money in your pocket! Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

Ah yes, that is where we park. No idea why I thought it was grass!! :)

We use the free car park that is a grassy area before you get to the quay itself. Is that where they mean?