SwanR

I'm afraid that I can't agree with you on this one Robin. My mother-in-law is 98 so even 18 years ago she would have been 80. She would not have had the money to be able to afford a computer or an internet connection. She does her best to keep up, having an old Nokia phone for calls only and an e-reader so she can use large text. So this is nothing to do with her not embracing it ... we just have to remember that as people are living longer we really do still have a generation who haven't been able to keep up with this.

It is true that anyone without the access to get online is at a disadvantage in many ways nowadays. However this reads more like a concern for the travel agents rather than the customers. I only read it quickly but it doesn't say that brochures won't be sent out directly on request? I'm almost surprised that travel agents don't seem to have declined further given that we can all make our own bookings now. Has anyone here used one recently? I could well imagine that they may disappear from our high streets altogether.

That is good news. They sound like they are definitely trying to look after their customers and build the business. Have a great time ... I'm sure someone said today that it's 55 days to Christmas.

I did think that Tim and Pru sounded a little concerned that they might genuinely have a call to go to in the middle of filming! But it also occurred to me that they couldn't have known which direction they would go in from Oulton Broad ... and it might not have been in the direction of where they were.

With regards to water consumption, being out on a boat does make us very conscious of our water usage. We don't find it necessary to shower every day, we generally re-use mugs and plates etc so that we only wash up once a day and we use on-shore facilities as much as we can. It's amazing how much you realise you waste at home.

That's great to hear. I will always have a soft spot for Swan Reflection 1 and 2.

Wow! Sounds amazing. Look forward to hearing how you get on over time. It's certainly going to be a change from "life as you know it" so far!!

Enjoy your Halloween get together Grace. Lovely to do something for your children. We don't answer the door if we get any trick or treaters around ... yes we're probably the Victor Meldrew types really! But I think that the whole thing got a bad name with the flour and eggs brigade that roamed the streets when my children were younger. I don't think it happens to the same extent now but the estate I lived on then would be a real mess the next morning when I walked them to school Enjoy your day.

I have enjoyed reading your write-up and seeing your photos, especially as we were out the same week. Very interested to know what you thought of the boat and what condition it is in after a couple of seasons with Richardson's.

Barnes Brinkcraft and Ferry Marina both have self catering properties to let.

Beautiful!

Lovely photos. I think that for the most part it's been a glorious autumn thus far.

I understand what everyone is saying about the series being about Tim and Pru, although I don't entirely agree. But I didn't think that they came across particularly well in this episode. Time to quit while they're ahead and hand the reins to someone else. Thing is that I have watched other episodes and then felt that I would like to visit that place or take that trip. But I don't think this episode did justice to the beauty of the Broads or to the kind of boats that most of us own or hire. Just my opinion ... each to their own.

I am sure that I have been equally indecisive as to which mooring spot to go for. Given that I'm always at the helm while hubby takes the ropes then ultimately it is my decision ... but I have been known to change my mind ... or let the wind blow me round to face the other direction thereby coming in with the opposite side against the bank than originally intended.

You may find that the best course of action is to ring round some of the yards. I checked The Broads Boating Co. who now have a website up and running as well as their Facebook page. They seem to be hiring through the winter. https://www.thebroadsboatingco.co.uk/

I found the whole programme very disjointed. I didn't really feel that it gave a sense of why anyone should go to the Broads ... but perhaps that's not really the aim of the series. They did rather jump from one place to another which we only recognised because we know the area so well. Makes you wonder how much of the same could be said for all the other programmes they have made. It was a shame that they didn't take out something much more like the boats that most of us hire as holidaymakers.

My husband was with EE and he changed to 3 but he hasn't found either one to be as reliable as my O2 connection.

Strange because I'm on O2 as well and I haven't had a problem at all. I had phone signal and 4G, occasionally 3G, mobile data connection everywhere we went on the northern Broads. When we're in Lowestoft and surrounding areas I also always have a good signal. Sometimes I have wondered whether it's just the network or the phone as well that plays a part. Mine's an iPhone 5 and I don't really want to upgrade it because it does work so well.

It was the weekend that was really busy and the usual most popular moorings. But everything I had been reading seemed to indicate that the rivers had stayed busy right through September and this year it did seem to stay that way well into October. But you could mostly still get in where you wanted to. Mind you I've still not managed to stop at Irstead. That remains on my wish list!

Sounds idyllic. Love your photos as well.

One of the boats had tried a number of times to moor stern on but gave up even though there were plenty of people around who would have helped them in. They looked quite desperate to get in. Maybe they were looking forward to lunch in the pub or needed shopping. The other one was down the side of the staithe. Our thought was what would happen with the bow over the quay and it being high water. Not much rise and fall there but was there a risk of damage that way.

Wonderful write up accompanied by great photos. Really enjoyed that.

Thanks everyone for your very kind comments. It has become a little hobby of mine to put these videos together. The biggest challenge is always choosing the music! I nearly went for something classical but wasn't sure that would have quite as much appeal. Anyway ... that's another holiday behind us. Now for next year ...

Hi Helen, that worked out fine. We had taken torches with us and tended to use those if we got up in the night rather than putting the lights on. Once you get used to being up and down the steps through the boat all day anyway then it's not a problem. We had been a little dubious about that ourselves but it kept the cabin space maximised.

And to round this off here is the video. A few photos and clips of our week afloat. And yes, you might even spot me in this one looking quite serious on Barton Broad! :)