tim

Sorry I'm either not reading / typing quick enough or missing stuff Staying in the yard is an option, walk to Sutton Hotel or go into Stalham You could try for Ludham Bridge, then go back to Stalham if busy, The Ant is very beautiful so who cares if you do it a few times. there will be room back at Stalham for you whatever happens

Ah just read you've got a dog, unless you have a dinghy that will be out! How Hill, Ludham Bridge or Potter Heigham and moor in Herbert Woods boat yard as a hire can! Dont panic plenty of daylight yet!

Plenty of wild moorings on the way down the Ant, but you might be better with Ludham Bridge if you want a pub or How Hill if you dont If all are full head towards Ranworth and mudweight, unless you have a dinghy, in which case Ranworth island and row to The Maltsters

Or get a cab, cant be that expensive for a two mile journey As somebody that would melt if I was denied a visit the pub , I would check out The Bell at St Olaves around 2-2.15, if there isn't a mooring I would look to see if anyone looked like they were about to move, if nothing appeared to likely to happen I would book a mooring at either Waveney river centre or Oulton Broad Yacht station and head off there I'm sure St Olaves will have something around 2.30, there was a fair bit of space when we arrived at 3pm a few weeks ago! Good Luck

At St Olaves there are a few outside the pub and others under the Bridge towards Breydon on your right Is this a mooring for this evening or now? Probably no chance now. but arrive 2-3pm you should be ok, as the lunchtime lot will be gone (or going) and the evening lot not there yet! You shouldn't have a problem with Somerleyton, there are quite a few mooring down there, but if you want the pub best check if it's open as pubs are doing strange hour these days! Enjoy!

Your airdraft cant be more than 7'3'', so you wont have a problem with roof and screen down You cant reserved mooring at St Olaves or Somerleyton, there isn't a charge You can reserve moorings at Oulton Broad Yacht station or the Waveney River Centre a bit further down, there is a charge but not sure what it is We moored at The Wherry Hotel, Oulton Broad during the day no charge, but £10 at night which £5 is refunded against food It was very quiet there so cant see that you'd have a problem

How about Rockland St Mary? Rockland broad is beautiful, through and moor in the basin The New Inn, very nice, bit ‘local’ but nothing wrong with that, only ever stopped for a sandwich at lunchtime but the menu is good pub grub, but a proper pub with a proper landlord and landlady if you get my drift!

I knew that 🤣

Further to my post how are the blisters? You could crawl to the Bell (and back) from the moorings, the Dukes Head is a 10min walk! I feel a bit guilty for suggesting a walk to Reedham from the Ferry yesterday! 😉

Very short cruise Surlingham Ferry longer cruise The Bell St Olaves or The Dukes Head Somerleyton both good places to head to Beccles next day Never eaten at the Dukes Head but the bell is good with a nice garden

Thanks for saying Hi ring the Ship or Lord Nelson 20 min walk or I thunk the Indian at Acle deliver to boats! Worth a try rather than pot noodle 😢

PS say hello to Fiona and Richard for me we were there a couple of weeks ago on Princess

Although we booked a table and mooring at the Reedham Ferry on the Friday when we got there at 5pm there was plenty of room it didn’t open until 6 but it’s a short walk to Reedham which is worth it we had to walk down the road as the footpath is still closed (I believe) a couple of pubs down there for refreshments The Nelson was closed as it had run out of beer but the ship was open which has a nice garden by the river, enjoy I’m very jealous! 😉

This is the email address I use but you'd be better calling them as it's only a few days away to be safe! surlinghamferry@googlemail.com

The beauty of the broads is there’s no right or wrong or planning just go where you fancy! Just a word of warning the landlord of the White Horse is a very bad man, he preys on weak people like me and makes you drink more than you should! You’ve been warned, prepare for a hangover the following day! 😉 Seriously, it’s a cracking pub with great staff, enjoy!

I won’t go into the techie side as there are far better than me to comment on that, but like you the first time I crossed Breydon as non ‘fireproof’ adult 8 years ago (I did it in 1981 as a 21 year old with no advice from the boatyard and made a bit of a ‘cods’ of it) I like you worried myself to the point of thinking this isn’t a holiday! It turned out to be doddle and since that day I’ve crossed a number of times, so my advice, DONT WORRY! The fact you are thinking about it means IMO you’ll be absolutely fine!

Yup sounds about right, my daughter had a barbie jeep and trailer one Christmas, drove me nuts putting it together (and a few expletives) she then spend hours being dragged around the house by my son while sitting in the box! Bloody kids! Thery are still a pain but at 30 and 27 they cost more! 🤣

All good advice but as a once a year boater, I’m itching the get moving and feel those rivers again even ifs only an hours cruise It would personally drive me mad to get the keys and not move! 😉 But I’m probably like a child at Christmas with a new toy! 🤣

If you don't think you'll be getting on your way until 4.30pm, that will be a bit late to get to Surlingham, it took us about 3hrs this year, however with a mooring booked and if you don't mind eating late it's doable How about booking a mooring and table at the Ferry Reedham (by the chain ferry) we had a meal there the Friday before returning the boat and it was good! I would then suggest heading down the Waveney to Beccles (and other places on the way) For your birthday you could work your way back up the Yare towards Norwich, moor at Commissioners Cut Wednesday night (easy walk to the Rushcutters) cruise to Norwich and spend your birthday looking at the city, pre-book book mooring/table at the Surlingham Ferry for the evening, I'm sure you wont be disappointed You could then cruise to Rockland Broad (beautiful) before going back to the boatyard Friday night for a meal at The White Horse Chedgrave, you then wont have to get up early to get back to the boatyard for 9am As for the fridge, well they aren't the biggest but depends what you plan to do? We tend to only eat breakfast on the boat, and eat out most of the time, but you can easily get your bubbly in, my wife's wine and my beer fit nicely We take a cool box with us and about 8 freezer blocks that I rotate on a daily basis from the freezer compartment that keeps stuff chilled and leaves room in the fridge for the important stuff! Whatever you decide to do I'm sure you will have a great time and a memorable birthday, have fun!

Yes, already admitted that I missed the post about the car park

I must be very naive, why would anyone think it was a good idea use a metal ended hook on a boat? I think it's only ever been used to pull stuff out of the water that Mandy has dropped!

Quite right and also be mindful where your smoke is going Cant remember where it was a boat next to us started a bbq while we were out and their smoke drifted straight into our boat! To be fair they did move it when we got back from the pub

Oops missed that, didn’t go up the Ant this year as had high sided boat and didn’t fancy the possible carnage at Ludham bridge! just to add Kings Head (Arms?) Ludham has a lovely garden at the back Decent beer / food again very welcoming

To be honest, the only pub I can think of om The Broads which doesn't have an outside eating area is the The White Horse at Neatishead! To answer a question further up this thread The White Horse at Chedgrave has an excellent garden, however the one way system means you have a fair walk to go to toilets or bar again, but very welcoming!

Surlingham Ferry has a big garden plus you order from a window and they bring your order to your table Good Covid measures, we went on Saturday 11th July only a week after re-opening they were very busy, but were very efficient The Waveney Hotel Beccles was good, we didn't eat there as the dog was only allowed in the garden and the weather was changeable but had drinks, which were a tad pricey!