Mooring Suggestions

[MJJDC]

Hi all,

was hoping for some general advice regarding mooring locations. Some friends and i will be visiting in may for three nights travelling from potter heigham up to great yarmouth. we are all brand new to boating and none of us have ever visited before. We are a single sex group but all respectable in my opinion. Whilst we of course will be well behaved i was hoping someone may be able to suggest mooring locations that were isolated so any noise wouldnt affect other boats. Are locations like this aplenty or few and far between. night one is likely to be spent in Acle, night two Yarmouth. Any advice or suggestions would be much appreciated.

[Gracie]

Hiya

When you moor at Acle, definitely book a table at the Bridge Inn, one of the best pubs on the Broads in my opinion. Not sure of the locations but try wild mooring or mud weighting if you want a bit of isolation, be careful of under water obstructions when mooring to trees and wild banks though. I'm sure someone with a much better sense of direction will come along and advise you about locations

I have been on a hen party boat a couple of years ago, providing you are respectful of other river users you won't have any problems, you will meet some lovely boaty types who will be more than willing to lend a hand with mooring and tying ropes etc. Please be warned though, you could very well be in danger of having the time of your life and hire boats for the rest of it lol

A very warm welcome aboard the forum

Grace

[JennyMorgan]

1 hour ago, MJJDC said:

Hi all,

was hoping for some general advice regarding mooring locations. Some friends and i will be visiting in may for three nights travelling from potter heigham up to great yarmouth. we are all brand new to boating and none of us have ever visited before. We are a single sex group but all respectable in my opinion. Whilst we of course will be well behaved i was hoping someone may be able to suggest mooring locations that were isolated so any noise wouldnt affect other boats. Are locations like this aplenty or few and far between. night one is likely to be spent in Acle, night two Yarmouth. Any advice or suggestions would be much appreciated.

You'd be surprised just how far noise travels over water, especially at night! However us locals are used to it, after all it is a holiday resort & we NEVER complain! People do expect noise outside a pub so maybe best to moor near one. Last year I was moored at Cantley whilst the music festival was on at Reedham Ferry, several miles away, and I could hear it quite clearly and loudly across the marshes. Only place that I can think of for an isolated mooring where no one is likely to be disturbed is in the middle of Breydon Water only I wouldn't advise it!!

[Baitrunner]

Hiya,

   I would suggest a call to the yacht station at GY to make sure there is a space for you or even better call them to book one (if they let you do that).

Make sure you get there on the flood tide or you will have to overshoot and turn round at the end of Breydon Water so you can moor into the tide. The boat should have details of tide times on board or you can always have a look on the Broads Authority web site for tide times in advance.

[unclemike]

have booked moorings here many times

 

[Broadsword]

This might go against the grain - and people are more than welcome to differ but, if I were you and new to boating, I wouldn't bother going all the way to Yarmouth on a three night visit! You'll do a lot of chuntering and not so much sitting back enjoying.

From Potter, you could have three lovely days and nights above Acle Bridge, head for Barton for a night; maybe over to Horning, Salhouse and Wroxham on Day two and so much in between!  Don't feel you need to go a distance to enjoy the experience...

[NorfolkNog]

Just to throw something else into the mix. Another option would be to moor at say Acle, and get a taxi into Yarmouth. If there are a few of you it wouldn't cost a fortune. Be a lot quicker and save all the hassle of mooring there. Just a thought. 

[LizG]

I agree with Broadsword, unless there is something specific that lures you to Great Yarmouth, the trip down there once past Stracey Arms can be quite bleak if you go down on the tide (which you should).  Stokesby is still worth a visit though.

Mud weight on Barton and you shouldn't upset too many people but as JM says noise does travel considerably further than one might expect!!!

[JawsOrca]

I don't normally say this as I'm one for saying go south but I agree with Broadsword.. Don't do yarmouth. Even as a stag party. The broads as advertised are right were you are picking the boat up. Towards yarmouth you have several hours of seeing nothing and doing nothing only to arrive at a mooring which you need to carefully plan and think about.. not ideal if you are brand new to boats. From Potter heigham head towards wroxham, you can mudweight (drop anchor) on three large broads, south walsham, ranworth and salhouse.. all are big enough that if you are enjoying yourselves (making noise) then you will just be adding to the holiday mood. If you want to go out in a town one evening then go to wroxham and get a cab to norwich, the cab will only be about 20 quid and norwich has lots of bars and nightclubs (You can get there by boat but you need a week at least to get there and back)

[Broadsword]

I am not against going South, but not on a three day trip!  For me, Yarmouth holds no attraction, except as a place to pass through on the way to the Southern Rivers, but that's just me.  Agreed, the lower stretch after the Stracey Arms is not as pretty as the Northern Rivers... On a short trip, stay North and enjoy the excellent rivers moorings and pubs there...

Then come back again and take a trip through Yarmouth to see what the South has to offer!

[Wonderwall]

The advice to only go as far as Stracey arms and get a taxi in is bang on the money Especially if you are only there a very short while. Last year coming from south to North we cruised past past Yarmouth and moored at Stracey then got a taxi into Yarmouth for a day at the pleasure beach then dog racing. Far too many nice spots to discover , the reeds of Yarmouth can wait for another time.

[JennyMorgan]

Yarmouth has all the trappings of a traditional 'stag' destination. Great place to slum it, loads of fun, a real chav/ned 'lad's' destination! Can always pass out gracefully under the pier and taxi back to your boat much later in the morning.

Personally I'd have hired from such as Freedom Boats and then headed for the bright lights of Norwich, some great clubs, excellent eateries and good pubs. Probably won't be able to get tatty souvenir tats on your unmentionables in Norwich though!!

[MJJDC]

thanks for all the replies. there is no real draw to yarmouth so we will probably head north as suggested. Appreciate the advice.

[JennyMorgan]

33 minutes ago, MJJDC said:

thanks for all the replies. there is no real draw to yarmouth so we will probably head north as suggested. Appreciate the advice.

- - - - - - - there is no real draw to yarmouth - - - - - - - - that just about sums up Gt Yarmouth for many folk.

[Polly]

Glad you decided that, the alternatives suggested are much better.

[JennyMorgan]

What is especially nice about this thread is not only the offers of advice but also the thanks for that advice. So often people ask and then forget that simple courtesy. MJJDC, have a great time, hope that the weather treats you well.

[deebee29]

Well said JM

[Baitrunner]

Yarmouth has all the trappings of a traditional 'stag' destination. Great place to slum it, loads of fun, a real chav/ned 'lad's' destination! Can always pass out gracefully under the pier and taxi back to your boat much later in the morning.

Of course we may have just upset MJJDC if he and his friends were up for a chav night out and he may never come back 

 

[JennyMorgan]

45 minutes ago, Baitrunner said:

Yarmouth has all the trappings of a traditional 'stag' destination. Great place to slum it, loads of fun, a real chav/ned 'lad's' destination! Can always pass out gracefully under the pier and taxi back to your boat much later in the morning.

Of course we may have just upset MJJDC if he and his friends were up for a chav night out and he may never come back 

 

On the other hand we might have found exactly what he and his mates were hoping for. Might have upset a few of YH's finest though!

[Broadsword]

Good call - enjoy a really good time...

 

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

3 nights mooring from Potter?, first i`d go for somewhere like Ludham bridge, good pub, safe easy mooring for a first timer, plus a water hose for washing the v...t off the decks the following morning , Second night, either further up the Ant to Sutton, or Neatishead or Wayford bridge, again good pubs or hotels, but no water at Wayford bridge moorings, so don`t drink too much,  Thrd night, back down the Ant, and back towards Potter, but stopping off at Womack staithe, or even in Womack dyke and walk to village. Again good pub, with water at the staithe, so if mooring in the dyke, wash decks down with mop and river water. Then a gentle short cruise back to the yard in the morning.

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

I forgot to say, i totally agree with everybodys advice above, so whatever you do, wherever you moor, have a really great relaxing time, but be warned, 3 nights is definitely NOT enough, even if staying on the North rivers, and you`ll very likely to be booking a return trip before you leave

[TheFloater]

Hi all,

firstly, thanks for the replies to this - MJJDC is one of the people in my party as aforementioned. I am the lead. #1. Just as long as he remembers that...

to reiterate what he has said, we are looking to not disturb anyone and enjoy the broads as best we can on a short break.

I have drawn up a brief plan as follows;

Leave PH at around 16:00 on the Saturday and head down River Thurne and then join the Bure. Then we will take the north towards Ant Marshes and find somewhere in the sticks to moor up for the night. A few quiet drinks and a civilised meal on board. Any tips on 'Wild Mooring' or ...er... 'mud weighting' (?) as I think it's known?!

Next morning we aim to head towards Wroxham stopping off at the 3 or 4 pubs along the busy bit. Not entirely sure where we will park up for night 2, again would prefer somewhere a bit out of peoples way.

after that planning on a leisurely float back with the plan to drop our boat off on Tuesday Morning.

All sounds reasonable and realistic?

Thanks in advance.

TheFloater

[Broadsword]

I think if you have a search you will find plenty of advice on mudweighting...  There are defintitely places on the Ant where you can just tie up to a bit of wild bank or nose into a bank off the bend... Can't be beaten if you find the right spot...

[MJJDC]

great work floater. now any potential assasins will know where we are going to be each night