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Houseboats.

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Does anyone still take their Norfolk Broads holidays on a houseboat?. We've hired houseboats a few times, but not in the last thirty years. Usually we hired one, prior to hiring a cruiser on the second week of a fortnights holiday. Often recently, when I've passed one along the river, I've wondered why we haven't hired one for so long. There's something very slow and restful about staying on a houseboat, the kind of holiday where there's no need for a clock or a watch...

Unfortunately, there seems less of them, every time I visit. A lot of the old hire yards, if they had the room, often had a few houseboats to let. In Horning, 'Southgates Mainyard' had a few, as did the 'Ferry Boatyard' and 'Chumley & Hawkes' too. There were 'privately owned' houseboats too, in various states of repair, tucked away here and there, beside the river in many of the broadland villages

I can remember, when the brochure arrived from Blakes, after the cruiser and yacht sections there was also a houseboat section too. There was certainly quite a selection to choose from, throughout the seventies and into the eighties, after which they gradually disappeared. I suppose, as the hire yards began to close, the houseboats went with them and the space they used to occupy, became more profitable as moorings for 'private cruisers'.

Some of the houseboats for hire, were pretty and had colourful paint jobs, both inside and out, while others were plain and looked like creosoted floating 'Portacabins'. They were all pretty basic, but had everything you needed for a comfortable holiday, on the water. They seemed to be particularly popular with holidaymakers of 'a certain age', though young families often hired them too, as they were a lot cheaper than cruisers. I know there are still a few available to hire at Beccles (Hippersons), Hickling (Whispering Reeds), Wayford Bridge and a few tucked away on Bridge Broad too.

Houseboats are a part of my Norfolk Broads memories, I like them and I hope they don't disappear altogether. I'd like to think that somewhere, tucked away in a quiet little dyke, somewhere on the broads, is one of those lovely, old fashioned, pastel painted, houseboats with a veranda. One day, when I'm old, rickety and forgetful (like, in a year or two's time) I'm going to hire it, sit on the veranda with my guitar and watch the world drift by...

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34 minutes ago, Aboattime said:

Theres a really old house boat moored alongside the Hotel Wroxham,the owner lives aboard and for a small fee he will let you inside for a look.

The 'Heather', yes I've seen her. Very interesting and unusual, though not really a typical 'Broads Houseboat' (if there is such a thing). I believe she was originally a European (Dutch?) working boat, but other than that, I don't know much about her at all. I didn't know she still at Wroxham, the last time I saw her, I believe the owners had a problem, regarding her mooring there...

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WherryNice

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There are still a few Houseboats upstream of Wayford Bridge........

Also we had a family holiday in one at Horning, where JB Boats are nowadays, I think it was called Silver Birches back then(1988), I was about 6 and had a great old time as I recall. We had a 22ft yacht and tender with us for trips out and such too.

 

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Aboattime

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5 hours ago, kingfisher666 said:

The 'Heather', yes I've seen her. Very interesting and unusual, though not really a typical 'Broads Houseboat' (if there is such a thing). I believe she was originally a European (Dutch?) working boat, but other than that, I don't know much about her at all. I didn't know she still at Wroxham, the last time I saw her, I believe the owners had a problem, regarding her mooring there...

She was still moored there last weekend.

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7 hours ago, webntweb said:

 

You can still hire houseboats at Buccaneer Boats in Brundall.

 

Thanks, but I think I'd prefer one of 'Hippersons' houseboats at Beccles or perhaps one of those at 'Windboats', Hickling. Brundall doesn't really hold any attraction to me. When on the Yare, I tend to sneak up through Bargate and miss out as much of Brundall as I can, it just seems such a soulless place these days, so I give it a miss...

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2 hours ago, Broads01 said:

I spent a happy week on one of Hippersons houseboats back in 2000 when my children were young. Whilst it was a lovely spot and I enjoyed watching boats go by I did keep wishing I was aboard one of them. 

I love Beccles too. Though, like everywhere else, even Beccles is becoming more 'urban' as the years pass. Oh well, we cant hold back time and progress, unfortunately...

On the four or five occasions we hired houseboats, on all but one occasion we had a 'cruising week' to follow, so never really had that longing to be 'on the move'.

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6 hours ago, marshman said:

Whispering Reeds still have 4 at Hickling which I think still attract fishermen especially, but methinks it is not really what the punter wants these days.

I could quite happily spend a week at Hickling, I love wandering around that area. The nature reserves around Hickling, Horsey and Somerton. The beaches and dunes between Winterton and Sea Palling...

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33 minutes ago, kingfisher666 said:

Thanks, but I think I'd prefer one of 'Hippersons' houseboats at Beccles or perhaps one of those at 'Windboats', Hickling. Brundall doesn't really hold any attraction to me. When on the Yare, I tend to sneak up through Bargate and miss out as much of Brundall as I can, it just seems such a soulless place these days, so I give it a miss...

Apologies: Oops!...  I meant 'Whispering Reeds' at Hickling of course...

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