Heading South

[Kron]

Although we have hired boats on the Broads numerous times, this year will be our first venture on the Southern Broads. Are there any 'not to be missed' places? What are your favourite mooring spots and places to visit?

[Chelsea14Ian]

Is there lots to do south.Norwich Oulton broad, Beccles .Long mainly quite spots,but dont tell anyone. Just be aware of the southern river monsters waiting to get northern folk as they head south. 

[CambridgeCabby]

Loddon is a must do 

[vanessan]

Wild mooring above Beccles. Peace and tranquillity. 

[Mouldy]

Rockland Broad and staithe, not forgetting The New Inn for great food.  Bargate (Surlingham Broad), The Ferry House, Surlingham (another pub for great food).  Norwich and the cathedral, are a must.  Bramerton  Common for lovely moorings.  The Chet into Loddon, narrow and pretty.  Oulton Broad is worth a look and Beccles too.  The biggest difference South is the distance between places to visit and the rise and fall of the tides.

[MauriceMynah]

On the Waveney I found that provisions were not that easily purchased. Beccles and Oulton broad being about the only two places. Not a problem as long as you know.

Geldeston is a must visit place if you like pubs, plus a very pretty run to them after Beccles old bridge. St Olaves is where you can get your boat engine serviced, your car serviced and even your lawnmower serviced, but if you want groceries, you're stuffed. Nice pub though.

[JennyMorgan]

28 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

On the Waveney I found that provisions were not that easily purchased. Beccles and Oulton broad being about the only two places. Not a problem as long as you know.

Geldeston is a must visit place if you like pubs, plus a very pretty run to them after Beccles old bridge. St Olaves is where you can get your boat engine serviced, your car serviced and even your lawnmower serviced, but if you want groceries, you're stuffed. Nice pub though.

Re the pub, their Sunday roasts are to die for! Problem is that it now justifiably a very popular pub. In my books one Broadlands must visit pubs, perhaps not in July or August. 

Re lawnmowers, it is rumoured that if Nix gets much greener then maybe a strimmer would be a good purchase!!  Only a rumour!

Re provisions in Oulton Broad, come out of the Yacht Station and go left until you come to a small and very convenient convenience store on your right and a little bit further for the best Chinese takeaway for miles. If you turn right then keep going until you reach the Tesco Express. In doing so you will pass an excellent ice cream parlour, an awful, in my opinion, oriental takeaway and a really good chip shop, his fish is always excellent plus. Take it from a local who likes his food!

[NorfolkNog]

4 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

best Chinese takeaway for miles.

That would be on the way to OB North station presumably JM? What is the name of the Chinese please as I seem to think there are several takeaways down there.

5 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

a really good chip shop, his fish

Would that be the one on the corner as you head towards the Flying Dutchman? A bit further on from the old Spar shop on the same side?

[JennyMorgan]

Just now, NorfolkNog said:

That would be on the way to OB North station presumably JM? What is the name of the Chinese please as I seem to think there are several takeaways down there.

Would that be the one on the corner as you head towards the Flying Dutchman? A bit further on from the old Spar shop on the same side?

There are several takeaways on the way to the North Station, 'tis true, but only one Chinese and I think it's called China Gardens.

Re the Tesco, yes, just carry on past the Flying Dutchman, only another third of a mile to go!

[NorfolkNog]

sorry JM, no I meant the fish and chip shop, if its the one near the junction with the main road just past the old Spar on the same side? Is it called family chip shop or something similar??? Painted red? memory a bit vague (no change there then)

[JennyMorgan]

That's the one. Still red but don't know what it's called apart from 'the chippy'.

[Regulo]

On google it could be either of these, depending which way you approach! (If this is the right one? JM?).

[grendel]

isnt that the same one with different names on it.

[grendel]

if you look at the image capture date on google, the bottom one is 2012, and the top 2018.

[NorfolkNog]

Certainly not the Mermaid now, I seem to recall it's not got a very obvious Chippy name, that looks like the one though, no doubt JM will confirm 

[wombat nee blownup]

Few years ago we joined the queue and inched forward slowly. Possibly 20 minutes. Getting ever more hungry. Then finally the person in front ordered theirs when the reply came, “ sorry that’s it. We’ve run out” and there were people behind us too. We all left some shouting abuse etc I muttered something about getting a visit from mr. spank. Walked down to the kebab house and had the best one ever. Needless to say we never went back to the chippy.


Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

[Poppy]

We had a very similar experience in Reedham.  Having walked up fron the quay it was 1. 15 pm ( They closed at 1.30) 

"Got a few chips left and a couple of sausages". We wanted fish and chips.  " Not frying anything else today" he replied.

Needless to say we've never been back - nor will we. !

[grendel]

you can always tell a good chippie by the length of the queue, if its good and long its generally a good chippie, if its short, ask yourself why.

[JennyMorgan]

2 hours ago, NorfolkNog said:

Certainly not the Mermaid now, I seem to recall it's not got a very obvious Chippy name, that looks like the one though, no doubt JM will confirm 

That's it! Excellent spring rolls too. 

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

Things to do on the southern Broads and where to go?, simple answer, "Everywhere".  Places to go, Loddon a must go, with a visit to Rosie Lee:s Tee Shop, Caroline is an absolute treasure. Also some great pubs, plus many good shops for provisions etc. 

Reedham for some excellent Broadland sunset (clear skies permitting), and some good pubs. 

Beccles for all facilities (just don't use the yacht station showers), plus one of the prettiest stretches of river on the Broads (bridge clearance permitting), 

Geldeston, very pretty cruise up to and a great pub for food, or peaceful mooring before the boatyard. 

Oulton Broad is always popular. 

Langley Dyke, very peaceful and pretty, excellent for watching birds over the marshes, look over the Abbey ruins (cafe still open?) but no facilities. 

Rockland, quite and peaceful, with a great pub but no facilities. 

Brundall is a lovely place with all facilities but not many places (only Brooms if hiring) to Moor, 

Surlingham ferry is a great pub with peaceful moorings. 

Bramerton Common, very peaceful, great pub, but no facilities. 

Thorpe, good pubs, good moorings, very pretty through and between the railway bridges, and boatyard facilities at Freedom Cruisers. 

Norwich, for the castle, cathedral, beautiful Riverside walk, shopping, and all usual city facilities. 

There's always lots of places to go and see, moorings are less busy but the tides are stronger with higher rise and fall and faster flowing, so try to plan your itinery with this in mind. That way, journey times and fuel consumption will be cut dramatically.

Enjoy the southern rivers. 

[Maxwellian]

We love the southern rivers. Places we usually stop are: Surlingham Ferry, great food and welcome from Sonia and her merry crew, good moorings as well. Loddon, lovely for a wander and again good places to eat. Rosie Lee’s is a must. Mud weighting on Bargate Broad. Brundall Gardens mooring is good for a short walk into Brundall and good for perch fishing. Rockland broad and the   nice pub with good food. And don’t forget all the other places that ‘Neil (Speedtriple) has suggested

[Bluebell]

17 hours ago, grendel said:

you can always tell a good chippie by the length of the queue, if its good and long its generally a good chippie, if its short, ask yourself why.

A bit off topic I know, but we had a weekend in Whitstable and not knowing the area well saw two fish & chip shops - one with a lengthy queue and the other empty. We queued!

And well worth it, the owner was like a cabaret act and handed out small cones of chips while we waited. Ate them on the beach, followed by a pint of Spitfire. Lovely.