first night on the broads

[ferryman]

hi members , as you might have read my wife and i are on the broads 23rd may for 4 nights . my wife as not been before and doesnt want a long cruise after picking up the boat from wroxham. i am looking for a mooring spot that will knock her socks off . i have chosen coltishall as the last night and we are staying in horning foir 3 nights after the cruise ,so anyone any ideas as to where to moor up after 2 hours or so that will impress my wife ? regards ken

[goodall_m1]

Ken,

It would depend on what would impress her...

Do you want solitude or facilities?

Please remember that as with all Broads cruises you can plan on stopping at a location

only to find it is chock-a-block when you get there!

Shouldn't be a problem in late May though.

Two hours out of Wroxham?

I think it is about 1 hour to Horning, but you are staying there later anyway,

so about 1 hour out of Horning..

So for facilities then (in order of distance) it is

1) Ranworth (but that is usually busy), The Maltsters (50 yards), Stern to moorings

2) Upton Dyke , The Lion (approx 20 - 200 yards), Side on moorings

3) Ludham Staithe, The King's Head (approx 1/2 mile), Stern to moorings.

Of the three Ludham is the furthest cruise, but I would think it is reachable in just over 2 hours

(someone will correct me if I am wrong!)

It has a large mooring area (stern to) and is quite picturesque and fairly quiet

(Green space between moorings and a minor road, usually a fair amount of birds floating around etc).

The village is about 1/2 a mile away but is a fairly easy stroll.

If you go for Ludham remember that it is in Womack Water (offshoot of the Thurne)

and don't get it confused with Ludham Bridge which is on the Ant.

If you wan't a really easy first day then Salhouse is only 30 minutes out of Wroxham, and very nice.

For the last few years the local pub (The Bell) has been prepared to send a car down to pick you up from the car-park

if you book a table if you don't want to eat aboard (I don't know if this is still the case).

It is a quarter of a mile or so down a path through the woods to get to the car-park.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Martin

[ferryman]

hi martin thanks for that ,cant wait ,Regards Ken

[BuffaloBill]

And always carry a torch! It is really dark down there when the sky is clouded over.

It's a good idea to carry one whenever you go out at night on the Broads.

[petersjoy]

Hi Ken,

All i could add is Coltishall should be your first night, lovely hour or so cruise, pub at the end, that should blow her away and set the scene for the rest of your trip plus you can still go back for the last night.

[BuffaloBill]

Hi Paul

[NorfolkNog]

Hi Ken

You asked about the Old Saddlry a while ago – speaking to a very reliable source down here, I gather it is still closed but will check myself in a day or two.

[petersjoy]

Hi Paul

Hi Bill

[Palmtree]

Hi,

One option is to mudweight on Black Horse Broad, the entrance is just before you enter Horning. There are no moorings there so you have to mud weight out in the middle.

Sometimes you can have the entire Broad to yourself.

Ian

[Guest DAYTONA-BILL]

Seeing as you`re going in late May, why only cruise for an hour or two?. You could stop after a couple of hours somewhere for a relaxing cuppa, or go for a walk, and then back on the boat to somewhere further afield, as you`ll have plenty of daylight, and cruising in the evening is very peaceful because most of the boats have tied up early. There`s always somewhere to moor, you jsu might have to moor out of the way to a secluded bank somewhere. If you head for the top of the Ant, you`ll see plenty of Kingfishers.

[ferryman]

thanks to all members some great ideas posted regards ken