5 Day Route Advice

[Slighty]

Hi all, in the first week of June a group of 12 of us will be hiring 2 boats for a 5 day break on the Broads.  As we can't collect the boats until 2:30 and have to return them in the morning of the final day it's going to be more like a 4 day trip.  I was wondering if anyone can suggest a route for us?

We are hiring the boats from Herbert Woods, and are looking at eating in a pub each day, either at lunchtime or in the evening, depending on where we are and when.  Obviously with things as they are at the moment we will have to probably pre-book these.  Despite all being in our 50's we are able bodied (relatively anyway) and will have 2 dogs with us, so a walk from the boat to a pub isn't a problem.

Herbert Woods have a couple of  suggested routes on their website, the one we prefer takes us on the River Bure to South Walsham Broad, Ranworth Broad and Salhouse Broad.  Then doubling back onto the River Ant to Barton Broad, before returning to the yard.  Does this sound like a sensible route which will give us all we need?

Also, what is the mooring situation on the Broads?  Considering we will have to find space for 2 boats?  I have a cruiser on the Thames, and normally people will begin mooring up for the night around 4pm, is that the same on the Broads?

Any advice would be much appreciated, and we look forward to boating on a new waterway. 

[grendel]

some people will start mooring up as soon as others start leaving, ie from about 10am, some pubs will let you book a mooring, some moorings are popular, so get busy - I am thinking Ranworth here, where there is the maltsters pub.

if you can get in thurne dyke would make a good last night mooring, with a good pub, and not too far for the morning trip, another popular spot, do you have a dinghy, if you do, you can mudweight in a broad and row to shore for the pub. basically all the popular pub moorings may be full by mid afternoon, so you may need to get lucky, salhouse is usually a good bet, not a free mooring, and a good mile to the pub, but not too bad all the same. if the boats will go under wroxham bridge (you will probably need to use the pilot) you will find plenty of moorings on the viaduct moorings, some places allow mooring 2 abreast, so sometimes you may only need to find one space. we usually take 4 boats out in october, and usually all get moored up eventually, quite often 2+2, its always worth having a plan b in case you cant get moored where you want.

[Cheesey69]

Don’t plan on mooring anywhere in particular. 
Hang lose a bit because it’s going to be busy. 
Try to moor in hire yards because private boats generally can’t or won’t. 
scout out moorings with take away service 

Get some in if you can 

the word here is busy so if you’re gonna book a pub get in early. 
or moor near Yarmouth and get in taxi for some seaside fun. 

[SwanR]

Hello Slighty ... and welcome to the forum! 

Start of June may be a little busy but it's before the fishing season starts so not as busy as it might have been a couple of weeks later. Although this year may be more unpredictable than most. But you have the benefit of longer daylight hours.

It's true that some folk will moor up at lunchtime and stay put but we've often found that many people will move on again after lunch. We like to have a meal in one of the pubs at lunchtime and then move on to a quieter mooring for the evening.

The New Inn in Horning is popular and is one place where you can book a mooring and a table for the evening ... or however many tables you will need for a party that size depending on the guidelines in place by then. If you go the other way to Acle you have Pedro's and The Bridge Inn, both of which are popular. And I think other folk have said that you can book a mooring as well at Pedro's. 

Fleet Dyke is a nice stretch with two sets of moorings and a good path for taking the dogs for a walk. Salhouse Broad, as already mentioned, is a place where you may well get in but you will need to pay for the mooring there at any time of day. It's a nice walk up to the Fur and Feathers for a meal ... and an even nicer walk back to the boat as it's downhill on the way back!!

The Ant is a river not to be missed so head up there - maybe moor at Ludham Bridge and walk to the Dog Inn, or head on up to Sutton and try the Sutton Staithe Hotel for a meal. There's a good stretch of moorings there. 

I could go on and on ... but why not check out some of the holiday tales where you will be able to see the routes other folk have taken. We don't usually plan our days but see where we feel like going each morning. However if you do need to book tables still in June and really want the pub stops then that may mean you are trying to work out your route before you get there. We often moor by 11.30 for our lunch stop and then by 3 for our evening stop. 

 

[RS2021]

You say you are going the first week in June. If this includes the 5th & 6th June, be aware of the 3 rivers race http://www.3rr.uk/ a major sailing event on the broads. You may either want to avoid the locations where this is taking place, or alternatively bag yourself a prime spot to watch it.