Monaco 1 - 12th To 23rd July 2021

[SwanR]

Really interesting to read about your stay in Great Yarmouth. I haven’t explored it much for a long time but would really like to do so. Nostalgia perhaps but I’ve so many good memories of family holidays at Caister. I was surprised as well to realise that the leisure centre was coming down but then I guess I hadn’t been inside there for probably 20+ years. 

Never been to the Hippodrome and not considered the big wheel yet so looking forward to your next instalment. 

[KevinB]

Thursday 15th July

After a very quiet night, boats were starting to move not long after 7am a few heading north, we watched the comings and going’s over breakfast, it was bright sunny morning but a fresh wind. After I topped up the water tank we headed off on the familiar walk into Yarmouth around 11.30am.

We headed first to the Venetian waterways and gardens (much to the annoyance of Ava and Leo!) I had read about the multi million pound makeover and saw it on tv recently and hadn’t visited them in a number of years, I remember being on the “dragon boats” when I was young and wondered if they were still there, sadly they weren’t. The gardens were looking great though, clearly a lot of work had been done and they have been much improved, we had a good walk around but finally had to give in to the kids asking to go to the beach 😂

We walked along to Britannia pier, the kids had a ride on the donkeys then we went to the beach, it was very quiet, not much people about at all, the wind off the sea was making it feel cooler. Much sandcastle building later we went for a snack then along to the big wheel.

The kids were very excited to go on the big wheel, it wasn’t very busy at all and we got on straight away, £23 for a family ticket takes you round twice, it goes very slowly and stops at the top a moment, great views , you can see Breydon water and the harbour from the top. Only thing I didn’t like was they take a family photo as you go on ,in front of a pic of the big wheel , then when you come off you are obliged to purchase the £7 photo.

As we were going to the Hippodrome later we decided to book somewhere for tea, we had been to HMS Hinchinbrook a few years ago and decided to book a table there, even though it wasn’t busy we thought we’d book just in case. We walked back along the front and headed back to the boat , I timed myself to make sure we left in plenty of time again 😂

After an hour aboard we headed back to the restaurant for tea at 5.30pm show was at 7.30pm so we had plenty of time. The kids did well with all the walking 😂 The meal was good, although not as good a menu choice as in previous years, the restaurant had been sold and wasn’t quite as I had remembered but we all enjoyed it.

The Hippodrome is literally just round the corner so we were in and seated in plenty of time before the show started. Our first time inside the Hippodrome and it’s a very impressive building, 120 years old and pretty much all original, may not be to everyone’s taste but we loved it, felt a bit like a step back in time. The show was excellent, absolutely first class , very professional and lots of different variety of acts, from the 4 motor bikes spinning round in the “ball of death” to the synchronised swimmers at the end, great lighting effects too, prefect family entertainment with plenty of comedy. It’s great to see the circus floor disappear and turn into a pool, a really unique feature, the owners son Jack Jay is the compère and it’s great to see his enthusiasm . The show was £85 for us all but well worth the money and we would definitely recommend a visit , we will return next year (hopefully if I can book a boat 🤞🏻)

The show finished at 9.30pm and we had a wander through the arcades a while before heading back to the boat ,it  brought back a lot of memories walking along in the in the fading light with all the lights and sounds of Yarmouth. We got back to the boat at 10.30pm (to another Noble house menu 😂 ) a late night for the kids but we were on holiday. Our last night in Yarmouth, tomorrow morning we were Norwich bound.

 

I didn’t eat them all…(only most of them 🙊 )

 

 

[CambridgeCabby]

Thank you , wonderful holiday blog and photos .

After more than 50years of visiting the Norfolk coast including Gt Yarmouth I have never ventured into the Hippodrome , often wakes past but never inside , after seeing your photos I will ensure we pay it a visit this year .

[YnysMon]

What a brilliant family holiday! Thanks for posting! A lot of us here are more like grandparent mode, so having a younger family tale is extra special and welcome. 

[KevinB]

7 minutes ago, CambridgeCabby said:

Thank you , wonderful holiday blog and photos .

After more than 50years of visiting the Norfolk coast including Gt Yarmouth I have never ventured into the Hippodrome , often wakes past but never inside , after seeing your photos I will ensure we pay it a visit this year .

Thanks very much, my first attempt at anything like this 🙈😂

Taking a lot longer than I thought going through photos and piecing together what we did.

Yes I was the same, over 40 years of visiting Yarmouth and never once been to the Hippodrome , always seen the funny kit car going about advertising it but don’t know why we never visited before now, it really was a great show

[KevinB]

1 minute ago, YnysMon said:

What a brilliant family holiday! Thanks for posting! A lot of us here are more like grandparent mode, so having a younger family tale is extra special and welcome. 

Thanks very much, glad you enjoy reading , plenty more to come yet 🙈😂

[YnysMon]

I find it takes quite a lot of effort to post blogs too. The bonus is having lots of feedback and being able to look back and remind yourself of that lovely holiday. A bit like an extra special photo album.

[750XL]

Fantastic read and set of photos, thanks for sharing 

[KevinB]

23 minutes ago, 750XL said:

Fantastic read and set of photos, thanks for sharing 

Thanks very much, glad you are enjoying 

[floydraser]

This thread would make a great advert for the Broads! 

[KevinB]

Friday 16th July

After a very quiet night , boats were starting to move just after 7am, low water was at 8am ,it was a nice sunny morning we had lost the breeze we had the previous day. After breakfast I topped up the water tank again and we set off south at 8.30am. Canopy back but I left the screens and kayak on roof as I knew there was plenty clearance under the bridges. Soon we were turning past the yellow post and into ebb tide, Breydon water was surprisingly quiet, we only met a handful of boats the entire way. At 9.20am we turned right and headed up the Yare, passing through Reedham at 10.15am. I was surprised at the lack of boats on the go, given how busy the yards had reportedly been, only 3 or 4 boats at moorings at Reedham too. We passed the chain ferry without having to wait , then on through Brundall at midday, the usual impressive craft moored alongside and Brooms hire yard was empty.

On the way into Norwich we were greeted by a number of canoes and kayaks and the kids had some friendly hellos and waves from them as we went along. The riverside at Norwich is much improved from the 90’s , the derelict run down factories have mostly been replaced by modern apartment buildings, not sure if I like the style of them or not but certainly a much more modern and tidy looking riverside, with more development currently underway. We were alongside and moored at the yacht station at 1.30pm, only a handful of boats were there and I got our “usual spot” 😂  just opposite Pulls ferry. I never tend to use the shore power as I find we don’t need it at all and haven’t even bothered purchasing cards the last few years, but I had a look at the meter beside us and there was 95 pence still on it so I plugged in 😂

I had a chat with the quay attendant and paid for 2 nights, Friday and Saturday nights probably not the best idea on Riverside road but we had done it before and knew about the noise risk. I have always like Norwich yacht station and the moorings ,tree lined banks and being right in the heart of the city, but the road noise does let it down and I seem to notice it more now than in my childhood.

We had lunch on the boat and relaxed a while before setting off for a walk around 3pm. I deflated the kayak a bit and put it inside the boat before we left. After we crossed Bishop bridge we walked down the opposite bank past Pulls ferry towards the Cathedral. The kids spotted what appeared to be dinosaur foot prints at various points 😂 and a dinosaur trail , with large painted dinosaur all over the city, similar to what there had been a few years previous with the hares. The kids tried to find as many as they could and be photographed beside them 😂  It turned out “Dippy on tour” was in the cathedral, a Diplodocus skeleton cast from the natural history museum, this was a great surprise and the kids were delighted to see it ( as were we!) It was postponed from last year due to the pandemic and is well worth a visit , very impressive and being inside the cathedral makes it even more special, it’s there until end of October and had only been there 2 days when we visited. I always visit the cathedral when in Norwich, such an impressive building and so much history, we also like to light a candle there for my late father who sadly passed away 5 years ago, he absolutely loved the broads and his boating holidays.

We then walked around the city a while, only visited a couple of shops (thankfully! ) as it was late in the day and most were closing. We headed back towards the river and came across Zaks America diner , right on the river just up from Bishop bridge, opposite Cow tower, we got a table outside and had a lovely meal there, the milkshakes being particularly good, I had to have 2 just to make sure 😂 Never eaten there before but will definitely return on our next holiday.

We got back to the boat around 8pm, I got the kayak out and inflated it then took both kids in turn for a trip up the river , under the bridge to Cow tower then down past the Nelson. The riverside is much improved since the floating restaurant went and that area is now a canoe hire business, seems to be very popular, very nice place for a kayak in the evening, I was very glad I took it with us.

By the time I went to bed around 11pm 4 different police cars had passed sirens blazing and a groups of youths were having a gathering on the opposite bank, it wasn’t going to be a quiet night!

Leaving Yarmouth 

 

 

 

 

[SwanR]

Love seeing all your photos. And the dinosaur trail looks like fun for the children. :)

[KevinB]

12 minutes ago, SwanR said:

Love seeing all your photos. And the dinosaur trail looks like fun for the children. :)

Thanks ( I probably add too much photos!) 

yes the dinosaur was a nice surprise!

[CambridgeCabby]

Yet again , wonderful read .

you can never post too many photos 

[YnysMon]

What a lovely post! I love getting the perspective of a real family holiday. It does a great job of showing how much a Broads holiday has to offer for a family.

[KevinB]

51 minutes ago, CambridgeCabby said:

Yet again , wonderful read .

you can never post too many photos 

Thank you 

 

28 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

What a lovely post! I love getting the perspective of a real family holiday. It does a great job of showing how much a Broads holiday has to offer for a family.

Thanks, yes I always think you can make a broads holiday as busy or relaxed as you want..one day you could be in a secluded spot tied to a tree then the next be in the centre of a bustling city, always plenty to see and do, no matter how many times you’ve been 

[750XL]

We’ve always avoided visiting Norwich by boat, often read many negative comments about that part of the Broads but you’ve inspired us to visit next time!

[BroadAmbition]

We visit the heart of Norwich by river at least once each and every year if not more so - Love the place, never had any issues, yes the road traffic noise can be bothersome but it does die out

Griff

[KevinB]

Saturday 17th July

We woke up on Saturday to another nice sunny morning, forecast had it up to 28 degrees for the next couple of days and this proved to be the case. There was a bit of noise during the night which woke me a couple of times but no one else aboard heard anything 😂

We fancied trying to book swimming at the riverside leisure centre as we had been there every time we visited Norwich recently but read online it was pre booking only due to the current covid situation. Louise tried to book but unfortunately there was no slots available but put our name down  on the reserve list in case of any cancellations.

After breakfast, I decided to move the boat back down a bit to be closer to a hose and then topped up the water tank again, unfortunately the new mooring position lost all TV signal much to the kids annoyance 😂 I pulled the boat down a bit further to see if it made any difference but no joy, tree cover was blocking the satellite receiver. We hardly ever watch TV aboard but it’s good to keep the kids occupied at times, the radio on the other hand is never off! Monaco had a very good sound system. I gave the boat a good wash down and ran the engine a while for hot water.

We decided to have a walk along to the riverside Hollywood bowl and see if we could go bowling as we had been there 2 years ago and the kids really enjoyed it. We left the boat around 11.30am and by now very hot and humid, we had a leisurely walk along the riverside to the bowling complex, it wasn’t that busy and luckily we were able to book 2 games. Great fun for the kids and adults alike, we also had lunch there, while we were Louise got an email saying a swimming slot for 4pm had become available so we booked that for later.

We walked back to the boat via the co-op at the train station for a few bits, not that they stock much , the M&S there was temporary closed, both handy shops close to the yacht station for essentials.

After relaxing on the boat a while we headed back along the riverside to the pool, I noticed quite a few boats moored along the quay there, both private and hire boats, I had read previously of boats been moved on from there and there are still no mooring signs but nobody seemed to bother them (and indeed the next morning when we were leaving several had been there overnight) It does seem a much quieter spot to moor but obviously has no fresh water or facilities ( and no mooring signs 😂 )  The pool was great, 45 minute slot was more than enough time , it’s a nice modern pool with good changing rooms and shower. The sauna/steam rooms were closed due to covid restrictions at that time.  The whole riverside complex is nice with a good selection of restaurants and a busy Weatherspoon’s pub , we normally eat at one of the restaurants there but decided to eat on the boat tonight.

When we got back to the yacht station there was a lot more boats moored there, both private and hired, still spaces but speaking with the attendant he said it was the busiest Saturday he had seen since he started working there. After tea I inflated the kayak and took both kids for a paddle again while contemplating where to head in the morning, I had no plan but a few ideas.

 

[Turnoar]

Last time I walked along riverside there was a sea line in a bit of a sorry state, looked to have been vandalised with wires hanging out of the dash. Made me wonder why it had been left there but for all I know the owner may have more important things going on.

Love the holidiary, highlights how much there is to do on the broads, gateway to all sorts.

[KevinB]

39 minutes ago, Turnoar said:

Last time I walked along riverside there was a sea line in a bit of a sorry state, looked to have been vandalised with wires hanging out of the dash. Made me wonder why it had been left there but for all I know the owner may have more important things going on.

Love the holidiary, highlights how much there is to do on the broads, gateway to all sorts.

Thanks very much , always plenty to do.

Didn’t see the Sealine lying there but there is a few “characterful”liveaboards moored further down 

 

[YnysMon]

Lovely write up again. Not having kids with us we would never have thought of the bowling and swim facilities in Norwich. When things settle down I might be tempted by the sauna/steam room, plus pool! Sounds like a better option than the pool at Waveney River Centre.

[KevinB]

Just now, YnysMon said:

Lovely write up again. Not having kids with us we would never have thought of the bowling and swim facilities in Norwich. When things settle down I might be tempted by the sauna/steam room, plus pool! Sounds like a better option than the pool at Waveney River Centre.

Thanks, yes it’s a good pool, we love Waveney pool too, that was one of our stops the next week 😂

We never think of going bowling when at home but it’s great fun 

[KevinB]

Sunday 18th July 

Sunday morning was a very sunny and hot one, after breakfast I topped up the water tank again and we headed down to the yacht station for a pump out, I had spoken with the attendant the day before and he said anytime after 9am was fine. The waste tank was reading 3/4 full, the one tank serves both heads but I noticed the one in the forward cabin was starting to smell a bit so time to get the tank emptied, I figured as we were  over half way through our holiday now(😭 ) this one pump out should do us.

We left the yacht station around 10.15am, the river was very quiet, we passed a number of moored boats by the riverside complex and a few rowers and paddle boarders as we left Norwich. It was a beautiful morning , the canopy was fully back , although I could have done with a bit of shade at the helm. I was thinking of having a look at Rockland St Mary to see if it was busy. Bramerton common moorings were around half full and looked a lovely spot to stop, there was a few large and impressive private boats moored there. Passing through Brundall , it was also very quiet , a few sailing dinghys about but no wind for them. Soon we were turning down fleet towards Rockland, the last boat I had taken down here was “Moonraker” from Moonfleet at Stalham, (now “Sun Emblem”) , just checked when she was built , year 2000 and she was only a few weeks old when we hired her at the time , so 21 years since I had last visited Rockland 😂  It was a lovely slow cruise down, we never saw another boat until we reached the broad when a small cruiser was heading towards the moorings from the short dyke.  I don’t remember the stunning modern house on the left being there last time, certainly a very impressive building as was the Bentley! Arriving at the moorings there was plenty space and we got a nice spot against the posts, moored up at 12.30pm. It was very hot by this time and no breeze so some shade was called for , we had lunch and relaxed on the boat a few hours , Louise sunbathing, me trying to stay out of it!  I could vaguely remember a kids play park here from my last visit, I was sure it was along the road on the right, we went for a wander along around 3.30pm, sure enough the park was still there where I remembered it 😂 ( memory is not that bad yet 😂 ) The kids loved playing at the park for a good while , it was still very hot. We walked back towards the Rockland inn and decided to see if we could book a table for dinner, table booked for 6pm we went back to the boat a while , by this time a few more boats had arrived , private and hired, but there was still more space. Heading back to Rockland inn we sat outside due to the heat, got a table with a parasol. The meal was excellent, great service and very friendly and attentive staff, they were very busy that day but still found time to chat , it was actually the best meal out we had all holiday. We will definitely make a point of returning  there again. We got back to the boat ( just across the road 😂) around 8pm. I launched the kayak then took both kids in turn again a trip down the dyke and onto the broad. It was an absolutely beautiful evening , the water was like glass, not a sound except the birds, we drifted on the broad a while and just took it in, total relaxation, I started to think we only had 4 full days left now and the dread of handing the boat back and going home hit me. That was probably the most memorable night of the entire holiday for me, paddling across the broad with total silence , what a place the Broads are.

Radio 2’s appropriate music 😂

[DAVIDH]

Rockland Broad is such a beautiful place. It reminds me of Marham Broad, untouched and unspoilt. You could forgive yourself thinking you were cruising in the 1930s. I envy you on your kayak. Now that certainly would be a way of getting back to nature.