Silver Mirage Version 2.0

[Broads01]

[DAVIDH]

4 hours ago, Broads01 said:

Spot the train stopped at the station (surely one of the oddest stations in the UK).

Was it a ghost train? 

[Broads01]

Today was my last full day and I set off and headed for Loddon as my first destination. It was easily the warmest day of the week and it was a lovely cruise. The view of Hardley Flood seemed clearer than when I last visited, has reed/tree growth been cut back there? I moored at the Staithe for an hour or so and then got on my way, next destination Hardley Mill. This is one mooring where I've never stopped before and I'm glad I did. The mill was open and for £3 I was taken on a guided tour. It's one of the few windpumps on the Broads where the sails still turn and it actually works. Today the sails were indeed turning and there was even an engineer there making adjustments. The view from the top was worth the visit by itself. After some lunch I continued. I enjoy the quiet wildness of the Yare and the fact it's so wide means you can progress at your own pace, so if you want to do 6mph and someone else wants to do 3 mph that's fine. This afternoon I was the one doing 6mph and there was still someone doing 8 or 9 mph coming past but at least there was room for them to do so. My next destination was Surlingham Broad and my final mudweighting if this trip. The sun was warm, the wind was light and it was idyllic. After an hour on the mudweight I made the short journey to my final destination - the Ferry House at Surlingham. It was much busier on the moorings than I expected but I found a space and booked in at the pub. I should have booked before, I only just got a table. I've had food and it was disappointing to be honest, as was the Reedham Ferry last night. Maybe it's because when you've enjoyed the good pubs like The Lion you're spoilt. Nothing I would send food back for, just limited choice because they'd run out of things and bought in pre-made instead of chef-prepared. Ah well, it's a lovely warm evening and a nice spot for my last night.

 

 

[Tobster]

I’m surprised by the Surlingham Ferry, the food there is normally very good.

probably one of the best on the southern rivers.

[Broads01]

18 minutes ago, Tobster said:

I’m surprised by the Surlingham Ferry, the food there is normally very good.

probably one of the best on the southern rivers.

I was surprised too as I've been here several times and tonight just wasn't as good.

[YnysMon]

Glad to hear that you managed to visit Hardley Mill at last. It’s so great that volunteers keep it running.

[Broads01]

I cast off this morning around 8am for my final short cruise back to Silverline. I expected the fuel bill to big given the price of diesel and sure enough it was £156 (price was £1.75 per litre). However taking into account the mileage I did and the hours I had the heating running it could have been worse. After packing the car and checking out I walked round to Swancraft to meet Malcolm (Mouldy),  Deb and their staffy, Harley, on Norfolk Lady. They kindly invited me in for a coffee and we had a good chat about all things boat and non-boat before I said goodbye and started my drive home. The journey back to Cardiff was a little slower than usual but probably better than I expected given the Bank Holiday.

That's all for this trip, folks. Next boat for me will be on the Thames in June then I'm back on the Broads late September.

[Chelsea14Ian]

Sorry to hear about the Ferry House and indeed Reedham Ferry Inn. Eaten at the Ferry House  many times and one of my favourite pubs on the broads. For me it is good old pub food,doesn't pretend to be high end.Have been to Reedham ferry Inn a few times again never had a bad meal there.

[webntweb]

13 hours ago, Broads01 said:

I expected the fuel bill to big given the price of diesel and sure enough it was £156 (price was £1.75 per litre).

With fuel prices rising daily at present shouldn't a hirer pay the price that the fuel was when they took over the boat (or even less as some of the fuel could have been in the tank from a previous hire), as that was the price of the fuel they actually used.

While there possibly wouldn't have been more than a few pounds difference on Broads01's hire, anybody being out for a fortnight on a Brooms boat and coming back to £2.35 a litre would probably have been paying significantly more than they expected.

[SwanR]

Enjoyed keeping up with your week and glad your journey home wasn’t too bad. Seriously considering one of Silverline’s newer boats for a break at some point this year or next. We’ve been off the southern Broads for a long while. 

[Broads01]

5 hours ago, Chelsea14Ian said:

Sorry to hear about the Ferry House and indeed Reedham Ferry Inn. Eaten at the Ferry House  many times and one of my favourite pubs on the broads. For me it is good old pub food,doesn't pretend to be high end.Have been to Reedham ferry Inn a few times again never had a bad meal there.

I wouldn't say either was a bad meal, just not particularly good value. At the Reedham Ferry I had a chicken stir fry for £14.95 which was neither generous nor particularly tasty. At the Ferry House I had a burger (£13.95) which was presented plain in the bun (although with salad on the side) and tasted of very little, no better than a supermarket frozen one.

[Chelsea14Ian]

I don't do burgers so I can't say.Often At the Ferry House I have chicken and leek pie.Always good.Can't remember what I last had at the Ferry Inn.

[Jbx5]

Enjoy the Ferry house but the menu was very limited when we called in a few weeks ago and the burgers have never been anything to write home about.

John 

[YnysMon]

We’ve only eaten in the Ferry House nice, for Sunday lunch. The portion was very generous and veggies well cooked, but I was slightly put out at being served sage stuffing with my roast beef. I didn’t rate it as a flavour combo. 

[Chelsea14Ian]

I've  not been there since Covid. What I know for sure regarding  catering.Its been knocked for six.Many were layed off,many never returned. My feeling the trade will take perhaps one or two years to recover.Of course the cost of living  crisis has and will have an affect too.

[tim]

On 14/04/2022 at 18:42, Tobster said:

I’m surprised by the Surlingham Ferry, the food there is normally very good.

probably one of the best on the southern rivers.

Me too, It's my favourite pub on the broads

Been there loads of times, normally food and beer is excellent

Then add the bookable moorings, the garden, helpful staff and it's very dog friendly means I always find time to stop there!

 

[Broads01]

3 hours ago, tim said:

Me too, It's my favourite pub on the broads

Been there loads of times, normally food and beer is excellent

Then add the bookable moorings, the garden, helpful staff and it's very dog friendly means I always find time to stop there!

 

I wouldn't disagree with any of that and I'll definitely return because I like all the things you've specified, just the food on this occasion fell short. Hopefully next time around I'll enjoy the meal more.

[Mouldy]

3 hours ago, tim said:

Me too, It's my favourite pub on the broads

Been there loads of times, normally food and beer is excellent

Then add the bookable moorings, the garden, helpful staff and it's very dog friendly means I always find time to stop there!

 

My favourite pub on the southern broads, too.  We had a great Christmas dinner there in December, but haven’t been back since, purely because our visits to the boat have been infrequent.

We love the atmosphere there, in the winter there’s an open fire inside and in the summer sitting in the garden watching the boats go by is idyllic.

I’ve seen that their menu is now returning to near normal, after the uncertainty of the last couple of years.  Let’s hope that this was just a blip and their normal excellent, friendly service resumes.

 

[Guest]

The Ferry House is one of my own favourite pubs to visit on the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads too, and I look forward to stopping there when I am back next month. I think Broads01 made it quite clear that he has always enjoyed the Ferry House previously and just found his latest visit the exception.

Thank you for your write up Broads01, I enjoyed it along with your pictures very much 

[tim]

17 hours ago, Broads01 said:

I wouldn't disagree with any of that and I'll definitely return because I like all the things you've specified, just the food on this occasion fell short. Hopefully next time around I'll enjoy the meal more.

You are absolutely right to tell it as you see it, I was just a little shocked, because whilst what you said wasn't a real criticism it's just the worst I've heard about the place

[Cal]

The last time we ate in the Reedham Ferry it wasn't very good but we have never had a bad meal in the Surlingham Ferry.

We are looking at doing a weeks trip to the Broads area next year and the Surlingham Ferry is high on the list of places to visit.