Hijinks On On Hi-jinks

[addicted]

We thought a little trip up to Oulton Broad was in order our first since 2018 so Tuesday morning off we set. We left Brundall at 11.30 arrived at 3.00pm having had a very leisurely cruise with no delay waiting for the bridges at Reedham or Somerleyton, that's the joy of having a boat with a low airdraft. The weather was lovely although breezy as always. We moored stern on inside and with no boats moored on the outside behind had a glorious view right across the Broad. On Wednesday morning a boat moored next to us and we quickly recognised the crew as old friends whom we hadn't seen for a few years. Apparently they had just returned from a trip to St.Catherine's dock as part of an organised trip with 8 other boats They came through Mutford lock to the news that Somerleyton bridge was closed. So were obliged to wait it out at Oulton. We enjoyed a catch-up and they set off back to Brundall this morning. We left a coup!e of hours later arriving back  to NBS at 3.15pm after an uneventful leisurely cruise.

Carole

[Guest]

How delightful, I am glad that you have managed to get out on your boat for a couple of day's and enjoy a wonderful time on the river meeting old friends, hopefully many more happy memories are to be made in the near future 

[addicted]

Tomorrow our stay comes to an end and we are heading back to Cambridgeshire in the morning. The next few days will be spent catching up with the garden (mowing will be required) and the laundry room will look as if someone has been taking in washing in my absence! We'll also go to London to visit the family who as they had a 2nd bout of covid we have kept well away from in recent weeks! Unfortunately we'll miss our no.1 granddaughter as she flew out to Cape Town this morning for work reasons. While on board Tony did a few of the outstanding jobs the last of which was to apply a sheet of sticky backed  glass obscuring material to the Houdini in our bedroom in the forward cabin which was totally clear  glass! So apart from having a windlass fitted sometime soon to take the mudweight we'll be acquiring soon I think we've finally finished or so I thought till Tony bought a tin of Briwax  yesterday and announced his intention of going over all the woodwork

Carole

[JanetAnne]

[Smoggy]

8 hours ago, addicted said:

I think we've finally finished

Don't be so bloody stupid, the word does not exist in boating.

It just means you've not yet found all the rest of the jobs.

[addicted]

19 hours ago, Smoggy said:

Don't be so bloody stupid, the word does not exist in boating.

It just means you've not yet found all the rest of the jobs.

Of clourse I knew that, I was just being optimistic, you'd think after 40 odd years I'd know better. Literally no more than an hour after my post  Tony disappeared out the boat announcing that the topside had to be polished!

 

Carole

[addicted]

Yesterday felt very odd as we appeared to be the only people on the entire marina. Where is everybody? I know it was a bit breezy but other than that it was a lovely day.  Why does everybody seem to be ignoring their boat? We did have some company albeit not human, we've been "adopted" by a duck! She arrives each morning just as we finish breakfast. If we don't immediately see her, she hops on the bathing platform and quacks loudly through the cockpit door. This procedure is repeated regularly throughout the day. Sometimes she brings her boyfriend but he is not allowed out the water and has to watch from a distance. We call them George and Mildred. She was not impressed by our disappearance to Oulton Broad and stayed away all the the next day to register her disapproval!

 

 

Carole

[SwanR]

Maybe fuel costs of both boating and travelling are keeping some owners away. If we still had our static caravan we would have had to reduce how many weekends we could use it. 

[SteveO]

We noticed last week that there were fewer boats about than normal for the time of year. I think that the cost of living, and specifically the price of road fuel, must have given a lot of people pause for thought. We are doing fewer visits but longer ones and cooking on the boat most of the time in an effort to contain costs. We visited the Ferry Inn, Horning for a drink one night last week and at 8.30 there was literally nobody but us and a few pub employees about. 

[ranworthbreeze]

9 hours ago, SteveO said:

We noticed last week that there were fewer boats about than normal for the time of year. I think that the cost of living, and specifically the price of road fuel, must have given a lot of people pause for thought. We are doing fewer visits but longer ones and cooking on the boat most of the time in an effort to contain costs. We visited the Ferry Inn, Horning for a drink one night last week and at 8.30 there was literally nobody but us and a few pub employees about. 

To be honest the Ferry Inn at Horning would be my last choice of the pubs in Horning.

 

[addicted]

My last choice would be the New Inn. The Ferry Inn is  quite simply a typical "resort" pub  and is thus lacking ambiance. Whereas  the New Inn when we were last there was a scruffy, totally unappealing place.

 

 

Carole

[DAVIDH]

Timing or perception. We're all different. I was in the New Inn (well, actually on the covered patio area overlooking the gardens) last week. I thought the food was good, staff very attentive if a little green behind the ears, the property well kept and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. But it was not full, that's for sure. The last mooring was taken around 8pm. I walked down to the Ferry and they too were only around 50% occupied (the business not the moorings). 

[Cal]

It is a bit of an odd time of still year though.

The kids are still at school so the summer holiday rush has not started yet. Give it a few weeks and you will all be wishing it was quiet again 

 

[Mouldy]

22 minutes ago, Cal said:

It is a bit of an odd time of still year though.

The kids are still at school so the summer holiday rush has not started yet. Give it a few weeks and you will all be wishing it was quiet again 

 

Opening up foreign travel and some ridiculous pricing will have deterred many folk from coming back to The Broads, I fear.  I’ve just checked Richo’s website again and one of their new acquisitions has only one week booked between now and the end of the year.  A very different situation to the one that existed last year.

[DAVIDH]

Yes, it's still early in the season. We've all got used to seeing establishments brimming over with visitors over the last two years, not to mention boat hire being sold out May through to October. I've just looked back on booking levels for 2019, the last year before you know what, and the market is currently ahead of that year. So the high season may well sell out again. Of course, the boatyards won't be repeating their two bumper sell out years as a lot of the shoulder stock will remain unsold. 

[YnysMon]

6 hours ago, ranworthbreeze said:

To be honest the Ferry Inn at Horning would be my last choice of the pubs in Horning.

 

Has anyone tried out the new bistro near Ferry Marina? I think it's called Favours Bar and Restaurant. Seems to be in the building that used to be the Clubhouse.

[ranworthbreeze]

1 hour ago, YnysMon said:

Has anyone tried out the new bistro near Ferry Marina? I think it's called Favours Bar and Restaurant. Seems to be in the building that used to be the Clubhouse.

Hello Helen that used to be the swimming pool and gym when we used to be moored at Ferry Marina at one time, was it also Pedros?

Regards

Alan

[YnysMon]

9 minutes ago, ranworthbreeze said:

Hello Helen that used to be the swimming pool and gym when we used to be moored at Ferry Marina at one time, was it also Pedros?

Regards

Alan

Yes, it seems so from the location. There's only one review on Google so far, but it's looking promising.

I looked for a website but could only find their Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/Flavoursofhorning/?ref=page_internal

[addicted]

Any decent eatery in that immediate area will be most welcome. That's what we felt the lack of during our season on the northern broads 2019. We never ate anywhere  there that has us saying" That was brilliant we'll be back". And believe me we  tried a few! The ferry inn was as has been said a typical resort with no pretence of being anything else, the Swan disappointing and not worth the cost, the new Inn scruffy and seedy with poor service and equally poor food, we never tried the fish restaurant in Horning because Tony doesn't like fish. I believe the New Inn has improved under new management so can't comment on it's merits now. But I can't help thinking they're all catering for a transient customer base and what they offer reflects that. The South being that bit less commercial may be a better option for eateries. Come back the Yare! All is forgiven!

 

Carole

[YnysMon]

At least the Staithe and Willow has recently improved under new ownership. We loved their breakfasts pre 2018/19. It was always our place to go for late breakfast after handing back our hire boat. We stopped that when it changed hands and wasn’t as good.

We were impressed when we visited them in May this year. 

[ranworthbreeze]

23 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

At least the Staithe and Willow has recently improved under new ownership. We loved their breakfasts pre 2018/19. It was always our place to go for late breakfast after handing back our hire boat. We stopped that when it changed hands and wasn’t as good.

We were impressed when we visited them in May this year. 

A few years ago when the Staithe & Willow went from a cloth caped tea rooms to more of a restaurant a couple in their 30's owned it and it was very good, sadly it wend down somewhat when they left.

 

 

 

[Roy]

I think the cost of living is starting to hit home with people just doing the shopping today I noticed 15p rises on lots of items again. 

The cost of fuel is ridiculous and the government are not doing anything apart from partying !!! 

I think some business will be in trouble come winter time it’s a shame but this could be another bad hit for the broads as a destination

think the good times have definitely gone for now 

[DAVIDH]

I passed Flavours on the way to The New and The Ferry inn. All I can say is it didn't look welcoming. Doors were closed (not locked), no attempt to soften the building with hanging baskets etc. I think our September AGM is being held there so if you can wait until then, I shall report. 

[SteveO]

We walked past Flavours too. Not the most inviting place and I thought the menu looked quite limited and expensive for what was on offer.

[Aboattime]

14 hours ago, addicted said:

Any decent eatery in that immediate area will be most welcome. That's what we felt the lack of during our season on the northern broads 2019. We never ate anywhere  there that has us saying" That was brilliant we'll be back". And believe me we  tried a few! The ferry inn was as has been said a typical resort with no pretence of being anything else, the Swan disappointing and not worth the cost, the new Inn scruffy and seedy with poor service and equally poor food, we never tried the fish restaurant in Horning because Tony doesn't like fish. I believe the New Inn has improved under new management so can't comment on it's merits now. But I can't help thinking they're all catering for a transient customer base and what they offer reflects that. The South being that bit less commercial may be a better option for eateries. Come back the Yare! All is forgiven!

 

Carole

We were in Horning last weekend, the New inn used to be our go to pub for meals, although it has improved recently we thought the menu was very limited, no kids menu! and a fish and chip van in the garden close to the moorings.After a absence of 20 odd years we tried the Ferry and was pleasantly surprised,at least there was a kids menu.

   Kevin