A Three Day Cruise On Moorhen

[Speleologist]

7 hours ago, YnysMon said:

I was interested to hear about your walk from Dilham. It’s a lovely mooring and we have walked as far as Tonnage Bridge, but obviously we need to explore further up to Honing Lock! 

It's well worth doing. Unfortunately Honing Bridge is sa far as you can walk following the canal, although you could follow the track up to Briggate  and Meeteing House Hill before it's possible to get close to the canal again between Spa Common and just short of Swafield. One day I may get there with time and energy to do just that.

[webntweb]

Excellent tale and photos of your trip on a wonderful historic boat. Brought back memories of holidays on similar wooden craft in the 50s and 60s, thanks.

What/where is the cast iron bridge on your Dilham walk? My thinking is a M&GN railway bridge, but it seems to curve downward at either end . . . subsidence perhaps.

[Speleologist]

27 minutes ago, webntweb said:

What/where is the cast iron bridge on your Dilham walk? My thinking is a M&GN railway bridge, but it seems to curve downward at either end . . . subsidence perhaps.

It is indeed a railway bridge, put it sarnies the road over the dismantled railway that now forms part of the Weavers Way.

[webntweb]

Thanks for your answer. I did think perhaps the railway went underneath, but its a bit unusual for a road over railway bridge to be cast iron as they were usually brick, especially rural ones.

[Smoggy]

19 minutes ago, Speleologist said:

It is indeed a railway bridge, put it sarnies the road over the dismantled railway that now forms part of the Weavers Way.

It's not a good idea to put your sarnies over the road, they'll get flattened and be un-eatable when a car goes by.

Gotta be one of the better auto-corrupt glitches.....

[Speleologist]

2 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

Gotta be one of the better auto-corrupt glitches.....

I was quite proud of it when I spotted it!

[Broads01]

What were the shower and toilet like, cramped or OK?

[Hylander]

Thank you for a fantastic post,  so interesting.    I had to chuckle,  when they ask 'who ate all the pies' ,  I can think we will know the answer to that one.      The Duck Eggs for breakfast ,  what a lovely idea.

[Speleologist]

8 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

What were the shower and toilet like, cramped or OK?

Plenty spacious enough. It's the full width of the fore end of the boat, with the heads to starboard and washbasin to port The shower sumb is under the whole floor, so plenty of room for showering, although you need to hold the shower head as there's no mount. Plenty of spsce using the head, but it might be a bit awkwards for someone of poor mobility as it's above the hoding tank and requires a step up. However if you can get on and off the boat you should be OK with the heads.

[Speleologist]

3 minutes ago, Hylander said:

I had to chuckle,  when they ask 'who ate all the pies' ,  I can think we will know the answer to that one.

I had to make the most of the opportunity. I can't get proper lies in Spain.

[Hylander]

36 minutes ago, Speleologist said:

I had to make the most of the opportunity. I can't get proper pies in Spain.

Good for you and I bet they tasted all the better for it.

[grendel]

a few days aboard a traditional wooden cruiser, she looks lovely, and just the right size for solo helming.

how was your first experience as a hullabaloo?

I have to admit your trip sounded like my idea of heaven.

[Speleologist]

2 minutes ago, grendel said:

how was your first experience as a hullabaloo?

I didn't do very well at being a Hullabaloo, no TV, no music system, just peace, quiet and slow cruising!

I did enjoy the greater freedom to observer the surroundings compared to sailing. There is less going on. I'm normally a preferrer of very active holidays, but in the midst of a hectic schedule this was the perfect way to relax and unwind.

As for Moorhen, she's a very easy boat to handle solo. light and precise on the helm and it was possible to reach for a beer from the fridge whilst helming. She's also suitably equipped, with enough long mooring warps that two from the bow, one each side, can be led aft and it's easy to take both bow and stern lines ashore whilst stepping off, whether mooring port or starboard to. The long lines also make it easy to set springs, something that is probably totally unnecessary on such a small boat on the Broads, but habits die hard.

[Smoggy]

I've always had my mooring lines like that, very rarely do we set foot on the foredeck unless chucking an extra line across from the front to shore in bigger tides.

My lines are about 1.5 time boat length and can be a pain at times but priceless more often, if I was to hire I'd likely take a bag of mooring lines with me after seeing some of the crap on hireboats.

[Heron]

A great write up and pictures, thanks for posting.

My second break on the Broads back in the seventies, was on a Moorhen. 4 lads on 2 Moorhens out of Moores in Wroxham, we had a geat time! I have seen Moorhen at Upton recently, she looks a great boat and so pleased she is in good hands and in great condition.

My wife and I now live in a Broads location and have our own boat but if I ever wanted to do a solo cruise, I would certainly think about Moorhen.

[Speleologist]

On 20/10/2022 at 09:04, Smoggy said:

if I was to hire I'd likely take a bag of mooring lines with me after seeing some of the crap on hireboats.

No need at EW!

[Speleologist]

If anyone wouldlike to know more about hiring Moorhen, here's the link: https://www.eastwood-whelpton.co.uk/the-fleet/classic-cruiser/