Holiday 15th Sept.

[Brian J.]

As per the title, we will be hiring Silver Mystique from Silverline Boats of Brundall on Saturday 15th September.

This is where we need some advice!

Assuming that we can pick up the boat at 1500hrs, as stated in their info pack, would it be possible to transit Gt. Yarmouth and get far enough up the up the Bure to find a mooring before sunset?

By my reckoning, we would be about 1 3/4 hours late getting through G.Y. as transit time for the 15th is 1720hrs.

Is it worth punching the tide for that amount of time to be able to get to the northern broads.

It would have to be on the Saturday realistically, as the tides get progressively worse as the week goes on.

Or, should we just stick to the southern broads for the week?

Is there enough to do for someone who is not able to walk more than about 100 yards?

All help, comments and advice gratefully received.

[Matt]

Certainly plenty to do down south for a week. The 100 yard restriction does not help but that would be the same north or south!

My started for 10:

Sat night-Rockland Staithe. Please don't tell anyone about this gem of a place as I what to keep it to myself. Great pub 99 metres away....

Sun-Geldstone lock. Assuming boat fits under Beccles bridge and tide fits. Great pub 50m from BA mooring

Mon-Beccles. Not far from Geldstone but you will need right tide to get under bridge. Plenty going on in the yacht station to help you chill out for the day. Town is a bit of a walk though.

Tue-Oulton Broad yacht station. Great park to look around-25m away

Wed-Loddon. Moor in the basin. Visit Rose Lee tea room-35m

Thur-chug up for an afternoon/eve at Norwich. Goo open top bus tour near to moorings. Do a search on staying overnight in Norwich though-bit I a mixed bag due to nightlife. Personally never had a problem.

Fri-back to Rockland-it's that nice. But don't tell anybody......

Just my own personal thoughts and what I would edge towards but we don't like cruising for long periods of time.

Matt

[gary01]

here is a useful link for journey times on the broads http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/boat ... roads.html , i'll be on s622 caravelle moored at the beauchamp arms from saturday afternoon or sunday morning for a week . can't miss here she's a restoration project .. lol .. . have fun .

[goodall_m1]

Brian

You may know the old joke about asking for directions in Ireland and being told

"welll if I wanted to get there I wouldn't start from here..."

You seem to have hit the old chestnut of the North / South divide on the Broads,

getting the tides right at Yarmouth if you want to go South - North and back South again (or vice versa)

To do a trip that involves going through Yarmouth twice requires careful planning,

and can even dictate the date s that you book for.

I have done Brundal - Wroxham - Brundall on a four day trip but that did mean picking the dates when the tide times were optimal.

As you have noted slack water Yarmouth on the 15th is 17:20 and you have three things to consider,

1) Tidal flow on the Yare.

low water Brundall is 19:20 so you will be going down on the ebb at least to start with

Yes you will eventually meet the flood coming up the Yare as low water Reedham is 17:50

Tidal flow on the Bure.

By the time you get to Yarmouth you will have the flood with you up the Bure so you won;t be punching tide any more.

But see below under Air Draft!

2) Daylight.

You talk about getting to Yarmouth abot 1.75 hours after slack water, i.e 19:35

Sunset on the 15th is is 19:10, and hire-boats are not allowed to navigate at night so it wouldn't add up.

You might just be able to get through the bridges and moor up in Yarmouth itself but

the first mooring point north of Yarmouth on the Bure is over an hour up river.

(Remember that the Broads speed limits are speed over the ground so you won't be able to go over 6mph

even with the flood under you.)

3) Air Draft.

Going through the bridges with the flood means that you will be being carried up to the bridges,

if you do try it make SURE that you have enough clearence before committing yourself.

Get snagged under a bridge on a rising tide and you will do serious damage!

(Richardsons had to rebuild the weelhouse of one of their Challangers last year when someone did just that)

Remember that approachin a bridge with the tide makes it more difficult to abort the attempt if yuo realise that you need to.

You could moor up somewhere , e.g. Reedham or Berny Arms , and try it on the 16th

but the morning slack is before sunrise and the evening even nearer to sunset.....

All in all I am afraid to say that you have picked about the worst weekend to try to do the transit!

So as Matt has suggested I think you would be far better off planning to have a look at the Southern Broads.

As for things to do when restricted in mobility, there are plenty of pubs in the South

where you can moor up almost right outside (if other boats haven't got there first),

and it is suprising how theraputic sitting on a boat with a loaf of bread and a few ducks and swans can be....

Trips on the Broads for me don't usually involve going to do things, I just watch the river, the boats , and the wildlife,

and usually try to find a welcoming hostelry each evening as well....

Martin

[mbird]

Hi Brian

I think Matt has come up with a pretty good itinery there! There is always the temptation to try to see too much and miss out on the relaxing side of things. Going oop north will basically cost you 2 days of your holiday in travelling. Fine if you want to be spending hours on the least attractive parts of the broads system, but I've always found I then missed out on some other lovely areas.

Just as an addition, try mudweighting on Surlingham broad for your final night. It's only 10 minutes from Silverline's yard and can be quite magical on a still clear night.

[Matt]

Hi Brian

I think Matt has come up with a pretty good itinery there!

Just as an addition, try mudweighting on Surlingham broad for your final night. It's only 10 minutes from Silverline's yard and can be quite magical on a still clear night.

Why thank you. We have never tried mudweighting on Surlingham-the lure of Rickland has always been to great!

[Brian J.]

Many thanks for your inputs.

You have all confirmed my initial thinking, that it is probably wiser to stick south.

Now all I need to do is to see if I can catch the tide right to get under Beccles bridge and to get up to Geldeston.

Rockland Staithe looks a favourite for either the first night, or the last.

Hope to see some of you out and about while we are in your neck of the woods.

[Brian J.]

Can anyone tell me what the moorings are like at Geldeston@

Looking on Google earth, it seems as if it could be quite tricky navigating up to either The Wherry or to the Locks Inn.

The Locks inn also seems to have very odd opening times.

I have ( with your help ) worked out a rough itinery for our weeks holiday -:

Saturday, not far, just to Rockland Staithe. Leave Rockland at about 1330 to catch the tide to -

Loddon on Sunday.

Leave Loddon on Monday at 1330 catching the ebb down to The Fisherman, Burg Castle.

Tuesday leave at 0900 with the tide down to Beccles and meet up with wifes sister for the afternoon.

Wednesday low water is at 0940, get under Beccles old bridge and hopefully find somewhere to moor at Geldeston for the night, returning through Beccles at low water and then unfortunatelu punch the tide to Oulton Broad for Thursday afternoon and watch the racing -if there is any.

On Friday, leave Oulton at 0900 for Rockland again, should have tide with us for most of the way.

This is not a hard and fast timetable, but should be the basis for a relaxing week on the water.

[Matt]

Do not miss the Locks Inn. As long as you can get under the bridge it is simples.

There is a BA mooring down there for about 4 boats. If that's full the bank opposite is an option.

[Matt]

Sorry I should have paid more attention but without knowing your boat height Beccles bridge is passable for us about two hours before and after high tide so you may be able to pass through before low tide meaning less going against the tide!

Whatever route you take I hope you have a cracking time.

[mbird]

Brian, as Matt says, the moorings at Geldeston are pretty good at the Locks. I wouldn't bother going the other way towards the Wherry as from memory there is only a single public mooring there, which last time I went was taken up with a residential boat. It's a very pretty stretch, but narrow and shallow.

I don't think there is any powerboat racing at Oulton after this coming weekend according to their fixture list http://www.lobmbc.org.uk/#/fixture-list/4553589077

Finally, check the opening times at the Fishermans at Burgh Castle. It is supposed to be pretty good, but I've not managed to be there when it is open! As an alternative, the Bell Inn pub by St Olaves bridge is very nice too.