What's bad about the Broads

[Timbo]

I'm with Griff on the dear old A17/47 being a complete pain in the 'arris although after an enforced absence I do miss it. A quick rewrite of a Saw Doctors tune will give me

'Oh how I wish I was on that A17

Traffic's stalled

But the grass is green!'

 

I don't have a problem with engine noise in a morning. I wrote about it on the blog in a post entitled 'Uncle Albert's Fireworks'. I do have a problem with televisions...they need banning.

[JawsOrca]

The only bad thing about the broads was given the boat back! although thats a easy(ish) fix! (the other minor one is theres no resi moorings so I can't move there )

[troutman62]

Hi Gang ! notice that a few of you use the good old A17/A47, have you tried using the B1145 instead of the A47 ? its a lovely calm run with a few places to stop off, ( the pretty route  ). Doesn't take a lot longer if you're going to Wroxham/ Horning area.

 

Regards

 

Stefan

[BroadScot]

Tim, Griff and any others....the A17 and the A47 have improved over the 40 plus years driving down. Remember on the A17 all the villages you had to drive through, on the A47 you saw such lovely places, such as Swaffham and Dereham then wonder why it took me over nine hours driving time just to get to Norwich!!! It has improved a bit, I don't swear so much when on the A17

 

Troutman62, yup done the other routte, just love looking at tractor rear ends...not! Maybe one day they will build a Motorway in Norfolk. Well we can but dream..can't we?

 

 

Iain.

[Rincewind]

The A17 is most definitely a serious pain in the hind-quarters. Having said that, it is the shortest route for us mileage-wise and actually way better than the bad-old-days of the 5-mile tailbacks on the Clenchwarton Road into King's Lynn.

 

The B1145 is a delight IMHO. Steady rumble over to Coltishall through some very pretty villages. It makes the journey a pleasant part of the break for us.

[MauriceMynah]

All roads to Norfolk are wonderful, those leading away, less so!

 

Motors running on moorings? Well if not tooo early in the morning or late at night, I don't have a problem with it. Any time after eight is fine with me, or before eight in the evening. I agree though, not on crowded stern on moorings.

 

Hot air central heating.  The colder the weather the more understandable it is to run it. It can be pretty miserable if you are cold..... even on our beloved broads. A little more tolerance is perhaps called for on that one!

 

TV on a boat.; Essential! My liver wouldn't survive my broadland breaks if I didn't have a TV on the boat to help keep me out of the pubs in the evening.

 

The general intolerance of modern society...

Intolerance should not be put up with under any circumstances and should be wiped off the face of the Earth. Intolerant people need to be taken out and horse whipped on a daily basis. Intolerance is something up with which I will not put, in fact I just won't toler....Oh... Whoops.

[LondonRascal]

This has been a tricky one that has taken me some time to think up things I dislike about the Broads – because it is actually very little to do with the place but more what you get when you are in the area from businesses or what changes are being made by those in authority.

 

1. The loss of both informal and formal moorings.  I know the area has always been managed by man, but it still comes as a shock to see so many mature trees removed on the Ant, bank works being undertaken on the Thurne and the sinking feeling in my heart that the dyke leading to Womack Water will surely have the same ‘bank treatment’ done as other parts and make mooring along this stretch that much more tricky.

 

2. Hirer’s who are not competent at controlling their boat, but who refuse the offer of help and then go on to cause more chaos and/or damage though their actions and then frustratingly question you asking  ‘how the hell does anyone expect you to control these damn things’. 

 

3. People who collide with you with some force, then carry on down the river acting as if nothing had happened and when you shout out to them look back with a blank expression.

 

4. People who return a boat knowing there is a problem with it but having not called the yard for assistance during their holiday and return the boat to the boatyard being all very ‘British’ and not wanting to make a fuss, then slate the boatyard online about the problem they had with the boat.

 

5. Crap fish and crap chips from Fish & Chip shops/pubs.  For the love of God please learn how to cook this right and if you are not overwhelmed with customers don’t cook and keep warm the chips – cook small batches to order we don’t mind waiting for good food but deeply dislike soggy luke warm stuff.

 

6. Anyone who leaves any rubbish behind on river banks.

 

7. People who drag water hoses along the ground or through grass where dogs have just had a ‘comfort break’.

[CaptinDread]

Wroxham

 

after trying to moor for 2 hours and being unable too due to the Wroxham hotel manager basically booting me off, I couldn't even get to a cash point.

 

the space I was moored was down the side and I reversed in, the space is still empty several hours later and I can't see a hire boater reversing in there.

 

All I wanted was 2 hours to pick up some supplies and materials but had to move the boat immediately due to the manager being an ass.

My boat is too big to get under the small bridge.

[finny]

whats bad about the broads for me ......is coming home time

 

 

the rest I can live with "warts and all "

 

 

easypleeziefin

[SteveO]

We have our "home" mooring in Horning and have our own boat, so always have our car available. We tend to use the boat as a floating holiday cottage combined with a dayboat, so rarely have to worry about idiots who run motors or heating and never race down Ranworth dyke.

 

What's not to like?:

 

Too many "No Mooring" signs in previously good "wild" moorings on the Bure and Ant.

Increasing petty restrictions on mooring/fishing on Wroxham Broad

The senseless reduction in water area on Salhouse Broad

Anglers who hog BA moorings and try to stop you from tying up

Seasonal gates across Black Horse Broad and the isolation of Hoveton Great Broad and Cockshoot

"Nature reserves" that are devoid of wildlife, whilst there is plenty on the rivers where the boats and people are.

Having to pack up on a Sunday afternoon for the long drive home to East Kent.

 

 

Steve

[C.Ricko]

empty pubs in the winter.. 

[Oddfellow]

Point four on Robin's post is an interesting one and not limited to the Broads. It's not at all uncommon for people to make representation of a problem at the end of their hire when you have no opportunity of fixing something for them. All too often, we could have fixed issues over the phone.

 

Please, if you have a problem on a hire boat, call the boat yard. We're all here to help you have a trouble-free holiday. 

[BroadScot]

Hi Andy,

 

I could not agree more. I do though hate calling boatyards out, and have in the past been able to sort the problem over the phone. Having mobile phones must have changed how yards deal with call outs compared to the days before cell phones. 

 

If little things like a loose screw or one missing (not mine I may add!) I always leave a note with the Office on return so they have a chance to sort before the next hire.

 

One thing I have always done before leaving the yard is do my own checks from previous problems. The one that crops up most, if early season is the sliding canopy or roof. I think some may not have been tested, understandable in early season, so a wee squirt of the magic fluid by an engineer and off we go !

 

 

Iain.

[MauriceMynah]

Oh yes, you can't beat a quick squirt of the magic fluid.

[BroadScot]

Oh yes, you can't beat a quick squirt of the magic fluid.

MM 

 

I was of course meaning WD40!

 

Iain

[Poppy]

Some of the visitors can leave a little to be desired - I don't know what they expect to find here.

A while back we met a couple on holiday somewhere warm. We were telling each other where we came from.

 

" Norfolk Broads? Went theer once, never agin, there weer nowt but watter an' views" came the comment.

[JennyMorgan]

This hirer was not to impressed, especially with the BA's charges at Yarmouth Yacht Station!!

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g186342-d208513-r142478918-The_Broads-Norwich_Norfolk_East_Anglia_England.html

 

Some nice comments on the 'see the most recent reviews' facility.

[JanetAnne]

Sometimes I find the 110 yards from my bed to my boat a bit of a struggle

Not cut the grass again chap?

[Matt]

This hirer was not to impressed, especially with the BA's charges at Yarmouth Yacht Station!!

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g186342-d208513-r142478918-The_Broads-Norwich_Norfolk_East_Anglia_England.html

Some nice comments on the 'see the most recent reviews' facility.

Interesting recurring riverside pub if you just look at the terrible ratings. Some of them are a few years old though.

[JennyMorgan]

Not cut the grass again chap?

Gosh, you didn't notice did you? Maybe tomorrow.

[BroadScot]

Free Broads trips on a Drascombe....IF you cut my grass!

 

 

Iain

[Timbo]

All this talk of grass, free broads and tripping...anyone would think we were all old bearded hippies, if we weren't all beaded hippies already. Who is the free broad btw?

[laffingfish]

Must agree with Robin people who leave rubbish on the banks(i filled 2 black bags last year). Also people who seem to think they must race everywhere.

[BroadScot]

Must agree with Robin people who leave rubbish on the banks(i filled 2 black bags last year). Also people who seem to think they must race everywhere.

Yup,

 

Usually on blind bends on the River Ant!! Grrrrrrrr!!!!!!

 

 

Iain

[CaptinDread]

Yup,

 

Usually on blind bends on the River Ant!! Grrrrrrrr!!!!!!

 

 

Iain

 

I've only done that once, and the boat in front was moving really slow....I mean come on.