Stupid Question about the Broads.

[grannykins]

Many years ago we were camping near the Norfolk Broads and took a day boat out. Have thought a couple of times about holidaying on them instead of the canals one year but .... where and how do you moor up at night? From what I remember there didnt seem to be a lot of moorable space on the banks. Or did I just not notice it? It was before we did canals, and I probably wasnt looking properly.

Edited May 11, 2013 by grannykins

[eightacre]

We have done a number of Broads holidays over the years, and mooring was never a problem. There are places to moor on the rivers, as long as you are away from Yarmouth, but if you take the boat into a Broad, you can just drop a mud-anchor (or preferably two) - and stay overnight away from the shore. On every trip we hired a dinghy for a small additional charge, so that rowing to the shore was an option.

[Keeping Up]

If you leave your boat in the middle of a Broad to go to the pub by dinghy, remember to take a torch with you, or leave a light on in the boat, otherwise you can spend a long time rowing around in the darkness trying to find the boat (guess how I know!)

[Guest]

Whilst it is true that there is less opportunity for 'random' mooring like on the canals there is still ample mooring opportunities.

[bizzard]

If you leave your boat in the middle of a Broad to go to the pub by dinghy, remember to take a torch with you, or leave a light on in the boat, otherwise you can spend a long time rowing around in the darkness trying to find the boat (guess how I know!)

 

 

Tell me about it. We once hired a traditional wooden sailing cruiser ''Javelin 1'' from the yard at Martham along with a little Gunter rigged sailing dinghy. The first night we spent moored to a mud weight on Hickling broad out opposite the Ferry pub as the staithe was full up, sailed ashore and spent the whole evening in the pub plus afters. Emerged at about 11.30 to find it pitch black, no moon, no stars and no torch to light the way. We spent two hours sailing all over the broad and its a big broad in a rising wind trying to find ''Javelin 1'' and at last found it at about 2am boarded it to be greeted by shreaks of panic and anger and horror. Wrong boat!!! it was ''Javelin 2'' which had also sailed up and dropped its weight whilst we were in the pub.

I like the Broads of Norfolk though.

Edited May 11, 2013 by bizzard

[jelunga]

Many years ago we were camping near the Norfolk Broads and took a day boat out. Have thought a couple of times about holidaying on them instead of the canals one year but .... where and how do you moor up at night? From what I remember there didnt seem to be a lot of moorable space on the banks. Or did I just not notice it? It was before we did canals, and I probably wasnt looking properly.

Depends which part you are on. I am most familiar with northern broads. There is mooring at most villages, we also used to moor against the bank with rond hooks and even anchored in a Broad with the mud weight. Used dinghy to row ashore to the pub (Hickling Broad, VMs were full).

BUT my experience was about 20 yrs

[Woodstock]

we've hired many times on the broads and never had problems mooring- most villages have moorings and a lot of pubs do- plus lots of places in the middle of nowhere- enjoy!!!

[grannykins]

Thanks for all the replies. Still deciding which to do -canal again or broads. Not sure I like the sound of having to use an anchor - I know its safe, it just doesnt feel it. Bit of a wuss I am

[Phil Ambrose]

Thanks for all the replies. Still deciding which to do -canal again or broads. Not sure I like the sound of having to use an anchor - I know its safe, it just doesnt feel it. Bit of a wuss I am

The Northern Broads are probably your best bet, plenty to go at. The rivers Bure, Ant and Thurne will keep you well entertained. We lived aboard on a mooring at Horning for about 10 years and I can assure you that now there are plenty of 24 hour moorings plus moorings outside pubs and on public staithes. You can moor up on what we term wilderness moorings ie that is anywhere which is not what is obviously somebody's mooring, garden, etc such mooring spots are usually found in the wilderness!

And as for anchoring, we often mudweighted in Broads where it is permitted and never ever drifted away, our boat was a 40ft X 12ft GRP cruiser. So enjoy and dont worry.

 

Phil

[grannykins]

Thanks

[Naughty Cal]

We have spent many a holiday on the Broads. Never had a problem mooring.

 

We are taking our own boat again this summer and are really looking forward too it.

 

Oh and don't worry about spending time on the mud weight it is magical.

[grannykins]

Thanks again

[ditchcrawler]

You could take a look here, lots of info on the Broads. Diesel prices are not quite as bad as those in the thread about the French waterways but expect to pay about £1.50 lt at todays price and in some places £2 for a tank of water so make sure you need it and fill right up whenever you see it free.

Edit cause I forgot the link

Edited May 17, 2013 by ditchcrawler

[ditchcrawler]

You could take a look here, lots of info on the Broads. Diesel prices are not quite as bad as those in the thread about the French waterways but expect to pay about £1.50 lt at todays price and in some places £2 for a tank of water so make sure you need it and fill right up whenever you see it free.

Edit cause I forgot the link

Here is another Link you may want to look at