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peterevr · 22-05-2009, 04:49

Has anyone here had a cruise around the Norfolk Broads in the UK? I haven't been back, but my wife and I once had a brilliant Norfolk Holiday with a boat hire company called Richardson's. For the non-UK readers who don't know, "The Broads" are a well-known network of rivers and lakes in Norfolk, England.

The scenery is just beautiful if you go during the summer, which in Britain, you really need to if you want good weather. During the summer the Broads are generally packed with boats. Although we found that most of the crews were inexperienced since it was mainly people renting a cruiser for a week or so.

If anyone gets the chance, I would definetly recommend going!

captain58sailin · 23-05-2009, 00:12

In the U.S. the boats are full of Broads.

Grehan · 07-09-2009, 09:08

In France, the waterways are not full

anjou · 08-10-2009, 10:51

Ive been on the boards twice and enjoyed both occasions.
Sometimes hard to moor near a popular pub but best to take bikes so you can get off the boat occasinally and visit interesting places along the way.
Loads of local and natural history to see and do.

Being so close to the north sea, the weather can turn onshore even in May and make it cold. Once i was there at easter and we woke up easter sunday morning to snow.
Thank gdness for Eberspacher.

Maren · 08-10-2009, 12:10

How wide and deep are they?

anjou · 08-10-2009, 12:23

It varies but depth is typically 4-7 feet.
The Broads stareted when peat was dug for burning in house fires in the middle ages. This was done along side the 5 main rivers of eastern Norfolk. The paet was loaded onto boats and moved that way, eventually the water got into the pits and flooded. The connecting rivers are river width, sometimes 30' wide up to 100. At various places where peat was dug the broads open out as wide as half a mile.
Old and new bridges cross the rivers and the available height determins the extent that some vessels can navigate.

Lots of wild life and birds live there. All the rivers flow out to sea at Great Yarmouth which is very tidal

**Pete7** · 15-10-2009, 10:50

If your interested, Google Earth gives a good idea of the broards, try Wroxham at 52.42.31.65 North and 001.24.38.46 East, remember you are looking East of Greenwich which despite the French is still the meridian

Pete