You start your adventure at Horning, a picturesque waterside village with a quaint main street which borders the River Bure and offers a great choice of pubs and restaurants. From here, take the short cruise upstream to Wroxham, often referred to as the Capital of the Broads. Wroxham is a bustling village with the atmosphere of a lively seaside resort. If your boat can pass under Wroxham Bridge, take the short cruise up to Coltishall for a relaxed and picturesque extension to your cruise. If your boat is larger and unable to pass under Wroxham bridge, don't worry - there is still plenty of great cruising to enjoy for a short break, full week or even longer. Departing Wroxham head downstream from Wroxham Bridge towards Great Yarmouth. On the way, take a detour through Wroxham Broad - a large picturesque Broad which is very popular for yacht racing. You may be lucky enough to spot one or two of the traditional old working Wherries which sailed the Broads carrying goods until the early 1900's.
On leaving Wroxham Broad and rejoining the River Bure, continue to Salhouse Broad which is a popular overnight mooring. From here, you can walk 10 minutes from the moorings to the village of Woodbastwick where you will find the 'Fur and Feathers' local brewery and pub which serves a good choice of local ales and food. On leaving Salhouse Broad, cruise on to the ruins of St Benets Abbey where you can stop to explore this ancient site which includes a later wind pump built into the original Abbey gate house. Leaving St Benets, proceed a short way further downstream and turn right (South) towards Malthouse and Ranworth Broads. Moor at Malthouse Broad and take the gentle walk to Ranworth Church where you can climb the church tower for some of the most spectacular views of the Broads (steps are steep and uneven). Returning to your boat, rejoin the River Bure and after a short cruise, turn left (north) up the River Thurne in the direction of Potter Heigham.
As you head north up the Thurne, have your camera ready for the white wind pump at Thurne Dyke which offers an iconic picture postcard image of the Broads. You can stop here to explore the attractive small hamlet of Thurne or continue north until reaching the turn for Womack Water and Ludham on your left. Cruise up Womack Water looking out for the home of Hunters Yachts (beautiful traditional mahogany yachts built in the 1930's and still available to hire). You will also pass the home of the historic Broads sailing wherry 'Albion'. On reaching the top of Womack Water, there are some excellent (but popular) moorings from where you can stroll into the village of Ludham which includes a traditional butchers, pub and grocery store.
The final leg of your short break takes you back out onto the main river Thurne for the final cruise up to the Medieval bridge at Potter Heigham. This smallest of bridges is only passable by the lowest boats and yachts and even then only when the tides are low. You can moor for 24 hours free on the bank opposite Herbert Woods marina before retracing your steps back to Horning.
For a relaxed one week cruise, we suggest remaining on the Northern Broads (north of Great Yarmouth) and following the extended short break route above but with the added additional excursions from Neatishead up to Wayford Bridge and Stalham Staithe. Here you can spend a few hours visiting the delightful 'Museum of the Broads' which gives a fascinating insight into the working history of these unique wetlands. You can also take a trip down to Barton Broad on the Museum's small steamboat. Whilst passing back through Barton Broad (famous as the place Nelson learnt to sail) take time to enjoy the gentle walks around Barton Broad and make a visit to Sutton Staithe where you will find the Sutton Staithe hotel which offers food and drink all day. As you proceed back down the river Ant to the River Bure, continue past the turn for Potter Heigham and pass under Acle Bridge and continue on to Stokesby where there is a good choice of refreshments available next to the overnight moorings. For those planning a longer trip (see below) this is the point to start a journey to the Southern Broads. For the one week route however you will need to turn here and head back upstream and head back towards Horning.
For those looking to spend a little longer on the Broads, a trip to the Southern Broads offers a completely new experience. Simply follow the suggested weekly route above but instead of returning to Horning, you will continue on to Great Yarmouth, pausing at the moorings at Stokesby to check the best time to continue through Great Yarmouth. You will need to wait until slack water - one hour either side of low tide at Great Yarmouth (tide tables are provided) before proceeding to allow maximum clearance under the bridges at Great Yarmouth as well as the minimum effect of the tides. Pass through Great Yarmouth and then cross Breydon Water (keeping in the channel between the marker posts) and then on to Reedham (taking care when passing the chain ferry) and Norwich beyond.
The Broads South of Great Yarmouth are generally much quieter with fewer boats. There is also a larger rise and fall of the water levels (2 to 3 feet compared to just a few inches on the Northern Broads) which means taking extra care when mooring as you may have a larger step up or down to access your boat. If you have a week on board, proceed directly to the Medieval City of Norwich with its spectacular Cathedral, Castle and open air market. Before your arrival at Norwich, you will pass Rockland Broad - perfect to moor up and enjoy a scenic walk as well as Whitlingham Broads - ideal for learning a water sport. With an education centre located on the Great Broad, you can try your hand at sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing or rafting. The walks around here are very popular, plus there is a children's play area and a cafe, as well as opportunities to hire bikes. Cruising into Norwich city you pass under several low bridges, so just be aware of the height of your boat before passing under. The moorings at Norwich Yacht Station make a perfect base to enjoy all of the attractions on offer.
If you are lucky enough to have 14 nights, take time on the return journey to explore the River Chet which branches off the River Yare towards Loddon. You can then also take a detour down the River Waveney which takes you via St Olaves and then on to Oulton Broads - the only Broad which permits water skiing. Drop by the Waveney River Centre before proceeding along the winding attractive section of the Waveney as it meanders West towards Beccles. On reaching Beccles Bridge, turn and head for home, remembering to check the tide times for your passage through Great Yarmouth and then on to Horning.
Remember - these are just a few ideas to whet your appetite. A boating holiday is all about freedom to explore where you wish and at a pace that suits you.
