Heather doing all the hard work
as we topped up the water tanks in Salhouse Broad
On Monday morning we woke to a grey, overcast sky that threatened rain over Salhouse Broad. We had a leisurely breakfast, letting most of the other remaining boats depart the staithe before we attempted to moor up to top up our freshwater tanks. We actually managed to reverse in at the second attempt without embarassing ourselves too much, me at the wheel and Heather shouting instructions as we approached the bank. We tied up aft and dropped the forward anchor to keep our position, I unreeled the water hose fom the standpipe and it took just a few minutes to fill the tank. I took a short stroll along the shoreline to take a few pictures whilst Heather relaxed on board with her kindle.
With two nights of our trip behind us we had started to get a good feel for the boat and what it was like to spend time aboard. The driving area has a very comfortable seat for two. The lounge area also proved comfortable, with a relaxing sofa (although the back cushion was missing during our hire) that turned into a small double bed. There were a couple of cupboards and shelves with lips to store belongings in this area.
The galley kitchen has a four hob cooker, grill and oven, a fridge plus three cupbards and a drawer for storage. We managed fine with food preparation - although we mostly stuck to soup, cheese on toast, sandwiches, salads and hot drinks on board, saving the main meal of the day for a hostelry, there is no barrier to fully catering for yourself on board.
The bathroom - effectively a wet room - has two doors, one into the main cabin and one into the rear bedroom. There's a loo, used normally, wash basin and a good shower.
The rear bedroom was perhaps the slight weak point: it seemed slightly short - even at only 5' 10" my feet were against the wall when lying straight, and contributed to a couple of nights of less than ideal sleep. On the last night, Heather volunteered to sleep on the cabin berth although she didn't particularly enjoy a good night's rest then either.
Looking from the driving seat back down the boat
From the bathroom looking forward
The rear bedroom
Our next destination was Wroxham Broad, which was the furthest upstream we intended to go. Beyond that is the busy marina area as you come into Wroxham and then one of the tightest bridges on the Broads, low and arched, with most holiday companies requiring use of the pilot service to take the boat through. There was only a few more kilometres of navigable river the other side of Wroxham Bridge in any case, so we decided to save this for another trip when we were a little more experienced.
After a couple of kilometeres we passed the first entrance to Wroxham Broad but decided to stay on the River Bure and then took the second entrance after another kilometre. One of the largest broads, it is also home to the Norfolk Broads Yacht Club and as such is often busy with sailing boats at peak times. However, it was quiet on this Monday morning and we enjoyed navigating around the entire outside of the broad, dodging the bouys. The wherry Solace was moored up here and we managed to pass reasonably close to get a good look at her lines.
The sun and some blue sky was starting to appear through breaks in the grey cloud and it was warm enough on the way back downstream to take a layer off. The wildlife was seeming to appear with the rays of sun and at times it appeared as if the Coots, Great Crested Grebes and Mallards were determined to ram us! We had particularly good views of a Grey Heron as we passed along the bank - but unfortunately a boat doesn't always make a stable platform for good photos! We did better as a group of cackling Greylag Geese kept us company right alongside for a time as we arrived back in Horning.
Greylag Geese alongside the boat
Drake Mallard, with head showing signs of eclipse plumage
With lunch and provisions needed, we moored in a tight spot - with a little help from a fellow boatsman - on one of the public moorings in Horning, on the west side of the river opposite Staithe Willow. We rowed Little Jack across to the staithe and tied up before sauntering down to the The Swan Inn, which was a regular landmark mentioned in Ransome's books. The weather was still a little mixed but we decided to sit outside and had an enjoyable meal on a riverside table. A good pint of Adnams washed this down nicely.
Stomachs full, we explored some of the nearby shops, buying rations for dinner to be cooked aboard. By the time we rowed back to Ruby Gem, the weather had truly taken a turn for the better and it was jumpers off and roof slid back for the rest of the afternoon. We motored slowly downstream, the river quiet, passing through the rest of Horning and past the Bure Marshes. On one bend we found the Wherry Yacht Norada tacking across in front of us which made for a marvellous sight.
Ferry marina, Horning
Wherry Yacht Norada
It was 5pm now and, whilst the weather was gorgeous, we knew we only had a couple more hours of half-decent light. We'd decided to 'wild moor' for our last night, aiming to find a bankside spot on the River Ant where we could moor to a tree and enjoy a completely quiet evening. The boat needed to be back by 9am so this would also mean we had just a short jaunt back to the yard first thing. We enjoyed the last stretch of the Bure, taking turns with the steering and the camera, the marshes looking stunning in the warm light. A Marsh Harrier and Peregrine flew overhead as we approached the turning back onto the River Ant.
Male Marsh Harrier overhead in the fading light
Not sure this is strictly necessary...
You can't really miss it but the River Ant is this way...
We proceeded north up the Ant, passed through Ludham Bridge with a minimum fuss - it felt wider than it had done on the way down which probably means our steering had improved somewhat! Before long we were passing How Hill again and enjoying beautiful views across the marshes and up to the How Hill house that is now an environmental education centre.
The windmill, staithe and environmental education centre at How Hill
As we passed the entrance to Crome's Broad, the river became enclosed by woodland again and it started to feel darker. We'd seen a couple of possibilities for a mooring spot but nothing ideal and, with the long expanse of Barton Broad not far away, were starting to wonder if we would find somewhere suitable. Just a couple of hundred metres from the Broad opening, we found a perfect little nook in the bank on the outside of a slight bend. With experience showing at last, we nosed in and swung round perfectly to nestle against the side. I jumped ashore and tied us up to trees fore and aft whilst Heather paid out the anchor rope. There was a little light remaining and I was keen to take the chance to exercise my rowing arms one last time. Leaving Heather aboard to read her Kindle, I rowed downstream to have a look at some of the beautiful waterside houses in the village of Irstead and then turned round and headed back past Ruby Gem out into the western arm of Barton Broad. The light was really fading now but it was extremely peaceful bobbing about in the boat.
Back aboard, we rustled up a simple dinner, played cards and listend to some music with a bottle of wine. The mossies were being a bit pesky - we'd trapped a few inside after closing up and there were a lot outside wanting to get in! We figured that the sliding canopy might actually be a bit of a weak point and allow them access somehow but that could be our imagination...
"Wild mooring" for the night on the River Ant
After a better night's sleep in separate berths, we woke early and had a quick breakfast. It was a beautiful day and it was great to wake with the woodland out of one window and the river out of the other. With more than some reluctance, we hauled anchor and cast off, wending our way slowly back to Stalham staithe. The return procedure was very efficient and the Richardson's team were very friendly. We had another day and night on the north Norfolk coast to look forward too but it would take something special to beat these three relaxing days and I hope it's not too long before we're afloat on the Broads again. Even in wetter or colder weather I think it would be an enjoyable break and actually I quite fancy a cosy winter weekend on a larger craft next time.
No comments:
Post a Comment