EXPLORE THE AREA
BROADS
Broadland is renowned, as the name suggests, for the famous Norfolk Broads that constitute over 200km of navigable waterways, and some of the most beautiful countryside in Norfolk, home to so many charming and picturesque towns and villages.
Lovers of the English countryside can explore the area with the benefit
of the many walks and tours leaflets. Travel is easy (including the Bittern
Line rail service to some Broadland towns) and visitors will be able
to take in a selection of attractions comfortably during their stay,
whether for a day, short break or longer.
If you want to travel in style, why not take a 9-mile ride on the Bure
Valley Narrow Gauge Railway which links the Broads at Wroxham with Aylsham
(home of the Black Sheep Shop) and the magnificent National Trust Blickling
Hall and Gardens. For those who prefer to use the fabulous waterways
as a means to explore, boat trips of the Broads are available from Wroxham.
There is something for everyone in Broadland. Nature lovers can enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the area with a visit to the RSPB Strumpshaw Fen Nature Reserve, or floating thatched Broadland Conservation Centre at Ranworth. It is here that the delights of the history, flora and fauna of the Broads can be discovered. St Helen’s Church, the ‘Cathedral of the Broads’, also at Ranworth, has breathtaking views from the church tower and an excellent and inviting tearoom.
For those who enjoy shopping, the ‘largest village store in the world’, Roys, can be found in Wroxham/Hoveton, capital of the Broads. Broadland is well served when it comes to arts and crafts with specialist centres of all types scattered throughout the district. If you are a sports lover there is a wide and varied range of activities on offer from golf to gliding and also the outstanding Norwich Sport Village & Aquapark.
Broadland has a wealth of attractions to suit all visitors, all year round. Visit the Dinosaur Adventure Park at Lenwade, the world famous Norfolk Wildlife Park at Great Witchingham, Strumpshaw Old Hall Steam Museum, Norwich Aviation Museum or Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden.
Broadland provides a great base for exploring Norwich, the Norfolk Broads, North Norfolk and Great Yarmouth.
The Norfolk Broads are Britain’s finest wetland. Protected by Act Parliament, they form a unique landscape, a haven for wildlife and one of Britain’s most popular recreational areas. The many towns and villages on the 200km of waterways are easily accessible by road.
Many footpaths run alongside the Broads’ 40 shallow lakes and
five rivers, so picnicking, fishing, bird watching, cycling and exploring
couldn’t be easier.
Take a guided boat trip from one of the many boatyards. Or better still
hire a cruiser – they and other hirecraft are available by the
week, day or even hour. These easy to handle boats accommodate from two
to twelve people, and offer the ultimate in self-catering freedom. If
sailing is your passion or something you have always meant to try, the
Broads are the perfect setting to hone your skills or learn to sail.
For a holiday that combines relaxation with activity, and sightseeing
with sheer family fun, exploring the Broads by boat simply can’t
be beaten. Once you’ve left the boatyard, meander quietly through
the fields, woodlands and marshes, or hop from staithe to staithe (that’s
quay to quay to non East Anglians!) and sample the onshore attractions,
too. Why not combine your boating holiday with cycling? You can hire
cycles for all the family from a number of cycle centres in the Broads.
You can try your hand at a whole range of non-powered watersports including
windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing, dinghy sailing and fishing at Whitlingham
Country Park on the outskirts of Norwich between Easter and September.
Consisting of the Great and Little Broads, the park was designed to attract
wildlife as well as people and a variety of birds flock to the Great
Broad.
There are plenty of waterside pubs and restaurants along the Broads, villages with picturesque cottages and shops, and there are Norfolk’s famous medieval churches to visit. Visit St Helen’s Church at Ranworth, for instance. It’s known as the ‘ Cathedral of the Broads’ and its tall tower is open for the public to climb and admire the panoramic views. The Broadland Conservation Centre is also just a short walk from the moorings at Ranworth.
As they have done for hundreds of years, the Broads bind the area together, providing a link between tranquil countryside and bustling towns. Why not get on a boat and explore them for yourself?