The Southern Broads
The Southern Broads, Traveling from Norwich to Oulton Broad.
As you go from the sugar factory on the Norwich stretch of the southern broads you reach a small right hand turn, TAKE IT, you will be in for a nice surprise, you will need to go for about 5 miles, as you turn the last corner you arrive at the most pleasant little town I have seen to date on the Norfolk Broads its name I can not remember at this time, but the impression it leaves on you is very memorable.
At first look it seems a very quiet town/large village, but actually it is quite a hive of activity.
As you cross the field from the parking zone app.
¼ mile you walk through a gap between the houses to find a very busy town with all the facilities you could wish for.
The first thing you see is a supermarket well stocked with all the things you will need for the boat.
Next door a fish & chip shop, across the road a Chinese, next door to a bank.
Going up the road a greengrocer, a hardware shop.
Need I go on? If you walk round the side of the river when returning to your boat you will pass a number of small boat yards, well equipped to deal with any problems you may have with your boat, including water and pump out's.
After a few hours rest at this haven, it is time to move on, and head for Oulton Broad to start fishing in a serious manner.
When you reach the end of this river you bear to the right and head to the new link canal, which saves you about 5 miles and a couple of hours going round the bird sanctuary.
Just a quick note about the sanctuary, It is now an island full of wild life and some good Pike fishing, but used to be part of the main land until the canal was built to make life easier for boaters, and wild life.
If you bear to the left at the canal junction it takes you up to the North South connection Broad.
There is a nice little pub at the start of the broad, which is ideal if you have to wait for low tide.
This wait is obligatory especially if you are using a two deck cabin cruiser, as you would not get under Great Yarmouth Bridge.
Right back to where we are going, after the canal we rejoin the main river, then comes the long cruise down to Oulton Broad about 15 miles, and all you pass is one tiny hamlet with only 2 parking spaces, admittedly there is a pub but nothing else, and all this at 4 to 5 mph.
After 3hours of literally the same scenery all the way you will cross the Oulton/Beccles crossing, after another 500yards you turn sharp left and then Oulton Broads come into view.
Spreading out in front of you is a very pretty broad that forms out in a bell shape with good parking for hire boats and private craft, a very well appointed Hotel and suitable shops to stock up at (and the only Kebab shop near to the water on the whole Broads).
When arriving at Oulton I usually stop just as you enter the broad, as there is suitable mooring and good fishing at the beginning of the broad.
The only problem is that it is a good 1/2hour walk to the shops.
But don't let that put you off, it is well worth mooring here as I said the fishing is great, Tench, Skimmer Bream, Roach, and the occasional Carp.
To be honest I quite often spend a couple of days here fishing as I consider this to be one of only three decent fishing spots on the entire Broads, that you can always catch plenty of fish on.
The other 2 being on the Northern Broads at (1) Irkstead and (2) Acle Bridge, of course that is another story! Being a typical bloke, I have got to say that I tend to cruise down to the Hotel at dusk, moor up get a kebab then a couple of hours having a drink and playing cards.
I return back to my fishing spot at dawn, moor up, set up my fishing lines, put alarms on the lines, then go to sleep for a few hours, great eh? After a few days it is time to head towards the Northern Waters and take the boat back.
I would like to tell you about the journey back to the North /South Crossing, but most unfortunately there is not much to say as it is all the same, big grass banks all the way, with the exception of a little Hamlet approximately half way, which has parking for 2 boats and a pub that does food.
This is as previously stated how it is till you reach the crossing.
Please don't get me wrong I love the Southern Waters, especially the fishing, but it does need developing like the Northern Waters, it needs to be more orientated towards the Holiday makers and the boats that they use.
There needs to be more facilities, not just at Beccles, Oulton, and Norwich but in between.
I am aware of the Bird Sanctuary and the Canal, but that is only a start, in the Northern Broads they have been working towards this end for quite a few years.
As you go from the sugar factory on the Norwich stretch of the southern broads you reach a small right hand turn, TAKE IT, you will be in for a nice surprise, you will need to go for about 5 miles, as you turn the last corner you arrive at the most pleasant little town I have seen to date on the Norfolk Broads its name I can not remember at this time, but the impression it leaves on you is very memorable.
At first look it seems a very quiet town/large village, but actually it is quite a hive of activity.
As you cross the field from the parking zone app.
¼ mile you walk through a gap between the houses to find a very busy town with all the facilities you could wish for.
The first thing you see is a supermarket well stocked with all the things you will need for the boat.
Next door a fish & chip shop, across the road a Chinese, next door to a bank.
Going up the road a greengrocer, a hardware shop.
Need I go on? If you walk round the side of the river when returning to your boat you will pass a number of small boat yards, well equipped to deal with any problems you may have with your boat, including water and pump out's.
After a few hours rest at this haven, it is time to move on, and head for Oulton Broad to start fishing in a serious manner.
When you reach the end of this river you bear to the right and head to the new link canal, which saves you about 5 miles and a couple of hours going round the bird sanctuary.
Just a quick note about the sanctuary, It is now an island full of wild life and some good Pike fishing, but used to be part of the main land until the canal was built to make life easier for boaters, and wild life.
If you bear to the left at the canal junction it takes you up to the North South connection Broad.
There is a nice little pub at the start of the broad, which is ideal if you have to wait for low tide.
This wait is obligatory especially if you are using a two deck cabin cruiser, as you would not get under Great Yarmouth Bridge.
Right back to where we are going, after the canal we rejoin the main river, then comes the long cruise down to Oulton Broad about 15 miles, and all you pass is one tiny hamlet with only 2 parking spaces, admittedly there is a pub but nothing else, and all this at 4 to 5 mph.
After 3hours of literally the same scenery all the way you will cross the Oulton/Beccles crossing, after another 500yards you turn sharp left and then Oulton Broads come into view.
Spreading out in front of you is a very pretty broad that forms out in a bell shape with good parking for hire boats and private craft, a very well appointed Hotel and suitable shops to stock up at (and the only Kebab shop near to the water on the whole Broads).
When arriving at Oulton I usually stop just as you enter the broad, as there is suitable mooring and good fishing at the beginning of the broad.
The only problem is that it is a good 1/2hour walk to the shops.
But don't let that put you off, it is well worth mooring here as I said the fishing is great, Tench, Skimmer Bream, Roach, and the occasional Carp.
To be honest I quite often spend a couple of days here fishing as I consider this to be one of only three decent fishing spots on the entire Broads, that you can always catch plenty of fish on.
The other 2 being on the Northern Broads at (1) Irkstead and (2) Acle Bridge, of course that is another story! Being a typical bloke, I have got to say that I tend to cruise down to the Hotel at dusk, moor up get a kebab then a couple of hours having a drink and playing cards.
I return back to my fishing spot at dawn, moor up, set up my fishing lines, put alarms on the lines, then go to sleep for a few hours, great eh? After a few days it is time to head towards the Northern Waters and take the boat back.
I would like to tell you about the journey back to the North /South Crossing, but most unfortunately there is not much to say as it is all the same, big grass banks all the way, with the exception of a little Hamlet approximately half way, which has parking for 2 boats and a pub that does food.
This is as previously stated how it is till you reach the crossing.
Please don't get me wrong I love the Southern Waters, especially the fishing, but it does need developing like the Northern Waters, it needs to be more orientated towards the Holiday makers and the boats that they use.
There needs to be more facilities, not just at Beccles, Oulton, and Norwich but in between.
I am aware of the Bird Sanctuary and the Canal, but that is only a start, in the Northern Broads they have been working towards this end for quite a few years.
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