Mini Britain: Best Experiences for Kids (Full Color Regional Travel Guide) by Lonely Planet

Author:Lonely Planet
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781743211168
Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications
Published: 2012-03-01T05:00:00+00:00

Pleasure boat passing in front of Turf Fen Mill on the River Ant at How Hill, Norfolk Broads, near Ludham,

David Tomlinson / Lonely Planet Images

Norfolk Broads

A mesh of navigable slow-moving rivers, freshwater lakes, wild water meadows, fens, bogs and saltwater marshes make up the Norfolk Broads, a 125-mile stretch of lock-free waterways and the county’s most beautiful attraction.

Museum of the Broads

(www.northnorfolk.org/museumofthebroads; Staithe, Stalham; adult/child £4/3.50; 10.30am-5pm Easter-Oct) Learn about the traditional Broads’ boats, the wherries, the marshmen who gathered reeds and sedge for thatching and litter, and the history and lifestyles of the area at this modest museum. There are displays on everything from early settlements to peat extraction and modern conservation. Visitors can also take a trip on a steam launch (adult/child £3.50/2.50) hourly from 11am to 3pm.

The museum is about 5 miles north of Potter Heigham off the A149.

Toad Hole Cottage

(How Hill; 9.30am-6pm Jun-Sep, 10.30am-5pm Apr, May & Oct) This tiny cottage was home to a marshman and his family and is restored in period style, showing how the family lived and the tools they used to work the marshes around them. Nearby is a beautiful thatched Edwardian mansion and a picturesque nature trail.

Activities

Bike and canoe hire are available at numerous points across the Broads from Easter to October. Bikes cost about £14 per day (you can also hire child seats and tandems), while canoe hire costs about £35 per day.

Bewilderwood

(www.bewilderwood.co.uk; Hornig Rd, Hoveton; adult/child £11.50/7; 10am-5.30pm Mar-Oct) A forest playground for children and adults alike, this place is littered with zip wires, jungle bridges, tree houses and all sorts of old-fashioned outdoor adventure. It’s a magical kind of place where children can run, jump, swing and climb to their hearts’ content. There are marsh walks, boat trips, mazes, den-building activities, plenty of mud and peals of laughter all over the site. You and your young ones will wish you’d found it sooner.

Bus No 12a from Norwich (hourly) drops you right at the door.

Bure Valley Steam Railway

(www.bvrw.co.uk; adult/child £7.50/5; Feb-Oct) This narrow-gauge steam train runs between Aylsham and Wroxham and is an ideal way to see some hidden parts of the Broads. Trains operate on different schedules depending on the month so check the website for details. For an even better experience, take the train in one direction and canoe or cruise your way back. The Canoe Man and Broads Tours both operate a connecting service.

Canoe Man

(www.thecanoeman.com; half-day trip £22.50) To see the broads at a slower pace, take to the water by canoe. Day and overnight guided trips to areas the cruisers can’t reach are available, as well as canoe and kayak hire, weekend camping canoe trails (two nights £85), bushcraft courses (two/three days £125/175), geo-caching challenges, and paddle-steamer trips, which combine a canoe and steam train trip.

Canoeing & Cycling

Broadland Cycle Hire

(www.norfolkbroadscycling.co.uk; Bewilderwood, Hoveton)

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