Norfolk Broads Holiday | 4 day Norfolk Broads Itinerary departing from Potter Heigham

Boating on the Norfolk Broads

Contains affiliate links

Recently we went on our first boating holiday on the Norfolk Broads. It was our first time on the Broads and we had three days on hand leaving Potter Heigham on a Friday. A little research before the holiday indicated that the rivers are more picturesque and calm in the northern parts of the Broads centred on the River Bure and its tributaries. We also had to take into consideration our boat's height (Olympic Light from Herbert Woods) as there are some low bridges on the Broads. Keeping all these factors in mind, we chalked out the following itinerary. The routes are suggestions only and if you do visit the Norfolk Broads for a boating holiday, you can talk to the boatyard for route ideas based on your preferences. Or you can plan your own route with the help of the Norfolk Broads Waterways Guide, a practical guide that covers the canals and waterways of the Broads National Park, including the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads and the Rivers Ant, Bure and Thurne etc.

But one thing is for sure, boating in the Norfolk Broads is a lot of fun no matter which route you opt for!

Potter Heigham's medieval bridge

Plan your boating holiday in the Norfolk Broads - Day 1

We left the Herbert Woods boatyard at Potter Heigham and headed towards Ludham which is a small riverside village with a pub (Kings Arms), tea rooms, and a small village store. There are mooring facilities and a water point at Ludham. You can moor your boat here and go for a walk around the Ludham marshes. From Ludham we continued downstream past Thurne towards St Benet's Abbey.

St Benet's Abbey is a ruined abbey located close the meeting point of River Ant and River Bure. It is a nice place to stop and moor up for the night (free mooring spaces are available near the abbey ruins) and that is what we did. The Benedictine Abbey was established in the 1020s and although monastic life in England ended by 1545, the Abbey was not officially closed and over a period of time, it became a ruin. Today the site of the Abbey is a Scheduled Monument. It is a nice place to get a little walk in and enjoy the surroundings.

 

Tip: The Norfolk Broads Walker's Map is quite useful to have if you plan to explore the Broads on foot.

Day 2 | Nature Reserve and Windmills

Leaving St Benet's Abbey, we headed upstream to River Ant and under the Ludham Bridge. We did not moor at Ludham and continued past Neave's Drainage Mill and Turf Fen Drainage Mill reaching How Hill, where we moored. 

There are plenty of free moorings at How Hill and I would recommend that you moor here and spend a few hours exploring the How Hill Estate. The How Hill Estate includes the beautiful How Hill House, woodlands, gardens (House Gardens and Secret Gardens), a tea room, historic windmills and wetlands. We spent quite some time here as it was very beautiful and peaceful. You can also walk along the river to Ludham Bridge from How Hill.

Upon leaving How Hill we continued past Irstead (a tiny village on River Ant) and Barton Broad (the second largest of the Norfolk Broads) to Barton Turf. Barton Turf is a beautiful, small village with its own boatyard and staithe. We moored here and topped up the water tank.

The Village of Irstead

Barton Broads

We then continued towards Sutton Broad. Sutton Staithe which lies at the eastern end of the Sutton Broad has a boatyard, a hotel and many mooring spaces. We did not moor here. Instead, we retraced our route and arrived back at St Benet's Abbey. From here, we headed towards South Walsham Broads. Moorings are not permitted in the South Walsham Inner Broad, so we moored in Fleet Dyke which has ample free moorings.

Our boat moored in Fleet Dyke

Day 3 | Visiting some of the prettiest villages of Norfolk Broads

Day 3 saw us heading back down the dyke and out onto the River Bure. We passed Ranworth Broad (has a floating Broads Wildlife Centre), Cockshoot Broad (part of the Bure Marshes National Nature Reserve) and continued to the picturesque village of Horning.

Horning is one of the prettiest village in Norfolk Broads with beautiful waterside properties on one side of the river and reeds on the other. The village stretches for around a mile and the best way to see these beautiful houses is from a boat. There are many waterside pubs, restaurants and tea rooms in Horning.

Southern Comfort, a double deck, luxury river cruiser runs regular trips from Horning to other parts of the Broads.

Southern Comfort

After leaving Horning we continued past Hoveton Little Broad, Dydall's Mill and Decoy Broad to Salhouse Broad. Here some moorings are available if you wish to take the Hoveton Great Broad Nature Trail. We did not moor here and continued towards Wroxham Broad. There is a sailing club here and we saw many yachts on our way. Upstream was the entrance to Wroxham. Since our boat had a bridge clearance of 8ft and the Wroxham Road Bridge is a low bridge (7'3") we turned around and headed back the way we came to St Benet's Abbey. We had to return the boat to the Herbert Woods boatyard the next morning so we decided to moor nearer to the boatyard in Potter Heigham.

Day 4 | Heading back to Potter Heigham

Our last day on the Norfolk Broads and it was time to hand back the boat.

We had a wonderful holiday on the Broads. The boat was comfortable and the Norfolk Broads waterway very scenic and peaceful. We would definitely go back again and next time will head towards Great Yarmouth.

If you're thinking about taking a holiday, we recommend the Norfolk Broads. It has plenty to offer and a boating holiday is the best way to experience it.

To make your holiday more enjoyable, I would also recommend The Broads (Waterways Series) Map. It is a cruising and tourist map of the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads with detailed town plans and includes navigation information, visitor moorings, boatyards, facilities for the boat user, information on places of interest, pubs, nature reserves, windmills, public toilets and caravan & campsites.

Tip: You can also check out the Ordnance Survey Shop. They offer a number of printed and digital maps that are great for discovering the Great British outdoors.

Norfolk Broads Distance Chart and Journey Times

The table below shows the approximate journey times between some of the villages we visited on the Northern Broads. Please note that the times are approximate and will depend on various factors like the traffic, your boat speed and tides.

	Barton Broad	Staltham	Potter Heigham	Horning	Wroxham	Coltishall
Barton Broad	-	45 m	2.5 h	2 h 15 m	3 h 30 m	5 h
Staltham	45 m	-	3 h 15 m	3 h	4 h 15 m	5 h 45 m
Potter Heigham	2.5 h	3 h 15 m	-	2 h 15 m	3 h 30 m	5 h
Horning	2 h 15 m	3 h	2 h 15 m	-	1 h 15 m	2 h 45 m
Wroxham	3 h 30 m	4 h 15 m	3 h 30 m	1 h 15 m	-	1 h 15 m
Coltishall	5 h	5 h 45 m	5 h	2 h 45 m	1 h 15 m	-

* h=hours, m=minutes

What to bring on your boating holiday 

 

If this is the first time you are heading out on a boating holiday, then the information below might help you with your holiday planning. The list is not exhaustive and is based on our experience. 

 

• Clothing: One thing to keep in mind when going on a boating holiday is the unpredictable weather. In Britain weather can change hour by hour and so its a wise idea to carry waterproof jackets and warm clothing. 
• Footwear: Sturdy walking boots are recommended and do make sure that you break in the shoes well before your holiday. Afterall who wants painful blisters while holidaying! Carry wellies especially if you plan to moor and explore the wetlands or the riverside paths. 
• Toiletries: While there are a number of small shops along the waterway routes, it is a good idea to carry all the essentials with you. Sunscreen and insect repellent products are recommended. If you are looking for DEET-free mosquito repellent range, try Theye. Their range includes creams, sprays, wet wipes and more.
• A handy sized first aid kit is also recommended. 
• Binoculars: A good set of waterproof binoculars are great to have on a boating holiday. Whether it is to identify a bird, a distant windmill or a hidden river outlet, it's great to have binoculars on hand. You can check out a range of waterproof binoculars in varying price ranges here.
  

In addition to the above, other items to bring on your boating holiday include camera, towels, a torch, hats, your prescription medication (if any), your booking paperwork, chargers, board games to enjoy on the boat and lots of food & drink!