We're off to North Norfolk tomorrow for the rest of the week. I'm looking to hire a little boat we can run up and down whichever river. Dad is a experienced old hand at boats and would like him to be able to do that again.
We will be at Wells-next-the-sea and looking on the web seems to suggest Wroxham for the nearest place to hire. Any idea of costs for say, 2 hours?
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 7 Sep 15 at 21:15
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Here we are
www.wroxhamboathire.co.uk/
I've done this from here some years ago an it was well worth the money but I would go for 3 hours if I were you.
Pat
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Thanks Pat, will weigh things up when we are down there today. Looking forward to the drive from Doncaster.
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>> Thanks Pat, will weigh things up when we are down there today. Looking forward to
>> the drive from Doncaster.
ah the joys of the A14
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"ah the joys of the A14"
If you use the A14 in the drive from Doncaster to Wells-next-the-Sea, then it's time to get a new satnav.
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That's what I was thinking Haywain:)
Maybe Zero has fallen out with everyone on the A17.....!
Pat
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"That's what I was thinking Haywain:)
D'ya know what, Pat - there are some people who use the A14 just to be offended by it ........ in the same way that some folks read the DM just to be offended. Other roads and other papers are available but..............
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There's a lot of it about, Haywain;)
Pat
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I would also consider hiring a boat from Stalham Staithe rather than Wroxham. It's a bit further from Wells but probably worth the drive. Wroxham is the self proclaimed boating capitql of the Broads but it is a bit tatty and can be very congested at times. A trip from Stalham will also bring you to some nicer stretches of water in a three hour trip than is achievable from Wroxham
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A rather different day out, nearer to Wells, offered here:
www.norfolketc.co.uk/
If you opt for self hire you will probably be forbidden to venture close to the seaward end of the water.
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Saw people using those paddleboards earlier this year in Florida - it looked quite easy and great fun (but it was warm out there, water and air!!)
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Saw paddle boards on Windermere recently. And it was a cool day. Something new for me to try.
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Thanks for all replies. We came across "Broads Tours" and hired a nice little boat for £24 for two hours. Limited to 4-5 mph we got down to Salhouse from Hoveton and back in the time slot and a couple of detours around the broads thrown in too. My daughter loved it and the fact we could fold the roof back.
I very much enjoyed being a captain for part of the journey. Definitely one to remember.
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Any pics available my dear??
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I really fancy a week or so, either on the canal network, or on the Broads.
Unfortunately they are all too expensive for us.
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>> I really fancy a week or so, either on the canal network, or on the
>> Broads.
>> Unfortunately they are all too expensive for us.
>>
Not surprising, owning a boat in the UK is like trying to keep warm by burning £50 notes in a cold shower, then there is the risk of letting someone with unknown skills loose with it. Unless you are renting it to someone with a RYA qualification of course.
www.rya.org.uk/coursestraining/courses/Pages/default.aspx
Last edited by: Old Navy on Fri 11 Sep 15 at 12:32
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Years ago we had a canal boat holiday. It was very expensive, or so it felt at the time. But we scrimped and saved and did it.
Now, years later, we've forgotten the actual cost in the mists of time, but we still get a lot of pleasure from doing the "ooh, do you remember when" game about the holiday. Some things are worth the money.
Mind you, coincidentally last weekend we thought about doing it again, looked up the cost and backed off pretty quickly as it's a bit expensive...hmm...
Your best bet, Roger, might be to hire a canal boat big enough for lots of people and split the costs, assuming you would enjoy a holiday with four, six or eight others in pretty close quarters. The more there are, as always with these things, the less per person.
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The Broads are beautiful but spending a week in a plastic floating caravan is really not a lot of fun. Rent a cottage and hire a day boat for a day or two.
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I've done boating once on a canal boat. One day for the novelty is enough, a week would be too much for me.
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There nothing like being in a boat on the Norfolk Broads when's it's raining.
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Canals have some charm, some drama, some visible history and some interest. The Norfolk Broads has reeds.
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>> Canals have some charm, some drama, some visible history and some interest. The Norfolk Broads
>> has reeds.
>>
And some fantastic wildlife.
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>> And some fantastic wildlife.
>>
But that needs a shotgun licence.
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Now that's a holiday combo.
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>> >> Canals have some charm, some drama, some visible history and some interest. The Norfolk
>> Broads
>> >> has reeds.
>> >>
>>
>> And some fantastic wildlife.
Hidden in the reeds
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"Hidden in the reeds"
Not always. Spent half an hour watching an Osprey last week.
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You were lucky CG, the Manton Ospreys all left last week for Senegal.
What an amazing journey they make when you consider some were only hatched in early spring.
www.ospreys.org.uk/satellite/index.html
I shall miss them.
Pat
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>> the Manton Ospreys all left last week for Senegal.
b***** migrants.
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Yes I was lucky. Was watching at Ranworth Broad where an Osprey has been a visitor for the past couple of years and it has been around a lot this year. Hopefully we might get a nesting pair nest year. NWT have erected a platform with this hope.
Ranworth is a good place for spotting raptors. Marsh Harriers are a frequent site and have spotted a peregrine and a buzzard there this year as well as hobbies earlier in the season.
Bird migration is one of those truly astonishing feats of nature. There is a colony of common terns on the broad and they departed some weeks ago for south Africa. There were still a lot of swallows around last week but they will be on their way soon.There was still a brood in one nest in the visitor's centre last week. Don't reckon much on the young one's chances. Will take a look tomorrow
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>>Hidden in the reeds
Well sometimes. On the day I lost the boat (long story) and that evening also dropped the tv aerial in the canal (short story) I was woken at 3 am by the delicious sound of Something Running Over The Roof and spent a couple of feverish half asleep hours convinced rats were about to eat my toes.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Fri 11 Sep 15 at 16:00
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"convinced rats were about to eat my toes."
Does anyone remember the coypus that use to inhabit the Broads. Great big ugly rodents with long yellow teeth that had escaped from fur farms. Hail from South America I think.
It must be about forty years ago now but I was fishing in the Bure and had camped by the river. Had a stock of Lyons fruit pies in the corner of the tent (a staple of my diet at the time) and I woke up to see this enormous rat like thing chomping though my pies, cardboard boxes and all.
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>> The Broads are beautiful but spending a week in a plastic floating caravan is really
>> not a lot of fun. Rent a cottage and hire a day boat for a
>> day or two.
>>
I've not done a narrow boat on the Broads, but I have done a lot of it between Birmingham and Reading and surrounding areas.
I love it. Really love it. Meandering along from pub to pub, bacon sandwich to bacon sandwich. Love it.
Having said that, I do also love the whole holiday cottage thing; West Country, Wales, places ending with -olk and the lake district. A couple of years ago me and some friends rented half a dozen or so cottages near where Doc Martin was filmed - I cant remember the name of the village, but we were about 5 miles from it. We had a totally stunningly brilliant time.
I guess its just not an either / or thing. There's millions of brilliant vacations possible in the UK. You just have to avoid the ones which are weather dependent.
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I guess cleaning hire boats at weekends to raise a bit of extra cash when the children were small took the charm out of boating for me. Anglers left over maggots in the fridge, grease encrusted frying pans to clean in caustic soda, and chemical toilets to empty. Yuk.
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You might be surprised Roger at the deal you could do on an out of season week on the canal.
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Boat hire - Norfolk - Pat
