Australian guest of honour

Carole from Australia came on a visit back to her home by the River Bure. She toured round the area with friends and was re~aquainted with the cooler autumnal climate ~ a stark contrast to the humidity of South Australia.

Pictured here on a balcony of a Bridge Broad houseboat in Wroxham, as a swan couplet came to bid her farewell on her voyage home down under.

Chris 

The Wilkinsons go yachting

Charles 'Vern' Wilkinson posed in yachty white attire on the long counter stern of the cabin yacht ROCKET at Oulton Broad Yacht Station Boulevard, during a summer cruise. The photograph was recently discovered in his wallet. 

A long houseboat with a dark coloured hull and six big windows lays in the distance (on the quay near Mutford Lock), behind Vernon, on the left. While another box shaped houseboat can be glimpsed to the right. 

Charles Vernon Wilkinson was Timothy's grandfather. Charles and Marjorie Wilkinson were frequent visitors to Broadland in the years between the World Wars. 'Vern' as he was more usually known was a former Lieutenant in the Royal Navy during the Great War, serving in China ~ and was made Captain of a Home Guard unit in the Derbyshire Peak District in the Second World War.

Jeremy, Chris, Tim 

Sunset of the fall

Sunset of the fall over Wroxham Bridge

Local residents and boatyard staff came to the aid of a mute swan who crashed early in the morning into the Loynes building early (seen on the left). Swan Paul came to take the bird to be X~rayed and assessed at PACT Animal Sanctuary.

Solacement

Wherry Solace is the very last privately owned full sized wherry in full sailing order, used as originally intended on Broadland waters. She resides for most of the time in Hoveton and Wroxham and retains the charm, grace and integrity of craftsmanship rarely seen in an age of mass production and lack of general interest.

Nigel, Roger and Chris motored Solace down the River Bure on an early ebbing tide, across Breydon, near to the mouth of the River Waveney for her to have maintenance work. The wherry was pushed from astern by the equally attractive motor launch. 

Reed edging much of the river banks was turning yellow from the roots, while the upper part retains summer green. 

The tide ran increasingly faster as we reached the northern side of Great Yarmouth, shooting past a collection of character craft. 

We stemmed the tide along the sweeping panorama of Breydon water, past curving channels, cut out of mud which looks like blancmange. Rows of wading birds perched on the bank edges, doubtless on the prowl for tasty morsels lurking under the salty water. 

On the final leg, we past the 'Dicky Works' a curious pier formation of decaying timbers, which helps keep the tidal flow in check ~ where the mighty Yare meets the Waveney. (At the bottom end of Breydon, the Bure flows, whereupon all three rivers decant into the sea.) The dickey works were much mentioned, with slightly humorous tones by Arthur H Patterson, known by the modest pen name of John Knowlittle. Arthur was entrenched in the life of 1800s and early 1900s Breydon and Breydoners (sometimes known as Breydon Pirates), a mytical group who worked and lived partially on Breydon in houseboats in times past. 

Suddenly, just before reaching our destination at the boatyard, a formation of three almost luminous white spoonbills, a relatively rare wading bird circled around above the river ~ an extraordinary sight which Nigel had never seen before. 

Chris 

Storms and slack water

Extremely low water at the lead dyke of Hoveton Riverside Park ~ caused by the affects of both the severe storm and full moon cycle.

Hallowe'en at the hall

LIVE MUSIC is being played at the Midnight Monster Hop up at the Village Hall, sponsored by the Friends of Hoveton Village Hall. All tickets sold will go towards running the hall and saving for a new roof. 

Book tickets here: trybooking.com

Dickie wing bird

A greylag goose with a dropped left wing has caused some concern with riverside visitors. One of the bird's favoured roosting spots is the water front of granary staithe in Hoveton.

We're keeping an eye on the greylag. He seems to be coping well and is otherwise healthy. Wildlife rescuers are aware of the goose and are monitoring his condition. 

Chris, Paul 

Rustic river bank scene of a century past

Pictured upstream of Horning Ferry with pleasure houseboats, motor launches and a wherry, tethered up in between the working ferry windpump, mid 1920s. 

Photograph via Rita Massingham nee Chamberlin. 

MISTY MORN was a grand pleasure houseboat designed in the standard rectangular block pattern. The roof doubled as a spacious top deck for entertainment and sun lounging ~ note the person laying on cushions, engaged in conversation with a shipmate. Later, she was towed up river to King's Staithe, Hoveton and was let out by Mr Ben Jordan of Belaugh. 

Upstream is a smaller houseboat converted from a ship's lifeboat. It's not unusual for boats to possess romantic or funny names. 'WINNIE' was a customary cabin houseboat, named after the enchanting character of literature penned by Alan Alexander Milne ~ Winnie~the~Pooh, a yellow furry bear who resides with his friends in Hundred Acre Wood. 

The clapboarded wind powered smock mill was built in 1880 by the millwright family England of Ludham. Windpumps decanted water from the low lying marshes ~ mechanisation of water levels maintained dry grazing meadows for cattle. Inevitably, in later years, with tourism increasing, the draining of marshland led to pockets of Broadland being consumed by development. 

A big load of marsh hay is stacked high on the bank, next to the black tarred shed. The fibre rich hay is likely ready to be carted away, or more probably shipped by barge to towns down river, where it was used as horse forage food. 

Alfred Turner's Boatyard was established behind the windmill. From here in the early 1950s, Heather entered the chartering business as a stationary holiday houseboat; until she was discarded for being 'old fashioned' in 1985.

One of the characterful senior assistants and a great river lover who worked at Wroxham Launch Hire in the 2000s, was affectionately known as John 'Windpump' Bailey. 

Scarlet, Andrew, Chris 

“Rivers know this: There is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”

Winnie~the~Pooh

America class yachts from gilded age of Broadland

The sweeping lines of the America class yacht are a joy to behold. The charter craft was laying temporarily at the Free Moorings, up river of Wroxham Bridge, with mast scantalised ~ lowered in horizontal position above the cabin roof. She was poised in readiness to 'shoot' the bridge, as old style wherrymen used to say. 

This version of the graceful 43 foot yachts were hand built in 1994 by the reinvigorated Norfolk Broads Yacht Company. However, the original incarnation of the yachts were born and subsequently let from the river banks in Hoveton~Wroxham by talented Mr Ernest Collins, patriarch of the famed boating family over a 100 years ago. 

Chris, Scarlet 

Standley ~ Hudson Scrubhounds

youtube.com

My Kin is a new soulful track released by Standley ~ Hudson, aka Mick and Cheryl of Wroxham on their Scrubhounds album.

The music is inspired by the hinterland surrounding Orford Ness, round the coast in Suffolk ~ and of course their beautiful hounds.

Chris 

Swans on the spur

Two mute swans were relieved of angling gear, mistakenly snagged while paddling along the waterways of Hoveton and Wroxham. 

A young grey and white feathered swan was tracked down by Paul just off the main river in Wroxham. We went galavanting on a motor dory (kindly loaned by Wroxham Launch Hire) and tracked her round the broad. Eventually, she was cornered and Paul grabbed the gutsy bird. The line was unravelled on board, while friendly help and cutting tools were handed out by Tim and Neil at the boat quay. 

Three days after a male ~ cob mute swan got twisted in cord with an attached silvered lure and treble hook; a couple of residents enjoying morning coffee by Granary Staithe, kindly alerted us to the bird standing on the quayside. The oval silver lure glistened in the sun and looked like an item of fashionable jewelry, albeit a macabre one. 

A local angler and a man visiting the riverside came up on the spur of the moment ~ lending hands to unravel the twine. This extended from his left leg to the lower part of the neck and then to the right wing. 

Both casualties were released unharmed, free to swim and fly in their ancestral waters. 

T

Blood moon over Buredale

The moon affects many things vital to life on planet earth ~ most crucially tides of the seas. This lunar magnetic pull of water ricochets right up the River Bure from the German Ocean to Wroxham and Hoveton twice a day at variable times. The rise and fall may only be a matter of an inch ~ nevertheless the force is not insignificant, especially when certain 'spring tides' occur. 

As the moon orbits the earth, added to the counterpoint of earth orbiting around the sun, the moon constantly changes appearance. This happens in four separate lunar phases ~ First Quarter, Full Moon, Last Quarter and New Moon. Another four phases comprise the full order of moon sequence ~ New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter and Waning Crescent. 

On the 7th and 8th of September a blood moon, or total lunar eclipse occurred. The moon turned a deep shade of scarlet as the earth's shadow passed over the lunar surface. 

The view of the moon shining incandescently aloft of the blackened water presents a beautiful and romantic image. In contrast to the artful moon scene, some say a full moon has a strong irrational effect on animal behaviour, including human beings. It is no coincidence that an everyday word 'lunatic' stems from the old Latin 'lunaticus,' meaning literally 'moonstruck.' 

Andrew, Edward 

Did you see the blood moon from your geographic... Bathe in her ore, a crimson goddess, she whispered revelation of existence ~ an awesome sight. 

Ifixia

Mallard duck four rehab news

Pictures ~ Leanne 

The four baby mallard ducks rescued on the River Bure just above Wroxham Bridge in April have flourished at Leanne's independent duck sanctuary. They are all grown up with fine plumage and turned out to be male. 

Andrew, Leanne 

Buddhist monks on the river banks

A brotherhood or Sangha of Buddhist monks from Thailand, who are staying at a retreat near Norwich visited the riverside and communed with the mute swans. 

“There is no fire like passion, there is no shark like hatred, there is no snare like folly, there is no torrent like greed.”

Buddhist proverb

We all live in a watery world

Northern Producer 4, a former oil rig emergency lifeboat berthed at the old Hoveton and Wroxham Advancement Association Free Moorings.

In response to rising sea levels and a raft of multiple local issues, not least a dire lack of adequate boat house facilities (due to intense development of Broadland over the last half century); Heather's team has 'taken the plunge' and utilised a lifeboat to help resolve these inponderable quandaries. 

Northern Producer, or Uafás can be seen at various locations on the riverside. 

On a dampened Friday, a number of people of differing ages stopped by to look at the intriguing vessel. Many were curious as to the eventual use of the iconic lifeboat, with much delight, ideas and suggestions were in abundance.

We welcome all manner of joyous and practical suggestions. Anyone can come forth and place their ideas here ~

Andrew, Scarlet 

Fruits of the river ~ calming hops

Fruit, great, small and indifferent are ripening on plants and trees in the Wroxham area. Naturally, with near constant water lapping the river banks, vegetation flourishes. 

Hops (Lat: Humulus lupulus) are principally used in beer brewing for both flavouring and as a stabilising agent. The climbing plant grows in charming profusion between the Hoveton side of Wroxham road and footbridge. Could they have seeded from crops grown at nearby market gardens in the past... The soft, lime green coloured cone shaped flowers eventually turn golden brown. When dried, they also find uses in aromatherapy and flower arranging. 

Diane 

Swan pen chase

Concerned locals and visitors contacted Broads Watch about a female member of the swan colony with a luminous lure, line and hook wrapped round her neck. This particular spirited swan led us on a merry dance up and down and around bridge reach of the River Bure for two days. 

Sick animals often hold back from their peers, staying on the fringes of the herd. This habit ineviatably hinders collection of poorly wildlife. 

Even though she was distressed and increasingly in pain, the pen soon realised she was a target when nets were slung over the sides of the boats in readiness to capture her. Andrew, Ken and Chris managed to track her, with another pair of swans to Daisy Broad in Hoveton. The trio were cornered at the dead end of a cut adjoining an old boat yard. 

A gentleman kindly came and tried to encourage her out of the water at the slipway. Alas, she was much too weary. Being incredibly dextrious, the pen managed to slip behind the stern of the launch we were using to hem her in. 

The following day, we set out on a shallower built dory boat. Paul joined us as we went on several laps hunting her, to the amusement and intrigue of specatators watching from the river banks and foot bridge. The plucky swan headed into Granary dyke, whereupon we ferry glided the best we could (that is to propel the boat sideways). The plan again was to corner the swan using the broadside of the boat ~ hopefully making capture much easier. This time a few dozen swans were paddling in company with the stubborn patient. 

Paul accidently hooked the wrong swan with the rescue pole. While retreiving the pole, Paul lost his spectacles over the side and "received a fat lip from a well aimed wing slap" 

The second time around we managed to close in and grab the marked swan. She was placed in the swan holdall and carried off to a quiet place to be detached from her man~made manacles. The hook had penetrated trough the feathers to the skin. When cleaned with water and treated with antispectic, it was decided (following consulatation) that she was sufficiently in rude health to rejoin the priceless mute swan colony.

Chris, Andrew 

Muesli magic for waterfowl

Andy and Larissa from Southend came to Hoveton and Wroxham to go on a pleasure steamer river tour. They fed some of the mute swans with natural based muesli.

Jolly holidays art pavements

Some imaginative youngsters drew jolly creatures and motifs in chalk on brick pavement at Hoveton riverside centre. 

Pavement chalk art was memorably depicted in the Mary Poppins stories by Pamela L Travers. Walt Disney's enchanting 1964 film featured many hand drawn backdrops, which merged cleverly with the live acting and animation. Bert the cheery busker, pavement artist, chimney sweep and all round fixer of things daubed some country scenes, described as a 'bit of magic'. 

Art in public spaces enlivens life ~ could there be more artworks in our towns and rural areas?

Chris, Andrew 

Swan pen gang

Andrew and Ken attempt to collect an injured lady (pen) mute swan from the waters of the River Bure in Hoveton, using a Wroxham Launch Hire craft ~ kindly lent to us for the rescue. 

We all genuinely love being on the water and riverside setting. On occasions life jackets aren't worn because of time limitations and personal preference. Curiously, watermen in other corners of the globe similarly don't don life belts.

Chris

Duck hospital appeal

Many may be unaware that in localised areas, the length and breadth of the country, autonomous wildlife rescuers spend inordinate amounts of time collecting and rehabilitating sick animals.

The creatures are often found in a wild, or non domestic location. Leanne cares for a colourful collection of waterfowl, specialising in ducks at a sheltered water garden, several miles from Wroxham Bridge. 

Leanne is crowd funding for a new duck hospital cabin at her duck sanctuary. 

"We now have 80 plus ducks, mainly all rescues. Some have leg injuries ~ being hit by cars, abandoned, blind... all sorts. We're also getting increased amounts of calls for help for others ducks and chickens.

Support for this cause is really needed ~ It's just me and my husband and we are really in need of a facility now to quarantine waterfowl and help these animals back to health with the support of our vet."

For further details and to support the duck hospital cabin please contact Leanne here ~

www.instagram.com/life_withleanne

app.collectionpot.com/pot/duckhospital

Duckie dip

Collect a complimentary novelty duckie at the Hoveton riverside booths, with every purchase of water bird food and Bobby dog bone biscuits. 

(Fun duckies are suitable for 3 + years of age.) 

Thank you for your support of the Heather water bird food booths over ten years. With the foundation of Hoveton & Wroxham Riverside Trust, we look forward to doing more projects on the waterways. 

Tim

Slow lane

A local gentleman Andy commissioned an 1894 Sign Co embossed plate as a present, with the classic Norfolk saying SLOW YOU DOWN from Heather emporium. Examples of these can often be seen on the highways and byways of Norfolk. 

See hand finished sign plates and a colour palette at the lovely Larry's Pizzeria + Cafe Bar, located at Hoveton Riverside Centre. 

Andrew 

Rule, characterfulness!

In celebration of all things nautical, musical and unconventional, its timely to think about characters from the annals of British maritime history. 

Uffa Fox CBE (1898 ~ 1972) born and raised on the Isle of Wight, was a skilled yachtsman and designer, as well as an author and philosopher, with a comic edge.

Chris, Edward 

Summer holidays river roundup ~ 1

Herring gull sat atop the dome of St Roys

Herring gulls were observed by boatyard assistant Taylor chasing a flying drone machine aloft of Wroxham Bridge. 

A greylag goose was snagged accidently with angling line on the river between the road and rail bridge. Steve and Tina from Lincoln who were staying at Bridge Broad caravan site, went out on their inflatable dinghy to free the goose. 

Brown rats (Rattus norvegicus), who have gradually increased in numbers over recent years, due to a range of factors, are burrowing more frequently around public spaces on the riverside in Hoveton. 

 

Canadian goose in a Wroxham river front garden with legs bound with cord, spotted by Mel from a tour boat. The bird has eluded capture to date. 

Wroxham Week Regatta took place on Wroxham Broad and hosted by Norfolk Broads Yacht Club. Yachts and motor boats of every description came to town. The view from the banks, or on the water itself is a serene sight, with white sails big and small gliding in all directions.

Wroxham week river boat show

Some beautiful examples of vintage motor launches attend the annual Wroxham Week regatta, a highlight of the Broadland racing calendar. 

Over the summer, crews of 'yachties' chug up river from Wroxham Broad to the quays around the bridge to collect provisions, where the gleaming hulls can be admired.

Tim

Lughnasadh or Lammas ~ harvesting and the start of autumn

Wroxham barley fields at dusk, pictured by Lewis 

The start of the grain harvest is known as Lammas in Anglo~Saxon culture. People in the Celtic realms, on the western side of the British Isles often call this time 'Lughnasadh' (Assembly of Lugh). This is named after one of the primary Irish mythological gods 'Lugh', who embodies light, crafts and art.

The harvest festival was customarily celebrated on the nearest full moon to the first day of August. So engrained are the yearly festivals in Gaelic culture that the God's name was given to the month of August ~ 'Lunasa'. 

Early celebrations involved gathering for games, dancing, trade fairs and courting rituals, often played out at sacred sites on hill tops.

Andrew, Chris

Floating circus...

Graphics by Kenneth

At peak points of the season, parts of the River Bure presents a "fairground" scene, akin to a circus ~ so said Arthur Ransome, imaginative literary guru of sailing adventures in his first foray in print on Broadland waters 'Coot Club' published in 1934.

Houseboats and residential boats have a long history on the rivers of Broadland. However, even in an era of mass communication, misconceptions abound about a somewhat antique mode of aquatic life. 

In the late nineteenth century, boats for living, both long term and for summer occupation became popular for utilitarian (like eel fishing) and for pleasure use. The boats were usually simply tethered to unmade muddy banks on the edge of what was fast becoming unproductive (grass, reed and such) compared to arable crops and cattle for example. Invariably known as 'houseboats', the craft were usually built of natural timber and lacked mechanical propulsion.

Today, tough and wondrous glass reinforced plastic is a man~made replacement. Although it is quite heavy, GRP doesn't float on its own; when moulded it can be fashioned into multiple boats on a production line. This enables many people ever more opportunity to go boating. 

By the booming boating holiday period of the 1970s and 1980s, houseboats had been saddled with a down beat reputation. More sophisticated motor cruisers had arrived and people were entranced by what some call an 'improved standard of life', as society became increasingly affluent. 

As the 21st century ticked over into a highly computerised age, various public serving authorities could use what clout they possessed to turf boats from long established moorings. Ironically, a bunch of 10 residential berths (with complement services and postal addresses), located in a Hoveton riverside mooring basin were officially legalised at a HM Planning Inspectorate hearing in 1999. With a change of ownership in 2015, residential status was lost. Was this localised bureacratic revenge by the authority governing Norfolk and Suffolk Broads waters... Shades of Monty Python comedy sketches. The upshot: the various houseboats moved to other moorings, or became 'roving boaters', going from 'ringle to post' around the rivers.

Bizarrely in 2025, no formal residential boat berths exist on the River Bure and adjacent waters (off the primary navigation). Only a handful of partially recognised houseboat docks survive overall on the constituent rivers of Broadland. Complex land~water planning policies state authorisation is required for a vessel occupied for more than a 28 days and nights, while berthed in one geographical location each calender year. 

Countless mashed up words and views swirl around the subject of watercraft accommodation. What is less known are the numbers of people awaiting housing by local councils in Norfolk and Suffolk. North Norfolk District Council ~ covering much of the area north of the River Bure from Coltishall to East Somerton on the River Thurne, currently has around 12,000 individuals awaiting secure housing. 

Residential boats could be fully regulated, putting the 'habitual fleet' on a par with other housing in the UK. Aesthetics and structural soundness are two major issues affecting resident craft. One thing is for sure, there is much more depth to the subject of resident boats in Broadland than appears on the surface. 

Chris, Ken

Sources: Argola Holdings Inc, Broads Authority, Department for Work and Pensions, Howes Percival, Norfolk County Council, North Norfolk District Council, HM Planning Inspectorate, Residential Boat Owners' Association, 

"No person can disobey reason, without giving up his claim to be a rational creature".

Gulliver's Travels, Page 4, Chapter 10, published 1726 by Jonathan Swift 

Swan line

Volunteers, including from HWRT were involved in the rescue of a very lethargic pen mute swan. The deenergised swan had sat for a few days around Barnes Brinkcraft boat yard, at their Riverside Road site in Hoveton.

Following an initial call from Barnes Brinkcraft to Marine and Wildlife Rescue, one of the local animal rescue and rehabilitation organisations. Volunteers went along and liaised with boat yard attendants to see what was wrong with the bird. Some of her feathers were pink coloured, which may be a sign of something. Tom at Barnes said "she was with all the others, then she got back out again ~ was a good few days, where she walking round the yard trying to peck everyone."

Paul came and took the pen to sanctuary, where she will be monitored in isolation.

Chris