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

Bench mark

Retired Hoveton resident and Norfolk native Ken has been tidying round the picnic tables and seats at Granary Staithe in Hoveton, the shingled old square by Wroxham Bridge. 

Volunteers also 'muck in' litter picking, raking the gravel, watering plants and cleaning here and there, as well as conversing with holiday guests to the riverside about all manner of light hearted topics and the like. 

Tim 

Pleasant Pleasure Boat Inn

Introducing Heather blended water bird food at the restored Pleasure Boat Inn on the sandy shores of Hickling Broad. 

On the doorstep is 1,500 acres of reed and grass fen and waterways ~ admired around the world as one of the most wild and beauty spots. Flocks of waterfowl to be seen include mallard and white Alyesbury ducks, mute swans and other river chicks. 

Custodians of the ancient Hickling Broads Estate ~ Norfolk Wildlife Trust operate boat tours and a boardwalk through the marshes, where rarely seen cranes and bitterns roost in secret enclaves. 

The Inn is accessible by paths, by navigation along the 7 mile long River Thurne, one of the shortest rivers of Broadland, or by road.

Andrew, Ian

Swan trailing

On the trail of the newly fledged mute swan family who live near Wroxham Bridge.

Cheryl noticed one of the fast growing fluffy grey cygnets had a lame leg. Due to this anomaly, other water birds had started to pick on the cygnet.

Carol and Chris went on a mission aboard a Wroxham Launch Hire dory boat to capture the cygnet and look at the dicky leg.

Fortunately, the junior swans went over to a small rustic slipway; where they waddled up to dry off and preen for a while.

The casualty was soon identified. Her right leg had somehow ruptured at the top and middle. The 'knee' which is the joint that attaches the leg to the body on a bird had broken ~ and was back to front. The lower 'ankle' joint, just above the foot (often mistaken as the knee) was also seriously fractured, with an open wound.

The cygnet's leg resembled the frightful bone twisting characteristics of the demonically possessed girl 'Regan MacNeil' from the 1973 'The Excorcist' film.

We conferred with animal rescuers to see what was best for the casualty who had a complex injury. It was jointly decided to take the cygnet into care for closer inspection and safety. She was wrapped in a towel and taken to sanctuary. 

Chris

Swan parking

A member of Hoveton~Wroxham swan pack was slightly disoriented on the forecourt of Norfolk Marine chandlery. She most likely flew down onto busy Church Road by mistake. This wouldn't have been an issue a little over a century ago, as the area wasn't developed, being agricultural land bordering wild marshes. 

The pen went into classic defensive mode, as animals who are confused, or feel threatened in some way instinctively do. She charged steadily towards us, with head bowed down, while hissing raspishly. 

We managed to grab her without any hassle and dropped her by one of the main dykes leading off the River Bure nearby. 

Chris 

All board the train

Awaiting departure of the 11.15 Bure Valley Railway train, pulled by 2~6~2 tender locomotive Blickling Hall from Hoveton~Wroxham station to Alysham.

It's 200 years of the first public rail travel in Britain. Trains transformed the previously much smaller villages of Hoveton and Wroxham. Goods were brought and dispatched ~ and of course the rail network allowed swifter access from all parts of the country to embark on Broadland boating holidays.

Strangely, as the last coal mining operation closed in Cymru last year, coals for the BVR and all other heritage railways now has to be imported from Poland. 

Chris 

Club pigeon foot

Last Friday, waterfowl steward Chris was going along the riverside walk when a lady and young lad were stood on a corner holding a pigeon; perplexed as what to do to help the distressed bird. The pigeon was bleeding from a bulbous right foot ~ and had lost a clawed digit. 

Animal rescue champ Paul picked up the pigeon from Wroxham Launch Hire cabin at King's Staithe ~  he was already in transit to Horning to deliver an injured pigeon to Carol, who is a busy gardener by profession. 

Carol's diagnosis ~ "Had a look and it's a bit grim, but probably seen worse unfortunately. I've cut one very deep piece of line and covered it in neem oil which is really good for this sort of thing plus his painkillers. Lots of bleeding too." 

Suzy is part of Lapwing education, a bespoke therapeutic education provider working across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex who provide education programmes for young people not in education, employment or training.

Suzy said ~ "Thank you again for Friday, it was an exceptional experience for us all. We shared the experience across our organisation and have inspired some of our youngsters to think more carefully and kindly about our wildlife. I'm hoping me and Harrison can get more involved... he was so proud of himself."

For further information ~

lapwingeducation.co.uk

Small animal pet parrier case courtesy of Brian from the Old Mill Cafe Bar, Hoveton. 

Timothy

Hello, Dollies!

We are pleased to announce Heather water bird food is now stocked at Dollies Deli, located at Horstead with Coltishall, a few miles up the River Bure from Hoveton and Wroxham. 

The deli has an unrivalled regional in house bakery and cafe, located by expansive and tranquil green riverside commons.

Dollies is easily accessible by road from Norwich and the surrounding area ~ and by river by boat; where there are beautiful moorings by the locks, a few minutes walk away. 

By supporting both Dollies and Heather, you are bolstering conservation of waterfowl on the Upper River Bure in their ancestral habitat all year round; helping innovation, culinary skills and local employment ~ as well as assisting with the preservation of a one of a kind heritage boat Heather, National Small Boat Registration number 1440.

For further details about the deli and opening times ~

Dollies Deli, Unit 2, Norwich Road, Horstead, NR12 7EE.

@dolliesdeli

Chris, Timothy 

Cheery watery connectivity

Scarlet and her daughter Essie were recent guests in Hoveton and Wroxham. Essie loves ducks so much she even has a number of duck badges on her shoes. 

Scarlet kindly wrote to us after visiting the Heather Greylag booth ~ "We had a lovely chat last weekend when we were feeding the ducks and swans. My daughter was especially excited that you gave her one of the little rubber ducks that she has drawn a little picture to say thank you and to say thank you for looking after her favourite animals by providing year round food and care."

Andrew

He's a wild card bird

A common wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) perches on a pier post, as a tennis ball bobs in the sheltered waters of the old surviving dyke at Hoveton Riverside Park ~ the former Broads Tours site, where immaculate polished tour boats berthed yesteryear.

Andrew, Diane

Like the seaside, but without the sea

Pictures ~ Von

Hoveton combined with Wroxham has many similarities to coastal resorts, albeit more sheltered. Going back in time, the settlements, located on higher ground were closely connected to the open sea.

Evidence from the Roman occupation suggests the rivers were much wider ~ and watercraft traversed the seas extensively to the continent and beyond. 

Here and there mini sandy beaches and grassed banks can be found. Promenades of sorts with multiform delights exist on the highway leading from Wroxham Bridge up to Roy's Stores and along the angular route of Hoveton Riverside Walkway, from King's Staithe up to the railway viaduct.

David, Chris

Hey! Little river hen!

Over the past few days there has been a hunt for a moorhen with an entangled leg injury in Wroxham. Moorhens are quite a secretive black bird with a bright red snout belonging to the rail family. He is one of a pair who have a clan of newly hatched chicks ~ who reside on a wedge shaped spit of grassed land, bordered on one side with trees and plant scrub. 

The local Wildlife Rescue Partnership were contacted by Susan, Neil and Sharon on the Peninsula river front in Wroxham. Cheryl, Chris and other local people have been doing sweeps for the canny bird.

Motor rescue launches courtesy of Wroxham Launch Hire. 

Chris