BROAD GAMES
What’s not to love about messing about on a Norfolk river?
– adults sipping G&Ts – with just the soft chug of the engine and the hiss of the wind in the reeds as a soundtrack.
After turning into the River Bure, we headed up the River Ant before mooring and walking the mile or so to a pub lunch at the Kings Arms in the sleepy village of Ludham.
On our first night, we pitched up at Malthouse Broad and found a mooring on a grassy little island where we soon set up our barbecue and let the dogs ashore to charge around and work off a bit of steam.
I set up a fishing rod and, after a couple of casts, Ollie had caught his first-ever fish, a decent-sized bream.
Sophie soon broke her duck with a good fish of her own and they were both well and truly hooked on angling.
As a glorious sunset was mirrored on the water, we tucked into our sticky chicken and sausages from the barbie and soaked up the peace and quiet of this beautiful, tranquil spot.
Suddenly, great arrows of Canada geese were silhouetted against the sky, honking noisily as they passed overhead to their roosting grounds.
It was a wild and haunting sound, reminding us that nature holds sway in this place.
As the evening grew chilly, we closed the canopy and lit candles in the cabin for a cosy night in before heading for our comfy bunks.
The next morning we followed the winding curves of the Bure to the busy river towns of Horning and Wroxham, passing lovely thatched houses and boathouses along the way.
Sophie, Ollie and my 16-year-old niece Grace all took turns steering the cruiser – skipper’s cap (cost £5.99) compulsory.
We headed for the beautiful Salhouse Broad to moor up for the evening and CANARIES CRUISE: Sophie and I rowed around in the little dinghy with dragonflies buzzing all about us.
The following morning saw more watery fun as Ollie set off to explore the quieter reaches of the broad in a kayak, with Sophie and I following closely in a canoe.
After an hour’s gentle paddling we headed back to Glistening Light to tuck into a fry-up cooked in the well-equipped galley.
The boat has a cooker, microwave, fridge, sink and TV, as well as two showers and two loos – although it’s best to use on-shore facilities wherever possible.
Herbert Woods also provide little handbooks for younger children, which include pictures to colour in and tick lists for spotting other boats in the fleet and local wildlife.
On our travels we saw kingfishers, marsh harriers and a pair of hobbies BIRMINGHAM: MALLORCA: – beautiful agile falcons which look like small, colourful kestrels – wheeling over the reed beds.
We cruised up to the villages of Stalham and Sutton, crossing the wide expanse of Barton Broad, full of yachts skimming across the water with their white sails bellying in the wind.
Later, we returned to the Maltsters pub in Ranworth for a pint and then headed back to the boatyard at Potter Heigham to tuck into a fish and chip feast in the cabin on our last night aboard.
Beautiful scenery, timeless villages, great pubs, exciting wildlife – what’s not to love about the Broads?
Herbert Woods even provide a free Wifi password for those addicted to their mobile devices.
But, even for Sophie and Ollie, messing about on the river beat burying their heads in their iPhones any day of the week. BULGARIA SKI: