The Broads
Travel inland from the port of Great Yarmouth, you will find mile after mile of slow winding rivers and the unspoiled waterways of the Broads. The Rivers Yare, Bure and Waveney are just the start of the Broads National Park, a huge network of rivers, lakes and man-made waterways stretching for 125 miles over parts of Norfolk and into Suffolk.
It was originally thought that the Broads were a result of glacial activity during the ice age, however it has since been discovered that this famous landscape was actually formed by excavations for peat and turf to burn as fuel in medieval times, creating long pits which were later flooded.
The Broads played an important role in transporting goods in the 16th Century when farming and fishing dominated the area. Drainage windmills were introduced to encourage cattle grazing and the local economy flourished as marshmen tended the land and maintained the water levels and dykes. During the 19th Century the introduction of the railways heralded a boom in tourism as trains brought city dwellers to the Broads for boating holidays on these peculiar waterways. Traditional Norfolk Wherry boats, originally used to transport cargo inland, evolved into Pleasure Wherry boats for holidays on the Broads and eventually became Wherry Yachts used for tourism purposes only.
Altogether there are 30 Broads, internlinked in Great Yarmouth by the Rivers Bure, Thurne, Yare and Waveney, with the exception of the Trinity Broads between Rollesby, Ormesby and Filby which are not fed by a river. The Trinity Broads consist of 1.66 sq km of open water, surrounded by open fen and wet woodland. The area was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1998 and is now a part of the Broads Special Area of Conservation (SAC). In order to preserve this unique site, only windpowered or paddle powered boats such as rowing boats or canoes can be used on these Broads.
The Broads are now the largest nationally protected wetland in the United Kingdom and are a haven for wildlife and birds with lots of opportunities for outdoor activities, from fishing and bird-watching to walking, cycling and water sports. Rare insect species such as the Norfolk Hawker dragonfly thrive, while birds such as the Kingfisher and Greylag attract birdwatchers from far and wide.
A great way to explore is on the water, boats can be hired by the morning, afternoon, day or week or organised cruises are a stress-free alternative.
