The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads

The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads

With our movements restricted to home these past weeks, I have been reminiscing about days gone by when holidays were very much on our minds at this time of the year. The excitement of picking and choosing our next vacation was taken for granted and in particular my mind was drawn back to our family visits to East Anglia and in particular the Norfolk Broads.

The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, more commonly known as the Norfolk Broads, became part of my life as far back as 1976. Following a discussion with two married friends, my wife and I were invited to join them for a cruising holiday along with our two young children then aged just 6 years and 3 years. A handful you may ask – what with six of us on board a 6 berth cruiser with water all around us, and never having experienced this type of holiday before?

Challenging, yes, but with a whole two weeks of fine weather, in an area of the country teaming with wildlife, we fell in love with East Anglia and its flat terrain and endless skies. We found so much to do with navigating our way around 125 miles of inland waterways, walking the footpaths, visiting the small villages and hamlets, not to mention entertaining and supervising two young children. This love affair, 300 miles from home has lasted for the rest of our lifetime and we returned to ‘The Broads’ many times over the ensuing years. Culminating with my wife and I, purchasing a Broads cruiser and owning it for 10 years. Before I expand on these many visits and our own cruiser, let me give you some insight into the history of The Broads and what they actually comprise of.

The Broads are a series of large lakes and 7 rivers that navigate through eastern Norfolk and Suffolk. They were the result of flood surges over the centuries, but closer inspection by conservationists determined that the lakes were actually manmade peat diggings going back to medieval times. In those days East Anglia was the most populated part of England with many large monasteries and abbeys supporting the spread of Christianity. There were in fact over 150 churches and Norwich was the second most populated city after London. Indeed records at Norwich Cathedral, taken from that time show that in one year alone, 400,000 divots of peat were delivered from these cuttings to the Cathedral. Since that time the diggings have flooded thus creating the large lakes or Broads that we see and use for leisure and wildlife preservation today. There are over 60 Broads altogether, many non-navigable and the preserve of conservationists with a wonderful selection of wildfowl, insects and birds.

The navigable Broads are of various sizes, some as large as four miles long and over a mile wide. Many are the home of local sailing clubs and Regatta’s are part of the sailing calendar every year. A sight to behold is the annual August bank holiday Regatta at Barton Broad on the river Ant. Observe a sea of sails, with yachts racing and tacking to arrive first over the finishing line. These Broads, however, remain open to visitors and hire craft. It was on Barton Broad that Admiral Lord Nelson learnt to sail, having been brought up in Burnham Thorpe.

As well as The Broads, the navigable waterways consist of seven rivers: four main rivers, the Bure, Yare, Waveney and Wensum and three smaller tributaries, the

Ant, Thurne and Chet. The Norfolk Broads are landlocked and not linked to any other of the English inland waterways. All are tidal and the effects of the tides are quite significant, particularly the closer you are to the estuary at Yarmouth. Here you can enter the North Sea, not recommended for inland cruisers and prohibited to hire craft. There are no locks to navigate but good use of the tide times depending on your location can result in a quicker passage from place to place and save on time and fuel. There is one lock at Oulton Broad near Lowestoft that affords access and egress to Lowestoft and again the North Sea. Again this is also out of bounds to hire craft.

The two largest navigable rivers are the Bure and the Yare. Both these rivers enter the North Sea at Yarmouth and are the most tidal. You can navigate the Yare right up and into the city centre of Norwich, where it joins the river Wensum. You can moor at the Yacht Station less than 200 yards from Norwich Cathedral, with just a short walk to the city centre and its market and main shopping areas.

The river Bure gives access to the main tourist area of the Norfolk Broads, its many boatyards, Broads, moorings and hostelries. Head on up to Wroxham, the capital of the broads where many tourists start and finish their cruising holidays and where the largest number of boatyards are located. Wroxham is a village with a variety of shops supplying everything you could possibly want. The majority of them are owned by ‘Roy’s of Wroxham’, a company set up in the village in 1931. Today you can visit its many outlets from the supermarket and department store, to the smaller chandlers, DIY store and many others all trading under the name Roy’s of Wroxham.

The two other larger rivers are the river Waveney and river Wensum. The Wensum joins the river Yare just outside Norwich and gives you access to the city of Norwich, whereas the river Waveney affords navigation down to the Suffolk Broads, and up as far as Beccles, a popular market town, again with its many shops and hostelries. Beccles has an outdoor swimming pool, a great favorite of ours and a must on warm Summer days. A couple of miles above Beccles is Geldeston, the end of navigation of the river Waveney. Visit the Geldeston Lock Inn, again a popular mooring serving hot food and some traditional Real Ales. It is a typical isolated mooring, ideal for those who prefer a quiet location.

There are many bridges crossing the various rivers, some large and some small. The smaller bridges can restrict headroom to 6’ 5” at high water, so some tidal planning has to be taken into account when negotiating the lower bridges. Two of the low bridges are arch bridges at Wroxham and Potter Heigham, but the assistance of Bridge Pilots are available during navigable times, compulsory for hire craft, and a small fee is charged. I recommend the experience of passing through these bridges, sometimes negotiated with inches to spare. Have your camera ready but watch your head.

The type of holiday you choose can vary from family to family. Our choice was to cruise each morning for a couple of hours and choose a mooring for lunch and

 

couple of hours and choose a mooring for lunch and visit the local villages to top up with provisions. We did the same in the afternoon selecting a mooring for an overnight stay, sometimes near civilization and other times just out in the middle of nowhere. Moorings are everywhere on The Broads, most of them are free for 24 hours, but sometimes a fee will be charged where facilities such as water are available or alternatively limited mooring space outside one of the many riverside pubs. All these hostelries offer good lunchtime and evening meals so cooking on board is not a necessity. Knowing our way around The Broads afforded us the luxury of choosing our meals in a local hostelry or taking advantage of the locally sold produce to cook aboard. Every hire craft has a fully fitted Galley. Many villages have vegetables, fruit, eggs or other such produce for sale outside their houses with ‘honesty boxes’ and we often took advantage of this fresh produce.

After our first visit to The Broads in the mid 70’s we returned many many times for what was in those days our main and only annual holiday. On a number of these holidays we were joined by my sister, brother-in-law and their two children and spent many a fortnight cruising our beloved waterways in sister boats named Master Peter and Master Paul. These were old traditional wooden Broads cruisers, 6 berth, quite basic, but enjoyed by one and all. As our children grew older, they enjoyed many experiences, some of which they discuss even today. Indeed when they became independent young people and arranged their own holidays, the first place they returned to with their friends was The Norfolk Broads.

During 1988 my family and I moved back to Wenvoe, and have remained in the village ever since. We had resided in Wenvoe in the mid 70’s when I was stationed in the old police house carrying out my duties as village constable. We had moved two years later due to a career move but loved the village so much we were determined to return someday and came back as I say in 1988.

At about this time my wife and I began to take holidays further afield to the usual sunny destinations abroad. Even so, we invariably booked at least a week visiting Norfolk hiring smaller craft, with just the two of us. In 2003, having retired from my career in the Police Service, I set up my own business and was able to schedule my work with holidays to suit us both. Following a visit in June of that year back to The Broads, we were loath to return home, and we started to discuss the possibility of buying our own cruiser. During the ensuing weeks and months, I returned to Norfolk on two weekends, staying in B&B and spending the time plying the length and breadth of broadlands chandlers and boatyards, searching for an ideal craft.

By this time private ownership of older hire craft had become very popular as well as enabling the cost of these boats to be available to the pockets of the everyday working couple. It actually took three visits to find our ideal cruiser; a glass fibre traditional broads design ‘Broom Ocean 30’ with the name ‘Rambler’. She began her life as a hire craft but had been sold to a private buyer when only 4 years old and clearly had been lovingly maintained over the years. She was for

sale at a boatyard in Wroxham and when I first set eyes on her I knew she was exactly what we were looking for. Thus began a 10 year love affair with what I described as my ‘pride and joy’.

She was 25 years old when I bought her. This made her affordable to us and with a full survey arranged, we took her over in September, 2003. We did consider changing her name but was informed this could be unlucky so we stuck with the name ‘Rambler’.

From that time on, we spent at least a week, sometimes two weeks on our cruiser during each month from April to October. The fact that she was berthed 303 miles from home was no barrier to us and every time we set out to visit her, the excitement never waned. We upgraded and modernized ‘Rambler’ over the years, with my wife renewing the internal furnishings and fittings whilst I concentrated on replacing worn or broken deck fittings and upgrading and maintaining her single diesel engine and the on board gas and electric systems. It was a learning curve, and we both learnt many new skills.

The annual costs for maintenance, mooring fees, insurance, river license and general running costs was approximately the same cost of a 2 week holiday abroad, so by maintaining her ourselves, it made the enterprise of owning our own cruiser manageable. Each year we would spend at least 10 weeks cruising our favourite waterway at a relatively low cost. We never tired of Norfolk and although we sold her in 2014, we still visit the Broads from time to time and relive those exciting adventures on board our very own cruiser.

The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, offer a healthy, relaxing and enjoyable holiday. Hire craft today offer all modern conveniences such as wi fi, satellite TV, mains electricity and they are fitted to a high specification. There are cruisers of all ages for hire that would suit most pockets.

I would suggest, as holidays go, there is no better way of recharging the batteries and getting out in the fresh air once again. So when planning your future holidays, why not give the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads some thought. You can research the various hire boats on line, have a look at Hoseasons Holidays or Blakes Boats. It is a holiday for all ages and for families in particular it is an ideal choice. Good luck and enjoy, but most importantly, stay safe.

Terry Ewington.

Save A Farm Animal

SAVE A FARM ANIMAL

Responsible dog owners ensure their pets are regularly wormed to help keep them healthy by reducing the worm burden.

We are all aware of the dangers posed from dog faeces hence owners are expected to act responsibly about clearing up after their pets especially around areas where children play. BUT are you also aware that dog faeces are equally poisonous to farm animals especially lambs and calves?

Many owners so often ignore collecting their dog’s faeces when exercising their pet on footpaths across farm fields where it can so easily unknowingly be collected in with the hay and silage from the field to be fed to animals at a later date.

Clear up after your pet at all times and dispose of the bag responsibly

 



 

Christian Aid Week

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK

Each year people in Wenvoe have been very generous in giving their time and money to boost the income of Christian Aid during their specific fund raising week in May. Each year an issue is highlighted to show why the money is needed and how it is used. In 2019 this was about projects in Sierra Leone working with communities to build clinics for effective maternity care. We heard the story of Judith who trained as a Health Worker and then as a Mid Wife. She created a Health Project developing the community’s knowledge of how they can best help themselves and with the support of Christian Aid built their own Health Centre. We later heard of the effectiveness of the Midwifery service giving women confidence and taking away some of the fears of child birth.

During the last two years the fund raising in Wenvoe has united with Sully and St Lythans to reach a total of £3,000. This has been heart warming to those helping to plan and ensure events ran smoothly. Last year this included the usual street collection of donations by envelopes in Wenvoe and St. Lythans, a Big Brekkie and non uniform day in Gwenfo School, a Bring and Share lunch in Sully and a donation from St. Mary’s Church.

Similar events had been planned for 2020. However, due to the coronavirus none of the above events could take place. The need though, has not gone away. Indeed Christian Aid has appealed for further help in countries where health care systems are rudimentary to cope with the pandemic. Their recent reports have emphasised they are using their knowledge of working with the Ebola crisis to now help with this current coronavirus:

‘Cases of coronavirus have been reported in all of the countries that we work in. Many people in these countries already struggle with poor health and are particularly at risk from coronavirus. These health care systems are struggling to cope already, let alone with a pandemic.’

Thanks to gifts from people like you, we are now responding in ten countries. ‘We are delivering life-saving soap and water to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. We are helping inform communities about social distancing and building isolation spaces for people with the virus. And we are providing urgent training to medical staff on the ground.’

Your help is needed more than ever. Fund raising this year went ‘virtual’. There were daily activities on the church Facebook page for children. This included a sponsored silence, painting trees, decorating plant pots for growing trees, baking cupcakes and sharing, and a scavenger hunt. This culminated in the Morning Service when we remembered and prayed for Christian Aid, for those working for the organisation and those communities and individuals they are supporting

For further information or to donate please go to the website at info@email.christian-aid.org or donate by post to, Christian Aid, 3 Church Street, Cardiff CF14 2DX or by telephone 020 75232269.

 

Jude Billingham

 



 

Footpath Closures Lifted

Footpath Closures Lifted

The Vale of Glamorgan Council previously closed Public Footpaths at Cosmeston Country Park, Porthkerry Country Park, Dunraven Bay, Ogmore-by-Sea and Atlantic College.

All of these closures, which were introduced as part of coronavirus measures, have now been lifted. No formal closures associated with coronavirus remain in place at this time.

When making use of public paths please exercise responsibly, stay local and follow public health advice.

Following the lockdown landowners have raised concerns about increased use of public rights of way on their property, increased numbers of dogs, and perceived risks of exposure to Covid-19 for residents and farm workers, particularly where family members are either vulnerable and/or self-isolating.

To help address this, the Welsh Government have published guidance: ‘Stay active, stay healthy, stay local’ and increased messaging around responsible recreation.

Landowners do not have the legal right to block or obstruct public rights of way or access land. However, in very limited circumstances where large numbers of people are using such routes or where residents are vulnerable or self-isolating, landowners may consider the following measures:

  • Temporarily displaying polite notices that encourage users to respect local residents and workers by following social distancing guidelines and consider using alternative routes that do not pass through gardens or farmyards*.
  • Offering an alternative route around gardens and farmyards only where it is safe to do so (you must gain permission from relevant landowners and make sure the route is safe for users and livestock) provided that the original right of way is maintained.

 

*This is a polite request only, and there is no power under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW) or the Highways Act 1980 for landowners to close or obstruct a public right of way or use of access land.

Key points to note under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 and the Highways Act 1980:

  • Under Section 137 the Highways Act 1980 and section 14 of CROW it is an offence to obstruct the free passage along a public right of way or Access Land.
  • It is an offence under Section 57 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 to display a notice that contains “any false or misleading statement likely to deter the public from using” a right of way.
  • It is also an offence under section 14 of CROW to display a sign which deters the public from exercising their right to use that access land.
  • It is an offence under Section 132 of the Highways Act 1980 to display on the surface of a public right of way or on any tree or structure within the public right of way any unauthorised sign or mark.
  • Land owners may be liable for personal injury under section 2 of the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 and Section 1 of the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1984 if they are reckless or intend to create a risk – for example by offering a dangerous alternative.

 

This means that:

  • If a land owner offers an alternative route, they must ensure that it is safe to use and that the existing right of way or use of access land is maintained so that users with differing abilities have a choice.
  • A notice must not imply that there is any doubt about the use of the existing right of way or use of access land.

 

These temporary measures must be lifted as soon as social distancing measures are relaxed.

 



 

VE Day 75 Celebrations

VE DAY 75 CELEBRATIONS

 

 

 

CALLING ALL VE75 CELEBRATION PHOTOGRAPHS

I am in the process of compiling an album of photographs taken during the VE75 day celebrations around the village. I already have upwards of one hundred but would love any more that could be sent to me to add to them. I think this will prove to be a really lovely addition to Wenvoe history archives and is particularly important as a visual record of a joyful day in trying and unusual times. If you have any photographs that you would like to include please copy them into an email to me at pukkatucker@gmail.com

 

Thank you,

Glenys Tucker

 



 

IT’S AN EMERGENCY….

IT’S AN EMERGENCY….
POSTERS AND SLOGANS AT THE READY!

 

There’s nothing like an emergency to create a new raft of creative public service slogans and posters. Perhaps the most famous are those from the two World Wars. From the notorious WWI recruitment poster ‘Your County Needs You’ to the clever and guilt tripping ‘Daddy, what did you do in the Great War?’ slogans and images have been familiar parts of wartime imagery in the UK. WWII brought us ‘Dig for Victory’ and ‘Careless Talk Costs Lives’.

In more recent times, governments across the globe have had to get creative, to warn, educate and ‘encourage us’ to get up to speed with coronavirus and obey the rules. ‘Stay Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives’ has given way in England to ‘Stay Alert, Control the Virus, Save Lives.’ A London-based creative team, James Hodson and Jason Keet, recently revived some of the UK’s most famous and catchy World War 1 and World War 2 slogans, to help in the new global battle against the spread of Covid-19. Instead of taking up arms, the country now requires us to ‘Sit on the Sofa’ and ‘Click For Victory’ by shopping online.

Australia has a well-deserved reputation for pulling no punches with public service posters etc. Their ‘If you drink and drive you’re a bloody idiot’ sums up the clarity usually adopted. Covid 19? No worries! Crocodile Dundee and kangaroos to the rescue. Swapping his trademark hunting knife for a butter knife, Dundee is pictured in a safety vest with the label: ‘Protecting Australia’s citizens from themselves.’ The posters below suggest correct social distancing need not be a problem. Every Aussie must know exactly what to do when they exercise with their kangaroos and koalas!

Twenty years ago, Stuart Manley found a dusty copy of the Second World War poster ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ in his second hand book shop in Alnwick, Northumberland. It was originally designed in the summer of 1939, by the shadow Ministry of Information. The choice of Red and White, copied from Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf’, was chosen in the belief that the combination would produce a strong psychological reaction from the public. Although 2.5 million were produced, the surprising thing is that it was never actually issued. Officials feared that ‘it may annoy people that we should seem to doubt the steadiness of their nerves.’ The keep calm message didn’t seem totally relevant during the months of ‘phoney war’ which followed the declaration of hostilities in September 1939. By the time the Nazi Blitzkrieg began in Western Europe in the spring of 1940, a newly appointed director of Home Publicity decided to scrap ‘Keep Calm and Carry On.’ Stocks were pulped to help overcome a serious paper shortage. In spite of this, the poster and its many modern derivatives, has become one of the most recognisable in British history. Today we are advised to ‘Keep Calm and Wash Your Hands.’ We might as well add ‘Keep Calm and Sort out the Loft’ and of course, ‘Keep Calm and Wave to Friends and Neighbours As You Walk Around the Village!

 



 

Wenvoe Village Show

WENVOE VILLAGE SHOW

Saturday 5th September 2020 at 12 noon – Wenvoe Community Centre

Show officially opens to view the entries and taste the produce

Use your lockdown time to grow, craft and produce your entries for our next Village Show.Unlimited entries this year. Previously entered items are acceptable if they formerly failed to win a prize. You will find further details in the Library. Look out for posters and further details in the Library

Schedule

Fruit & Vegetable – best examples of: Craft
Apples – 3 cookers
Apples – 3 eaters
Tomatoes (cherry) – 3 same type
Tomatoes (standard size)- 3 same type
Beetroot – three
Root Vegetables – best three
Onions – three
Soft fruit all variety – best three
Beans any variety – best three
Any other vegetable – One (unless smaller than a medium sized onion then 3 items should be submitted for judging)
Handwriting (adult) 50 words from a novel
Fabric/needlecraft
Wool. e.g. Knitting, crochet, felted etc.
Painting/Drawing any medium
Papercraft
Any other craft item.
Vegetables – whoppers Photography
Runner bean – longest
Marrow/Squashes – biggest
Onion – largest
Misshapen vegetable – funniest shape- a caption must also be provided

Unmounted and no larger than 7” x 5”. Do not write on reverse side please.

Sunrise/sunset
Reflections
Local wildlife
The colour black and white

Culinary Fun
4 Scones
6 Welsh cakes
Any Cake (own recipe)
Savoury bake
Bread (Artisan)
Bread (Machine made)
Preserves
Sweet preserve
Savoury preserve
Beverages
Homemade drink any kind
Limerick – Anything based on the topic of social distancing
Preserves Children’s Section
Sweet preserve
Savoury preserve
All items MUST be produced by the child. Age categories are under 7 and 8-13

Home baked – favourite cake.
Drawing or painting – Holidays
Handwriting – an extract from my favourite storybook (about 25 words).
Collage – mixed media
Photographs – “My best picture taken in the last year”. (The child must have taken the picture.)

Beverages Dog Show
Homemade drink any kind. Gorgeous Oldie – over 10 years
Best Rescue dog
Owner who looks like their dog
Best junior handler -under 12 – demonstration of 4 tricks
Judges’ Favourite

Entry for the Wenvoe Village Show is limited to residents of the Wenvoe Community (Wenvoe, Twyn-y-Odyn, St Lythans, Dyffryn) and children who attend the village school. Anyone who has regular connections with a village organisation but resides outside the community boundary and would like to submit an entry should contact the organisers.
If you have any thoughts, ideas and suggestions about this year’s event or would like to help out organising the Show, please contact us at the library.

 



 

Dressing For The Occasion

Dressing For The Occasion

My fellow Image Consultants and myself recently followed in the steps of the gorgeous Amanda Holden to remind people to STAY AT HOME Easter Bank Holiday Monday. If Amanda could put on a posh frock to take her wheelie bin out, so could we. In fact, it’s amazing what you can do in your best dress!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking your best may be the furthest thing from your mind at the moment, but wearing an uplifting colour or a floral summer dress can really help to lift your spirits and bring you some hope and joy during this “stay at home” time.

Our HRH the Queen recently delivered a perfectly pitched, rallying speech to millions including the nation, the Commonwealth and indeed, the world and she wore a beautiful shade of emerald turquoise green.

Green was a perfect choice for this occasion as it represented nature, tranquillity, good luck, health and a sense of calm.

“We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.”

Nicole

 



 

Locked Down? – Something Different To Try

 

SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO TRY

Monday Yoga Class goes online: If you usually attend Jeremy’s yoga class on a Monday you can now do so online. If you haven’t given Jeremy your email address and would like to participate please ring him on 07931 345 278 and he will explain how it works

If you are missing the chance to indulge in the Arts you can visit the following sites which are free to view but you can make a donation if you wish:

. The National Theatre is offering plays free to stream each Thursday evening at

https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/

The Royal Opera House is streaming free opera / ballet every Friday evening at 7p.m. – find them at

https:/www.roh.org.uk/

The Royal Academy exhibitions can be viewed at –

https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/

 

 



 

‘What’s On’ Wants Your Contributions

We Want Your Contributions

Thank you to everyone who has supplied material to help us fill the pages of this month’s magazine. With no group activities or events to report we thought we might struggle for material. (We had a few items we did not have room for, they will appear later)

Why don’t you write something for a future What’s On edition. How are you filling your time, are you having chats and ideas from friends and relations etc. Have you found new tings to do? Why tell us?

Have you something you would like to share with readers in the June edition? Please send your contributions to one of the editors (e-mail addresses are on page 2) not later than the 18th May. You can remain anonymous if you wish.

The Editors

 

 



 

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