This designated national park is a unique patchwork of rivers and lakes is a result of intensive digging of peat in the Middle Ages to provide fuel. The empty pits were soon filled by rising water levels and now form a network of over 125 miles of navigable waterways. A landscape of beauty and peace, of water, marsh, woodland and wide skies – with views of church towers and windmills. There is abundant wildlife including many rare birds, butterflies and dragonflies.
There are several locations where dayboats, kayaks, sailing boats, paddleboards and cycles can be hired.
There are also guided boat trips from Wroxham, Horning, Stalham staithe, Hickling and Ranworth. A great way to discover the diversity of this enchanting landscape these trips offer a fabulous opportunity to discover the Norfolk Broads with a guide identifying points of interest along the way:
- How Hill, Ludham – tours in the ‘Electric Eel’ boat
- Norfolk Wildlife Trust – Guided Tours on environmentally friendly craft from Hickling and Ranworth.
- Sailing tours – available from Wherry Yacht Charter on the elegant Edwardian pleasure wherries or on smaller traditional sailing boats through Hunters Yard.
- Museum of The Broads, Stalham staithe – scheduled boat tours
- Southern Comfort, Horning –a large double decker paddle steamer tour boat
- Broads Tours, Wroxham – ‘Belle of the Broads’ and ‘Queen of the Broads’ large double decker tour boats