The Norfolk Broads are the most accessible boating holiday in Britain. No tidal gates, no qualifications, no passage planning beyond working out which pub you want to reach by lunchtime. The network covers 125 miles of river and lake across Norfolk and Suffolk; this itinerary focuses on the Northern Broads — the River Bure from Wroxham north to Hickling and Horsey, and the River Ant to Stalham and Barton Broad. For a Southern Broads itinerary (the River Yare, Breydon Water, and the Waveney), a separate week is needed.
Day 1: Wroxham — Arrival and Briefing
Wroxham is the capital of the Broads. Roy's of Wroxham — self-styled 'world's largest village store' — is the place to provision before departure; the chandleries and hire companies cluster around the Wroxham Bridge. The bridge itself has a clearance of 7'6" at normal water level, which catches a surprising number of first-timers. Know your air draught before you set off.
The hire companies do thorough briefings — take notes. The Broads are shallow (typically 1–1.5m) and the channels are marked, but stray off the channel and you will go aground. This is not dangerous but it is embarrassing and occasionally expensive. Carry a pole for pushing off.
Day 2: Wroxham to Horning
A gentle morning passage east and north on the River Bure. Horning is one of the most attractive villages on the Broads — thatched boathouses, broad-fronted pubs, and a village street that runs along the river bank. Moor at the village staithe (free) or at one of the private moorings on the river bank (small charge). The Swan Inn has a riverside terrace.
In the afternoon, explore by dinghy or on foot. Hoveton Great Broad — accessible by boat through a short cut on the north bank — is a nature reserve. The Bure Marshes National Nature Reserve covers the river valley north and south of Horning: marsh harrier, bittern, and kingfisher are all regulars.
Day 3: Horning to Hickling Broad via Potter Heigham
Potter Heigham Bridge is the most notorious obstacle on the Broads. The medieval arch has a clearance of just 7'0" at the centre and the channel curves beneath it — you approach on a bend and cannot see through to the other side. Hire companies provide a bridge pilot service at Potter Heigham; use it. Attempting the bridge without a pilot in a hire boat is a common and expensive mistake.
Beyond Potter Heigham, the river opens into Hickling Broad — the largest of the Norfolk Broads at 1,100 acres. Anchor or moor at the Hickling Broad staithe; the Pleasure Boat Inn is directly on the water. Hickling is remote in feel — the Broads Authority manages it as a nature reserve and access is restricted in parts. Look for marsh harrier quartering the reed beds in the evening.
Day 4: Hickling — Horsey Mere and Walking
Horsey Mere, a mile east of Hickling by boat, has one of the finest windmills in Norfolk on its bank — Horsey Drainage Mill, now managed by the National Trust. Moor at the staithe and walk to the mill (small charge) for views across the Broads landscape to the sea. Horsey Beach, a mile walk from the staithe, has a grey seal colony — the largest in East Anglia, with several hundred pups born each winter.
Day 5: Hickling to Barton Broad — River Ant
Return to the River Bure and head south to the River Ant junction at St Benet's Abbey — the ruins of a Benedictine monastery built inside the earthwork of an older Viking fort, with a windmill embedded in the gatehouse arch. Head north up the Ant to Barton Broad: at 270 acres, the second-largest broad in Norfolk and one of the cleanest since a major restoration project in the early 2000s. Moor at Gay's Staithe.
Day 6: Ant Valley — Stalham and Sutton
Continue north to Stalham — a proper market town on the edge of the Broads with a large supermarket (useful for a mid-week provision run), a pub, and the Museum of the Broads at Stalham Staithe. Walk south from Stalham to Sutton Mill — the tallest surviving windmill in Britain — for views across the Ant valley. Return downstream to moor on the Ant or back on the Bure.
Day 7: Return to Wroxham
A leisurely return downstream — the current in the Bure is barely perceptible, so the return takes much the same time as the outward passage. Stop at Ranworth Broad on the way back: take the dinghy through the short dyke to Ranworth Inner Broad, moor at the staithe, and walk to St Helen's Church for the view from the tower across the Broads landscape.
Practical Notes
Speed limit on the Broads is 4–6mph depending on the waterway — Broads Authority rangers enforce this and the fines are real. Navigation lights are required between sunset and sunrise. The Broads Authority provides free mooring at all their staithes; private moorings charge a small fee. Pump-out facilities are at major hire bases — use them; do not discharge into the waterway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need any qualifications to hire a boat on the Broads?
A: No. Anyone can hire a motorboat on the Broads without a licence or sailing experience. The hire company briefing covers everything you need. Read it carefully — the bridges and shallows catch out people who don't pay attention.
Q: When is the best time to visit the Norfolk Broads?
A: May, June, and September. July and August are very busy — mooring space at popular staithes fills by mid-afternoon. Early May has the best birdwatching and the least boat traffic.