Second largest broad
and site of the Broads Authority's millennium project - Clear Water 2000, which
is restoring the water quality and landscape of the broad.
By 1970 Barton, like many other broads, had turned
into 'soup'. Its water was dark and cloudy, all the water plants except for the
microscopic algae had died and it was filling up with mud.
At first no-one knew why this had happened, but research
showed that the main problem was tons of nutrients coming into the broad from
sewage treatment works and from fertiliser-rich water running off the fields.
The extra nutrients made the algae in the water grow extremely fast, blocking
out the sunlight and shading out the other plants. As the algae died and sank,
they made a thicker and thicker layer of mud on the bed of the broad.
To start to correct the problem new equipment was installed
in the Stalham sewage works which took a lot of the nutrients out of the
water before they even reached the broad. The whole broad was dredged and
sufficient mud to fill 160 Olympic swimming pools was removed. Daphnia are like
tiny living water filters. They live naturally in the broads, eating the algae,
they are also a favourite food of fish, so, a large number of fish were caught
and tipped into the main broad. Plants were introduced to give the 'Daphnia' a
hiding place and to enable them to recover their numbers. All these treatments
were done to propagate the main enemies of the algae - young roach, water fleas,
lilies, plants and Daphnia.
Berney Marshes
A
huge expanse of grazing marshes, part of the Halvergate Marshes area. You can
reach it by train from Norwich or Great Yarmouth (use Berney Arms Halt), or by
footpath from Halvergate or Great Yarmouth.
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Breydon Water
The confluence of the
Rivers Yare and Waveney, before they join the River Bure to flow out to sea at
Great Yarmouth. Good for geese, ducks and waders. (See RSPB) They run boat trips first
Sunday in each month. To book telephone 01603 715191 / 01493 700645.
Carlton Marshes Nature Reserve
Near Oulton Broad
Details and opening times telephone 01502
564250.
Suffolk Broads
Wildlife Centre is a one hundred and twenty acre miniature version of the Broads
made up of reedbeds, marshes, fens, swampy woodland and mini broads with walks across grazing marshes. Events, including children's
activity days in school holidays.
Situated 3 miles north of Holt
at Cley-next-the-Sea
on the A149 coast road.
Gift Shop, Refreshment, Toilets, Car and Coach Park.
Cost: Adults £3.50, Children under 16 and NWT member free.
Entry tickets obtained from Watcher's Cottage, 200m from car park going towards
Cley village.
Situated on the beautiful and unspoilt North Norfolk
coast, Cley Marshes has an international reputation as one of the
finest bird watching sites in Britain. It is well known for its rare
birds, waders and large flocks of wildfowl and is the oldest
wildlife trust nature reserve in the country. No matter what the
season there is always something for you to see.
View the birds from our thatched bird watching
hides. They blend well into the landscape and provide unparalleled
views of the bird life at this famous reserve.
Birds arrive at Cley to breed from early February. By May the
reedbeds are alive with warblers. Around mid-July you can see waders such as
spotted redshank returning from the Arctic.
Bitterns are rare and elusive but on a summer evening you may
hear their distinctive booming as the males call to potential mates.
In Spring the freshwater pools on the reserve are teeming with
wading birds, including avocets, their elegant poise and striking black and
white plumage making them quite unmistakable.
The approaching winter is heralded by flurries of
snow buntings along the beach, and ducks and Brent geese return to
their favoured feeding grounds.
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Places to
Visit
Cockshoot Broad
Near Woodbastwick,
boarded walkway to bird hide overlooking the broad. Site pioneering project to
restore clear water and wildlife.
Hardley Flood
Near Loddon, seen from River Chet
footpath. Permanently flooded, good for insects and birds.
Hickling Broad
Reserve open: daily 10am until 5pm
Visitors Centre open: April to Sept daily 10am until 5pm
Approx: 4 miles south east of the market town of Stalham which
is just off the A149
Note: dogs
are not permitted access to the walks from the Hickling Broad visitors centre.
At
Norfolk Wildlife Trust Hickling Broad you can explore nature trails, climb a
60ft tree tower to see the fantastic view of the broads and of the north and
east coasts of Norfolk, observe the beautiful swallowtail
butterfly or visit the hidden and secret parts of the broad by boat on our Water
Trail.
Hickling
is the largest and wildest of the Norfolk Broads and a wonderful place to enjoy
the traditional Broadland scenery of golden reedbeds, grazing marshes and wide
open skies.
See marsh harriers
hunting over the reedbeds for prey or spot a rare bittern.
The Norfolk hawker,
one of our rarest dragonflies, is identified by its brown body and startlingly
green eyes.
Plant life is varied.
Yellow flag iris, hemp agrimony, marsh orchid and water mint all add to the
sights and smells at Hickling.
Take a ride in our
electric reed lighter boat to discover the hidden beauty of Hickling on
our Water Trail.
Facilities: Visitor
Centre, Bird-watching Hides, Boardwalk trail through reedbeds to open water,
Wildlife Gift Shop, Refreshments , Picnic Site.
Reserve open daily 10am till
5pm. Centre open April to September daily 10am till 5pm.
The water trail is open from the middle of May to middle of September and runs
twice a day at 10am and 2pm. Each trip lasts two and a half hours and starts at
the Hickling Broad visitors centre. Tickets cost £6 for adults and £3 for
children. Tel: 01692 598276
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Activities
Horsey Mere
Open water, reed-beds
and grazing marshes. Wildlife sanctuary of international importance.
Hoveton Great Broad
Trail through carr
woodland on the edge of the broad. Reached by water only, with moorings on the
river Bure beside entrance. Open: late April to mid-September Sunday to Thursday
10am till 5pm.
How Hill
wild life and water trail.
Near Ludham
The Electric Eel (a solar powered boat) will carry
you silently down the reed-fringed dykes of How Hill marshes. Your guide will
point out the special marshland wildlife including dragonflies, flowers and
birds. You might even see a kingfisher! A brief stop allows you to visit the
bird hide overlooking Reedham Flood.
Norfolk Thatcher's use most of the reed and sedge cut from
How Hill marshes to thatch roofs - a small cottage will take 1000 to 1500
bundles of reed - one bundle per square foot - which costs between £1.50 and
£2 per bundle.
There are three wind-pumps on the reserve. Open: April,
May and October Mon to Friday 10:30am till 1pm and 1.30 till 5pm; Sat-Sun 10:30am till
5pm. June to September daily 9:30am till 6pm. To book the 'Electric Eel' Water
trail telephone 01692 678763.
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Ludham Marshes
National nature
reserve near Womack Water.
Oulton
Broad
Near Lowestoft
Oulton Broad, with its unique restored double-mitred lock which
allows boats through on there way to and from the sea. Its nautical atmosphere is a
renowned centre for sailing , boat trips and fishing all of which are available
within a short distance from the railway station. Power boat race meetings are
held regularly in the summer, as are band concerts in the nearby Nicholas
Everitt Park right next to the broad. Here there are also shops, pubs and
restaurants for visitors to enjoy.
Oulton Marshes
The marshes are
reached by path from Oulton Church.
Ranworth, Broads
Wildlife Centre
Norfolk
Wildlife Trust Nature trail
Open: dawn till dusk.
Centre open: April to Oct daily 10-5. Tel 01603 270479 for details of boat
trips.
Enjoy
the tranquillity and beauty of Norfolk Wild Life Broad Ranworth, one of the few
broads totally free from boat traffic.
At
this NWT Broads Wildlife Centre you will discover how the broads were created
their past uses and present day pressures on their conservation. The centre is
a floating thatched building on the edge of Ranworth Broad, reached by an
educational boardwalk. From the centre you have excellent views across the
broad. Binoculars and telescopes are positioned at the upper windows for bird
watching.
The
boardwalk takes you along a fascinating trail of natural succession - through
woodland, carr (wet woodland), reed-bed and open water.
On
sunny days in summer you can see the splendid swallowtail butterfly. Look out
for its green and black striped caterpillars.
Throughout
the summer you will see dragonflies in dazzling shades of blue, red and
emerald.
Great
crested grebes and swallows hunting to feed their young are easy to spot.
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Strumpshaw Fen
Brundall, Norwich
Tel: 01603 715191
Reed-beds, grazing
marshes and woodland along the banks of the River Yare. Walking trails, hides
and information centre. Open: daily 9-9pm (or dusk if earlier). (See RSPB)
Surlingham Church
Marsh
A
beautiful area of Broadland with plenty of trails through woodland and meadow.
Former grazing marsh
with pools, dykes and summer marsh and meadow flowers. Circular walk and bird
hides - best for birds in spring.
Upton Fen
Walks through tangled
fen and woodland, close to Upton Broad.
Wheatfen, Ted Ellis
Nature Reserve
Open: daily dawn till dusk.
Some paths may be closed due to periodic flooding.
Near Surlingham, open
fen, reed-beds, alder and willow woodlands with two small broads and over 3
miles of nature trail, some parts suitable for wheelchairs.
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