The Handbook to the Rivers and Broads of Norfolk & Suffolk Part 2

"Yes, and what with getting the utmost on every tack, without going ash.o.r.e, shaving wherries by a yard or two, and watching for every puff as it comes over the gra.s.ses on the marsh, so as to make the most of it, there is more fun in sailing here than on more open waters."

Just below the bridge is the _New Cut_, a perfectly straight ca.n.a.l, three miles long, connecting the Yare with the Waveney, and so saving a round of some eighteen miles, which would otherwise be necessary to get from the one river to the other, as a reference to the map will show.

Now came a steady beat for several miles, until we reached the Berney Arms (on the right is the mouth of the river Waveney), when Breydon water opened out before us, with Yarmouth in the distance. When the tide is in, this is a remarkable sheet of water, four and a-half miles long by a mile broad. There are mud flats on either side of the wide channel, where herons and sea-fowl greatly congregate. The strong wind against the tide raises a respectable sea, and the tacks being longer we made rapid progress, and the motion was exhilarating. A sail across Breydon in a strong wind, is a thing I always consider a great treat. The channel is marked out by stout posts at intervals of two hundred yards or thereabouts, but it is not safe to sail too close to all these posts unless the tide be high, as the shoals stretch out beyond them, and, in default of local knowledge, it is best to give them a wide berth.

[Picture: The Quay, Great Yarmouth]

The spires of Yarmouth grow more distinct, and at last we arrived at its quays, just as the tide was on the turn. We made fast alongside a wherry moored to the quay, and while our man, with the a.s.sistance of one of the loiterers on the quay, lowered the mast, and quanted the yacht up the narrow mouth of the Bure and under two bridges, we took a stroll about the quays, the quaint "rows" and streets of the old part of the town, and had a peep at the splendid church.

The ebb tide runs very strongly, and, to avoid being carried against the bridge which spans the contracted harbour, it is prudent for the stranger to have an anchor in readiness. The public quays are on the north side next the town, and a berth alongside a wherry or other yacht can be chosen. There are private moorings laid down alongside the south sh.o.r.e off "Cobholm Island," and it is customary, in case of need, to bring up to one of these, if vacant; but a yacht must not be moored there, or alongside another yacht there, without permission. If the visitor is nervous or inexperienced, he can avail himself of the services of one of the watermen loafing about the quays, to help him through the fixed bridges which block the entrance to the river Bure, which here enters the harbour.

[Picture: Bream] The river bends to the south at an acute angle with its former course, and for about three miles runs very close to, and almost parallel with the sea. It is interesting to row past the wharves and quays, where many quaint and picturesque bits present themselves, but on account of the rapid flow of the tide, it is not a part of the river much frequented by the river yachts.

[Picture: A "row", Great Yarmouth]

As Yarmouth has guide-books all to itself, it is not necessary here to expatiate upon its attractions.

[Picture: Decorative chapter header]

CHAPTER IV.

YARMOUTH TO ACLE.

[Picture: Decorative drop capital] On going back to the yacht, we found that she was moored in the North River, or Bure, having been quanted under the two fixed bridges, and the mast was being slowly raised. The big pole masts of these river yachts are very heavy and unwieldy, and I am always glad when the operation of lowering and raising them again is safely over. Sometimes they have lead weights permanently fixed to the heel of the mast (which latter swings in a tabernacle), but generally, lumps of ballast have to be shifted and hooked on, a troublesome "pinch-finger" business which I avoid in my own yacht by using a tackle and blocks.

Of course the wind was fair, as our course up the Bure lies north for a mile or two, and then due west as far as Acle; and it is well when it is fair, for the next twelve miles are very uninteresting. There is nothing whatever to see, except eel sets and boats. These Noah's-ark-like craft are generally made out of old sea boats, with a hut built on them. They are shoved a little way up a d.y.k.e, out of the way of wherries, and the eel net is stretched across the stream, waiting for the eels, in their annual migrations seawards, to swim into it. Those two wooden buoys, one on each side of the river, mark its position.

Almost at our first starting, we got aground; hard and fast too, for the shoals are frequent hereabout. We waited for the tide to float us off, and to help it we sent a rope ash.o.r.e to a man on the bank. The rope was not quite long enough, and Wynne undertook to bend another to it. The man set all his weight on it, the knot parted, and the man disappeared on the other side of the embankment, where there was, we knew, a deep ditch.

Presently he reappeared, dripping wet, and in a towering pa.s.sion. He refused to a.s.sist us any more, so we waited a little longer, and as the tide rose, we were again afloat.

Once round the bend by the Two-mile House we sped away at top speed to the westward, with frequent jibes as the river bends. The great boom came over with tremendous force, and made the yacht quiver again, although we eased it all we could by rallying in the sheet. The low, dull banks pa.s.sed rapidly by, the only land-marks being solitary houses, known as the three-mile, four-mile, five-mile, six-mile, and seven-mile houses. Then we came to Stokesby Ferry, where there is a group of houses, which would make a picture, and an inn, where there is tolerable accommodation, called the Ferry House. Then, on the right, are some sluices, marking the entrance to the "Muck Fleet," a shallow, muddy d.y.k.e, only navigable for small boats, which leads to the fine group of Broads known as Ormesby and Filby Broads. Of these we shall have something to say afterwards. A separate excursion has to be made to them, as they do not come within the round of a yachting trip, unless you drag your jolly over the sluices, and row the four-miles-long Muck Fleet. Having once tried this experiment, I cannot recommend others to do it.

A mile and a half further on, and we came to Acle bridge, twelve miles from Yarmouth. Here is a fixed bridge, where the mast has to be lowered.

When we got through this we stopped for dinner, and then, although we might have sailed up to Wroxham with the wind before dark, we were fated to spend the night here, in consequence of a freak of Wynne's. In the exuberance of his spirits, he attempted to jump a wide d.y.k.e, using the quant as a leaping-pole. As a matter of course, the pole sank deep into the mud, and when it attained an upright position, it refused to depart from it, and so checked Wynne in mid-air.

"Whatever is going to happen now?" he exclaimed, and after a frantic gymnastic exercise on the top of the quant, it slowly bent, and finally broke, depositing Wynne on his back in the middle of the d.y.k.e.

We fairly shrieked with laughter, and, as Wynne said, it served him right, for laughing as he did at the man rolling into the ditch, when the rope gave way.

As we had to get a new quant from Yarmouth, we had to wait here until the morning, and amuse ourselves with fishing for bream, of which large quant.i.ties may be caught here, and of good weight. Acle is a capital fishing station, and is now accessible from Norwich by the new line to Yarmouth, branching off at Brundall. Acle is a charming village, and offers many residential facilities to those who are fond of country life and aquatic amus.e.m.e.nts. It is within easy reach of all the best Broads, lying on the rivers Bure and Thurne, and not far by water to Yarmouth.

There are three good inns-the "King's Head," the "Queen's Head," and the "Angel." The most convenient is the one by Acle bridge (the "Angel"), kept by Mr. Rose, who well understands and can supply the needs of yachting men and anglers. There is staying accommodation at the inn, a wagonnette to meet the trains, fishing boats to let, and every attention from the host. As there is good mooring to both banks, especially above the bridge, and the river is wide and deep, Acle is rapidly becoming a favourite yachting and angling station.

[Picture: St. Benet's Abbey]

Owing to the wide breadth of marsh there is a true wind for sailing, and the reaches above Acle to Thurnemouth are wider and finer than any other parts of the Bure.

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CHAPTER V.

ACLE TO WROXHAM.

[Picture: Decorative drop capital] The wind, on the next morning, was from the north-west, a head wind for us, and there was little of it; so little, indeed, that we could not stem the tide, and had to quant for three miles. Then we came to the mouth of the river Thurne, leading to Hickling Broad, up which we intended to sail on our return from Wroxham.

The Bure turns off sharply to the west, and as the wind gradually gained in strength, we were able to dispense with the unwelcome labour of quanting.

The first noteworthy spot that we came to was St. Benet's Abbey, situated on the north bank of the river. Once upon a time it must have been a mighty building, covering much ground, as its scattered ruins testify.

Now nought reminds us of its founder, sensible King Canute, but a fine archway, with some contiguous walls, upon which a windmill has been erected, but which is now itself in ruins, and two ma.s.sive parallel walls, standing about two hundred yards to the eastward; also, there are arched doorways, and strong walls in the house by the riverside, whose cool recesses speak of ancient days. This house was once a public-house; we landed to get a drink of b.u.t.termilk, and lay in a store of eggs and b.u.t.ter. We also climbed to the top of the ruined arch, whence a wide prospect is visible, and one may count a goodly number of churches.

Opposite the ruins is a d.y.k.e, down which a wherry turned.

"Where does that lead to?" asked Wynne.

"To South Walsham Broad, which is a mile and a half down it; and, although wherries can sail down, this boat, which draws about five feet six inches, cannot. Still, we can go down in the jolly, or, if you like, stay here, and fish for perch. This is a noted spot, because there is a hard gravelly bottom, and, by the way, we might have stopped at Thurne mouth, which is a good place for pike."

"I like exploring these d.y.k.es, so I vote we go down to the Broad."

[Picture: Cottage, South Walsham Broad]

So we started, and overtook the wherry, which had been aground, and she gave us a tow down. The Broad, which was formerly one sheet of water, has, by the growth of reeds and plants, been divided into two portions.

There was nothing particular to be seen in the first one; but on rowing into the further Broad, we saw a cottage on the right bank, which, with its long, low thatch, deep eaves, its honeysuckles and roses, its trees and its landing-place, formed a most tempting object for a sketch, and one the artist would do well to seek. The Broad is private, save for the navigation across one part of it to South Walsham, and the fishing is preserved. The old course of the river formerly made a horse-shoe bend down towards South Walsham, and the present straight channel by the Abbey ruins is an artificial cut. The site of the Abbey is an island of solid ground in the midst of a great extent of marsh. When we got back to the boat we saw the man fast asleep on the counter, with his rod in the river, in tow of a large perch, weighing one pound and a half, which we secured.

About a mile further, on the right hand, as we ascend the river, is the mouth of the river Ant, leading to Barton Broad and Statham, of which more anon.

"The river is getting uncommonly pretty," said Wynne, "and this slow tacking enables me to see it to advantage, eh! How close we steer to the fishing boats! and, pray tell me, why do fishermen in Norfolk wear such extraordinary hats! Here is another d.y.k.e. Can we sail down it?"

"If we only drew four feet of water, we could go on to Ranworth Broad."

"Then, on my next cruise here, I will get a yacht that does not draw more than a wherry does. It is absurd to have such deep draught yachts where there are so many shallows. Let us row down."

Ranworth Broad is a very pretty Broad, but grown up so that it is divided into two. The eastern half is navigable to the village of Ranworth, but otherwise private, as is the other portion of the Broad. This is very strictly preserved, on account of the wild fowl which frequent it. It is a favourite fishing place, although permission has first to be obtained from the owner, who, however, cannot be expected to give leave indiscriminately. It is not worth while seeking to fish in private waters in this district, for other fish than pike, seeing that the free fishing in the rivers is as good as any one could wish for. From the eastern part of the Broad, a very pretty picture, with the church in the background, on a wooded height, is visible.

[Picture: Horning Village]

Then to Horning Ferry, where, as we approached, a horse and cart were being ferried across, and we had to lie to for a few minutes, until the huge raft was safely across, and the chain lowered. The public-house at the ferry is a very comfortable one, with a nice sitting-room and garden in front, and is a capital place to make one's head-quarters. It is about nine miles drive from Norwich, and four from Wroxham railway station. A little further on is Horning village, a picturesque group of houses, straggling along the river bank, with a large windmill on the hill behind, making a good picture. Here our ears were greeted with the song which, for generations past, the small children of the village have chanted to pa.s.sing yachts-

"Ho! John Barleycorn: Ho! John Barleycorn, All day long I raise my song To old John Barleycorn."

That is all. It is simple and effective, and extracts coins from too easily pleased holiday-makers.

[Picture: Ranworth Church]

The river turns to the left, at right angles to its former course, as it pa.s.ses the village, and on the north bank is a reedy sheet of water, called Hoveton Little Broad, where there is a small colony of the black-headed gulls. On the south side is a small, but pretty Broad, called the Decoy Broad. Then the river turns still more sharply to the left, and we sailed due south, after having come due north by Horning.