Waveney River Centre

Discover the Broads best kept secret - Waveney River Centre - by mooring at this 5-star holiday destination on the River Waveney at Burgh St Peter, fifteen minutes upstream from the entrance to Oulton Dyke. The multi-award-winning park is set in beautiful marshland surroundings and you’ll find a popular riverside pub and restaurant, an indoor swimming pool and shop plus canoe hire, a kids’ playground and wildlife garden. Better still catch the passenger ferry to Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Carlton Marshes nature reserve – a recently expanded wetland wilderness that is home to some of Britain’s rarest wildlife.

Start your visit by mooring in Waveney River Centre’s large marina. The Waveney Inn pub and restaurant overlooks the marina and offers a warm welcome to visitors. It’s the perfect place to relax in style and watch the world go by, with an attractive decked area from which to enjoy the view on a sunny day. They serve delicious, locally sourced food that is freshly prepared on the premises as well as a great selection of locally sourced beers and spirits. Hanging pride of place inside the Waveney Inn is ‘Eddie’ a 28lb stuffed pike. The giant fish, which was caught in 1948, is the mascot and namesake for many of Waveney River Centre’s facilities. There is even a gigantic 3.5m high sculpture of Eddie marking the entrance to the marina, which is part of the Southern Broads Sculpture Trail! Nearby is the Mariner’s Stores, which sells everything from groceries to souvenirs, and Eddie’s Kiosk where you can buy ice creams and Slush Puppies. There are also toilet, shower, laundry and recycling facilities. Waveney River Centre has more than enough activities to entertain the whole family. One of the highlights is their indoor heated swimming pool – Eddie’s Pool – which has panoramic windows allowing you to relax in the water while enjoying lovely Broadland views (fee applies). If you are feeling adventurous you can hire a canoe or kayak and glide silently over the water looking for wildlife. Anglers will also be pleased to hear that day tickets are available to fish from the riverbank (fee applies). If you have little ones don’t miss the children’s play area. The Adventure Tower here has a slide, monkey bars, climbing wall, swings, a fireman’s pole and a 3-level lookout post. Next head to Eddie’s Secret Garden, which is teaming with wildlife and an excellent place to teach kids about the natural environment. They can play hide and seek in willow huts and search for bugs in a stumpery. Waveney River Centre is ideally located to enjoy a range of glorious walks. Taking the centre’s passenger ferry across the river to follow the trails around Carlton Marshes Nature Reserve (see information box) or walk along the Angles Way long distance footpath (to Oulton Broad or Beccles) is highly recommended. Finally, make sure that you visit the church in Burgh St Peter for its unique, pyramid style ‘ziggurat’ tower. Interestingly, the church was once the Boycott family’s place of worship - who gave their name to the English language. For more information visit www.waveneyrivercentre.co.uk 01502 677343

Take the Ternpike Ferry to Carlton Marshes Visiting Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s spectacular Carlton Marshes nature reserve, which lies just across the river from Waveney River Centre, is an unmissable experience. Simply catch the centre’s passenger ferry to explore this paradise for wildlife and walking, which has recently been expanded to a 1,000 acre wilderness as part of a £5 million habitat creation project.

A short trip on Eddie’s “Ternpike” ferry service delivers you to the edge of Carlton Marshes nature reserve - a haven of reed beds, fen and peat pools that is home to some of Britain’s rarest wildlife. Look out for marsh harriers, barn owls, hobbies and even bitterns and cranes. Otters and water voles live amongst the dykes as well as Norfolk Hawker Dragonflies and very large Fen Raft Spiders, which were reintroduced in 2012. Keep an eye out for some of the rare plants too, including marsh orchids and the insect-eating bladderwort, which is found in the clear water dykes. Suffolk Wildlife Trust has recently expanded the reserve by purchasing more than 400 acres of marshland (opposite Waveney River Centre) and transformed it into a vast landscape of reedbeds and pools - forming an ideal nesting and feeding habitat for cranes and bitterns. New viewpoints have been installed and (at the time of gong to print) a new visitor centre with a café and shop is due to open in Spring 2020.

MOORING

Waveney River Centre hire boat moorings Please see NBD skipper’s manual for more information. Pump out, water, diesel and bottled gas available. Waveney River Centre visitor moorings Chargeable overnight moorings in the visitor basin. WCs and shower facilities included in the fee. Electric hook up available with a pre-payment card that can be purchased on site. Pump out, water diesel and bottled gas also available. www.waveneyrivercentre.co.uk 01502 677343.

Eating Out

The Waveney Inn Expect a warm welcome at this riverside destination, which has beautiful views over the marina. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the inn serves locally sourced food that is freshly prepared on site. Remember to check the specials board that changes every day. There is also a fantastic selection of local beers and spirits. 01502 677599 www.waveneyinn.co.uk

P69 The project, which cost £5 million pounds, was paid for by the National Lottery and Suffolk Wildlife Trust fundraising. This had the celebrity backing of Sir David Attenborough who called the land purchase a “unique opportunity” for wildlife. The ferry service runs on the hour from Waveney River Centre and can be summoned on demand for return by calling 07500 571232, (fee applies).