Connecting... by rail

The Bittern, Wherry and East Suffolk Lines are a great way to explore the Broads, with lots of opportunities to combine train travel with walking, especially on the wonderful expanses of Halvergate grazing marshes. You can really see how the landscape changes as you travel and if time is short, you can see a lot of the Broads even on a day trip.

The bitternline.com, wherrylines.com and eastsuffolklines.co.uk sites have lots of walks and places to visit from stations (some may require a walk to reach them), with links to greateranglia.co.uk for timetables and tickets. Please check timetables very carefully, as service times vary throughout the day and may change. Fares may also change.

The Bittern Line goes north from Norwich to Sheringham on the North Norfolk coast, passing through the northern Broads, while the Wherry Lines go east and south, one branch to Great Yarmouth and the other to Lowestoft, from where the East Suffolk Line continues to Beccles and then further into Suffolk. The map on page 4 shows lines and stations.

The lines themselves offer lots of interest, with traditional station buildings and historic bridges, including swing bridges that open to allow river traffic to pass – they are very much part of the history, architecture and landscape of the Broads. The current swing bridges at Reedham, Somerleyton and Oulton Broad all date from the early 1900s. They were designed to operate without the technology available today and until very recently the internal components hadn’t been replaced in more than 100 years. You’ll be travelling routes dating from the mid-1800s and travelling as many of the first Broads holidaymakers did, when rail travel opened up the Broads to visitors from further afield. By the 1920s rail companies were promoting use of their lines with the lure of a Broads holiday at your destination.

Some line highlights…

Bittern Line

Explore Norwich, the City of Stories, escape to the country at Salhouse or try all kinds of boating activities at Hoveton & Wroxham, including Broads National Park boat trips (see page 5). visitnorwich.co.uk salhousebroad.org.uk VisitTheBroads.co.uk/boat-trips

Wherry Lines and East Suffolk Lines

From Reedham you can walk east on the Wherryman’s Way across beautiful marshes to Polkey’s Mill. If you stay on the track, one route continues to Berney Arms, a tiny, request-stop station. Berney Arms may be a small station but it’s a key junction for Broads walks, where the Weavers’ Way merges with the Wherryman’s Way (see page 18) as they head towards Great Yarmouth. There are moorings at Berney Arms for waterborne visitors, but no roads, only farm tracks and footpaths, including the Halvergate Mills Trail (see page 20), so it really is quite wild and remote. norfolk.gov.uk/out-and-about-in-norfolk/ norfolk-trails norfolk.gov.uk/out-and-about-in-norfolk/ windmills (Polkey’s Mill) watermillsandmarshes.org.uk/trails (Halvergate Mills Trail)

Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft have great beaches, so well as exploring their history, you can add a seaside trip to your Broads visit. visitgreatyarmouth.co.uk visitsuffolk.com/destination/lowestoft

From Somerleyton you can head off to Herringfleet Mill, or explore Somerleyton Gardens. Bike hire is also available, see page 12. somerleyton.co.uk

You can walk to Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Carlton Marshes (see page 20) on the Angles Way from Oulton Broad North (about 40 minutes) or Oulton Broad South (about 20 minutes) and Oulton Broad itself offers boating activities and Lowestoft Museum. Beccles has many historic buildings, including Beccles Museum and St Michael’s Church with its tower tours, plus a lido, boating activities and boat trips on the River Waveney (see page 12). suffolkwildlifetrust.org thesuffolkcoast.co.uk/suffolk-coast-towns-andvillages/oulton-broad visitbeccles.co.uk

For more about public transport, see page 52.

Ifit's not crafted, it's not here!

Ifit's not crafted, it's not here!

The Angel Inn Loddon is the oldest pub in the village, less than 200 yards up the High Street from the Church Plain carpark, serving homemade food, quality tea & coffee, local craft ale, lagers & ciders and award-winning family wines – all procured with the upmost care and dedication to provenance, ethics and the environment.

O D D O N

Lovely historic town with a 15th Century church pportunities for boaters, cyclists, walkers and birdwatchers iverse range of independent shops, including a launderette, plus a cash point elightful selection of cafes, pubs, restaurants and take-aways n the Southern Broads, with ample free moorings, public toilets with shower facilities and riverside picnic area earby Norwich is only 20 minutes away by bus

• English Breakfast from 8:00

• Freshly Baked scones & Cakes

• Craft Ales, Ciders & Fine Wines

• English Breakfast from 8:00

• Freshly Baked scones & Cakes

• Casual Dining

• Dogs Welcome

• Board Games

• Casual Dining

• Dogs Welcome

• Food Hygiene Rating: 5

• Sunny Outside Space

• Cycle Friendly Accredited

• Food Hygiene Rating: 5

• Sunny Outside Space www.TheAngelInnLoddon.co.uk 01508 520 417 meet@theangelinnloddon.co.uk

• English Breakfast from 8:00

• Craft Ales, Ciders & Fine Wines

• Freshly Baked scones & Cakes

• Casual Dining

• Board Games

• Dogs Welcome

• Food Hygiene Rating: 5

• Cycle Friendly Accredited

• Sunny Outside Space loddonpc.org.uk

• Craft Ales, Ciders & Fine Wines

• Board Games

@AngelinnLoddon meet@theangelinnloddon.co.uk

@AngelinnLoddon