11-07-09, 12:21 AM
Potter Heigham to Horsey Mere: Norfolk Broads.
Distance: 6 miles approx.
Put-in/parking: Repps Staithe GPS: (lat)52°42'4.58"N (lon) 1°34'13.67"E
Take-out: Horsey Mere Windmill GPS: (lat)52°44'30.94"N (lon)1°38'18.96"E
Shuttle required: Only if you do not intend to Paddle back. Parking is available in the NT carpark.
Our route takes us away from the put-in at Repps upstream and an easterly direction towards Potter Heigham about half a mile away, the river lined on both banks by holiday chalets of all sorts of shapes and sizes eventually bring us to Potter Heigham and its famous landmark medieval bridge. This first stretch can, in the summer months, become rather busy with holiday boat traffic especially at weekend change-over.
The single arch bridge becomes a bit of a road-block to some of the more larger cruisers as these cannot pass under, the ones that can have to do so by picking up one of the trained pilots. So this has a marked affect on the volume of traffic the other side of the bridge, our intended route.
![[Image: summer002a.jpg]](http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282/Tarmacsoftee/CwaV%20Summer08/summer002a.jpg)
Bustling Potter Heigham and bridge.
Its worth noting that the current funnelled through the bridge can be quite fast as there is tidal effect up here, so do take care. Once safely through the bridge things immediately quieten down as we soon leave the Potter behind. The boatsheds and chalets soon give way to reedbeds and moorings. Some of the boats you will no-doubt see moored along here date from the fifties, all wooden and still in hire.
After approximately 1 mile from Potter heigham we turn left off the main river and onto Candle Dyke, this is sign-posted Hickling and Horsey! After a short distance the water opens up before us to reveal Heigham Sound. The marked channel is for the cruisers and yachts, you can venture out of the channel but these areas become shallow very quickly and choked with weed just under the surface, and it can be a pain to get out of.
![[Image: summer070.jpg]](http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282/Tarmacsoftee/CwaV%20Summer08/summer070.jpg)
Heigham Sound with channel marker posts.
Half a mile across the Sound we're looking to turn east again, onto Meadow dyke. A meandering narrow reed fringed dyke the will take on toward Horsey Mere. Keep an open for the sails of yachts and dinghies, yes they do sail along here and sometimes like the clappers! The wind s felt all along here if its blowing, as we are infact nearing the coast. This whole area you are now on was once indeed an open estuary.
![[Image: summer072.jpg]](http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282/Tarmacsoftee/CwaV%20Summer08/summer072.jpg)
Meadow dyke toward Horsey Mere.
Once we enter the Mere we need to keep heading east, by keeping within 200 yards or so of the near bank we eventually sight Horsey Windmill and soon after the mouth of the dyke that will lead us to our take-out. This is popular area for boaters and the dyke offers moorings on both banks so becomes very narrow. Be aware of people fishing from their boats as their rods become difficult to see.
![[Image: summer084.jpg]](http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282/Tarmacsoftee/CwaV%20Summer08/summer084.jpg)
Horsey Windmill moorings.
The take out is a short distance away. I'm going to have an ice cream from the refreshment hut, anyone want one?
The Windmill or windpump to give its proper title, is owned by the National Trust and is well worth a visit, great views from the top.
Distance: 6 miles approx.
Put-in/parking: Repps Staithe GPS: (lat)52°42'4.58"N (lon) 1°34'13.67"E
Take-out: Horsey Mere Windmill GPS: (lat)52°44'30.94"N (lon)1°38'18.96"E
Shuttle required: Only if you do not intend to Paddle back. Parking is available in the NT carpark.
Our route takes us away from the put-in at Repps upstream and an easterly direction towards Potter Heigham about half a mile away, the river lined on both banks by holiday chalets of all sorts of shapes and sizes eventually bring us to Potter Heigham and its famous landmark medieval bridge. This first stretch can, in the summer months, become rather busy with holiday boat traffic especially at weekend change-over.
The single arch bridge becomes a bit of a road-block to some of the more larger cruisers as these cannot pass under, the ones that can have to do so by picking up one of the trained pilots. So this has a marked affect on the volume of traffic the other side of the bridge, our intended route.
Bustling Potter Heigham and bridge.
Its worth noting that the current funnelled through the bridge can be quite fast as there is tidal effect up here, so do take care. Once safely through the bridge things immediately quieten down as we soon leave the Potter behind. The boatsheds and chalets soon give way to reedbeds and moorings. Some of the boats you will no-doubt see moored along here date from the fifties, all wooden and still in hire.
After approximately 1 mile from Potter heigham we turn left off the main river and onto Candle Dyke, this is sign-posted Hickling and Horsey! After a short distance the water opens up before us to reveal Heigham Sound. The marked channel is for the cruisers and yachts, you can venture out of the channel but these areas become shallow very quickly and choked with weed just under the surface, and it can be a pain to get out of.
Heigham Sound with channel marker posts.
Half a mile across the Sound we're looking to turn east again, onto Meadow dyke. A meandering narrow reed fringed dyke the will take on toward Horsey Mere. Keep an open for the sails of yachts and dinghies, yes they do sail along here and sometimes like the clappers! The wind s felt all along here if its blowing, as we are infact nearing the coast. This whole area you are now on was once indeed an open estuary.
Meadow dyke toward Horsey Mere.
Once we enter the Mere we need to keep heading east, by keeping within 200 yards or so of the near bank we eventually sight Horsey Windmill and soon after the mouth of the dyke that will lead us to our take-out. This is popular area for boaters and the dyke offers moorings on both banks so becomes very narrow. Be aware of people fishing from their boats as their rods become difficult to see.
Horsey Windmill moorings.
The take out is a short distance away. I'm going to have an ice cream from the refreshment hut, anyone want one?
The Windmill or windpump to give its proper title, is owned by the National Trust and is well worth a visit, great views from the top.