Broads Society and Campaign for National Parks water borne excursion – Upper Thurne August 2009
Above: Ruth Chambers, Richard Starling, Peter Horesfield, Paul Howes, Anne Robinson
3rd August 2009
The Society is a member of an elite group, the National Park Societies, though we would say that the Broads are more than a National Park in view of their special feature – navigation.
Last year, Committee member Paul Howes became the Society’s representative on the Campaign for National Parks (CNP). Not known for reticence, Paul has presented Society views on a myriad of topics to CNP and interest in their upper echelons has been raised. Raised to the point where the new Chairman, Anne Robinson and Deputy Chief Executive and Head of Policy, Ruth Chambers, asked that, rather than exchanging a plethora of emails on emerging topics of interest, Paul might meet them on a visit to the Broads. This would also help Anne in her aim to visit all of the UK’s National Parks. As sociable as he is talkative, Paul at once agreed and so it was that, on the 3rd August 2009, the above ladies arrived in Norfolk.
Paul and I left his home in Horning in his launch, “Cleome”, at about 08.30 and had an uneventful trip to Hickling, although we diverted up the River Ant for a few hundred metres and are pleased to report that the Broadland Flood Alleviation Project work that lowered the river banks so that just 7 weeks earlier they were virtually bare earth had now resulted in luxuriant reed growth such that it is difficult to believe what went before. Impressive.
We picked up Society Chairman, Peter Horsefield, at Potter Heigham, negotiated the (in)famous bridge and cruised off towards Hickling Broad in glorious sunshine. This really was the Upper Thurne at its best.
The dyke at the Hickling Pleasure Boat Inn was expected to be full of permanently moored private craft with little, or no, room for visitors. Happily, these boats had gone and we are delighted to report that, once again, there is plenty of room for visitors to moor albeit the dyke is a little shallow.
The Pleasure Boat was a haunt of King George VI, Prince Philip and a very young Prince Charles, on regular coot shooting parties. Thousands of coot were shot in a few days but, astonishingly to us today, that left tens of thousands to breed! The water fowl were husbanded for sport, treated extremely well and the vast majority lived to a ripe old age: contrast that with today and the dearth of water fowl.
Recently closed, the Pleasure Boat is now open again and we discussed prospects with the new tenant, Paul. We wish him well.
Dr. Martin George OBE (Broads Society) Anne Robinson & Ruth Chambers (CNP) soon joined us and suitably refreshed, we clambered aboard Cleome and nudged our way out into Hickling Broad.
I took the opportunity to talk to Ruth and Anne about a Broads Authority (BA) sponsored trip around the Broad in April 2006 to survey boating areas and serious reed margin die-back (the two are wholly unrelated, by the way). Even now, it is not clear whether the then suggestion of chemical analyses of poor & healthy rhizomes (roots) has been undertaken by BA to help establish reasons for the die-back. Society Committee member Anne Horsefield is also asking BA to look at possible bacteriological problems. To date we are unaware of any progress in either area however it is clear that the problem is not simply one of grazing geese.
Traversing Hickling Broad we talked about the dearth of plant life and observed the reed margin problems as we watched a growing number of yachts sailing in the improving breeze: a truly wonderful sight.
We explained to Ruth and Anne that Hickling Broad has no large land based fresh water source thus it relies upon tidal effects to refresh its water. The potential for the silting up of Heigham Sound to reduce the impact of this effect was discussed in some detail whilst submerged islands, marked by “withies” (sticks), were pointed out as we passed by. (For more on the hydrology of the area, click here.)
Our first port of call was to be Horsey Staithe, across the Mere. Leaving Hickling Broad, we entered Deep Go Dyke, the eastern outlet of Hickling before it reaches Heigham Sound and the very narrow Meadow Dyke that leads northwards to Horsey Mere. We had been talking about Marsh Harriers, so all eyes were peeled for a glimpse but nothing was spotted until Paul and I saw one in the mid distance. Look! we shouted but as eyes turned, Paul spotted something else: a low flying, fat, brown, heron. No, not a heron – a Bittern! Cheers and “high fives” all round! What a sight and for some of us a never to be forgotten first. We’d like to think that Anne and Ruth were impressed, though we have pointed out that this isn’t something we can guarantee in future!
On the way to Horsey Staithe and the Mill (more correctly, this is a drainage pump but we shall call it a Mill) we took a look at Waxham New Cut to show Anne and Ruth the ochre that can discolour the water but alas (or good?) there was none. There being nothing to detain us, we crossed the Mere and moored in the dyke by the National Trust shop. Horsey Mill lies at the end of this dyke on the now National Trust land – they maintain the Mill. We took the tourist trap trip up the Mill tower and fine value it was, too. The view from atop the Mill remains one of the most stunning in Norfolk and our CNP friends were, we think, suitably impressed. The pictorial history inside the Mill (1938 & 1953 floods) gave a salutary reminder of how close is the sea and how vulnerable this coastline remains.
Above: Ruth Chambers helps Paul Howes moor his launch, whilst Martin George walks by.
Above: Horsey Mere from the Mill.
Back down the tortuously narrow Meadow Dyke and a port turn towards Candle (aka Kendal) Dyke, past the old Eel Sett and another port turn up the Thurne towards West Somerton where, alerted by our Chairman’s phone call, another Society Committee member, Richard Starling, promised to meet us. A mile, or so, above Martham Ferry, at Dungeon Corner, we pointed out the tiny Hundred Stream running off to the left (northwards) towards the coast – all that remains of the original course of the River Thurne which once flowed into the North Sea. Exiting Candle Dyke, we had mentioned to Ruth and Anne that, at West Somerton, they might see the extraordinarily gin clear waters for which the Broads were once famous and so it proved. Just above Martham Ferry the water cleared and well before Martham Broad the bottom of the river was clear enough to discern all manner of plant and fish life. Martin was in his element and asked our skipper if he could slow right down. Paul obliged and Martin gave us a running commentary on the passing river bed plants. Wonderful.
Martin George describes the water plants to Anne Robinson as Peter Horesfield looks on.
Up to West Somerton, turn around at the head of navigation, back downstream and there’s Richard. “Welcome to my office!”, he said before giving us an in-depth appreciation of a reed cutter’s life, trials and tribulations.
Above: what Richard Starling calls his "office"!
Richard took us to Martham South Broad where he showed us rare plants including stoneworts (as Martin explained, not, strictly a plant – it’s an algal agglomeration that looks for all the world like a plant though it is “non vascular”) and explained the sedge management regime. Richard’s comments on his work were listened to avidly by our CNP colleagues and many questions were asked – all were answered in typically straightforward fashion.
Above: Martham South Broad.
Above: Richard Starling talking to Ruth and Anne.
Above: Richard Starling, Ruth, Anne & Paul hold a meeting in Richard’s office.
We could have listened to Richard for ages (some of us have!) but time was pressing if our friends were to catch their trains, so goodbye to Richard Starling and off again, this time to Potter Heigham where our Chairman’s car awaited to take Ruth and Anne to Hickling and for Martin to complete their journey from there back to Wroxham station.
I know that I speak for Martin, Peter, Paul and Richard in welcoming Ruth & Anne, in hoping that they found their day useful and that maybe one day, they’ll be back. If so, they’re assured of a warm Broads welcome, though glorious sunshine and Bittern sightings cannot be guaranteed!
As Broads day trips go, this was about as good as it gets.
Richard Baguley
August 2009
Postsript image and acknowledgements:-
A man in his element: a very special thank you to Dr. Martin George OBE for joining us and for contributing his usual eloquent explanations of the Upper Thurne ecosystems.
Our thanks, also, to Paul Howes for the use of his gentleman’s launch "Cleome".
