Hardley Windmill is now looking closer to completion, the view below of the Windmill and the Wherry moored alongside, provide a sense of the past activities around the local staithes, when Wherries carried their loads like coal, reeds and bricks.
Hardley Windmill & Wherry
The Windmill can be seen from all over the area and in it’s more restored state, it defnitely adds beautifully to the River Yare views and Norfolk Broads scenery. Below is a different view of it taken from towards Cantley.
Hardley Windmill
With the Norfolk Broads land and sky it’s fun to try and work out where the river progresses further along it’s meandering ways. For example in this picture near Langley Dyke, apart from the immediate and obvious reed bank in the foreground, there is a bend to the left in the middle of the picture and then another bend to the right gong past the front of the Cantley Sugar Factory.
Towards Cantley Landscape
The river seems to almost randomly wind it’s way, making it difficult to figure out where you’ll end up, when you follow the next few bends. Here’s a later picture of the refurbished Hardley Windmill, (taken from the river back towards Cantley Factory) looking like it’s always been part of this scenery.
Hardley Windmill
I love Windmills on the Norfolk Broads, they all seem to have their own individual character. Indeed, some of the Windmills have their own ‘fan club’ like Hardley Windmill Trust. The renovated ones look tidy and clean and punctuate the Norfolk bank horizons beautifully, breaking up an otherwise predictable linearity.
Norfolk Broads Windmill
The windmills left more to nature, like this one below, still are fascinating and stand as symbols of a bygone era. The local birds like to make nesting use of them.
Norfolk Broads Old Windmill
Hardley Floods is designated as a Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is a fascinating place for bird watching judging from the not insignificant number of fully equipped Twitchers passing by. There is a great (sometimes muddy) footpath with some sturdy bridges where you can stand and watch the wildlife go by on both the river Chet and in the floods.
Hardley Trees
The local ducks are intriguing to watch as they float by feeding on the tide.
Feeding Duck
The colours out on the Norfolk Broads are astounding, ranging from deep blues to greys which certainly aren’t dull. Each time you venture out on the rivers, you’re never sure what you’ll see. The reeds along the banks often range from strong orange golds to deep dark greens all in the same day. These two pictures show the some of the colour variety out there.
Windmill
The metal structures found create quite an atmosphere.
Pylons
The river banks hold many fascinating surprises for the keen eyed boat person, from dragonflies to ducks, if you can stay quiet and cut your engine. I think a canoe or rowing boat is the best for quietly approaching undetected. You never know what you may see peeking over the river banks, in smaller boats you get more of a chance to get closer to unsuspecting wildlife, like this owl.
Owl
A more common site whilst cruising in your boat are the geese.
Geese On Bank
Trees and holidays; in our younger days, my friends and I would spend many happy hours climbing trees. Those overhanging the water had an added excitement of one slip and you’re in the drink, but you did get a better view of any boats going past. Health and Safety probably wouldn’t allow it these days. So here’s some trees you can find on the Norfolk Broads, you’ll have to see if you can work out where they are.
Tree Sunset
Sometimes someone gets in the way of that tree picture you’re trying to take.
You are being watched
This water the Norfolk Broads is largley composed of is fascinating. What I find amazing is the way the same stretch of water can look so different at different times of the day and of course different seasons. The sounds you hear on the Broads range from gentle lapping of wash against the reeds, the hammering thud of the water at higher speed and the clicking, dripping sounds of the tide running past when you’ve moored up for the night. I love to watch water flowing under the many bridges across the bank footpaths.
Flow
The water colour is often somewhat brown but clearer in the shallows.
Water Shadow
If you go too fast on The Broads you can easily miss some of the other boat company, many times ramblers on the bank footpaths, see a boat zooming about with a large wash, looking like they have an even tighter deadline than if they were back in their office. Whereas if they went slow enough they could feed the ducks and ducklings. The only hurry the ducks are usually in is to get to the food being thrown. It’s great to see boaters getting closer to nature and really enjoying nature at some of it’s best.
Ducklings
Often whilst on your boat you may think you’re being watched - there’s many little eyes out there watching you. You have to really keep your eyes peeled to spot many of them.
Spot the Bird
I think one of the most amazing things about the Norfolk Broads is the wildlife, and that’s not just some of the more lively tourists. When on your Boating Holiday you get to see all manner of animals and birds, like the Heron with it’s amazing wingspan and unusual sound of flight.
Heron On Bank
A far rarer sight is the Mink.
Mink
I like the River Chet, it’s narrower than the Yare but boats can still pass eachother comfortably in most parts. Otters and Kingfishers, amongst others, have been spotted along the river Chet. Further along near the second picture is Hardley Floods a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Taken just beyond the Yare turn the speed limit becomes 4mph.
Chet Boating
Nearer to Hardley Floods.
Chet Holidays
I think the best thing about the Norfolk Broads apart from the hire boat is the sky, or more precisely the sky and it’s reflection in the water. The colours at the time were best described as a struggle between gold and copper. You can see Cantley Sugar Beet Factory in the background.
Cantley from Boat
If you want to work out what the blob on the right side is try the closer view below.
cantley nearer
You can hire boats from loads of interesting places, maybe get a hire boat for a few hours, for a day or go for full blown boating holidays. If you’ve never thought about boat hire on the norfolk broads then here’s a reason for you to consider. You never know what you may see when you peek over the reed banks.
Maybe a windmill.
Windmill
Or a digger.
New Cut Digger
This chain ferry is the only place you can cross by car between Norwich and Great Yarmouth. It’s amazing to watch the ferry go across and highly entertaining to watch the odd puzzled look on faces as some boat captains try and work out how to go past it.
Reedham Ferry
Taken just beyond the ferry towards Hardley Cross, the pink sky lines were glowing and the wind had dropped completely.
Reedham Ferry View
Hardley Cross marks the historic boundary separating the borough of Great Yarmouth and the city of Norwich. The first picture below is taken heading towards Norwich on the River Yare, turning left before Hardley Cross takes you down the smaller River Chet to Chedgrave and Loddon.
Hardley Cross Junction
I love the water stirring on the corner where the two rivers meet, with an interesting sky playing on the water you get some neat surface effects.
Hardley Cross
Some of the sunsets on the Norfolk Broads are incredible, timeless glorious colours. They always seem to look at their best from the deck of a boat with the sky reflected in the river. This picture was taken round one of the many fascinating bends in the River Yare. For me, it’s all in the textured reflection, you had to be there.
Round The Bend
When the river is calm and smooth, there seems to be an extra whisper in the reeds.
Reedham Bend
The Norfolk Broads have a great variety of things to see, I’ve always found this rail bridge fascinating, you can see it in action here. It’s great to watch the boaters go through and look surprised at the strong tidal flow. I love this picture of it, as the more you look at it the more you see.
Reedham Swing Bridge
This is the view a bit closer.
Reedham Swing Bridge 2
