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Day Two: Walk /
Wildlife watching – Ranworth & Fairhaven Gardens / Hidden heart of
the Norfolk Broads If the Norfolk Broads can be
described as having a spiritual heart, then the village of
Ranworth is surely it. With its imposing church looking down on
the village from the hill, known as the ‘Cathedral of the Broads’,
the village showcases the true essence of the area from a variety
of viewpoints. Our suggestions will take you around this lovely
village on foot, including the church and its many delights; the
floating visitor centre managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust; a
short ferry ride back to the staithe; lunch at a local pub;
followed by an afternoon visit to Fairhaven Garden Trust, a
unique, sustainably managed Broadland garden, with its own
tearoom.
Cost Guide: ££££
Our recommended itinerary is as follows:
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Drive to Ranworth village
car park, situated on a minor road off the B1140 between
Acle and Wroxham |
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Spend a fascinating day
exploring the village on foot, starting with a walk up the
hill to the church. Facing away from the staithe, turn
right along the boardwalk. When this ends, cross the lane
and use the off-road footpath up the hill to St. Helen’s
church |
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Open every day, and known
as the ‘Cathedral of the Broads’, the church is a national
treasure, and is worth more than a passing visit. Set in
the midst of quiet country lanes, this place is one of the
most peaceful and beautiful parts of the Norfolk Broads |
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The church is home to the
most complete and best preserved painted screen in
Britain, together with a beautifully illuminated
antiphoner, or service book, dating from the fifteenth
century. Lost in the sixteenth century, it was
rediscovered and bought for the parish in 1912 |
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Although not for everyone,
your visit may be enhanced by climbing the famous tower,
which provides panoramic views of Broadland. For a
suggested donation of £2 per person, 89 spiral stone
steps, 2 ladders through the bell tower and 1 trap-door
onto the church roof await you, but the views are
magnificent and worth the effort! |
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Back on the ground, don’t
forget the tea room behind the church, serving hot and
cold drinks and refreshments, with a delightful aromatic
garden and terrace overlooking the Broad |
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On leaving the church by
the front gate, turn right and immediately right again,
walking down the hill, follow the lane until you see the
sign for the visitor centre on the left. Follow the
boardwalk trail through the woodland, literally out onto
the Broad to the floating visitor centre |
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As you follow the
boardwalk, you will see the landscape change from woodland
to reedbeds and then to open water, illustrating the
natural processes at work, albeit in reverse, that left
unmanaged by man would see the Norfolk Broads revert to oak
woodland over a period of around 25 years |
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Entry to the visitor
centre is free, and it contains an exhibition on the
creation and development of the Norfolk Broads, together with a
viewing gallery overlooking Ranworth Broad with its varied
birdlife |
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For your return trip to
the staithe, why not wait for the electric powered boat,
Helen of Ranworth, to take you on the short journey by
water through Malthouse Broad back to the moorings. There
is a small charge for the ferry. This is a popular
destination for holiday craft and the contrast between
this Broad and Ranworth, closed to boat traffic, will be
immediately apparent |
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For lunch, we recommend
you make your way to the Ship Inn at South Walsham,
turning left out of the staithe car park and following the
lane back to the T-junction before turning left. The pub
will be found on the right hand side |
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More than a village local,
the Ship has a restaurant feel and serves a varied
selection of freshly cooked dishes together with local
real ales. For a lower cost option, the café and tearoom
at Fairhaven Gardens serves a good range of hot meals and
snacks in addition to baguettes and paninis with a good
range of vegetarian options |
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Feeling refreshed after
lunch, spend a pleasant afternoon exploring Fairhaven
Gardens, located just off the road heading back towards
Acle (turn right out of the pub car park, and take the
first left turning). This is one of the three gardens we
recommend around Broadland, each having very different,
but equally enchanting characteristics |
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Organic and sustainably
tended using traditional gardening and woodland management
techniques, there are over 3 miles of wonderful woodland
walks, a children’s nature trail, and with the waterways
of the Norfolk Broads never far away, superb views across the
private Fairhaven Broad. Boat trips run from April to
October and why not try the newly refurbished tea room and
restaurant for that afternoon tea and cake! |
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A varied programme of
events runs throughout the year, from guided walks, to
live music and even murder mystery evenings, and Louise
and her colleagues are friendly, knowledgeable and always
happy to talk about the garden! For more information on
the Gardens and events programme, telephone 01603 270449
or see the website at
www.fairhavengarden.co.uk |
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Useful Norfolk Broads Contacts
Below you will find suggestions for accommodation, activities, attractions,
food & drink and shopping. All useful
contacts while visiting the Norfolk Broads.
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Norfolk Cottage Holidays
Quality Holiday Cottages. Family business offering owner-managed cottages for holidays all year. Dogs and Children welcome.
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Burlingham Circular Walk
The circular walks (1mile, 2 miles and 3 miles) can be enjoyed by the visitor, their routes are colour coded and utilize both existing public footpaths and permissive paths. The trails pass through woodlands, fields and along a green lane.
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Blickling Hall, Garden & Park
Magnificent Jacobean house with garden and park. Famed for its long gallery, fine tapestries, paintings and rare books. Parkland, lakeside walks and sunken garden. Reputedly home to the headless ghost of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIIIs second queen.
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White Horse Inn
Traditional Norfolk pub, serving several real ales and tasty home made food
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Linda H. Matthews Artist
Working artists studio & gallery, in the beautiful northern broads. Paintings & gifts from Lindas work. Also offering structured painting courses and private tuition, for individuals & groups, with an experienced tutor & art materials for sale
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"the Norfolk Broads consist
of
over 120 miles of
lock-free navigable
waterways, the
largest such area
in Britain"
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Wildlife Fact File |
SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY
Papilio machaon britannicus
Perhaps the most elegant of British butterflies,
they are completely dependant on the survival of one plant, milk
parsley. A relic of the last ice age, surviving only on isolated
ice-free pockets of Broadland as conditions deteriorated after a
warm period. They can be seen in late May, June and July at
Ranworth. |
"Left
unmanaged,
the Norfolk Broads would
revert to oak
woodland over a
period of
around
25 years"
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TOP TIPS |
| 1. |
St. Helen’s church at Ranworth
is open every day, and the tearoom is open from 10.30am to
4.30pm Mondays to Fridays; from 2pm to 5pm at weekends, and is
only open at weekends from November to March. |
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The boardwalk at Ranworth is
open all year and is suitable for disabled access, while the
Visitor Centre opens April to October from 10am to 5pm. Dogs
are not allowed. For more information see the Norfolk Wildlife
Trust website
www.norfolkwild
lifetrust.org.uk |
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The Ship Inn opens at 11am,
and serves food from 12 ‘til 2pm Monday to Saturday, and all
day on Sunday. It is possible to book a table by telephoning
the pub on 01603 270049. For more information see their
website at
www.theshipsouth
walsham.co.uk |
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There are public lavatories
located at Ranworth Broad, and customer toilets at Ranworth
church tearooms, the Ship Inn, and Fairhaven Gardens. There
are no toilet facilities at Ranworth Broad Visitor Centre. |
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Fairhaven Garden, including
the café/tearoom, is open all year (except Christmas Day) from
10am to 5pm (or dusk) and most of the garden is accessible to
visitors in wheelchairs. Dogs are welcome on a lead. |
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; grid reference TG360146
