Norwich to Lowestoft through The Broads

[gregb]

Hi all

I'm trying to plan a route from Norwich to Lowestoft though The Broads which would be suitable for a road bike.

Can anyone offer any tips for a good route?

Cheers

Greg

[steady eddy]

Norwich - Surlingham - Claxton - Chedgrave - Loddon -Hales - Raveningham - Gillingham - Beccles - Worlingham - Barnby - Mutford - Carlton Colville - Lowestoft. No main roads and cycle track from Carlton \\colville to the middle of Lowestoft.
Its a great ride and one we do often - if sometimes in parts. Or you can leave Norwich north of the river and village hop via Brundall - Strumpshaw and Freethorpe to Reedham (where it is presently hammering down with rain) - go over the river on the ferry - cost £1 - and then through to pick up the route above at Raveningham.

[Psamathe]

No experience of the route (so cannot comment on the surfaces/state) but NCR 1 would take you most of the way (with other Sustrans routes getting to there the last bit). https://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map

Note that the River Yare (the River Wensum through Norwich) represents a significant barrier as there are not many bridges to cross it downstream of Norwich. Thus you'll probably want to make sure you depart Norwich to the southern side of the river. I mention this only as you would not be going through what most people consider "The Broads" (most people seem to think of "The Broads" as the Northern Broads). There are a few "Broads" not far from that route (e.g. Rockland Broad) but the Southern Broads are more wetlands and rivers (and of course there are others that view them differently ...)

Ian

[gregb]

Norwich - Surlingham - Claxton - Chedgrave - Loddon -Hales - Raveningham - Gillingham - Beccles - Worlingham - Barnby - Mutford - Carlton Colville - Lowestoft. No main roads and cycle track from Carlton \\colville to the middle of Lowestoft.
Its a great ride and one we do often - if sometimes in parts. Or you can leave Norwich north of the river and village hop via Brundall - Strumpshaw and Freethorpe to Reedham (where it is presently hammering down with rain) - go over the river on the ferry - cost £1 - and then through to pick up the route above at Raveningham.

Thanks! What would be the nicer of the two routes?

[dnrc]

Norwich - Surlingham - Claxton - Chedgrave - Loddon -Hales - Raveningham - Gillingham - Beccles - Worlingham - Barnby - Mutford - Carlton Colville - Lowestoft. No main roads and cycle track from Carlton \\colville to the middle of Lowestoft.
Its a great ride and one we do often - if sometimes in parts. Or you can leave Norwich north of the river and village hop via Brundall - Strumpshaw and Freethorpe to Reedham (where it is presently hammering down with rain) - go over the river on the ferry - cost £1 - and then through to pick up the route above at Raveningham.

Thanks! What would be the nicer of the two routes?

Both are really nice. For ease of navigation if you don't know the area i would take the south side of the river. You can do pretty much the whole route on really quiet roads in lovely countryside.

[dnrc]

Although having just read the title, please bear in mind that the routes mentioned will take you nowhere near the proper broads.

To do that you would want to go from norwich up to wroxham, then maybe across through ludham and on to rollesby or maybe hickling.

this isn't really the best way to lowestoft though!

[drossall]

I'm trying to plan a route from Norwich to Lowestoft though The Broads which would be suitable for a road bike.

The Broads are not recommended for cycling. You'll sink.

[raj]

please bear in mind that the routes mentioned will take you nowhere near the proper broads.

What's not proper broads about it? Surlingham is on the Broads. To get there you'd probably want to go via Bramerton, also on the broads, as is Loddon/Chedgrave and Beccles. I've just returned from 2 weeks there on boat and bicycle. Did 250 miles around those roads, though not quite as far south west as Lowestoft. Northern is undoubtedly more popular with the boating fraternity, but Southern Broads also has its charms. If you do that route and have time (and like pubs), visit the Geldeston Locks Inn. Beautiful location for mooring.The northern route through Reedham Ferry is also fine, and would avoid the short but rough off-road section after Whitlingham country park along the Wherryman's way past the sewage treatment works directly south of Thorpe St. Andrew. Didn't enjoy that bit.

The northern broads route through Wroxham and Ludham is also fine but then you'd have some rivers to cross (Ant, Thurne & maybe Bure) which involve either main roads or a lot of weaving around to avoid them, and then probably having to route through Gt. Yarmouth (busy) well to the north of Lowestoft. Nice easy cycling which ever way you go though.

[steady eddy]

The route south of the river is much prettier. You will "touch" the Broads coming out of Norwich at Whitlingham if you leave through the country park and follow National route 1 out past the sewage works towards Surlingham then again at Rockland Dyke and you will cross the Chet at Loddon. More water to cross at Beccles and good views over Oulton Broad if you go in to Lowestoft that way. OS sheet OL 40 is worth a look - It has all of the Broads area on a double sided sheet.
If you are in no hurry then divert to the ferry at Reedham after Loddon. A quaint and charming throw back.
It is quite difficult to view the large open areas of water, more colloquially known as the Broads, as road access is difficult or non existent. Of the bigger broads, Barton has no public frontage, likewise Wroxham Broad, and Salhouse Broad There are views over Hickling and South Walsham broads from public roads or paths.
Its a great area to cycle in. We did a 50 mile loop on Saturday out via Wroxham and back via Ludham and Martham to Acle . We could have swum round more easily!! Many thanks to the excellent café /deli in Horning who let us drip on their floor while we fortified ourselves for a second drenching.

[mercalia]

I think the spec that combines a route from Norwich to Lowestoft and the Broads is a bit of a conflict as many have said the large broads are north of the Yare and visiting them would be a large detour, like going from Norwich to London via Kings Lynn?

As some have mentioned there is a route south of the Yare .I have taken many times that take in two of the minor broads - Surlingham and Rockand both are nice and the route then to Loddon and then back to back roads Heckingham and Thurlton then the A143 Haddiscoe to St Olives then take the road to Somerleyton. I know some will say the A143 is busy but is short and you get a good view of the marshes from the bridge there and is better than the miserable A146 from Beccles. You could take a detour to Oulton Broad - Pop into Normanston park up the road - at the bottom is a new cycleway that takes past the cemetry and towards the town centre and the station. By the way ther is also a cycle way off that one that goes north following the old railway line and comes out near the Denes High School on Yarmouth Road - a very pretty short ride

[Psamathe]

......
It is quite difficult to view the large open areas of water, more colloquially known as the Broads, as road access is difficult or non existent. Of the bigger broads, Barton has no public frontage, likewise Wroxham Broad, and Salhouse Broad.....

You can certainly get to Wroxham Broad easily - head for Norfolk Broads Yacht Club and just before you get there fork right into a public car park, only 1½ miles from Wroxham/Hoveton Bridge. Salhouse Broad has a track to it's frontage though I've only visited by water not via the track (but given they operate canoe and kayak hire there it can't be to inaccessible).

Ian

[steady eddy]

I had forgotten about the small public car park at Wroxham Broad. The route to Salhouse Broad is a public footpath only.

[dnrc]

Road access to the broads is non existent? What are you on about?????

They're all right near roads pretty much!

the a149 at rollesby goes straight between 2 of them, and has a car park.

You can park right by one at Filby bridge

at martham, horsey hickling and barton turf there are roads right nearby.