Potter Heigham

Potter Heigham is the gateway to the Upper Thurne and the home of the Herbert Woods boatyard founded in 1928. The village itself is ½ mile north of the bridge, but few people linger further than the boatyards and shops that are situated alongside the medieval bridge.

The bridge is justifiably famous although not the lowest of the Broads bridges it is certainly the most difficult to navigate through. The bridge has 6 ft 9 inches headroom at average high water, it has a semicircular arch with the sides falling sharply to the water.

All hire boats capable of passing beneath the bridge are required to use the services of the Bridge Pilot. The boat above is Brink of Day, she is 42ft long and 12ft wide and sleeps up to ten people and has both an inside and an outside steering position. As seen she can still, with the aid of the skilled pilots be taken through the bridge.

The bridge pilots are  based at the Phoenix Fleet, it is the white building with the flags flying just before the bridge. If you have your own boat they will also (for a fee) take you safely through. The area near the bridge is often busy during the summer months with spectators who marvel at the skills of the pilots.

Potter Heigham has plentiful moorings on both sides of the bridge and at Herbert Woods boatyard. The moorings downstream of the bridge are particularly pleasant as they catch both the morning and evening sun.

The village has a number of shops including a large supermarket where you can buy almost anything. A small but well stocked Broads Authority Information Centre has opened here within the last couple of years.

The new Herbert Woods Tower was rebuilt recently and now includes luxury apartments available for rent with views across the water meadows.

Downstream of Potter Heigham colourful chalets line both banks. Not everyone believes they should be here, but I like them and think they add to the interest of this section of the river!

All photographs on this website are copyright and should not be reproduced in any form without prior consent.