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All hire craft except small day boats are required to use the services of the Bridge Pilot, provided free by the Broads Hire Boat Federation. The best time to arrive at the bridge is
about two hours before low water.
Suitable moorings for craft wishing to lower their windscreen and canopy can be found on the left bank just before the bypass bridge. On the right bank the Broads
Authority have provided a dingy park and a mooring point for yachts to raise or lower their masts.
On passing through the bypass bridge, immediately on the left is the pick up point for the Bridge
Pilot while on the right there are moorings for craft not passing through the old road bridge.
Potter Heigham
To many people Potter Heigham is the area around the medieval bridge (photo), the main village is, however, ½ a mile to the
north, but few visitors stray further than the shops that cluster around the River Thurne.
The largest of the shops is Lathams, where you will find everything from groceries to fishing tackle. There are a number of boatyards here, all of which offer day boat hire (photo - typical day boat).
A day boat would be ideal for skippers of large craft unable to pass through the bridge. There is also a Broads Authority Information Centre, open throughout the season on Bridge Road. The old Herbert
Woods Tower was demolished in 1999 and was rebuilt during the early part of 2000. The views from the Penthouses on the upper floors are extensive.
The area around the old road bridge has been tidied up over the years, it now has dykes reserved for small craft to moor, and makes an ideal spot to watch the Bridge Pilots take large hire craft through
the low bridge (photo). A gauge (photo) at the bridge gives the height underneath.
Immediately under the bridge on the left bank is the Bridge Pilot Pickup Point, on the right are small dykes suitable for day boats. Keep well clear of the bridge and over to the right when travelling upstream to the Bridge Pilot's mooring point. Mooring is available for people wishing to stop at Potter Heigham on the left bank and on the right under the footbridge at Broads Haven the Herbert Woods boatyard.
From here to just below Repps Staithe the banks are lined with holiday chalets and summer houses. On the right bank 1 ¾ miles below Potter Heigham is Womack Dyke leading to Womack Water
and the village of Ludham. The moorings at Womack Water can often be full, but moorings can be found on both banks of the dyke and on a small island to the left of Hunter's Yard - home of the Norfolk
Heritage Fleet Trust. The island and left bank of the dyke has no access to the village, on the right bank a footpath can be followed to Womack Water. The staithe at Womack Water has water and litter
receptacles, mooring is stern-on.
The Wherry 'Albion'
(photo) (photo circa 1979?)
The Albion was built by B. Brighton in 1898 at Oulton Broad, she is 58' long and 15' wide and just
under 23 tons in weight. She has the traditional black sail, but unlike other clinker-built Wherries, she was built with planks joined flush at the seams- carvel-built. Like other Wherries she was used
by Colman's of Norwich as a lighter. Her working days are long gone and now she is maintained by the Norfolk Wherry Trust and when not sailing the Broads, she can be seen at her base in Womack Dyke.
Womack Water and Ludham
The attractive village of Ludham with its impressive 14th century church, is a short walk from the staithe (photo). There are a good range of shops and one pub the
King's Arms. A Public Telephone is situated near the church.
Continuing downstream you can not fail to notice the white painted Thurne Mill, it marks the entrance to Thurne Dyke (photo) and Thurne village, 1 mile below Womack Dyke. Extensive moorings are available on both sides of the dyke (fee).
Thurne
The white painted Thurne Mill(photo) is a major landmark and can be seen for miles, it houses a small exhibition and is owned by The Norfolk Windmills Trust. Provisions are available at Thurne Village Stores, cycles can also be hired. The 14thC church of St Edmund looks out towards St Benet's Abbey, its tower a well known landmark. At the head of the dyke is the Lion Public House, a Public Telephone is nearby.
On the opposite bank to the dyke is St Benet's Level Windpump.
Thurne Mouth is ½ a mile downstream, turn left for Great Yarmouth and right for Wroxham and the River Ant.
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