Day 5 - NORWICH TO BERNEY ARMS

Looking out this morning, everything looked eerie, there was a faint mist on the river which gave the willows along the bank a ghostly appearance. We walked down to the yacht station, and made use of the proper showers, as they were included in the price of the night mooring. Paul made the tea and filled up with water while I walked down the main road to a mini market for milk and some fresh bread rolls.

Leaving Norwich

Riverside Apartments

It was just before 10am when we left and made our way back through Norwich, and under the five city bridges, and then joined the River Yare. The skies were still overcast, but the scenery up to Brundall was so pleasant. As planned when we reached Bramerton Common, we stopped for a late breakfast of fresh rolls and the rest of the Norfolk sausages we got in Roys on Saturday. Bramerton Common is a lovely place to stop, a long, wide green with a dense line of trees as a back drop, it's a bit like Coltishall without the main road. We spent a very relaxing hour there, then continued on our travels.

Approaching Bramerton

Water's Edge At Bramerton

Bramerton Common

Winding Breakfast Up

Leaving Bramerton

Brundall came and went without incident, the river was slightly more busy than the previous day, and the distance seemed a lot shorter. Just after passing Cantley, it started to drizzle, and we had to put the canopy up. Twenty minutes later we passed Reedham Ferry, the rain stopped and the sun made an appearance.

Boats Moored At Brundall

Passing Cantley

Mooring At Reedham

Sunshine At Reedham Marina

Riverside Cottage

We pulled over, and the harbour master helped to to moor as the river was flowing very fast here. The sun was out, and there wasn't a cloud in sight, and it was getting very warm. We locked up and went for a walk behind the shop fronts, where the lane leads uphill. We passed plenty of cottages here, one with a working beehive, there were busy bees buzzing around everywhere.

Beehive Cottage

Reedham Cottage

Downhill Back To The Marina

We came to the village shop, and got some provisions for of breakfast tomorrow, and walked past the village chippy which we have never seen open, the fact that it's only open 4 hours a week might explain this. The lane led downhill towards one of the village pubs, The Ship which has a very attractive riverside beer garden. It was such lovely afternoon, that we had a drink in the garden and watched a boat of beginners trying to moor by the pub, they did very well seeing how fast the river was flowing.

The Ship

A Welcome Pint

River Watching By The Swing Bridge

Pleasant Beer Garden

For the rest of the afternoon, we sat on the boat with the canopy down, and enjoyed the sunshine. As we were going back through Great Yarmouth in the morning, and  as the tide times meant we would have to be up very early, we decided to get as close to Great Yarmouth as possible. So we reluctantly left Reedham just after 4, and continued downstream for an hour to the Berney Arms, which is right on the very edge of Breydon Water.

An Afternoon Of Sunshine

Heading Towards Berney Arms

Bleak Landscape

It was very bleak and lonely here, there was a pub, a windmill and a few boats, and nothing else for miles, which gave it a stark kind of beauty. We had dinner that evening in the Berney Arms, and chatted to the landlord, who had recently taken over the pub. He told us that their weren't any roads to the pub, and the only way to get to civilisation was by boat, or a five mile walk, or by one of the two trains that passed a day. He wasn't certain that he had done the right thing taking the pub over, but there were a few large parties of boater who ate there that evening.

Berney Arms Windmill

A Quiet Location

We had a relatively early night, as it was an early start in the morning. It was very quite that night, in contrast to the busy road next to the yacht station the previous night.

Remotest Pub