Norfolk Broads Information Centres
Broads information centres can be found at the following locations: Expert help is given from the following Broads information centres to help you make the most of your visit. All centres have an extensive range of maps, guides, books and gifts.
Useful Norfolk Broads contacts
Police
999 (emergency only)
Broads own dedicated police officers
01493 752250 (ask for the broads beat)
Navigation advice River control at Carrow Bridge, Norwich
01603 625091
Great Yarmouth Yatch Station
01493 842794
Bridge Pilots at Potter Heigham
You must use the bridge pilot from Phoenix Fleet Boat Yard, the pilot service is available between 8.30am and 6.00pm, depending on tide and weather conditions.
01692 670460
Wroxham bridge pilot service
Available from Wroxham launch hire between 8.30am and 6.00pm
01603 783043
Wildlife Rescue RSPCA
08705 555999
Day Boat Hire on the Norfolk Broads
Considered the UK’s largest and finest wetland landscape, the Norfolk Broads have been a popular destination to hire boats for many decades. These waterways offer open spaces, spectacular scenery, peace and tranquillity and are full to the brim with stunning Norfolk wildlife.
The Norfolk Wildlife Trust - Wildlife Conservation in Norfolk
The Norfolk Wildlife Trust is the oldest Wildlife Trust in the country and aims to provide hands-on, learning experiences to develop knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of the natural world. 400 acres of marshland at Cley, on the north Norfolk coast, was purchased in 1926 to be held ‘in perpetuity as a bird breeding sanctuary’. This has provided a blueprint for nature conservation which has since been replicated the length and breadth of the UK.
The Marsh Harrier is a Norfolk Success Story
The marsh harrier is the largest of the harriers and is recognisable by its long tail and light flight with wings held in a shallow ’V’ formation. Females are larger than the males and have distinctive golden-yellow crowns and throat and chocolate-brown feathers. Males are lighter in colour and have a brown back, pale neck and head, gingery belly and long grey wings with black tips. In recent years the marsh harrier population has increased, and in Norfolk, it is not unusual to see this beautiful bird in flight.
Spotting the elusive Bittern in Norfolk
The bittern is one of the rarest breeding birds in the UK, it is very well camouflaged and spends all year round in Norfolk, making its home in reedbeds on the Norfolk Broads. The male has a very distinctive booming call, that it uses to attract a mate, and this can be heard up to 2km away between March and June.
See the Swallowtail Butterfly in Norfolk
The Swallowtail Butterfly, Papilio Machaon Britannicus is a large, strong and colourful butterfly that forms part of the Papilionidae family. The largest native UK butterfly, with a wingspan of up to 9cm, it is also one of the rarest. The Swallowtail Butterfly has very distinctive yellow and black markings and if you are lucky enough to spot one in flight, it’s a beautiful sight to behold.
Useful links
http://www.visitthebroads.co.uk/
Broads National Park, The official visitor website for the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads
http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/
The Broads National Park with its scenic waterways, rare wildlife and rich history is looked after by The Broads Authority, keeping it special for visitors and its community
