Why not let nature entertain your family this summer, says Norfolk Wildlife Trust Reserves Officer Robert Morgan During the school summer break there is a sudden increase in the number of people that want to stay for a weekend with my wife and I, particularly friends with children. We offer visits to Holkham beach and shopping expeditions into Norwich, but by far the most common request is to see the Broads. But how does one impress guests (and entertain their children) with all the wonder and beauty of the Norfolk Broads in a single day? The answer is quite simple, and it involves a trip to Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Ranworth Broad or NWT Hickling Broad and Marshes – both of which have wonderful visitor centres.
Marsh tit and Cetti’s warbler breed in the area (Image: Nick Appleton, Hardley) The Broads Wildlife Centre at NWT Ranworth Broad and Marshes can be reached by a ferry service from Ranworth village staithe or a pleasant ten-minute walk along Broad Road to the entrance of the reserve – either has its own appeal. A centuries-old oak stands sentinel at the beginning of the route to the reserve along an accessible wooden path. It ambles through a swampy wood (referred to as alder carr) before opening into reedbed and ending at the floating thatched visitor centre.
Those with a deeper interest in the natural world will be surprised just how much can be seen in such a short walk. The wood contains an array of flora, including an impressive royal fern. Marsh tit and Ce.