Day Seven: The Perfect Picnic - Cycling tour to How Hill

The Broads National Park is well suited for exploring on two wheels, as the landscape is relatively flat and criss-crossed by a network of small, quiet lanes, ideal for escaping from the noise and pollution of four-wheeled traffic. Don’t worry if you haven’t brought your own bikes, as there are a number of cycle hire centres located in and around the Broads, supported by the Broads Authority. A leaflet is available from Visitor Information Centres providing details of their location and contact telephone numbers. We have chosen one such centre, at Clippesby Holidays, near Acle, and designed a day based around How Hill on the River Ant, but other centres will be happy to provide suggestions for days out in their local area.

Start : Clippesby Holidays Reception, Clippesby, near Acle Ordnance Survey Landranger map 134; grid reference TG426144

•	Start from Clippesby Holidays reception and coffee shop, which is located off the B1152 between Acle and Potter Heigham

Bikes for all ages £11 per day, half day and hourly rates on request   Bungay, Outney Meadow Caravan Park Tel: 01986 892338   Burgh St. Peter, Waveney River Centre Tel: 01502 677343   Clippesby, Clippesby Hall Caravan Park Tel: 01493 367800   Hoveton, Broadland Cycle Hire, BeWilderWood Tel: 07887 480331   Ludham Bridge Boat Services Tel: 01692 630486   Stokesby, Riverside Tea Rooms and Stores Tel: 01493 750470   Whitlingham Country Park Norfolk County Council Outdoor Education Programme (open June) Tel: 01603 632307

•   Take a bike, with cycle hire available if required, and pedal your way along seven miles of quiet lanes to How Hill Nature Reserve, which is one of the most unspoilt places in the Broads •   Stop off on the way at Grove Farm, the studio and gallery of local artist S. F. Clarke, showing many fine examples of his Broadland scenes •   Continuing on to How Hill, picnic on the wide expanse of grass, a great place for the kids to let off steam, overlooking the River Ant, before wandering down to the waterside

•   Here you can explore the reputedly haunted traditional marshman’s cottage, home for a whole family in Victorian times. See how they lived, the clothes they wore and the tools they used. •   Walk the nature trail leading to Crome’s Broad with its bird hide, discovering creatures and plants at home in the Broads on this walk for all seasons

•   Or embark on a waterborne mystery trail by electric boat, along dykes fringed with marshland plants.  An experienced guide will show you the wildlife, with stunning dragonflies, marsh harriers, swallowtail butterflies and many wild flowers all able to be seen here at different times of the year. The trip lasts around 50 minutes, including a short walk to a bird hide •   Cycle back to Clippesby via the village of Ludham, (with an optional additional route off-road via St. Benet’s Abbey) stopping for afternoon tea at Alfresco Tearooms opposite the village church, a friendly, typically English tearoom, with a secluded courtyard area which is perfect on sunny summer days •   As you return from Ludham along the quiet lane to the north of the main road, don’t miss the sight of the old RAF airfield on the left. Spitfire squadrons flew from here in the Second World War, including ace pilot Johnny Johnson, and the control tower is still visible across the fields to the north

Useful Norfolk Broads Contacts

Below you will find suggestions for accommodation, activities, attractions, food & drink and shopping.  All useful contacts while visiting the Norfolk Broads.

Adopted by Louis Vll as his crusading heraldic emblem, it became known as ‘fleur-de-lys’, a corruption of Louis. If not handled carefuly, its sharp edged and pointed leaves can cut flesh, giving rise to another common name, ‘the sword flag’. By mid May these plants rise above most other vegetation around the edge of open water and in damp meadows around the Broads, opening their vivid yellow flowers.

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Discover the Norfolk Broads - A guide to 10 great days out around the Norfolk Broads compiled with local knowledge