Norfolk - Rivers Wensum and Yare - North-west Norwich to East Norwich
This page was submitted by Paul
How to get there - This trip starts to the north-west of Norwich. From roundabout on junction of A140 and A1074 head north on the A140 ring road. Take the third available left turn into HELLESDON HALL ROAD. Cross over the minor road into the narrow HELLESDON MILL LANE. Turn sharp left at the bottom, the car park is on the right.
For those with SatNav a nearby postcode is NR6 5AY.
Get a map with driving directions to start or end (enter the postcode of your starting point at A)
Suggested Launch Site - Launch over the bank from the car park off Hellesdon Mill Lane OS (Landranger sheet 134 GR 199104). It takes about 45 minutes to run a car shuttle to the take out on the other side of Norwich (Whitlingham Lane) and return to the start. Paddle time for us was 4hours 40min including elevenses and picnic lunch.
General
Description - Almost all of the paddle is through the city, starting near 70s urban parkland, then medieval and Victorian central Norwich, past recently developed flats, the football ground and a stretch more typical of the broads. It is not as grotty as it sounds and does allow a different viewpoint of the city. There is one portage (after bridge 7) which is well marked with a chain across the river. Portage left round the tidal sluice gates and put in at one of the two sets of steep brick steps beyond.
Once under the rail bridge (bridge 17) and pylons the Wensum flows into the Yare. Here choose the left hand fork as it is much the more interesting of the two branches.
Breaks can be taken at the municipal parks left bank after bridge 7 and right bank after bridge 13 (opposite the public moorings).
Paddle time for us was 4hours 40min including elevenses and picnic lunch. The trip is about 7 miles
Comments on this trip
Clive K 28 Aug 2019
Took my Gumotex inflatable kayak down the first part of this route. Much prettier than I had imagined and I look forward to doing the second half another time. One point of note the portage platform is under repair so you'll need to squeeze through between a tree and the temporary railings not a major problem as there is space, it's just that from a distance it looks like there's no access.
Vicki Nunn 04 Aug 2012
Lovely paddle thru Norwich we continued on as far as Bramerton Woods End and were picked up there (extra couple of miles). We were stopped by the Broads Authority in the city and asked for sight of our licence/BCU membership card be warned!
martin sandra 17 Jun 2012
did this trip on 1/6/2012 started at 10am from start about 1/2 mile up river a very big tree is across river portage this side of sluce was a bit tricky getting out, a good trip did it as a return trip took about six and half hours with picnic included
