HEATHER

Welcome to Heather

Houseboat of character, docked in Hoveton by the River Bure on the Norfolk Broads Waterways.

Heather is cared for by a partnership of friends and family. Our aim is to preserve the distinctive style of the houseboat and enable future generations to enjoy her charms.

Explore the riverside, browse the shops and places to eat and drink ~ and much more beyond monumental Wroxham Bridge.

Andrew, Timothy and Christopher

31 July 2017

Waterways of life




Rivers provide vital arteries for people, conveniently flowing through dynamic urban areas and vast tracts of green countryside. Even though rivers link the town with country, the contrast and misunderstanding between the two may never have been greater ~ yet both are reliant on each other, not least because of the pivotal farming industry, where much of our food comes from.



Waterways in many respects, form the bedrock of civilization and remain fundamental for commerce, wildlife and recreation. The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads waterways are famed for boating, yet the area is much more than an idyllic holiday destination. Local people depend on visitors during the high summer season and in turn visitors can expect excellent hospitality and attractions. Even in today’s digital age, when information is widely available to most of the world’s population, the voice of some individual groups, especially in Broadland appears to be mute. Social media by default, can also easily warp the reality of actual happenings on the riverside.



Today, the stewardship by public bodies, serving Broadland’s precious waterways are increasingly being questioned. Is it right that some of the most beautifully, protected landscapes in UK ~ designated as official national parks, plus the affiliated Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Waterways, are operated without any direct local accountability?



The small independent band of friends who look after the houseboat are passionate about history. However, a weather eye is always kept on the future. We also care deeply about local communities and all aspects of conservation, culture and the landscape. It is possible to draw upon the best attributes from the past, while embracing modern advancements. In this spirit of hope and benevolence towards each other and the environment, Heather is promoting this code for Broadland, believed to have been devised in the 1970s, but little used since.



Please:


  • Preserve river banks
  • Respect other Broads users
  • Don’t leave litter
  • Don’t discard fishing tackle
  • Keep out of the reeds (where possible)
  • Keep to the marked channels
  • Keep to the speed limits


The Broadland Code was copied from the booklet ~ Life in Norfolk, by GM Dixon and MG & HJ Harland, 1979.




Chris

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King's Head Staithe, Hoveton, pictured from Wroxham public Parish Staithe