Category: News

Finally getting into the swing of homeschooling just as the term draws to a close? Are you wondering how you are going to keep those little minds busy for the next 6 weeks? 

We may be able to help!

The Norfolk Broads offer a great opportunity to learn and discover, no matter what your age! 

Become a mighty bug explorer

Children of all ages love adventure. Create your own checklist to help your children spot and count as many different creepy crawlies as possible as you explore the Broads. You may spot the famous, and exclusive Swallowtail butterfly, dragonflies and water boatman  all from the comfort of your day boat. During July and most of August you can even download the Butterfly conservation app and be a part of their annual Big Butterfly count.

Birdwatching 

The past few months have been a busy and stressful time for many, including children who have had to adapt quickly to new practices and daily routines. Spend some down time together, spotting the amazing birds throughout the waterways. You don’t need to be the next David Attenborough either, to keep younger children engaged why not simply set out on a duck counting expedition? 

Colour spotting 

For young children colour spotting along the Broads can be a great and engaging activity. Pick a colour each and play to see who sees the most items of that colour during your journey. 

Become a budding artist

The Broads is full of beautiful scenery and history, such as St.Benets Abbey. Moor up and take it all in with some observational drawings. And if landscapes aren’t your thing, maybe doodle your family, local dog walkers or even your ice cream! If you do create a masterpiece, we would love to see it! Share your photos with us using our hashtag #getonbroad and we will try to share your pictures in our Instagram stories. 

Boost your geography skills with lessons aimed at KS2 

There are loads of great resources available on the Broads Authority Website that support KS2, GSCE and A-level Geography. Ideal for a day out with children over 8, who can learn whilst experiencing the Broads first hand. You can find lesson guidance focusing on the water cycle, climate change and the origins of the Broads over on the Broads Authority website. 

Take part in a boat trip treasure hunt 

Before hiring your boat or joining your river boat trip, create a list of things you may see along the way. We suggest including a good variety of objects and landmarks such as; 

• A Feather 
• A Bridge
• A Butterfly 
• A Swan 
• A Red flower 
• Fairbear
• A Black Dog 
• Someone eating chips 
• A Captain’s hat 

Create a paper list or a checklist on your phone and see how many of your items you can spot during your boat trip. You could always factor in a prize if you collect them all. 

Create a pirate map for your journey. 

ARGHH! Become a pirate for the day with your very own pirate map. You can print an existing map of the waterways and add your own pirate theme, to allow older children to navigate along your journey. Alternatively your children can create their own map along the way, adding landmarks such a Wroxham bridge as your vessel launches and other markers along the way, to ensure you can find your way back after a busy day on the “wild seas”. 

Let them be wild!

Remember, you don’t have to pre-plan or structure your day out on the Broads for your children to learn and benefit from it. Just being outdoors is proven to enhance children’s ability to learn and has a profound impact on their personal and social communication skills. Being outdoors also boosts everyone’s mental and spiritual health, relaxing you overall. Is there a better excuse to get outside, take in the fresh air and spend some quality time together? We think not! 

Ready for your big adventure? Book your day boat hire or river trip today!

We are excited to announce the return of our River Trips, commencing on the 20th July 2020.

Our much loved passenger trips are making a return, which we know will be music to the ears of so many of our long standing customers.

Offering a relaxed way to discover the Norfolk Broads, our trip boats have certainly been missed since we were forced to stop them earlier in the year.

Of course, in order to get them up and running again, some changes have had to be implemented.

How do I book a Broads river trip? 

You will be able to book online on our river trips page or via our phone number, 01603 782207.

Reservations will be made per “social bubble group” which will be available for up to 8, dependant on availability and your chosen vessel.

You can view the new layout plans right here;

Will the onboard experience be very different? 

Naturally, some parts of the trip may feel a little different. There will be social distancing measures in place and it is mandatory to wear face coverings onboard, unless you have a medical condition that prevents you from doing so or are under 11 years old.

Light refreshments will be served on board via table service only. We have also introduced contactless payments on the trips and we actively encourage you to use this method whilst on board.

Whilst we have made adjustments, we have tried to preserve as much of our well loved trips as possible. You will still be able to enjoy a full commentary and our skippers will ensure you don’t miss a thing!  The Broads are full of wildlife right now, so it’s a perfect time to visit.

I use a wheelchair, can this be accommodated?

Due to the governments social distancing requirements which call for additional space, wheelchairs can only be accommodated on The Queen of the Broads and the Belle of the Broads right now. Currently we only have enough capacity for ONE wheelchair party on each scheduled trip. Party sizes are a maximum of 3 people on the Belle of the Broads and 6 people on the Queen of the Broads. These must be pre-booked the day before the trip is due to depart at the latest – please book online or call our team on 01603 782207 to book your place.

How often are your river trips running? 

Initially our trips will be running daily, four times a day. They will be available for 1.5 hour or 2 hour durations.

Can I bring my dog on your River Trips? 

Small well behaved dogs are  more than welcome, for just £2 each. Space restrictions in walkways mean that we can’t accommodate large dogs at this time.

How do boarding times work?

Please do stick to your designated boarding time as displayed at the Passenger Trip Boat boarding area, and follow instructions given by staff members. Social distancing measures will also be in place for your safety.

Our day boats are now back on the water, it certainly has been wonderful to see so many of you enjoying the water again! 

As part of our measures to ensure that we are following the government guidelines surrounding Covid-19 and that we are meeting industry standards, the team have applied for the “We’re Good To Go”, an accreditation created by Visit Britain.

To achieve this trusted mark of confidence, we needed to be able to display that we have taken the necessary measures to operate in line with the guidelines in place.

We are proud to say that we have been approved as a result of the hard work the team have put in place in order to get our boats back in the water.

Here’s hoping for a wonderful season ahead of us, with plenty of families enjoying the Norfolk Broads. Above all thank you to all of our customers for your ongoing support.

We are delighted to announce that Broads Tours has re-commenced day boat hire with effect from 12th June 2020.

We have given much thought into how we will operate our day hire operations once current restrictions have been lifted – what follows is what you might find different on your next visit to Broads Tours.

In general

• We have produced safety videos for hirers to download and view before they arrive at the boatyard; as well as information to keep you safe on the water, the short films also give you a reminder of starting and handling tips for your boat.
• We are also in the process of setting up an online booking process to reduce the need to queue and purchase tickets on site (though this is still possible).
• We have implemented social distancing marks on areas where customers are likely to queue, and we would ask that if you are purchasing tickets from our ticket window, only one member of your party joins the queue.
• While the current Coronavirus restrictions are in place, all hirers should be from the same household or support bubble.
• To reduce the amount of boats needing to be cleaned, for a limited time, the minimum hire period will be 3 hours (or 2 hours after 3pm) – no hires will commence after 4pm.
• Our customer toilets (located in our car park) are cleaned and sanitised regularly, and hand sanitiser is available as you enter the toilet block – it is recommended that you sanitise your hands before and after using the toilet.
• There is also a hand sanitising station on the dayboat quay, and you should sanitise your hands before fitting buoyancy aids to yourself and your family.
• Our friendly staff will still be there to get you on the water and give you instructions on where to go and how to operate your dayboat – though they may be wearing gloves and facemasks if social distancing cannot be maintained.

Standard dayboats

• All hard surfaces on board will be cleaned and sanitised with a suitable anti-viral disinfectant conforming to EN14476, with particular attention paid to ‘high-touch’ areas such as steering wheels, throttle controls, seat backs, and seat cushions.

Day Cruisers

• Following guidance, we have been asked to remove all crockery and cutlery from our day cruisers, so if hiring such a vessel, please bring your own plates and mugs with you. We will continue to supply you with a kettle so you can make that all important hot drink!
• In addition to the control measures on the standard dayboats, the sink and hob area will also be sanitised, and the toilet will also be cleaned and sprayed with an anti-viral disinfectant.
• The fabric upholstery in the seating area will be sanitised with a formulated fabric disinfectant.

Your return to the boatyard

• Our staff will instruct you on where to moor, and disembark your boat.
• All day hire vessels will be cleaned and re-sanitised after each hire.
• Our buoyancy aids, provided free to all customers will also be treated with a suitable anti-viral disinfectant after each hire period.

These additional measures have been introduced to keep you, and our staff, safe during your visit to Broads Tours.

For more information, please see the full Government guidance.

Passenger boats remain closed pending further easing of the restrictions, but rest assured that we are working diligently to ensure your safety when trips are permitted once again.

At Broads Tours, the health and welfare of our guests and staff is paramount – and we continue to follow government guidelines regarding the Covid-19 virus. As this situation is completely unprecedented our advice and procedures are likely to change regularly.

On March 23rd 2020 we closed our business to customers, inline with Government guidance and that continues to be the case until at least May 10th. Once we have more information from the Government about a partial return to normality, we will update this page.

We are continuing to contact guests due to arrive in the next 7 days, in order to find alternative dates for travel. Please do not contact us unless your trip is due to start in the next 7 days. You will appreciate that our team will have their hands full so please do bear with us.

We will continue to monitor the scientific and Government advice over the coming weeks and will publish updates on our website and social media accounts as the situation develops.

Please understand that this decision has been made as an absolute last resort in the public interest, and the effect on our staff as well as our suppliers is considerable. We thank them all for their efforts and will do all that we can to restore normal service as soon as it is safe to do so so that we can start allowing you to escape to the Broads again.

Thank you all for your patience and understanding at this unprecedented and traumatic time for our business and our country.

Stay safe, and we look forward to seeing you on the other side…