The Broads we see today are the result of medieval peat diggings between the 9th and 13th centuries. The peat was used as fuel for heating and cooking. Over the centuries, as water levels rose, the diggings flooded and
The Broads were formed. The waterways of
The Broads were important routes for transporting cargo between local villages and towns. This transportation was done onboard wherries (large single-sailed boats built especially for the shallow waterways).
Over the centuries Wherries grew in size and eventually carried up to 40 tons of cargo. In the 50's the boats ceased trading some were converted or commissioned as holiday craft. Only a few wherries now remain in operation and some, following loving restoration, can still be hired out today. For more information on boating in
The Broads please see our
On the Water section.
Visitors have been coming to
The Broads for boating holidays since the 1890’s. The Victorians discovered the appeal of sailing through the enchanting waterways of The Norfolk Broads when, for an extra £1, you could hire an onboard piano for a week! Today over a million people visit or stay on The Norfolk Broads every year.
Reedbeds
Beside the rivers and broads you will often find wide beds of reeds. These raw materials were used for thatching, and some continue to be used by thatchers today. A thatched roof will last for 50-70 years and remains cool in summer and cosy in winter.
The reedbeds are important to wildlife offering a natural habitat. Sedgebeds support plants including milk parsley, the food of the swallowtail butterfly which can only be found in this region. The reed and sedgebeds have to be managed by traditional methods of cutting as if they were not other plants and trees would take hold.