Cruising and Racing on Oulton Broad

 A feature from the December 2017 issue of Suffolk Norfolk Life magazine
Suffolk Norfolk Life December 2017Click to view this issue »
Category
Nature, Places
By Susie Kearley

The day we visit Oulton Broad, the sun’s out and the area looks stunning: blue skies, beautiful reflections, pleasure boats, historic buildings, lush green parklands, wild flowers, foliage, wildlife, canoeists, reeds and marshes. The area’s full of vibrant colours and bursting with life!

My husband and I walk through Nicholas Everitt Park, taking in the views, watching the pleasure boats, the geese and swans, and the children throwing balls and frizbees. It’s quiet and tranquil, but it won’t last. The Powerboat Racing National Championship begins at noon! The fences are up around Oulton Broad, to stop any over-enthusiastic supporters from getting too close to the edge and falling in. Some people have arrived early to save their favourite viewing spot.

We check out the Café in the Park, a pleasant little eatery with a good selection of food and drink. Lowestoft Museum, next door, opens in the afternoon. It’s home to collections of local porcelain, fossils, Roman and Anglo-Saxon archaeology, shipping and fishing displays, and information about local industries and characters. Rooms are decked out to reflect different periods in history, with a Victorian room looking at domestic life in the 19th century. There are local artefacts from both World Wars.

We pass the children’s playground and boating pool, and decide to join a Waveney Marshlands Cruise. The Waveney Princess departs at 11 o’clock, on a 90-minute tranquil journey through the rushes. We admire the glorious views, taking in historic buildings, riverside mansions, and miles of pretty countryside.

Read the full article in the December 2017 issue of Suffolk Norfolk Life Magazine
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