Managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Alderfen is on a smaller scale, a little more modest shall we say, than some previously mentioned reserves but it’s appealing tranquillity is still undeniable. A little off the beaten track you shouldn’t find too many visitors, so park, or leave your bike at the clearing and saunter over to the boat shed, biscuits in hand, for your first view of the broad and a contemplative munch. At five odd hectares Alderfen broad is less extensive than in passed days, nonetheless it’s another broadland success story, having been dragged back from the brink that was the sixties and seventies, by the dedication & hard work of conservation workers who love and understand  the broads.

First have a wander around the trail, there’s been a great deal of scrub bashing here to return previous sections of  scrub and carr to fen and reedbed, I think it’s worth a mental nod of recognition to the people who make the effort for us all. Pretty marshy underfoot, you might want to wear waterproof boots in winter, but this is good habitat for wildfowl so keep a watchful eye for Snipe, listen for the  ‘tshhht’ and observe those dashing aerobatics. I disturbed a Woodcock wintering here recently, flew up right next to me with beak pointing downwards, a rather large and stately feel about him I thought, bit like an avian version of Haughton Hall ( could just be my rambling brain drifting around again). A summer sauter through the Alder carr at the end of the dyke (could be a stream) brings wonderful species of woodland bird to identify such as Blackcap,(listen for those Norfolk flints  knocking together) Willow Warbler and Chiff Chaff (same bird different tune, to my eye anyway). The audible delight of an occasional Chettis in the not too distant reed is an additional treat, once heard never forgotten ! Tit flocks are never far away with Marsh, Long tailed, Great and Blue always flitting around, could easily be a Goldcrest in there too; and who’s to say you’re not going to see that Nuthatch descending a bough.
So you've been round & you’re back to the start, why not nip over the ‘bridge’ and up the boardwalk to the viewing screen. There’s a nice panorama of the broad from the screen, the succession from open water  through marshy reedbed to carr woodland is easily recognisable , especially out to the left. ‘Old Frank’ will, in all probability, be about somewhere, and there’s always Teal, Gadwall, Shoveler, Mallard, Moorhen and Coot to keep you going, so have a scan about for anything interesting. The broad supports a beautiful display of water lilies in summer, a sure sign of cleaner waters, so the associated damsel and dragon flies appear and fly through out the summer. Migrant hawker and Common Darter are amongst the last to leave, even in October you might see rather ragged discoloured examples. Whilst we’re thinking of summer, listen out for Sedge and Reed warbler, the Reed has beautiful tones of brown, with a wonderful eye stripe, it’s pretty hard to get a good view though. A little better chance is the Reed Bunting, they’re here all year round, notice that male's striking  black head & white collar, he could be dangling from a reed down there, right now! If you’ve got time left, stroll along the public footpath, I’ve seen Redpolls flitting about these woods in winter, and later on there’s a fine display of Yellow Flag in the marshy pools, who knows, if your quiet, you might even glimpse a fox sniffing about for the scent of food. There’s always plenty to see so why not drop down Alderfen way & give it a try.

Getting there : Out of Norwich, to Wroxham, turn off  for Horning, take the left to RAF Neatishead, past the Phantom standing sentry, and first left, then take the  third lefthand track after about half a mile (car might get muddy though, who cares, it’s just a car).

Amenities : (The beauty of the place is in the fact that there aren't any amenities to speak of).
Car Park, (in the loosest sense of the term), nature trail, mud.
 

Wilds of Norfolk was set up because of our unquenchable enthusiasm for the Norfolk Broads,  our small part of the natural world. We thought we'd like to try and give something back by helping other people enjoy the countryside and it's wildlife as well as do our own little bit to promote an interest in the natural world and it's conservation , not only for the wildlife but for the sheer exuberance of the precious life we're lucky enough to get the chance to live.

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