Ranworth, like Cockshoot is part of the Bure marshes national nature reserve (NNR), and is owned and managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. The thousand year old peat diggings having eventually filled with water due to the inexorable rise of the sea.  Park up at Ranworth staithe or past the shop and into the little overflow car park, and look out over the broad. This is Malthouse broad, Ranworth’s round the corner, but not open to public navigation, so more of a haven for the wildlife. (I’d love to get out on there in the canoe though). Whilst you’re here nip into the Broads Authority visitor centre, and see if they’re running the ‘Helen’ , (a converted reed lighter),on a guided nature trip up to Cockshoot. A friend of mine did the dawn trip a while back, and swears it’s the best thing she’d done in the broads, even in spite of the heavenly deluge. Life’s what you make it as they say! Have a wander up to the edge and get the binoculars out, scan those old dead trees over the back for Cormorants, black with a long neck, often wings stretched out, warming in the sun, bit smaller than a Goose, the Scandinavian race have a whiter front apparently, too easily confused with a juvenile for my liking. The proximity of people with bread and other goodies will ensure plenty of close encounters of the avian aquatic kind,  Egyptian, Greylag and Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Coot, Mallard and a few more all vie for an easy snack. This may or may not be your thing, but it’s a good chance to see these birds at close quarters ,

I had a Black Swan, (dunno where that came from) nibbling bread out of my hand, down the road on Salhouse broad, a few years ago, his bill felt like a piece of bakelite tickling my palm. Oh dear…… all over again I appear to digress. Once more my humblest apologies, I will, from now on, remain, rigidly, to the local narrative and allow no further deviation, for any reason what so ever !

Had enough feeding the birds, walk up the road, not that road, the one up toward the church. As I’m not going to deviate, I won’t tell you what a great little church this is and how the view on a clear day is one of the finest broadland panoramas you are likely to see. No, that’s for the guidebooks, we’ll move steadfastly on, in true British fashion, or was that fission, or is that just in my head, ohhh ………………….. (a while later, and calmer)… take the left and mooch down to the trail, the boardwalk takes you through a section of  Oak wood , into carr woodland , reedbed and finally  the broad. You’ve got to hand it to the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, this in a nutshell, show the complete succession from water to mature woodland with handy explanation boards to help you understand what it’s all about, it’s pretty wet in winter, so summer is a nice time to visit with an array  marshland plants as well as interesting moths and butterflies. As you walk through the reedbed, you can hear Reed, Sedge and Cettis warblers, but you’re more likely to get a good view of a Reed bunting, look out for the male’s black head and white collar he’s usually hanging off the top of a reed somewhere, his partner won’t be far away, so a nice chance to compare the two. The boardwalk isn’t that long so get as much out of it as you can, study the boards, hunt for the flowers, dragonflies and caterpillars, (countless ‘woolly bears’ occasionally appear for a few days then ‘that’s it’ for another year, you’ve just got to be lucky).  Listen to the wind in the reeds, think about the big picture and speculate on the wonder of nature. At the end of the trail you come across a quirky little thatched visitor centre, floating on Ranworth broad, nip past the ramp and enjoy the views over the broad and up Ranworth cut. Who knows, a Wherry may be quanting down the cut, what a nice shot that would make ! Terns fish this broad in summer, take a good look though, could be a Black Tern or two in there with the rest. The occasional transient Osprey stops off here so it’s always worth a scan about. No scope ? Well there’s even a couple for public use in the visitor centre. A few of us stood looking as such a bird one evening about  seven thirty, when a Wildlife Trust worker turned up to check something. He proceeded to open up and let everyone look around ,and use the scopes to really study the bird. Friendly enthusiasm shone through him like warm evening sun on the reeds, something good always turns up in Norfolk.

Getting there :Grid ref TG357149. Take the B1140 to South Walsham and turn off at the Ship Inn to Ranworth, follow the road around until you get a view of Malthouse broad from the hill on the way down. The staithe is in front of you to the left. By boat it’s on the Bure, between Horning and the Ant mouth.

Amenities :Car Park, moorings, toilets, Broads Authority information centre and boat trip (on Malthouse broad), NWT visitor, nature trail.

Need more information : 01603 625540    
 

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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