Holiday Cycle Ride in The Broads

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On a recent break away in the Norfolk Broads, as a family we decided to hire some bikes and go for a casual ride – the first time The Boy (still under eight years old) has been out on quiet country roads, and his longest ride yet coming in at just over 13 miles, with about seven miles off road.

This was a good place to introduce this type of cycle excursion: easy to hire bikes at a location that starts on quiet roads with only a few cars, that continues through to an off-road route adjacent to the Bure Valley Railway – on which we only rode part of the way before turning back to make sure we could return the bikes in time (we booked for 3.5 hours) – and with no major hills; some inclines, but nothing too challenging.

Having said all that, the route we took still suffered in parts with the all too common problem of a lack of infrastructure and inaccessability. On one occasion the map took us straight across a busy A road – which we decided to cross on foot due to traffic levels on the outbound journey though the return was quieter – and access to the off-road section was via gates which could be difficult to operate for some, on a path which was rough, narrow, and occasionally muddy – not an all weather track and not really suitable for anything wider than regular bicycles. This was really on par with a poorly surfaced canal towpath.

For us, crossing the A1151 was the biggest worry. Given this was at the transition point between a 40mph area entering Hoveton and the 60mph NSL area before it, traffic was moving fast and it took time to wait for a good gap. As this was a family ride, it wasn’t possible to take smaller gaps that might be considered safe as a confident adult riding solo. We were also on hire bikes which are unfamiliar compared to our regular cycles used at home, so to be confident in crossing safely, it meant dismounting to cross between footpaths and waiting for that larger pause in traffic flow. Even so, we had to cross quickly once the decision had been made to move after which we had to rejoin the small road very close to the junction mouth.

Of course, it’s not reasonable to expect cycle facilities on narrow country lanes, nor would I suggest it’s really necessary. However, at busy junctions such as this one which forms part of a mapped route from a popular cycle hire location that caters for families (including using child bikes from upwards of 20″ wheels, towalong bikes, and child trailers), it seems quite a failing of the local highways authority, Norfolk County Council, to not put some form of infrastructure in place to allow people to safely and comfortably cross the junction – just a parallel crossing to oblige drivers to give way to people waiting to cross, if not a toucan crossing, underpass or overpass (expensive, but there appears to be land available). There is not even so much as a warning sign to drivers of crossing cyclists.

When it comes to that off-road route adjacent to the Bure Valley Railway, Broadland District Council should really look at making this more accessible. Gates were awkward to operate and I can imagine they’d be particularly difficult or impossible for anyone unable to dismount from their ride. A narrow space, bumpy and sometimes slippery surface is not ideal for the less stable, would surely by unpleasant for children in a trailer, and would cause difficulties for wider rides such as tricycles which may not be able to easily pass oncoming pedestrians and cyclists. As it was, we had to turn around mid-route due to time constraints and space to do so was very restricted. But if it weren’t for these difficulties, the path would be a very pleasant route adjacent to the narrow gauge railway creating a nice traffic-free link between Hoveton, Coltishall, Buxton, and Aylsham.

Beyond that specific half-day of riding, it was enjoyable to see lots of bikes and riders of all types out for the Tour de Broads event which we encountered entirely by chance. With various route options ranging from 25 to 150 miles plus a one-hour family route, this event appears to have something for everybody. Perhaps one day, if I can fathom getting my bike across the country be it by train (preferred) or car, it’d be something I might do. And of course, there were plenty of people out riding either as part of their holiday, or local riders enjoying the rural environment.

When we visited a couple of places however, it did strike me as to how much harm motor traffic is doing to what would otherwise be attractive towns (and I realise the hypocracy here given we also drove). Hoveton/Wroxham is choked with traffic as the A1151 crosses the River Bure at what is otherwise a pleasant location with boat hire, riverside restaurants and cafes, small ice cream shops etc. I was also struck by how what could be a nice public square in Aylsham near its church is a car park outside of market days, totally ruining what could be a much more pleasant space for people.

Overall, it was nice to get away for the first time since the onset of COVID, but when it comes to looking at cycling in another part of the country – one known for being relatively flat compared to other parts of the UK and so negating the usual arguments about hills – it’s clear that the parts of Norfolk that we saw suffer from the same underinvestment in active travel infrastructure and the usual car dominance as most of the rest of the UK. It’s a pity because putting aside the benefits for local travel and commuting, surely capitalising on cycle tourism throughout The Broads by making it easy, safe, and accessible would be a sustainable benefit to the local area and its economy.