The Waveney River Centre is an oasis of activity in what truly feels like the middle of nowhere down in the southern Broads. It’s many things rolled into one: it’s a well-equipped campsite, right by the water but it also has a number of holiday lodges. It also offers moorings to hire boats and rents out day boats and canoes at what must be one of the best locations from which to explore this part of the Broads national park – a location which also offers plenty of opportunity for glorious walks and cycle rides.
The long-distance Angles Way passes nearby, just across the river, the Wherryman’s Way a little way north, and the countryside around is as peaceful a corner of England as you’ll find.
There are 17 pitches for tourers and 35 for tents, and they come in various sizes, from ‘Coot’ (12m x 10m) to 'Pintail' (6m x 4m). All have views over the water and are spacious enough to accommodate your car. Plus, all have electric hook-ups.
The site is partly supplied by solar energy and has an energy-efficient pool and low-energy lighting throughout; pretty much everything is recycled, and the centre has won the David Bellamy conservation award 3 years running. But maybe the best – and greenest – thing they have done is to reinstate the foot ferry across the river which not only gives access to beautiful Carlton Marshes and Oulton Broad but has made the car journey from Lowestoft to Waveney about six times shorter.
All in all a very peaceful retreat, but with plenty to keep you entertained.
You can spend many a happy hour on the water, canoeing or hiring a day boat. You should certainly visit the Burgh St Peter parish church, right by the site, with its weird ziggurat-style tower, and take the ferry across the river to Carlton Marshes Nature Reserve and Oulton Broad. Further afield, you can cycle or drive to take in the gardens and stately home of Somerleyton Hall, or to Beccles, which is the nearest place for anything like metropolitan pleasures.
Right on our door step (well ok across the river) is Carlton Marshes nature reserve - featuring great walking across the marshes, water meadows and along the riverbank. Our ferry drops you at the edge of the reserve which also adjoins the Angles Way long distance footpath, for walks to Oulton Broad and Beccles.
Nearby attractions include Somerleyton Hall & Gardens - a Tudor-Jacobean mansion, Pleasurewood Hills family theme park, Redwings Horse Sanctuary, Africa Alive wildlife park zoo and Caldecott Hall golf course.
Nearby beaches include Great Yarmouth (20 mins), Lowestoft (35 mins) and Southwold (40 mins).
The medieval City of Norwich - a top 10 UK retail destination - is steeped in culture and history with its Norman Castle & Cathedral and is only 30 minutes drive.
You might also visit the pretty market towns of Beccles and Bungay - approx 20 minutes drive.
On-site, the pool has a café serving breakfast, sandwiches, jackets and the like, and there’s a pub, the Waveney Inn, which serves meals at lunchtime and evenings. Off the site, the nearest pubs are The Wheatacre White Lion (01502 677388, 2 miles) - serving English and Thai food - and The Haddiscoe Crown (01502 677368), 6 miles away, which is a decent local serving a fairly typical pub menu of steaks and burgers, plus a small selection of Spanish tapas.
The Waveney Inn is on site and open all year (all day during holidays, lunchtimes and evenings at other times)