Norfolk - Rivers Wensum and Yare - North-west Norwich to East Norwich

About trip

http://www.canoedaysout.com/trip/445

How to get there - This trip starts to the north-west of Norwich. From roundabout on junction of A140 and A1074 head north on the A140 ring road. Take the third available left turn into HELLESDON HALL ROAD. Cross over the minor road into the narrow HELLESDON MILL LANE. Turn sharp left at the bottom, the car park is on the right.

For those with SatNav a nearby postcode is NR6 5AY.

Get a map with driving directions to start or end (enter the postcode of your starting point at A)

Suggested Launch Site - Launch over the bank from the car park off Hellesdon Mill Lane OS (Landranger sheet 134 GR 199104). It takes about 45 minutes to run a car shuttle to the take out on the other side of Norwich (Whitlingham Lane) and return to the start. Paddle time for us was 4hours 40min including elevenses and picnic lunch.

General Description - Almost all of the paddle is through the city, starting near 70s urban parkland, then medieval and Victorian central Norwich, past recently developed flats, the football ground and a stretch more typical of the broads. It is not as grotty as it sounds and does allow a different viewpoint of the city. There is one portage (after bridge 7) which is well marked with a chain across the river. Portage left round the tidal sluice gates and put in at one of the two sets of steep brick steps beyond.

Once under the rail bridge (bridge 17) and pylons the Wensum flows into the Yare. Here choose the left hand fork as it is much the more interesting of the two branches.

Breaks can be taken at the municipal parks left bank after bridge 7 and right bank after bridge 13 (opposite the public moorings).

Paddle time for us was 4hours 40min including elevenses and picnic lunch. The trip is about 7 miles