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A visitors guide to the town of Loddon located in the Southern
Broads of Norfolk. The Broadland Market town of Loddon is located
on the River Chet in South Norfolk, an ideal location for touring both
Suffolk and Norfolk. The towns numbers swell in summer with the influx
of people on boating holidays exploring the Norfolk Broads who moor here
to enjoy the towns many delights.
Loddon has an attractive marina where there is an
information board that shows photographs of the area in bygone days.
Here you can hire a river boat for a day or longer. The staithes were
once the unloading point for wherries, which carried all manner of loads
including grain, timber and coal up and down the river, until before the
last war. Loddon was once a commercial port, and there are old
warehouses with Loddon Watermill standing to this day on the bridge over
the River Chet. This Watermill is mentioned in the Domesday Book
and is the earliest recorded building in the town.
Down stream there is a pleasant walk between the river bank and grazing
marshes. After about a quarter of a mile you will find Pye Mill
with its pleasant picnic area. At Pye Mill there is a two tonne oak
block that has been turned into a story and acts as a signpost for
visitors to a town shopping trail. It shows a mother who wants to be
sure that her family have ample provisions before they cast off.
However, as she had overloaded the shopping bag there is now a trail of
items they she has dropped along the footpath into town. The items which
were dropped by the sculptured shopping party can be found as way
markers as you walk through the water meadow to the Loddon's shops.
The town centre has been designated as a conservation
area and is made up of many period properties. Loddon House and Farthing
Green House were both built in the early 18th century; with the latter
receiving considerable additions in later years. The village has a
number of shops including a community stores and a supermarket.
For Holiday Accommodation in Loddon Norfolk - Self Catering - Holiday
Cottages and Bed and Breakfast check out our Loddon Holiday
Accommodation Pages.
Loddon has an imposing 15th century parish church and inside is an
interesting small room reached by a spiral staircase located within the
thickness of the wall. In pre-reformation days, the priests from Langley
Abbey may have used it as overnight accommodation as within three miles
of the town are 13 medieval churches.
There are miles of local footpaths around Loddon including The
Wherrymans Way a 35 mile route which follows the course of the River
Yare between Great Yarmouth and Norwich.
The name comes from the wherry a large cargo-carrying barge whose
elegant black sails were a once common sight on these waters. You can
walk or cycle the route or explore parts of if by train and river bus.
There is also a good circular walk around Loddon (7km 9 miles) which
takes you past the old Watermill, the church and Hales Hall, details of
all these walks can be found at the local Tourist Information Office
located in the town.
Other walks have way markers along their routes, with information panels
and audio points. It is possible to do a river walk that runs the full
length of the Chet from the Staithe to Hardley Cross for those who enjoy
spotting wildlife or simply enjoying the countryside .
Hardley Flood nature reserve is about half a mile
along the river bank an important Ramsar site (Ramsar sites are wetlands
of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention)
which provides an essential wintering ground for thousands of wildfowl
and is always teeming with birds and wildlife. A bridge that spans the
Hardley Floods links a footpath from nearby Chedgrave
to the furthest end of Hardley Flood.
Golf is available at the nearby Suffolk towns of Bungay
and Beccles.
Hales Hall at Loddon was once the home of the Hobarts, both the barn and
the moated gardens are open to visitors. The historic medieval city of Norwich
is only 20 minutes by car or there is a half hourly bus service from the
town centre. For seaside amusements then visit Great
Yarmouth and Lowestoft
with their piers, theatres, leisure pools, and other seaside holiday
attractions |
