Hickling Broad is said to be haunted by the ghost of a young soldier wearing a Napoleonic uniform and skating across the Broad as if it were frozen.

The story goes that a soldier was stationed in Norfolk and was courting a local girl whose home was on the other side of the Broad.

During the winter of his courtship the Broad froze over and so the young soldier took the opportunity to skate across to meet up with his girl.

It being far quicker than going round the outside of the Broad and it meant that he could spend longer with his love. 

One night the temperature rose slightly and the thaw began, but the eager young soldier decided that the Broad was frozen enough for him to make one more nightly crossing.

Unfortunately when he was half way across the ice gave way and he fell through the partially melted ice.

As there was no one around to help him he was dragged under by the current and drowned.  In vain his girlfriend waited for him at their normal rendezvous point but her young love did not appear.

His body was found on the edge of the Broad, pale and frozen, but otherwise unmarked.

Over the years reports have come in of a young man seen vigorously skating across the Broad despite the absence of any ice.

It is the young solider eagerly skating to keep his rendezvous with his beloved who has long since turned to dust.