Discover: Rails, Sails & Trails in the Broads National Park
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Date posted: 29/06/2023
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Time to read: 10 minutes
Rail, Sails & Trails
The hugely successful national project Generation Green coordinated by YHA, involved National Parks and outdoor organisations, providing more than 100,000 opportunities for young people to connect with nature, many for the first time. Rails, Sails & Trails initiative in the Broads National Park is one example of the projects helping young people discover the outdoors.
In 2022 Rails, Sails & Trails helped introduce young people to what, for many of them, was a new world – the Broads. The project was managed by education staff, with funding from the Community Rail Network, which includes Greater Anglia’s Wherry Lines and Bittern Line, and with support from many Broads Authority partners. The aim was to provide opportunities for young people and families who wouldn’t usually see the Broads to get out into the landscape by train. As well as never having been to the Broads before, train travel was also a new experience for some.
The project took school and family groups by rail to stations along the Wherry Lines – the railway network connecting Norwich, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.
Groups included participants from New Routes Integration, a local charity supporting refugees, asylum seekers and migrants through promoting cross-cultural integration and community awareness. A young participant who came to the Broads as part of a group of girls and young women said: “I breathe and see differently in nature. I feel free.” Another group, on their first trip across the Broads by train, enjoyed fun and games at Oulton Broad before going on to Lowestoft.
On their journey through a typical Broads landscape, school students learnt about the history and wildlife of the Broads, and how trains gradually displaced the wherry – the local, traditional trading boat – as the main form of transport across the region. Walks, games, presentations and other activities were key parts of days out.
One important stop on the Wherry Lines for some of the past and current school groups is Brundall, home of Broom Boats, a company associated with boating on the Broads since 1898, when they began building wooden sailing crafts. In 1912 they started hiring sailing boats for early Broads holidaymakers and later the company expanded into building and hiring motorised and fibreglass craft, as they still do today, from the same boatyard at Brundall – though like the boats, it’s changed a bit since then!
Boats are a key part of the history of the Broads – they were essential for getting people and goods around and keeping people in touch. Broom Boats also provide access to their facilities, outdoor tables and indoor picnic benches for when the weather demands. Julie Bolus has a studio at the boatyard and co-runs Norfolk Art Club. She adapted her illustrated booklet that families have on hire boats for Rails, Sails & Trails, and she provides all the resources and tuition for school visits. For Broom Boats, this is part of a wider programme of community engagement. Antony Howell, Managing Director of Broom Boats says, “At Broom Boats we are passionate about connecting to the local community and trying to open up the riverside for everyone to enjoy and improve wellbeing.
“We have plenty more planned for the future, all with the aim of opening the Broads to the wider audience and allowing everyone to see what it has to offer. The Rails, Sails & Trails project has perfect synergy to what we are trying to achieve, and it was amazing to see how the children really enjoyed the experience from the train ride to our adjacent station to discovering our boatyard history and connecting with the environment. We are proud to support the project and look forward to it continuing.”
Rails, Sails & Trails is continuing through 2023 and similar work is continuing through these and other partnerships, as we look forward to welcoming many more new visitors to the Broads National Park.
This blog was written by Broads Authority staff, Antony Howell and Broom Boats. All photos by Tom Barrett, Broads Authority.
🎉 Happy Exmoor Day, @exmoornp!
Today, Exmoor National Park celebrates years of connecting people with nature, wildlife and the great outdoors.
From England’s largest wild red deer herd and native ponies to Europe’s first International Dark Sky Reserve and dramatic landscapes, Exmoor is a place full of life, history and discovery.
Its landscapes, wildlife and historic villages bring people closer to nature and create opportunities to explore, connect and enjoy the benefits of being outdoors.
Here’s to Exmoor – and many more adventures to come! 💚
#Exmoor #ExmoorNationalPark #NationalParksUK
Happy birthday @parc_eryri 🎂
From its towering peaks and sweeping valleys to its rich heritage, Eryri (Snowdonia) is a place that means so much to so many people.
It`s a landscape full of stories, shaped by generations of people and home to some of Wales` most treasured places, from the summit of Yr Wyddfa to the quieter corners.
Today, we`re celebrating everything that makes Eryri unique, from the people and traditions that give it its character to the ongoing work to protect its landscapes and wildlife.
Share your favourite memories of Eryri in the comments! 💬
📸Ogwen Valley, Snowdonia @cinqueportsphotography
#Eryri #EryriNationalPark #TheAnswerIsNationalParks
Autumn is a chance to give nature a helping hand. 🍂
From leaving fallen leaves to providing food for birds, small actions can make a big difference to the world around us.
Here are some of the ways to help nature this season.
#NatureRecovery #Autumn #NationalParks
An ancient wall almost 2,000 years old, and a catch-up with your mate? ✅
Historic landmarks like Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland National Park have been connecting people for centuries.
While that connection looks very different today from the wall’s original role as a Roman defensive fortification, it’s still a place where people come together and explore history.
Because our National Parks are about so much more than great places for a day out. They’re places to connect with friends, clear your head, get active and learn about history, all in one place.
#Northumberland #HadriansWall #NationalParksUK
They’re more than just pretty places. 🌳
Our National Parks are home to some incredible trees, from ancient giants to England’s tallest tree.
Swipe through for a few #WildFacts about the trees growing across our 15 National Parks.
#NationalParksUK #Trees #Woodland
National Parks are places where animals make their homes, people catch up over coffee, and we pause to marvel at the dark skies above.
Places to connect, discover and look a little closer.
We’d love to see your images of autumn in action in a National Park. Tag us or use the hashtag #AutumnInAction 🧡
#NationalParks #Autumn
What if Middle-earth’s Rangers had more in common with National Park Rangers than we might think?
Of course, our National Park Rangers have a little less to worry about than Aragorn and his fellow Rangers.
But they do both know their landscapes well, protect the places they love and guide others to find their way.
Across the UK’s 15 National Parks, our Rangers are taking action every day. They may not be defending the Shire from the forces of darkness, but they certainly do an incredibly important job. 💚
#MiddleEarth #Rangers #NationalParksUK
15 National Parks. One shared challenge. Our climate is changing, and with it comes an increased risk of wildfire across our landscapes.
That’s why we’ve committed to taking action through our new Wildfire Management Position Statement. Together, the National Parks will work to support nature recovery to help manage wildfire risk, plan for and strengthen wildfire response and coordination, improve risk management and preparedness, and share clear, consistent public messaging.
But we can’t do it alone.
Communities, organisations, land managers and visitors all have a role to play in reducing wildfire risk. By working together, we can help protect our National Parks and prepare for a future where hotter, drier weather may increase the risk of wildfire.
Read the full statement by clicking on the link in our bio 🔗
Photos:
Slide 1 - Fighting the Glenmore wildfire, © Ed Smith. Slide 2 - Fighting the Glenmore wildfire, © Malcolm Smith. Slide 3 - View across Loch Morlich during Glenmore wildfire, July 2026, © Brenna Jessie. Slide 4 - Fighting the Glenmore wildfire, © Malcolm Smith. Slide 5 - View from the cab of a tractor aiding in fighting the wildfire in the Cairngorms National Park, CPNA. Slide 5 - Firefighting vehicles at the Glenmore wildfire, © Malcolm Smith.
#Wildfires #NationalParksUK
