Hoveton Great Broad Nature Trail

Wildlife Watch with Jerry Simpson

Hoveton Great Broad Nature Trail. Credit: hovetongreatbroad.org.uk

The Hoveton Great Broad (HGB) nature trail is one of Broadlands secret delights not

least because it is quite inaccessible and the only way to get there is by boat but also

because it is a little oasis of calm away from the noise of the motor boats on the

adjacent river Bure. The trail, which is free to visit, was created in 1969 and was the

brainchild of Dr Martin George, the author of the classic Broadland reference book,

“The Land Use, Ecology and Conservation of Broadland” who at the time worked for

English Nature as it was then known. It is now managed by Natural England as part

of the Bure Marshes National Nature Reserve and is only open to the public during

the summer months when it is supervised by two enthusiastic summer rangers.

Board walk at Hoveton Great Broad Nature Trail. Credit: hovetongreatbroad.org.uk

The walking trail consists of a 1km pathway built from old railway sleepers, quite narrow in

places and sadly unsuitable for wheelchair users. It is a self-guided trail, so you can walk at

your own pace, but wardens will provide a guided tour if you wish. The trail features plant

markers as you go around, first identifying the species and then providing interesting facts

about each one. For example, who knew that the wood of Alder trees was used in many of

the foundations of Venice due of its ability to remain solid and not rot underwater?

The trail takes you through various sensitive habitats - hence no dogs allowed, from wet woodland known as carr to reedbeds and the open water of the broad itself. After crossing the river, you pass over a footbridge and arrive at an island called Larkbush Island. Here, you can enjoy excellent views of Hoveton Great Broad, with signs explaining the recent restoration scheme aimed at improving water quality there. In the past, skippers of sailing boats could sail through the broad, taking a shortcut and bypassing a large bend in the river, but it is now closed, so boats must follow the river’s course, leaving the broad undisturbed for wildlife.

Hoveton Great Broad. Credit: hovetongreatbroad.org.uk

In May, I was fortunate to see a Bittern flying across the reed beds, and on previous visits, I

have been rewarded with sightings of Osprey, Otter, Marsh Harrier, Hobby, Norfolk Hawkers,

and occasional Swallowtail butterflies. One of the highlights of the trail is the hide

overlooking the tern raft, which has been cleverly positioned so that you can see onto it.

Every year, it is used by Common Terns to nest and raise their chicks, and the hide allows

you to spend time observing the private (and noisy) lives of these summer visitors.

Recently, after being alerted by a warden, I spotted Britain’s largest dragonfly, the Emperor,

a pond-loving and highly territorial species. The blue-bodied males have a green thorax,

blue-green eyes, and often fly with their abdomen drooping downwards. In recent years,

sightings of its smaller relative, the Lesser Emperor, first observed here in 1996, have

increased significantly. Most sightings occur in July and August and are of males. The

Lesser Emperor is slightly smaller than the Emperor, with green eyes and a violet-brown

thorax, beneath which is a thin yellow line and then a bright blue section with a dark-

coloured abdomen. The fluorescent blue section just below the wings is especially striking.

Since my initial sighting at the Great Hoveton Nature Trail, I have also seen them at nearby

Salhouse and Wroxham Broads while sailing. Dr Pam Taylor, Norfolk’s dragonfly recorder,

has informed me that there has been a rise in sightings of Lesser Emperors this year.

Rare Emperor Dragonfly. Credit: British Dragonfly Society

Lesser Emperor dragonfly. Credit: British Dragonfly Society

If you are sailing on the Bure near Salhouse, then I strongly recommend stopping off for a

walk around the Hoveton Great Broad Nature Trail. Suppose you fancy a full day out, then

Wherry Yacht Charter Charitable Trust (WYCCT), based at Wroxham, do day trips that

include a guided walk around the trail. Check out their website for dates when these trips are

organised at www.wherryyachtcharter.org. What more could you want for a day out in

Broadland, a sail on a wherry yacht and a visit to one of Norfolk’s hidden gems?

www.hovetongreatbroad.org.uk

Jerry Simpson is a Broads Society member who lives in Neatishead within walking distance

of both Barton and Alderfen broads. He is a site-specific volunteer for the Broads Authority

with responsibility for the Barton boardwalk and is chairman of the Broadland local group of

the Norfolk Wildlife Trust.