So ended our cruise.

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CHAPTER XVI.

ORMESBY AND FRITTON.

[Picture: Decorative drop capital] There are still some very important Broads in Norfolk and Suffolk, which I could not mention in an account of a cruise, because they are not accessible from the navigable waters, and, as a matter of fact, I know comparatively little about them for that reason. There are the Ormesby, Filby and Rollesby Broads, lying together in a straggling group four or five miles north-eastward of Acle.

Altogether, they contain 800 acres of water, but much of this is overgrown by reeds. The Muck Fleet, which we pa.s.sed below Acle Bridge, is their outlet into the river Bure. They are very easily accessible from Yarmouth by rail to Ormesby station, on the North Norfolk Railway, and boats may be obtained at the Eel's Foot, and the Sportsman's Arms, the former having fair staying accommodation. The fis.h.i.+ng is free, at all events to persons going to the houses named, and uncommonly good sport is to be had amongst pike, rudd, and bream, the number of a catch being counted by the hundred, and the weight by the stone. For fis.h.i.+ng, pure and simple, Ormesby Broad is as good a place as any to visit.

[Picture: Fritton Decoy]

The other lake I have not described is Fritton Decoy, a long curving lake, about a mile from St. Olave's station, on the Yarmouth and Lowestoft Railway, and Haddiscoe station, on the Norwich and Lowestoft Railway. It is only open to anglers from April to September, being closed the rest of the year, to protect the wild-fowl decoys, which are still worked on it, by the two proprietors. For a note upon these decoys, and others in Norfolk, I must refer the reader to a paper upon decoys, written by Mr. Thos. Southwell, F.Z.S., published in a new edition of that most fascinating book, Lubbock's "Fauna of Norfolk,"

issued by the publishers of this book, and for descriptive accounts to my own larger book, "Norfolk Broads and Rivers," published by Wm. Blackwood and Sons.

Fritton is an exceedingly beautiful Broad, and its waters are very deep.

It is, in fact, a lake, rather than a Broad proper. It is extremely well stocked with fish, and good sport may generally be obtained there. Boats can be obtained at "Fritton Old Hall."

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APPENDIX.

RAILWAY ACCESS TO FIs.h.i.+NG STATIONS.

[Picture: Decorative drop capital] To begin with, it may be well to state that Norwich itself can be reached from London by two lines of railway-one via Colchester and Ipswich, and the other by Cambridge and Ely, the journey taking from three to four hours. From Norwich, Yarmouth and Lowestoft may be reached in an hour of slow travelling, and as the line runs by the river the whole way, and every station is convenient for fis.h.i.+ng purposes, it will be desirable to give a list of them, with remarks upon the adjacent fis.h.i.+ng places.

WHITLINGHAM.

This is too close to Norwich for very good fis.h.i.+ng, although occasionally the fish seem to head up, and good takes are to be had. Good rowing boats may be obtained at Thorpe Gardens, five minutes' walk from the station. Omnibuses ply between the Gardens and Norwich every hour. The reach of the old river is very lovely.

BRUNDALL

Is the station for "Coldham Hall," at which inn visitors can be accommodated. The inn is ten minutes' walk from the station down the river, and across the ferry. There are plenty of boats, and the place is much frequented. From here down to Buckenham Ferry there are large numbers of pike, and it is customary to row down trailing a bait behind.

Roach and bream are plentiful.

BUCKENHAM FERRY.

From this station you have ten minutes' walk down to the Ferry, where boats are to be obtained, and the fis.h.i.+ng generally is good.

CANTLEY.

Close by the station is the "Red House" Inn, where there is good accommodation for visitors. Boats can be had. The fish, as a rule, run larger here than higher up. The water is deep and the tide swift. When the water is fairly clear, some good pike may be had.

REEDHAM.

The "Ferry" Inn is ten minutes' walk. Good accommodation. The bream run large, so do the perch, of which there used to be large numbers _under the ferry boat_.

The line divides at Reedham, one part going to Yarmouth and the other to Lowestoft. There is no fis.h.i.+ng place on the Yarmouth branch, but on the Lowestoft line there are-

HADDISCOE,

whence the Cut may be fished. Boats are difficult to obtain, but the landlord of the "Bell" Inn, at St. Olave's bridge, might procure you one.

This is the station for Fritton Decoy.

SOMERLEYTON.

This would be an excellent fis.h.i.+ng station if boats could be procured, but you cannot rely upon being able to borrow one. The porters at the swing-bridge, or the landlord of the "Duke's Head," might direct you where to obtain a boat. I think the latter has one or two. The bream are very large and numerous. The good fis.h.i.+ng in this part of the river has been exemplified by Mr. Winch, of Norwich, who has taken 8 stone in a day-five bream weighing 20 lbs., and one bream weighing 6 lbs.

OULTON BROAD.

See the last chapter for full information as to this important fis.h.i.+ng station.

Another line from Norwich leads to-

WROXHAM.