What to do when it's raining in the Broads National Park

It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring… well, he wouldn’t be if he was in the Broads National Park! Don’t let the cold and damp stop you getting out and about. The Broads might be famous for a summertime of glittering water and swallowtail butterflies, but away from its seasonal stereotypes there is a whole wealth of places for your wellingtons to wander and for your umbrella to uncover. So put down that crossword, step away from the biscuit tin, it’s time to discover all the things that you can do in the Broads National Park when it’s raining outside…

The Bure Valley Railway

Why worry about the raindrops when you could be warm and dry discovering the Broads by rail? The Bure Valley Railway was a line first opened in 1880 and offers the perfect opportunity to soak up vintage vibes instead of soggy puddles! They are dog friendly, have regular events, and there is nowhere else quite like it for nostalgic charm.

Get inspired by spires

The Broads is famous for its vast number of historic churches, so why not indulge in a rainy-day-church-crawl? Have you climbed to the rooftop of St Helens in Ranworth? Have you seen the medieval murals of All Saints in Catfield? Have you marvelled at the thatched roof of St Peters in Hoveton? If not, why not? When the weather is dreary, discover the collections of art and history housed in the churches of the Broads.

Wet walks

While many are busy avoiding the dark clouds, why not embrace them instead? Wear your waterproofs with pride and go on a mizzling meander. National Trust properties Felbrigg Hall and Blickling Hall both come with sprawling acreage for you to enjoy. Not to mention all of the waterside routes that take you through the Broads itself.

The Museum of the Broads

If you’re feeling too soggy to sail then why not learn all about it instead from within the Museum of the Broads? The museum houses all things boating and bitterns with a variety of exhibits on show from stuffed water voles to a pleasure wherry piano. Immerse yourself in Broads history – instead of the downpour!

Thrigby Hall

Where do you go to find mugger crocodiles, Burmese pythons, Sumatran tigers, mangrove snakes, painted storks, snow leopards and white-handed gibbons? The answer is, of course, Great Yarmouth. Thrigby Hall is an oasis of all things exotic and houses some of the world’s rarest species such as the Amur leopard. There are only 70 adults left in the wild and they are thought to be the world’s rarest big cat. Once you’ve plodged around the site you’ll soon warm up in the reptile house!

Discover Country and Eastern

Hidden away in the city of Norwich is the old Victorian skating rink and within it the collection of Jeannie and Philip Millward. It is a breath-taking selection of decorative objects all directly imported from countries extending from Turkey through the Indian subcontinent to East of Java. Once inside you will be transported somewhere so exotic that you’ll hardly believe you’re in England, let alone that it’s a grey day outside.

So there you have it, six good reasons not to be a fair-weather-Broads-lover. Yes, the Broads in the summertime is a paradise of home-made ice creams licked beneath lazily rotating wind pumps, but there’s still plenty to be said for flasks of hot chocolate consumed inside thatched parish churches… But don’t take our word for it; try out our ideas for yourself…