Stumbling across riverside villages is one of the many delights of travelling on or around the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads. Not all can boast a life before tourism of course – some have simply adapted themselves to suit the transient visitors who flock in their thousands, eagerly expecting to see thatched cottages and windmills on every curve of the  waterway! But occasionally, and rather refreshingly, you find others that have made a conscious decision not to exploit the wealth of rich history that lies hidden behind a façade of modern holiday parks and campsites. Together these form a special category of unspoilt, noncommercialised villages that are a joy to explore and where, in relative seclusion,
you can walk the footpaths for miles and enjoy breath-taking views of the countryside. Burgh Castle, Belton and Bradwell provide us with three fine examples and although just a few miles from the hustle and bustle of Great Yarmouth, they still retain their character and charm.

LOCAL HISTORY:
Those familiar with the Broadland will know that in current times, the united waters of the Rivers Yare, Bure and Waveney all flow in a southward direction and provide the chief outlet from the Norfolk Broads into the vast open sea. However this hasn’t always been the case, and during the 3rd and 4th centuries the whole confluence of these rivers used to sweep out to sea in a huge estuary, stretching from Caister just north of Great Yarmouth, to Corton just south of Lowestoft, and from the Saxon Shore Fort at Burgh Castle, the
incumbent Commander of the Stablesian Horse Cavalry would have had something like six miles of open water between him and the walled town of Caister.

For more history and information on visiting the region, get the latest January issue of Suffolk Norfolk Life in stores and online now.