Day 1
Ask the AI to create or modify a Norfolk Broads route.
Route 1
No AI route yet
Route history appears here after the AI applies a trip.
Guide
Broads Voyage
1. Start In Trip Settings
Open Trip Settings first and set your Start Date, the number of days in the trip, and your boat's clearance if you know it.
Your boat clearance is used to compare your boat against bridges and highlight possible issues in the Planner and Itinerary.
Hire craft is the default. Use the craft type button only if you are planning for a private craft; daylight breaches become advisories instead of hire-craft warnings, and the choice is stored in saved trip links.
Metric measurements are the default. Use the measurements button to switch saved trip links to Imperial; boat clearance then uses feet and inches, while live river speed limits still show mph to match riverside signs and boat speedometers.
2. Build A Route On The Map
Use the Planner drawer for the day you are currently editing.
- Click the waterway to add your start point.
- Click again to create the end point.
- Every further click becomes the next waypoint in order.
- Use the Search button to search names, types and services. Results update as you type and are grouped by what matched.
- If your location marker is showing, search results also show the waterway distance to each match.
- Selecting a search result jumps to that place, opens its normal popup and closes the search box.
- Hover over a place, mooring, venue, bridge or warning marker to preview it. Click it to add it to the route.
- Non-Authority moorings may show access warnings when public access is not confirmed. A Private pill means you should not plan to stop there without explicit permission from the owner or operator.
- When observation prompts are enabled, Follow may show a one-time Yes/No prompt asking whether optional bridge, tide or current data requests are allowed on this device. One-shot Find does not show data request popups.
- If you choose No, all optional data request popups are disabled on this device. If you choose Yes, any later bridge, tide or current requests remain optional, and Don't ask me this again still stops future prompts of that type.
- You can return to the same place later in the day, for example for a round trip, as long as the same stop is not directly next to itself.
3. Edit And Reorder Stops
- Drag route points on the map to move them along the waterway. The route and timings update as you drag.
- Drag a route point onto a POI to turn that stop into the POI and route to the nearest usable waterway point.
- Drag a route point off a POI to turn it back into a normal waterway point.
- Use Move up and Move down in the Planner to reorder stops.
- You can also drag and drop Planner cards to reorder them.
- Use Remove to delete the selected stop.
4. Stays And Repeated Stops
Every stop after the start can have a planned stay time.
- Use Stay here (minutes) in the Planner or the route-point popup.
- If the same place appears more than once, use the popup arrows to move between those planned stops and edit the correct one.
5. Plan Multiple Days
- Use Days in Trip Settings to create a multi-day trip.
- Use the day arrows in the Planner to switch the day you are editing.
- By default, the end point of one day syncs to the start point of the next day.
- Use the sync checkbox on the linked Start or End card, or in the route-point popup, to turn that link on or off for that day pair.
- If you temporarily reduce the day count, hidden days are kept during the current session in case you add them back.
6. Review The Itinerary
Open the Itinerary drawer to review the selected day.
- The summary cards show departure, finish, travel time, stopped time, total distance and warnings.
- The Advisories handle is collapsed by default so you can reach the waypoint information quickly. Expand it to see guidance cards, with counts for Critical, Warning and Info advisories.
- The timeline shows when you travel and when you stay at each stop.
- The leg cards show departure, arrival, travel time, stop time and notes for each section.
- Use the day arrows in the Itinerary to inspect another day without changing the day you are editing in the Planner.
7. Understand Warnings
- If a bridge looks tight for your boat, the affected route point and itinerary items are marked with warnings.
- Bridge guidance can include local tide context for the planned arrival time, such as whether water is rising or falling near the bridge. That context is advisory and separate from the clearance estimate.
- The Itinerary also highlights daylight limits and Broads etiquette hours, including cruising before sunrise, after sunset, within the final hour before sunset, or outside the recommended engine hours of 08:00 to 20:00, when engine use is discouraged unless needed for propulsion.
- Use Tide View to see route tide and current context on the map. It is visual guidance only and does not change route timings.
- A red ! on the map marks the location of a warning.
- Red warnings take priority over yellow advisories.
- Bridge clearance estimates, local tide context, daylight guidance and etiquette guidance are advisory only. Always check official bridge information, gauge boards, notices and local conditions before passage.
8. Save The Trip
- Use Save trip to copy a shareable URL to your clipboard.
- Save that link somewhere safe. Opening it later restores the trip data stored in the URL.
- Use the layers button on the map if you want aerial imagery instead of the standard map.
1. Set Up The Trip First
Open Trip Settings and set your Start Date, Days and your boat's clearance if you know it.
Your boat clearance is used for bridge warnings and advice later in the route.
Hire craft is the default. Use the craft type button only for private craft so daylight breaches are shown as advisories instead of hire-craft warnings.
Metric measurements are the default. Use the measurements button to switch saved trip links to Imperial; boat clearance then uses feet and inches, while live river speed limits still show mph.
2. Add Route Points
- Tap the waterway to add points directly to the route.
- The first point becomes the start.
- The second point becomes the end.
- Any further points become waypoints in order.
3. Use POIs And Existing Stops
- Use the Search button to search names, types and services. Results update as you type and are grouped by what matched.
- If your location marker is showing, search results also show the waterway distance to each match.
- Selecting a search result jumps to that place, opens its normal popup and closes the search box.
- Tap a place, mooring, venue, bridge or warning marker to open its popup.
- Non-Authority moorings may show access warnings when public access is not confirmed. A Private pill means you need explicit owner or operator permission before planning to stop there.
- Use the popup button to add that POI to the route.
- Tap an existing route point to open its popup, edit its stay time, remove it, or add another stop at the same place if that is allowed.
- If the same place appears more than once, use the popup arrows to switch between those planned stops.
- On mobile, turning on Follow switches to today's trip day when today is in your trip. If today is not in the trip, your live location is shown without changing the planned route.
- When observation prompts are enabled, Follow may show a one-time Yes/No prompt asking whether optional bridge, tide or current data requests are allowed on this device. One-shot Find does not show data request popups.
- If you choose No, all optional data request popups are disabled on this device. If you choose Yes, any later bridge, tide or current requests remain optional, and Don't ask me this again still stops future prompts of that type.
4. Move And Reorder Stops
- Drag route points on the map to move them along the waterway. The route and timings update as you drag.
- Drag a point onto a POI to turn that stop into the POI.
- Use the Planner drawer to edit the current day's stop list, remove stops and set stay times.
5. Work Day By Day
- Use the day arrows in the Planner to switch the day you are editing.
- By default, one day's end point syncs to the next day's start point.
- Use the sync checkbox on the linked Start or End card, or in the route-point popup, to turn that link on or off.
- Use the Itinerary drawer to review each day's route summary, timeline and legs.
- Expand the Advisories handle when you want to inspect guidance cards and Critical, Warning and Info counts.
6. Save And Return Later
- Use Save trip to copy a shareable link.
- Save that link somewhere safe so you can reopen the trip later.
- Use the layers button on the map if you want aerial imagery.
7. Mobile Tips
- Tap the map to close open drawers.
- Tap outside a popup to close it.
- Use the drawer handles to open and close Trip Settings, Planner and Itinerary.
- The Itinerary can also show daylight and Broads etiquette advisories alongside bridge warnings.
- Use Tide View to see visual route tide and current context without changing the planned route timings.
- Warnings and advisories are advisory only. Always check official bridge and navigation information before passage.
About Broads Voyage
Broads Voyage is an interactive Norfolk Broads route planner for day trips and boating holidays. It helps you build realistic routes across the wider Broads network, estimate travel times, review stopping points and plan practical itineraries around bridge guidance, local tide context and overnight stays.
You can choose your own start location, add the places you want to visit and explore how the route works across one or multiple days. That makes it useful for both short outings and longer boating holidays anywhere on the Norfolk Broads.
Tide View adds visual route tide and current context, while the itinerary keeps guidance cards behind an expandable Advisories handle so waypoint and leg details stay easy to reach.
On mobile, Broads Voyage also supports live location tracking so you can follow your route in real time while you are out on the water. That makes it useful not just for planning before a trip, but also for navigating around your chosen route as you travel.
Broads Voyage is designed for anyone planning a trip on the Broads, from first-time visitors who want help understanding routes and bridge access, to more experienced boaters comparing journey options, timings and stopping places before they travel.
What Broads Voyage helps you do
- Plan routes across the whole Norfolk Broads
- Choose your own starting point
- Estimate travel times between stops
- Check bridge clearance constraints with local tide context
- Use Tide View to inspect visual tide and current context
- Review daylight, etiquette and bridge advisories without hiding waypoint details
- Build day-by-day boating itineraries
- Review moorings and stopping points
- Save and share trip plans
- Use live location tracking on mobile to follow your route in real time
About the map
The Broads Voyage map focuses on the navigable Norfolk and Suffolk Broads rather than general road travel. It brings together waterways, broads, moorings, bridges, boat hire bases, venues, Tide View and route timing so you can understand how a boating trip fits together before you travel.
The map covers the northern and southern Broads network, including well-used boating areas around Wroxham, Hoveton, Horning, Ranworth, Potter Heigham, Stalham, Acle, Norwich, Brundall, Reedham, Loddon, Beccles and Oulton Broad.
Use it to compare possible routes, check whether bridge clearances may affect your boat, review likely stopping points, switch to aerial imagery with the layers button and follow your planned route on mobile. It is a planning map, not an official navigation chart, so always check Broads Authority information, local signage, bridge gauges and on-the-water conditions.
For a fuller overview of map coverage and planning use, see the Norfolk Broads map guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Broads Voyage across the whole Norfolk Broads?
Yes. Broads Voyage is designed for route planning across the wider Broads network and does not depend on a single fixed start point.
Does it only work for day trips?
No. You can use it for both day trips and longer boating holidays.
Can I choose my own starting point?
Yes. The planner is designed to work with different start locations across the Broads.
Does it help with bridge restrictions?
Yes. Broads Voyage includes bridge guidance so you can see where clearance constraints may affect your route. Where available, guidance can also show local tide context for your planned arrival time.
Does it show tide information?
Yes. Tide View shows visual tide and current context for your route. It is planning guidance and does not change route timings.
Where are route warnings and advisories shown?
The Itinerary includes an Advisories handle with Critical, Warning and Info counts. Expand it to review the guidance cards while keeping waypoint and leg information easy to reach.
Can I plan stops and overnight stays?
Yes. The planner helps you organise stopping points and build a route into a usable itinerary.
Can I use Broads Voyage while I am on the water?
Yes. On mobile, the app supports live location tracking so you can follow your route in real time as you travel.
Disclaimer
Broads Voyage is a planning aid only and must not be relied on as the sole basis for navigation.
Route times, bridge clearance estimates, local tide context, Tide View, sunrise and sunset calculations, etiquette advisories, mooring locations, venue details and live location behaviour are provided without guarantee and may be incomplete, approximate, out of date or affected by local conditions.
The displayed waterway graph, suggested routes, open-water connectors and mapped positions may not exactly match marked navigation channels, bank lines, gauge boards, pilotage arrangements or current restrictions on the day.
Always follow official Broads Authority information, bridge gauges, notices to mariners, local signage, hire boat handover guidance, pilot advice, charts and on-the-water judgment before proceeding.
Credits
Broads Voyage uses MapLibre GL JS for map rendering, OpenStreetMap for standard basemap data, and Esri World Imagery for satellite basemap imagery.
Privacy And Cookies
Broads Voyage does not require an account. Trip settings and saved routes are stored in the share link in your browser address bar.
When live-location observation prompts are enabled, using Follow may show a one-time live-location tracking consent prompt asking whether optional data requests are allowed on this device. One-shot Find does not show data request popups.
If you choose Yes, reports are optional. The app may ask for bridge-board clearances near bridges, or simple tide and current observations after sustained movement. Choosing No stops all optional data request popups on this device.
Observation reports are used to improve Broads bridge-clearance, tide and current guidance. They are stored as low-trust evidence for validation and review, and do not directly change live route warnings, bridge estimates or Tide View.
No personal information is stored with these reports. Submissions include the value you enter, limited validation context such as the relevant bridge or tide area, timing, GPS accuracy and coarse movement context, plus anonymous anti-abuse checks.
- Don't ask me this again stores a first-party cookie for that prompt type on this device.
- Your Yes or No choice for optional data requests is stored on this device, so you are not asked the same question every time you use Follow.
- A recent-popup cookie prevents any observation prompt from appearing again for 1 hour.
- Bridge submissions store a recent bridge cookie so the same bridge is not requested again within 1 hour.
- Tide submissions store a same-day cookie so tide observations are not requested again until the next Broads local midnight.
- Current submissions store a separate same-day cookie so current observations are not requested again until the next Broads local midnight.
- A small water-prompt rotation cookie helps alternate tide and current prompts when both are eligible.
Contact
For help and feedback, please contact support.