The River Yare is a river in the English county of Norfolk. On its lower reaches it is one of the main navigable waterways in the Broads and connects with the rest of the network.
Description of the Yare River
The River Yare is a frequent subject of landscape paintings by members of the Norwich School in the early 19th century. And The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., has an oil painting by John Crome. Entitled Moonlight on the Yare.
The river is navigable for small coastal vessels from Norwich to the sea and in earlier times provided important commercial transport. At Reedham the river is joined by the Haddiscoe Cut. That is a canal which provides a direct navigable link to the River Waveney at Haddiscoe.
Navigation
The Yare is a navigable link between Norwich and the North Sea, but siltation is a long-standing problem. In 1698 an Act of Parliament was passed to allow a duty to be levied on all coal transported down the river. The money collected was intended to pay for improvements to the course of the river and to the harbour at Great Yarmouth. But most of it went towards improvements to the harbour and little improvement to the river took place.
Three other bills attempted to remedy the situation, but the river continued to be neglected. The fifth Act, passed in 1772, sought to address the problem in a different way, specifying how the tolls were to be used. 15% was to be given to Norwich for improvements to the river between the town and Hardley Cross. 25% was to be given to Yarmouth for improvements to the lower river between Hardley Cross and the town. And a further 40% was to be allocated to the maintenance of Yarmouth harbour. The remaining 20 per cent was allocated to the other rivers.
Wherryman’s Way
In 2005, the 35-mile Wherryman’s Way opened, following the route of the historic Broads trading ship between Norwich and Great Yarmouth. It winds along the banks of the River Yare through existing paths, open wetlands, reedbeds, grassland and riverside villages. The trail passes numerous information panels, sculptures and audio boards. Which seek to convey the character and history of the route.
