144 BROADLAND SPORT 



obtained, namely, "The Queen's Head" and "The King's 

 Head." 



The shooting in the neighbourhood of Acle is mostly 

 divided into small holdings, many of which can be hired at 

 about one shilling an acre all round. Partridges are most in 

 evidence, and the average bag for four guns would be about 

 twenty brace a day, together with half a score of hares, for 

 which the neighbourhood is celebrated. 



Acle Bridge is a solid stone structure supposed to have 

 dated from the time of the Romans. If one has never seen 

 these Norfolk bridges, an inspection should be made from 

 above as well as from below. A little way from the bridge 

 is the entrance to Upton Dyke leading to Upton Broad, where, 

 in times gone by, many rare birds have been collected. The 

 broad is enclosed by trees and is difficult to explore, unless a 

 permit is obtained from the owner and the use of his boat 

 granted. This is one of the broads which is rapidly growing 

 up, and in a few years' time it will become converted from 

 open water into a wet bottom carr.* 



The dykes, rands and swamps which surround these 

 broads and fleets are interesting to the lover of nature as 

 having once afforded undisturbed homes to plants, insects and 

 birds which are now almost entirely numbered with the past. 

 It was here that ruffs used to choose their hillocks on which to 

 fight for the reeves which collected round the base of the 

 hillock, watching the combat with interest and admiration, in 

 the end falling easy victims to the horse-hair snoozes so art- 

 fully set by the cunning marshman. The bittern and the 

 black-tailed godwit also frequented these haunts during the 

 incubation season, but now, if one of these comparatively rare 

 species is seen a dozen men with guns follow everywhere 

 huntino; it to death. 



O 



The Acle Reach is a capital, fishing station and easy of 

 access from Yarmouth or Norwich by rail, whilst traps can 

 be procured at the village or at the bridge to drive to or from 

 the river. The reaches just above the bridge also afford 



* In Broadland a marshland covert. 



