SHOOTING AND SKATING.
This district is well worth a visit in the winter time, for the wild-fowl shooting on the tidal portions of the rivers is free (of course you must not trespass on the marshes for shooting purposes, as the shooting along them is strictly preserved). The usual plan is to row along the river while your dogs work through the reeds on the bank inside the river wall, or embankment, which generally runs parallel with the rivers on each side. Flight shooting is also successfully pursued, but of course you must obtain information as to the best spots in the line of flight. Oulton Broad is free, but is much shot over. Breydon Water is a capital fowling-ground in hard winters. It is the “happy hunting ground” of Yarmouth gunners. An easily managed sailing-boat of light draught is useful for this kind of work.
Winter time on the Broads is very enjoyable. Being so shallow, the Broads are soon frozen, and the skating is then simply superb. Fancy Hickling, a lake of 400 acres, safe all over, with the ice as clear and hard as glass, and plenty of “elbow-room” for ice-boats as well as skaters.
It would be worth while for skating parties to come down for a few days at a time while the frosts last, instead of struggling amid the crowds which beset London waters.