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Selected the WRC to stay at for 5 nights during the school autumn half term break. On arrival the staff were very helpful and we were given a very clear and informative brochure and shown to our pitch. We had a Kingfisher Super Pitch and I must say I could find no fault with the pitch and its facilities. If I had to pick up on anything it was just a little struggle reversing the caravan into position, but it was damp and it was traction being the problem. Water, electric and T. V. Point (a must for the kids in the evening!) all functioning perfectly. In fact the T. V. Reception was better than I have at home! WIFI was fantastic too, again faster internet than I have at home.
Being fairly high up you had fantastic views over the marina and beyond. My family consists of 2 adults and 5 children these being aged 15, 13, 9, 3 and 2, and there was plenty to do for all of them. The adventure play area suited all ages and the pool was fantastic. We purchased the family pass when we booked so this offered excellent value to the holiday.
Showers and toilets were clean and of great quality, the family wet rooms were excellent for us with 2 little ones.
The pub was closing at the end of our stay for a refurb and wasn't very busy so it was quite nice to be able to take the whole family in and not worry to much. Being Halloween the landlord had provided treats for the children and you could tell that this a warm and friendly family environment.
The shop was good too with many gifts as well as the essentials. Hired a boat for half a day and the staff gave great instructions on operation etc.
Can't understand why people have referenced being too far away from main roads, supermarkets etc. Its really not that far from Beccles, 7 miles I believe.
All in all I highly recommend the Waveney River Centre and will definitely be booking up next year. Looking forward to the refurbished pub and new shop!
We started this mini break by having to change our arrival date due to weather forecast. This was met by very helpful staff, who even moved our pitch to higher up as I had drainage concerns. Needless to say considering the amount of torrential rain and wind, when we arrived the pitch was good. As a family we used the pool and loved it, the laid back atmosphere and the key card meant we got some very quiet time in a lovely warm pool with great changing facilities before we had to head back out into the cold night. The shop and reception were well stocked considering the time of year we were able to find all we needed. We booked a boat out and had a lovely trip up a very quiet river, the information we were given prior to setting off was great for us as we have no knowledge of boating. The general mood on the campsite was very friendly, helpful and happy, facilities were clean and warm ( a must at the end of October) and the play park a big hit with our 9 and 11 year olds. We will definitely return. It was a lovely stay.
In short it's a nice enough site but very expensive. It's very rural which I don't mind but it's in a sort of peninsula surrounded by river which means you have to drive several miles to get out and to civilisation such as supermarkets or the coast which doesn't make it a great base to explore from. Saying that we had a lovely day out on Oulton Broads and another at Gt Yarmouth but I did about 80 miles of driving around once we there in just a Sat / Sun stay without actually really doing much. There is a minimum 2 night booking policy which seems daft for how few pitches were actually occupied. I liked how you can look at the site plan on the website and pick your pitch but we were still over budget on a tiny pitch.
The facilities were great in terms of a sizeable shop and pub on site, an indoor swimming pool, a great kids play area and massive new wet rooms. However the pool was tiny, expensive unless you got a weeks pass and with limited opening hours of 9 - 5 minus Sat swimming lessons and parties. The place generally had a bit of a 'business hours' approach to it as the shop / reception closed at 5. 30 and reopened at 9am which wasn't much use for buying milk for breakfast. I never saw any staff outside those hours, the warden I did chat to was lovely though.
The kids play area was great and kept my two occupied for a good while. The layout is good for the kids although there's nowhere for ball games. For so few people the site was quite noisy as the pub kicked out at 11pm and again at around 3am and then the day started with noise around 6am. I won't complain about the ducks' share in that noise but could've done without the humans singing though.
Just returned from our first visit to WRC and loved every minute.
I am sure the weather helped but there is very little we could fault.
We booked for next year before leaving!
We had a Coot pitch for our giant Outwell Florida 8 (only 4 of us though!)and there was plenty of space.
The Coot pitches are the largest and overlook the marina. The other pitches looked a little tight so if you have a 4+ berth tent I would opt for a Coot to be sure you have plenty of room and a great view.
The showers are brilliant - a wet room which has loo, sink and shower so you can get everything done in one go.
Entry is gained by a keypad and I only had to queue on one morning.
There is a pool and adjoining café which serves all day breakfast. We didn't use the pool as the weather was so good.
We went fishing in the marina and also took the ferry across the river so we could walk through the nature reserve to Oulton Broad.
We also hired a canoe but probably went too far as the children were struggling on the way back.
The pub is handy and served a reasonable choice of food at acceptable prices.
We found the shop a little limited on fresh food but it was fine for emergency milk/bread etc and saved the long slog to Beccles Morrison for a full shop.
The only real pain is the access road which is single track for the last mile or so. It can take 20-25 minutes to get onto the main road but thankfully we didn't need to venture far while we were there.
It would also be tricky if you are towing a trailer and caravan.
We may have been lucky but noise and behaviour was excellent with everybody respecting the post 9pm quieten down and there seemed to be an unwritten rule that meant nobody was up much before 7am.
On the whole an excellent site and as already mentioned - we have booked the same pitch for the same week next year!
First visit and just for a short break (added an extra night in the end as well) but enjoyed by all. Stayed on the 'pintail' area which is opposite the pub. Just had to lug the gear there but an excellent spot, really quiet and right on the river so the kids could fish.
Showers etc excellent, staff really friendly
Pub OK, usual pub grub and all that but reflected in price so fine
Decent shop and they freeze your ice blocks for you which is unusual, most places try and make a turn on that
Took advantage of the canoes and had an excellent day out, middle of summer but river was not too busy, plenty of places to stop off.
We have just returned from a fantastic 10 day holiday at waveney river centre. We have a large tent and the pitch size was great and level. (we were on Mallard). The shower rooms with lovely hot water all the time and separate toilet block were outstandingly clean, being cleaned frequently. All the showers had a squeegee in as well just in case. The shop was well stocked and the play area was fantastic for my 3 children. We did go in the pool which was nice and warm and a great size. (which we had to pay separately for) Also used the laundry which I thought was very reasonably priced. All in all we had a great time and will be returning to this site. I will say If you are in a tent make sure you have heavy duty pegs or the ones that are like nails as the ground is very gravelly where it is terraced.
I have just returned from waveney and all I can say is wow, to start the site is a good mile and half away from any main roads so no sound of traffic through the night or early morning. Our pitch was a fantastic size and coped with our tent, canopy, wind breaker and we still had room for our car and trailer. The only downside was the hard ground due to the nice weather we have had, a few tent pegs damaged. On arrival we were greeted by friendly staff at the reception which is located in their shop, which was well stocked with essentials and for a camp site the prices were reasonable. The showers were of a good standard as was the family room and was always reasonably clean even at busy times. The swimming pool was also great to have on site and my children loved it and was never overcrowded and the café inside was also of a good standard. We ate out at the waveney arms on a couple of occasions and the food was fantastic and the service was great, we never had to wait long for our meals and the staff were very friendly indeed. Also the site is within 30 minutes of beaches and large supermarkets, so even though it was away from the main roads you don't feel isolated. The children's play area is of a good standard but was not really suitable for my 2 year old. The only downside to the site I felt was that there was no where for the children to play any ball games as there was no playing fields, but that was my only niggle
Our first visit to this site in our folding camper, our pitch was at the top to the left of the pool not quite big enough would go for one lower down next visit.
This all grass site needs some work on it's grass as most pitches appeared to have patches of bare soil, however the site was very good and nicely laid out, the on site facilities are very good the shower block, separate toilet/dish washing areas are all spotless, we noted they are cleaned am & pm.
The shop is a good size and very well stocked, the pub is ok, the food is basic pub food always hot (we felt it may be reheated as it was served up very quick) but enjoyed what we had.
We did not use the pool so can't comment on it, the cafe at the pool doe's a great little fry up along with other foods.
We found this to be a great little site for touring, be aware of narrow approach roads from & to the main road.
We will put this on our return to site list for future visits.
Beautifully presented site, on the edge of the river & marina. We had a large pitch with loads of room for tent, trailer, cooking, table, chairs & car. Had to use heavy duty pegs as ground full of stones, (some kind person pinched the regular pegs & peg bag while it was beside the tent. ) Shower & toilets excellent & regularly cleaned, with hot water when required. Shop has most things but could do with longer opening hours. Has pub on site which was ok but we also hired a motor boat for half a day & went to village of Somerleyton with pub called The Dukes Head, about 1 hr upstream, (free mooring & 10 min walk), fantastic lunch & well worth the visit! Dog friendly with water bowls around the site. Would recommend this site & visit again
Just back from a short break (Monday - Friday) at this site. Self and 2 boys (17 and 18) in large tent. We had booked one of the larger plots at the 'front' of the site (nearest the marina) and found that it was big enough to fit everything in and still have some space for a bbq (you can borrow bricks if needed). Note for parents with 'free range children' there is no fencing between the camping field and the marina so you would want to keep an eye on small people. They could easily run or fall into the water.
The ground was flat but a bit bare and worn, but since we immediately covered half of it up with our tent that wasn't too much of a problem except when damp clothes (swimming costumes mainly) fell onto dusty ground. Most plots have shade trees, and there are lots of trees round the site. The site is terraced so the plots are all pretty flat, but that means a meandering path to the toilets etc. Unless you can get up the terracing.
For the first day we didn't shift from the site. On subsequent days we went out in the (late) mornings.
We usually prefer farm-type sites so this was a new experience for us having so much available on site. The shop was most useful for odds and ends and had a good range of food. They also provide a free ice pack re-freezing service, which was extremely useful in the hot weather.
The on-site facilities are pretty outstanding. We could have enjoyed a holiday here without going anywhere else. The showers are the best I have seen anywhere, better than some people have at home. Each room has shower, loo, sink and hairdryer. There is a separate toilet block and washing up area. Everything was immaculately clean the whole time we were there. The pool is small (but perfectly formed) and certainly big enough to get a decent swim (check opening times, sometimes it is closed for swimming lessons). The cafe is also very good and the all day breakfasts excellent. We particularly liked the sausages.
We used the pool quite a bit, hired a boat and generally made the most of things.
The pub was a disappointment. The prices for food are quite high for what seems to be a pretty uninspired menu, the music was too loud for us, and the range of beers was limited. I had hoped to be able to sample some of the local beers, but no chance. I think the pub is a missed opportunity to make something very special. There is a lot of space, but it was dark inside and we only saw about 6 people in there - we sat outside. A noticeboard advertised some pub activities - karaoke, quiz night etc. , but not on the night we were there.
Locally there is plenty to do. We went to Beccles (by road and later also by hired boat - but no time to explore on boat trip as it took almost half the day to get there and back) which has some interesting small shops and also an out-of-town Morrisons (which does have a cash machine) where we ended up getting most of our food (and some local beers). We also went to Lowestoft (interesting harbour and nice beach, standard range of shops, small market and they have a musical fountain by the pier that plays Benjamin Britten). We enjoyed the RNLI shop on the pier and found a decent place close by (good food, not so fast service) for lunch. We went to Great Yarmouth (in the evening, most things were closed but we got some excellent fish and chips along the main coastal road and parking was easy).
The site is pretty far off the beaten track and the last few miles down a single track road. It wasn't a very busy road so we had no problems coming and going. It also meant that we could walk quite easily (there are good paths). There is also a lot of wildlife to be seen, various kinds of ducks, pigeons, butterflies, rabbits (get up early!), various kinds of gulls and a heron (or maybe a crane) which came round morning and evening. Take a bird book!
The biggest problem with the site was that there was no cash machine available.
We had a good time. It isn't our preferred kind of site, but I picked it because it was different. We would certainly consider coming back.
The site I picked held the disabled icon for the simple reason that my wife is wheelchair bound.
I accept the fact that ramps were available to access the toilet block, the camp shop and the swimming pool seating area. However, in order to reach these ramps, we had to cross a loose gravel path and then push the wheelchair over rough ground, through an overgrown pathway with a barrier at each side, up a concrete path and down onto more rough ground at the side of the kids play area.
This trip was taken three times a day and proved to be very hard work indeed. Disabled access should not be one of the selling points of this site.
To continue, the grey water disposal area for Motorhomes consisted of a 1ft square of drain situated behind the swimming pool block. The manouvering required to get the drain from the motorhome to match with the drain on the ground took some considerable time and, even then, the match was not perfect so that some grey water escaped into the ground surrounding the drain. Apart from that, in order to get to the drain the route led through the outskirts of the children's playground. Not really a safe place to drive along and ensure the complete safety of the kids.
I could not get a wheelchair into the Waveney Inn to use their offer of free Wifi and therefore had to pay an exorbitant price for the River Centre Wifi. I just wonder why this could not have been included in the booking fee if indeed the facility could not be provided FOC as the other sites I have visited provide. I mean £20. 00, that's half a bottle of decent whisky for heavens sake!
Finally, on the minus side, the filling tap for clean water was of a shape and size never encountered before in the UK and none of the 350 tap fitments I had brought with me would have fitted. In the end I took the Motorhome down to the quayside and filled up from the boat filling tap. £1. 00 for 10 minutes was well spent.
On the plus side, the staff were very friendly, helpful, understanding and welcoming. Much more laid back and chilled out than the Dragon I met at a site near Castleton in Derbyshire.
The view from the windows in the Motorhome were amazing. Under the shady trees we could see the Marina and river traffic from one window and vast expanses of Norfolk from the front and side windows.
Very restful and peaceful but, until the gravel paths and rough ground are sorted, I am afraid our visits will be rare
We stayed for a week at this lovely campsite at the beginning of June when it was reasonably quiet.
The campsite is on several levels descending down to the marina with the smaller pitches nearer the top & the larger pitches nearer the marina at the bottom. All of the pitches were sufficient to get a tent plus a car on, our pitch was huge, more than adequate for a six man tent & car, although there is additional parking. The pitches are all pretty flat, although the largest pitches are a little worn & need some attention.
The campsite itself is some way off the main road. The roads are a little narrow so careful driving is required but there are passing places & the road should be passable for most vehicles. The reception & one of the best stocked shops I have ever come across, are open from 9am through to 5:30pm. After that assistance is available from the 'harbourmaster' who we found to be extremely friendly & helpful.
The showerblock was always kept clean & tidy. Entry to each cubicle is by key pad on the door & each contains a walk in shower, loo & basin. There are also some with children's changing facilities. There are separate loo's & an indoor washing up area that are also kept very clean. Unfortunately we didn't find the time to use the pool although it always looked inviting. We did try the the all day breakfast in the cafe which was a brilliant way to start the day.
One of the disappointments of the site was the pub, the Waveney Inn. The food was pretty standard pub food which was always cooked well but despite being a huge building, only a limited amount of space was open, there wasn't a great range of drinks & we found it to be dark, dull & uninviting. We found the Crown Inn in Hadiscoe much more inviting & the food is excellent, they even opened up the kitchen early for us.
The site though was a great touring base enabling us to cover all over Norfolk & parts of Suffolk. Around & about, we found Becceles to be a nice town to visit, Horsey Windmill, Horsey Mere & beach are definitely worth a visit, especially if you want to spot seals from the beach as we did. The lovely little village of Holt is full of craft shops that you can spend all day looking round. Sandringham is worth a day visit whether you are a royalist or not, try getting the guides to chat about their time there & see what stories they tell you. Kayaks were readily available for hire for the more adventurous to get out on the broads & Norfolk is pretty flat, so bikes are a good way of getting about.
Although I would agree with most of the favourable comments from previous reviews I must say something about the awful state of the caravan pitches. We paid extra for a fully serviced pitch but could hardly reach the post with the hook up etc on it because of the nettles and brambles round it. The pitches were never mown in the week we were there and were very uneven and untidy. I can understand that the little hedges between each pitch would be left for the wildlife but no one wants to put a caravan, motorhome or tent on six inches of scruffy grass.
The last two miles of the access road was very difficult and as we left we met four cars, one after the other. One of them pulled over into a space which was not a passing place and there was only about an inch between his huge car and our caravan. We were very relieved to get back onto the main road and would certainly not come to this site again.
We stayed here on our first outing with our folding camper. We were allocated the pitch at the far end of the site nearest to the church, the pitch was pleasant enough with room for our folding camper, awning and car. The only problem with the pitch was that the electric hook up point was in the pitch next door but one too our pitch and our lead wasn't long enough, the friendly reception staff were able to lend us one so all was well. The facilities on site were top class, nice and clean and well looked after. Staff were great and the shop has plenty to offer. A really nice location and a very nice site, would thoroughly recommend it! One quick word of warning, when approaching, follow the brown signs. We followed our Garmin satnav and it took us in on some narrow roads without passing places and it was my first time towing.
This is the 'camping site' to visit if on your first trip. This was my first trip. I would go again any time and would recommend it to anyone.
Good points:
1/ toilets are 10/10. Very clean all the time. With 9 of them, there is always one empty. The toilet, shower with under heated floorboards and constant hot water was great. Extra toilets as well too.
2/ the washing up area was very clean as well, in fact extremely clean.
3/ the layout was great and pitch size, I think, is good. Some are small, but look at the website and book what you want. Some are smaller than others
4/ the play area for the kids was great. The kids were so happy all the time, we only saw them eating times!
5/ swimming pool anad showers there were also great.
6/ the simple restaurant in the pool was very good. Basic, but well priced and you can get a reasonable meal after a long pool session.
7/ the shop has the essential, but everything we needed with fresh milk bread papers, meats, cheeses, even gas cilinders. So very happy with it. All well priced and nothing too expensive for what it's worth. Even some clothes, I had to buy a jumper.
8/ boat trips and waters ferries, all good. Were not able to go, a bit cold, windy and rain.
9/there is an inn the the place, with a restaurant ( it was not open when we are there, not sure why, check times).
As this is my first trip, I found it 100% successful and because of this, I will be going camping again. I do have a couple of small points, just minor, but as a starter I would like to know:
1/ it clearly tells you there is a section of single country/ tractor road. To most people that it ok, but as I had a trailer ( for the first time ever) and cannot reverse with it. I had to stop, remove it, pull it back and let the other traffic out. The lay-bys can be far, reversing in a normal car cold be hard.
2/ The pool water, could be a bit cleaner, I put that in my feedback to them.
Otherwise, I would still say, you must try this place. So far and asking everyone there who went camping before, is one of the best. In a secluded and beautiful place, no roads or motorway beside it. Waking up on birds and pigeons with ducks waling between the tents was the real deal. I am told slightly dear but I feel it was worth it. Book the pool as a pass and not buy it in singles, it works out cheaper.
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Common Questions
Is Waveney River Centre child friendly? YES, it accepts children & has a playground View all facilities
Does Waveney River Centre have a swimming pool? YES, there is a pool on site View all facilities
Where is the nearest shop to Waveney River Centre? There is a shop on site View all facilities
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
All reviews and comments are the personal opinion of the review author only , and as such do not represent the view of the UK Camp Site.co.uk.
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Tent Pitches 
Caravan Pitches 
Motorhome Pitches 
Small Campervans 
No Glamping Units 
No Statics for Hire 
Holiday Homes for Sale 
No Seasonal Pitches 
Electric Hookups 
Hardstanding Pitches 
Fully Serviced Pitches 
Families Welcome 
Not Members Only 
Rallies Welcome 
Not Naturist Site 
Dogs Welcome 
No Dogs Allowed 
Groups Welcome 
Motorbikers Welcome 
Toilet Facilities 
Hot Showers 
Washing Up 
No Bathroom 
Baby Changing Facilities 
Laundry On Site 
Drinking Water 
Disabled Friendly 
Chemical Disposal 
No Battery Charging 
No Gas Exchange 
Recycling Facilities 
No Kitchen Facilities 
Freezer / Fridge 
No Motorhome Point 
Wifi Access 
Shop On Site 
Bar On Site 
Restaurant or Cafe or Takeaway On Site 
Kids Playground 
TV Room 
Games Room 
No Evening Ents 
No Fishing 
No Wild Swimming 
Indoor Pool On Site 
No Outdoor Pool 
No Horse Riding 
No Cycle Hire 
No Golf 
No Tennis 
Beach <10 miles 
Watersports <10 miles 
Boat Launch / Mooring On Site 
No Sea Views 
Not Working Farm 
No Campfires Allowed 
No Waterside Pitches 
Public Transport <5 miles
Offroad Dog Walk On Site or Direct Access 
Electric Car Charging Point
Selected the WRC to stay at for 5 nights during the school autumn half term break. On arrival the staff were very helpful and we were given a very clear and informative brochure and shown to our pitch. We had a Kingfisher Super Pitch and I must say I could find no fault with the pitch and its facilities. If I had to pick up on anything it was just a little struggle reversing the caravan into position, but it was damp and it was traction being the problem. Water, electric and T. V. Point (a must for the kids in the evening!) all functioning perfectly. In fact the T. V. Reception was better than I have at home! WIFI was fantastic too, again faster internet than I have at home. 
