Editing Hickling Broad

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2013}}
{{infobox park
| name =  Hickling Broad
| photo =  Hickling Broad.jpg
| photo_caption =
| type = Nature reserve
| grid_ref_UK = TG 428 222   
| location =    Stalham, Norfolk 
| area =    {{convert| 600 |ha|acre|abbr=off}}
| manager = Norfolk Wildlife Trust 
}}

'''Hickling Broad''' is a  {{convert| 600 |ha|acre|abbr=off|adj=on}} nature reserve 4&nbsp;km south-east of [[Stalham]], north-east of [[Norwich]] in [[Norfolk]]. It is managed by the [[Norfolk Wildlife Trust]].<ref name=NWT>{{cite web|url= https://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife-in-norfolk/nature-reserves/reserves/hickling-broad  |title=   Hickling Broad |publisher= Norfolk Wildlife Trust |accessdate=   10 July 2018}}</ref> It is a [[national nature reserve (United Kingdom)|National Nature Reserve]]<ref>{{cite web|url=  https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteGeneralDetail.aspx?SiteCode=1006073&SiteName=hickling&countyCode=&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Hickling Broad | series= National Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England|accessdate =  2 June 2018}}</ref> and part of the [[Upper Thurne Broads and Marshes]] [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]]<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1005779&SiteName=&countyCode=29&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea=  |title=Designated Sites View: Upper Thurne Broads and Marshes   |series=Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate=  17 May 2018}}</ref> and Hickling Broad and Horsey Mere [[Nature Conservation Review]] site, Grade I.<ref>{{cite book|editor-first=Derek |editor-last=Ratcliffe  |title=A Nature Conservation Review|volume=2 |pages=170–71 |authorlink=Derek Ratcliffe |publisher= Cambridge University Press|location =Cambridge, UK  |year=1977|isbn= 0521-21403-3 }}</ref> It is in the [[Norfolk Coast AONB|Norfolk Coast]] [[Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.norfolkcoastaonb.org.uk/mediaps/pdfuploads/pd001159.pdf|title=Norfolk Coast AONB Management Plan 2014-19: Other Conservation Designations within the AONB|publisher=Norfolk Coast AONB|accessdate=25 May 2018|archive-date=31 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331161613/http://www.norfolkcoastaonb.org.uk/mediaps/pdfuploads/pd001159.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> and part of the Broadland [[Ramsar site]]<ref name=broadram>{{cite web|url=  https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteGeneralDetail.aspx?SiteCode=UK11010&SiteName=&countyCode=29&responsiblePerson=&unitId=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Broadland  | series= Ramsar Sites|publisher=Natural England|accessdate = 25 May 2018}}</ref> and [[Special Protection Area]],<ref name=broadspa>{{cite web|url=  https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteGeneralDetail.aspx?SiteCode=UK9009253&SiteName=&countyCode=29&responsiblePerson=&unitId=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Designated Sites View: Broadland  | series= Special Protection Areas|publisher=Natural England|accessdate = 25 May 2018}}</ref> and The Broads [[Special Area of Conservation]].<ref name=broadssac>{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteGeneralDetail.aspx?SiteCode=UK0013577&SiteName=&countyCode=29&responsiblePerson=&unitId=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea=  |title=Designated Sites View: The Broads | series= Special Areas of Conservation|publisher=Natural England|accessdate =  25 May 2018}}</ref>

It is the broad with the largest surface area, and the water is slightly [[Brackish water|brackish]], due to its proximity to the sea.<ref name=jane>''Inland Waterways of Great Britain'', Jane Cumberlidge, (2009), Imray Laurie Norie and Wilson, {{ISBN|978-1-84623-010-3}}</ref> The navigation channel is only 1.5 m deep, with much of the broad being shallower; it is 1.4&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, making it one of the largest expanses of open water in [[East Anglia]].

==Ecology==
It has the largest reed-bed in England and supports rare waterweeds such as the [[holly-leaved naiad]] and three rare species of [[stonewort]]. Amongst the rare insects is the [[Old World Swallowtail|Swallowtail]] butterfly, subspecies ''Papilio machaon brittanicus'' which feeds on milk-parsley (''[[Peucedanum palustre]]''), the [[Norfolk hawker]] ''Aeshna isosceles'' and [[Emperor dragonfly]]. Birds that visit the reserve during the winter include cranes, [[common goldeneye]]s, shovelers and teals, while [[Eurasian bittern]]s, [[marsh harrier]]s, [[common pochard]]s, [[water rail]]s and [[Cetti's warbler]]s stay for most of the year.<ref name=nwt>[http://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife-in-norfolk/nature-reserves/reserves/hickling-broad Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Hickling Broad NNR], accessed 2010-03-13</ref> There is a [[waymarking|waymarked]] walk around the broad.

==Sea planes==
[[File:Hickling Broad aerial image (21233749111).jpg|thumb|left|Hickling Broad waterfront]]
Hickling Broad was used as reserve station for sea planes by the [[Royal Naval Air Service|RNAS]], in the period 1916–1918, as an escape for RNAS South Denes. It was known as RNAS Hickling Broad. Contractors started building a concrete slipway, but this was never completed. Eventually, Hickling was only used for two emergency landings. A separate arrangement allowed seaplanes destined for [[Great Yarmouth]] to land on the calmer waters of the broad if the sea were too rough (this arrangement stands to this day). RNAS South Denes was located in the area which is now the South Denes Camping and Caravan site.<ref>[http://www.edp24.co.uk/features/great-yarmouth-s-air-aces-who-took-on-the-zeppelins-1-5306354  ''Great Yarmouth’s air aces who took on the Zeppelins''; Trevor Heaton;  Article] in the [[Eastern Daily Press]]; 16 december 2017</ref> There is a commemorative [[Blue plaque]] in Regent Street in Great Yarmouth, it reads "Headquarters of the Royal Naval Air Service Occupied these premises during WWI April 1913-November 1918 Flying land & sea planes from South Denes, Hickling Broad[s] [sic], and heavily involved in anti Zeppelin warfare."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.blueplaqueplaces.co.uk/blue-plaque-4198-in-great-yarmouth-4198#.WlaJEjciHcs |title=The Blue Plaque (4918) in Great Yarmouth on the Blue Plaque website |access-date=10 January 2018 |archive-date=11 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180111110258/http://www.blueplaqueplaces.co.uk/blue-plaque-4198-in-great-yarmouth-4198#.WlaJEjciHcs |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Hickling Broad}}

{{coord|     52.743|1.596     |type:landmark_region:GB|display=title}}
{{Norfolk Wildlife Trust }}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Norfolk Wildlife Trust]]
[[Category:National nature reserves in England]]
[[Category:Norfolk Broads]]
[[Category:Seaplane bases in England]]
[[Category:Hickling, Norfolk]]