The Anchor Cafe

07/09/2026

If at all interested please get in touch - looking to build a fab team for next season.

We are still looking for a Barista to join our team! Get in touch if you would like to find out more

03/09/2026

Oh what an experience. Can’t wait to be serving tea and coffee on that famous pontoon. Amazing watching the boats race round you!
Only two more gaffs left if anyone fancy’s this brilliant challenge!!

Barton Hire Boat Regatta is just around the corner but there is still time to take part. We have just 2 gaffs left to hire - Bootlegger and Windsong from Saturday 3rd to Saturday 10th October 2026.

Get in touch for a great deal and a chance to take part in this competitive but friendly sailing Regatta.

First timers very welcome!

30/08/2026

🍂 New Autumn Opening Hours at The Anchor Café, Upton this September ☕

What a wonderful summer it has been in our little horsebox! 🌞
The sunshine has brought so many people to Upton Boat D**e, exploring the beautiful local walks and witnessing the incredible nature Norfolk has to offer. From birds and butterflies to big skies and peaceful waterways, it really is a special little corner of the Broads.

The boatyard has been wonderfully busy too, with holidaymakers, youth groups, flotillas and wellbeing weekends. We've been lucky enough to be included in so many special memories this summer.
There have been some particularly exciting moments, including the maiden voyage of our gorgeous 1950s Norfolk cruiser, Sedgemoore, as well as plenty of care and restoration work on some of the Broads' much-loved pride and joys. ⛵️
As we move into September, there is still so much to look forward to — Barton Regatta, a Women's Wellbeing Weekend, and hopefully plenty of gorgeous sunny autumn sailing days. 🍂⛵️☀️
🍁 September Opening Hours
Monday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday
9am – 3pm
We can also open during the week for larger parties and groups, but please ring in advance to arrange this.
📞 01493 750430

A huge thank you to everyone who has visited us this summer, stopped for a coffee, enjoyed an ice cream or simply shared a little piece of your Norfolk adventure with us.
Here's to a beautiful autumn on the Broads! 🍂☕️🌾

sailingeastwoodwhelpton
The Norfolk Broads

09/08/2026

🌿 Upton — has to be my favourite little corner of the Norfolk Broads 🌿
I absolutely adore this little village.
Tucked beside the River Bure, just near Acle, Upton feels like one of those places where life moves at a slightly gentler pace. Big skies stretch endlessly over the marshes, the river flows quietly past, and everywhere you look there seems to be something flying, fluttering, swimming or singing.
There are beautiful walks in every direction — along the river towards Acle, across to South Walsham, and the wonderful circular routes around Upton Marshes and through the fens. It’s the sort of landscape where you can set off for a quick walk and three hours later still be stopping to watch a marsh harrier, listen for a sedge warbler or follow a butterfly dancing through the grasses. The wetlands around here are part of the extraordinary landscape of the Broads, shaped over centuries by water management, grazing and drainage. And it’s that mixture of river, fen, marsh and open farmland that makes Upton such a haven for wildlife. 🦋🪶🌾
There’s history everywhere too. The medieval St Margaret’s Church sits at the heart of the village, a Grade I listed building with parts dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries.
Down at the d**e, boating has been woven into Upton’s story for generations. Eastwood Whelpton has been part of that thread since 1958- renowned for sailing holidays and traditional Broads yacht renovations they provide an impressive contribution to sailing on these waterways. There’s something rather special about watching those beautiful boats leave Upton D**e and head out onto the Bure, following waterways that have been sailed for generations.
Then there’s the heart of the village The White Horse, Upton A proper community pub, full of life, music, themed evenings, delicious pub grub and that wonderful feeling that you’re somewhere people genuinely care about. It has been a community pub since 2012 and even picked up Broadland Pub of the Year in 2025.
And there’s the excellent little community shop quietly doing its bit too — essentials, treats, useful things and those lovely little extras you didn’t know you needed until you saw them.

Then, of course, there’s our own little corner by the water…
☕ The Anchor Café is open every day throughout the summer holidays, 9am–3pm.
Come for a coffee, an ice cream or a slice of cake. Come for the walks. Come to watch the boats. Come and see how many birds you can spot.
Or simply come and stand beneath those enormous Norfolk skies for a while.
I’m Upton’s biggest fan.
And honestly… I can’t sing its praises any louder. 💚

02/07/2026

Excited to be open everyday this summer
9am - 3pm

eastwoodwhelptonsailing
Eastwood Whelpton Sailing Holidays
Green Farm Coffee
marshfieldices
keldaskitchen_

24/06/2026

Our horse box is open today as a hydration station! If you’re passing please stop by for a cold glass of water - we don’t want anyone getting too hot and bothered out there!
Hatch open 9-3
Just honk the horn and I’ll be over

22/06/2026

☀️ Too hot for a regular coffee? We’ve got just the thing…
🧊 Cold Iced Coffee is pouring at The Anchor Cafe and it’s exactly what’s needed for this crazy hot weather!
💚 We’re all a little in love with our Iced Matcha too – cool, refreshing and perfect for sunny days.
🍦 Treat yourself to delicious ice cream from Marshfield Farm
🍰 And beautiful cakes from Kelda
Take a seat, cool down and enjoy a little taste of summer with us.

📍 The Anchor Cafe

🕘 Open Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday

⏰ 9am – 3pm

☀️🧊💚🍦🍰

04/06/2026

🌼 ✨ Delighted to announce our first Make & Sketch Session! ✨🌼

Join us for a morning of flowers and creativity at The Anchor Café, Upton Boatyard on Wednesday 2nd July.

🌿 Begin by choosing your favourite blooms and creating a beautiful personalised bouquet in a guided flower arranging workshop with Wild at Heart Blooms.
✏️ Then settle in with coffee and cake as you're guided through a relaxed drawing session, capturing the beauty and character of your floral creation on paper.
A chance to slow down, connect with nature, and spend a few creative hours in lovely company.
✨ 2.5-hour creative experience
☕ Coffee and cake included
🎨 All materials provided
💷 £55 per person
🕙 10am – 12.30pm
📍 The Anchor Café, Upton Boatyard
🌸 Limited spaces available
To reserve your place, please email:
📧 [email protected]
We can't wait to welcome you for a morning of blooms, sketchbooks, creativity and a touch of wild magic. ✨

🌿🎨🌸

03/06/2026

☕🌿 The Anchor Café at Upton Boat D**e new opening times🌿☕
Come and enjoy a coffee with some of the best views on the Broads!
Nestled down at Upton Boat D**e, The Anchor Café offers stunning views across the marshes, magnificent riverside walks along the River Bure, and the ever-changing entertainment of a working boatyard.
🚤 Love boats?
🦆 Interested in nature?
☕ Fancy great coffee and homemade treats?
Come and chat with us!
We're proud to serve:
✨ Coffee from Green Farm Coffee
🍰 Delicious cakes from Kelda Kitchen
🍦 Ice cream from Marshfield Farm
Our new opening hours:
📅 Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday
⏰ 9:00am – 3:00pm
♻️ Bring your own mug and receive 10% off your hot drink!

📍 The Anchor Café, Upton Boat D**e

**e

30/05/2026

Race day!⛵️

One of the most spectacular sailing events on the Norfolk Broads, the Norfolk Three Rivers Race takes place today, Saturday 30th May , starting from Horning and covering approximately 50 miles over the Rivers Bure, Ant and Thurne. Many crews sail throughout the day and night, with the race often taking 18–24 hours to complete.
As the fleet makes its way along the River Bure, they'll pass Upton Boat D**e – a fantastic spot to watch the action unfold!
☕ Why not join us by the river and pick up a delicious coffee and a slice of Kelda's fabulous cake from the anchor cafe before heading down the boat d**e to take in the spectacle of traditional Broads sailing at its very best?
Keep an eye out for our own Eastwood Whelpton boats taking part:
⛵ Rebel Sailer
⛵️ Bootlegger
⛵ Orange Tip
⛵ Lutra
⛵ Snakeshead
⛵ Ragged Robin
⛵ Seven Seas
⛵ Leda
⛵ Windjammer
We're wishing all the Eastwood Whelpton crews the very best of luck for a fantastic race!
**e