The Broads National Park from the Air

Description

The Broads National Park is the largest protected wetland in the UK and the only one of the fifteen National Parks to include a city, Norwich.

The area, containing six navigable rivers linking broads, fens, woodland and grazing marshes, remains one of the most beautiful parts of Britain in which to live, work or visit. Its 300 square kilometres contain 28 Sites of Special Scientific Interest whilst its cultural heritage is evidenced by the wealth of its mediaeval churches, historic towns and villages, local industries and archaeological sites.

Viewed from ground level the beauties of the English landscape can be obvious, but only from above does the rich pattern of its various elements fall into a glorious whole.

Through the medium of Mike Page’s expert aerial photography we can experience how truly connected are the rivers, fens, marshes and settlements that make up this intricate mosaic, as he takes us on an A to Z birds-eye journey over the stunning Broads, from Acle to Great Yarmouth and from Alderfen to Wroxham Broad.

Mike Page was born in Gorleston and attended school there. He moved to Beccles to live with his grandmother after his mother died and finished his schooling at the Sir John Leman school in the town. When he left school he went to teacher training college in Buckinghamshire to become a woodwork teacher, but on completion of the course decided to begin his working life as boatbuilder.

In 1973 together with his wife Gillian he started a garage and body repair business in Strumpshaw, east of Norwich. The company still trades today although Mike has now retired and left control to his son and daughter. Mike’s first book was published by Halsgrove in 2005 and since then Mike has gone on to produce 17 books with this, The Broads National Park From The Air, being the 18th.

Some of his books now out of print are becoming collectors’ items and are virtually unobtainable. The historic nature of the photographs contained within them makes them an invaluable record for reference. Mike still uses Canon camera equipment and is now using a Canon 1D mk3 and Mk4.

All of his aerial filming is with the camera, hand held, through the open window of his 1976 Cessna 150 which he has now owned for twenty-three years.

Pauline Young has lived in East Anglia for many years. She writes regularly for magazines, is a published children’s author, and has written the text for Mike’s books of aerial photography published by Halsgrove.