Wednesday 23 June 2010

Wednesday 23 June 2010




From Stretham Ferry, Old West River to Pike and Eel Inn, River Great Ouse








Well today has been just like an aqua safari!




From seeing crested grebe swimming below the surface,in clear water, to seeing sizeable pike lurking in the shadows, to a white egret, to oyster catchers, goldfinches feasting on thistles, to a grey seal. Yes, we passed a grey seal swimming with purpose along the short tidal stretch between Brownshill Staunch and Hermitage Lock. The EA lockeeper told us the seal has been semi resident along this stretch for some while, and there is a chance we may see a second seal further upstream.

All this in addition to grey heron, cormorant, swans, Canada geese, ducks etc etc which we have come to take for granted. Some of the wild life is obviously unused to boats as some swans and ducks start mad flapping of wings and trying to stay ahead of the boat, warning us off, we think.

Our day has taken us through Earith where George Jewson and his son John founded the builders merchants and their wharf and lime kilns still remain.








Tuesday 22 June 2010

Tuesday 22 June 2010





Ely, River Great Ouse to Stretham Ferry, Old West River


A perfect day for boating. We left Ely in blazing sunshine, passing the empty Kings School boathouses (the students were already out on the river) ,and continued our way south and further up the River Great Ouse, with a gentle warm breeze to accompany us. At Pope's Corner we branched right and onto the Old West River that will take us to Huntingdon and later to Bedford. Speed is now 4mph and the blanket weed is with us again, bright green swathes hiding long ropey strands below the surface. This stretch has a much classsier type of water lily - white open flowers with a yellow core, as well as the usual plain yellow lillies we are used to.


We passed by Stretham Old Engine house where in 1831 Boulton and Watt built a steam pumping engine to lift water from the surrounding fens up into the Old West River. The engine was still working until 1941, but is now preserved, but we need to be here at a weekend to see it.


We moored for lunch at a Great Ouse Boating Association mooring at Stretham Ferry. It was not our intention to stay here for the afternoon, but as it is such a lovely spot, with a lovely pub too - The Lazy Otter - time passed by so quickly in the sun, with just the birds to watch, including a mother grebe, teaching her chick how to dive!






























Monday 21 June 2010

Monday 21 June 2010





Ely, River Great Ouse






We have spent today exploring Ely, and what a great day we have had in the summer sun.



Ely waterfront is very attractive, and from there we decided to follow the eel trail to take us around the city.

This took us through very neat gardens and attractive flower displays, lots of lovely lavender, then through the nail scissored grounds around the Cathedral and on to Oliver Cromwells House, where he lived for 10 years. The Cathedral is very imposing, has an octagonal tower, and well worth a visit. There is a stained glass museum and also Ely musem, so plenty to go at. Waterside Antiques is an old warehouse crqammed with antiques on 3 floors, and can absorb your atttention too.
We have yet to try eel pie or eel stew, but hope to do so on our return.
No litter and no louts - thank you Ely.


Sunday 20 June 2010

Sunday 20 June 2010



Prickwillow, River Lark to Ely, River Great Ouse




Not a very inspiring start to the day, overcast and cold again, but dry, so we were grateful! we left Prickwillow and continued upstream along the River lark. Several hardy fishermen were out, looking fairly nithered in the conditions. Dotted along the way, there are many defunct engine pump houses, including one that has a plaque to the memory of aptly named Joseph Flatt who worked here in the low lying fens from 1844 until he died in 1900. We also passed the remains of a fenland wind pump, known locally as the Pepper Pot.
As we were passing through the only lock on this river, at Isleham, a huge lumbering aircraft darkened the sky as it took off from nearby Lakenheath. RAF Lakenheath and Mildenhall wartime airfields are nearby and are the reason why so many pill boxes were erected, which are still very visible across the fenland landscape.


At the end of the navigable stretch we turned, and headed back down the river, a little quicker this way, as we were going with the flow. Back onto to the River Great Ouse, and headed for Ely.


From quite a way off we could easily pick out the Norman spires of Ely Cathedral, and as we arrived in the city, the place was buzzing with boats and people. Lucky for us another narrow boat moved off and we used their mooring, otherwise it would have been tricky. A first reccy into the city gives us the feel that it is a place worth exploring and spending time in tomorrow........

Saturday 19 June 2010

Saturday 19 June 2010




From Ten Mile Bank, River Great Ouse to Prickwillow, River Lark, near Ely

A pretty awful day for near midsummer, cold, overcast, strong wind and very heavy downpours.

We battled along the Ouse again, with crested waves, but pulled over at Littleport for a break and then continued on to turn left up the River Lark. The conditions were grim, and so finding a mooring space at Prickwillow was very welcome.

The high spot of the day was a visit to the Prickwillow Drainage Engine Museum! just across the road. In the original pump house, there is a charming collection of large historic diesel engines, all with bright brass and smartly painted red/green. These were the early work horses responsible for maintaining drainage of the fens. There is also some very interesting history and photographic displays relating to fen the area. If our return down the River Great Ouse coincides with their next engine running event, we will make a point of stopping here again.

Friday 18 June 2010

Friday 18 June 2010



From Hilgay, River Wissey and back onto River Great Ouse to moor at Ten Mile bank


Such a contrast in weather today, cold and grey skies - soon be summer. We continued up the River Wissey and came to a huge British Sugar Beet plant, not a pretty sight in the middle of such rural tranquillity. At the time of the beet harvest, farmers for miles around queue to deliver their crops to the plant. On the opposite bank are acres of low level glass houses growing tomatoes, using the heat exhaust from the sugar beet plant. We can vouch that the tomatoes from there are very sweet and a great flavour, as the cheery butcher in Hilgay had some for sale. We turned round in a huge lake, which appeared to be used exclusively by British Sugar fisher folk.

Our mooring this evening is on the river again, using a new Environment Agency facility at Ten Mile Bank. Having just looked at the Ten Mile Bank history site, this stretch of the river actually froze earlier this year! it could do again any day!

Thursday 17 June 2010

Thursday 17 June 2010











From Upwell Town Staithe, to Hilgay, River Wissey, River Great Ouse










Today, we continued along the Nene Ouse Navigation Link moving along Well Creek, a narrow thread of water, wrestling with tough strands of bright green weed at times. At Nordelph, another village that lines both sides of the water, each in a different county, but having attractive houses, even an old windmill, now residential. We reached Salters Lode a little early and so had to wait for the lock keeper to say when conditions were right, and he would allow us into the lock and out on to the River Great Ouse. This is tidal water, going to Kings Lynn if we turn left, or to Denver Sluice to the right, which is our route. So full power on oncwe had passed under the raised electric guillotine gate, and hard turn right, and the sluice was then in our sight. Although a short stretch of water to the sluice, there was quite a buffeting from the strong wind and waves. To our surprise, we passed a hire boat doing the stretch in reverse. They would have had quite a job turning into Salters Lode lock in these conditions. We couldn't watch as we had our our own moves to make!

A little sigh of relief as we reached the sanctuary of the lock alongside Denver Sluice. Once through the lock we were greeted by a wide expanse of river, and we moved upstream, and soon turned left, and on to the River Wissey. This stretch of water has been recommended and it immediately becomes evident why. It is a quiet backwater, no habitation, but almost like boating through a nature reserve. We spot the moorings provided by the local boat association, which we will probably use tomorrow on our return down the Wissey. We quietly move along and eventually come into the hamlet of Hilgay, and moor. A pub and butchers shop selling everything and neatly kept houses, but the bypass has meant the petrol station is no more.

Wednesday 16 June 2010




From Floods Ferry Marina to Church Bridge Staithe, Outwell, Nene Great Ouse link, Middle level




This evening we are moored in the bright warm evening sunshine on a little town jetty we think is in Outwell, ( but may be in Upwell as these two villages have joined) and this narrow waterway passes through their quaint, old fashioned charm. Properties are on both sides of us, some dating back well into the 19th century, but sit quite comfortably with modern houses. Village shops survive including butchers, cake shops, hairdressers and pubs.

The fishing season has started and the gnomes are about. The water is so clear in places we can see fish so clearly. We are finding the flat terrain so different to the mountains we are used to and to pass by a wind farm so closely was a first for us. (17 wind generators) We lunched in March, a busy market town and purchased some locally grown asparagus which we know we will enjoy. The Middle Level Commissioners are so thoughtful - they placed this sign on an embankment in March, so that boats would not get plastered in grass cuttings - could this forward planning be adopted by other waterway authorities?

Tuesday 15 June 2010

Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 June 2010






Ferry Meadows Country Park to Peterborough and on to Middle Level Navigations








After a final walk around the lovely Ferry Meadows, and coffee with the crew of Chesterton, both boats moved back across the lake and off towards Peterborough, making a slight deviation off to the left to the Rowing Club where there are a few mooring spots, useful for future reference. We then pulled alongside Asda, with its own gated river access for boaters, did some shopping and moved off in very strong winds, and after 2 attempts, managed to moor for the evening in Peterborough.


We have reserved a slot tomorrow morning with the lock keeper at Standground lock, as we are moving onto the Middle Levels. This means we use yet another style of windlass, and in a different way, and the Commissioners refer to us as being navigators. Our passage is along the Kings Dyke, and then Whittlesey Dyke, these have such long straight stretches, that you could put the boat onto automatic pilot. The banks are sometimes above the adjoining flat fields, and often below. We are now just about at sea level - give or take - and thank goodness the sun shines or this journey might just become a little tedious in pouring rain!


As mooring en route continues to be tricky, Flood Ferry caravan park and marina just south of March, appears like an oasis, and a swift telephone call confirms that there is an overnight mooring. So this is where we are now. The wind blows pretty strong in these parts, no wonder there are so many farms with high trees screening them, rather reminscent of French waterways.










Sunday 13 June 2010

Sunday 13 June 2010











Fotheringhay to Ferry Meadows Country Park, Overton Lake, River Nene








Sunday paper duly collected, and off again, and yet more lovely properties alongside the river, usually beside mill buildings by locks. Most are absolutely stunning and very, very desirable! One church even had its own boathouse!

As moorings along the way are just not as easily found as on a canal, we pressed on to Ferry Meadows as this had been recommended to us as a special place to stay. It sure is. 500 acres of unspoilt grassland, with lakes, and woodland, just 3 miles out of Peterborough. So much safe space, and everyone enjoying it. There are only a few jetties for visiting boats, so we feel lucky to have got one. The Nene railway has a station within the park, and we did see the steam train "City of Peterborough" at the station, but as our luck would have it, the next trips are 2 days away! So we will plan to stop on our return, if we can get a mooring here again. Otherwise, all is not lost as there is a station at nearby Wansford and also Yarwell. This is a place well worth a visit, you can hire dinghies, cycles, go horse riding, go fishing, learn orienteering, use the wetland wildlife hides, camp, caravan park, etc etc
Moorings are tricky along the river but we have yet to resort to going up the bank! See pic!
















Saturday 12 June 2010

Saturday 12 June 2010


Thrapston to Fotheringhay, River Nene


Another good day, blue sky and a good days boating to look forward to.


A swift visit to Thrapston for a paper and on our way, and meeting the first moving boat as we get to the lock at Titchmarsh, beside an attractive mill as so many of these locks are - rolling lawns and weeping willows etc



On towards Oundle, and the guide book is so right when it says the Nene grows lovelier by the mile, as it winds its way past villages and so many church spires - all different. Oundle marina is placed in a very lovely spot with another old attractive mill building beside the lock.



We manage to moor for lunch, on an unofficial mooring, just before the next lock, which we note is manual - so indigestion ahead!


Our overnight mooring is planned to be at Fotheringhay, where we recall mooring about 20 years ago at the edge of a farmers field, and ordering a Sunday paper. Amazingly, the arrangement still exists, except we must collect the paper from the farmhouse, as it is no longer delivered to the boat! We are just below the impressive Fotheringhay Church, and several other boats also stop, including one that Bob recognises as an ex Red Line hire boat, talk about an anorak!


We walked around Fotheringhay and it is still a very attractive, quiet Cambridgeshire village, even with a large wedding reception taking place in the neighbouring farm garden. Fotheringhay Castle is where Mary, Queen of Scots was beheaded, and somewhere in the field we walked through, her heart is believed to be buried!




Friday 11 June 2010

Friday 11 June 2010







From Irthlingborough to Thrapston, River Nene


Put the flags out - its a much better day, even the water lilies are opening! After a later than usual start due to water filling etc we continued along the Nene encountering lively canoe groups on outdoor adventures, and caught up another narrow boat and so shared locks. The non electric locks are quite exhausting, as the heavy bottom lock gate has to be raised and lowered manually by means of a huge steering wheel - quite a work out!


We found some really excellent moorings at Thrapston, lovely quiet spot adjacent to a sailing club using a huge gravel pit. Thrapston is a busy little market town and well worth a walk through and on into neighbouring Islip.

The sunset was great this evening.








Thursday 10 June 2010

Thursday 10 June 2010




Cogenhoe to Irthlingborough, River Nene


Welcome back winter! It has been cold, windy, overcast and just plain horrid today! We left Cogenhoe and battled further along the Nene through a few more guillotine locks, seeing the odd person along the way, and then a couple of hire boats amazingly, approaching a lock very slowly due to long strands of the green Nene weed around their props we suspect.

We shopped in Wellingborough and then continued on to Irthlingborough, which included operating the radial gate at Ditchford Lock as our picture shows. The Environment Agency had thoughtfully moored their weed cutter boat on the approach to this lock, which in the wind, certainly tested Bobs boating skills.

As we approached Irthlingborough we encountered a low bridge with several arches - the guide book merely says "use largest arch" - and this was it!

Somehow, it was a relief to find space still available alongside the Rushden and Diamonds Football Club at Irthlingborough, since unless you are prepared to use the anchor, mooring has to be at designated spots like this.

Wednesday 9 June 2010

Wednesday 9 June 2010




From below Weston Flavell Lock to Cogenhoe, River Nene




We have left the Grand Union Canal and moved down on to the River Nene. We initially thought our passage onto the river would be delayed due to a Police incident having closed the river at Northampton, but a call to the Environment Agency gave us a the all clear. So out came the bike to speed our descent down the 17 locks at Rothersthorpe onto the Nene but alas a flat tyre - thank goodness for pink gloop! The bike certainly helped make light work through the pouring rain, but of course BW don't/can't work in the wet, and they were cosily ensconced inside their cabin part way down. Come the Cameron revolution all could be different! The private sector contractors grass cutting, path jet washing, strimming etc continued their work in the wet quite unperturbed.




The river Nene is as we remember from last year, serene and quiet. It helps that we know where to moor in Northampton for shops and the digging out for the new marina at Beckets Park is very apparent. We moored last evening just above Weston Flavell lock as we are familiar with this location. We boated on gently today sharing the 3 guillotine locks on our way to Cogenhoe with another narrow boat, saving water as we hear there is concern about the levels. Cogenhoe is a neat and tidy community, with attractive village cross, and Church and fortunately for us with a porch for us to shelter from the heavy afternoon downpour.