Denver to Whittlesey

31 August 

We moved off our mooring onto the lock landing at about 8.45 and prepared to wait.The photo shows the state of the tide at that time – more sandbanks!

We were joined by Cre Dal Wood and then by two more narrowbaots so there was a little group of us waiting. We saw a kingfisher sitting on part of the sluice mechanism.

The lock opened at 11.45 as promised and we slid in. We did have to wait a few minutes before exiting the lock as the lockkeeper told us that Salters Lode was not ready for us. But we were soon on our way. Steve successfully made the tight turn into Salters Lode Lock, Paul, the friendly lockkeeper worked us through and there we were, back on the Middle Levels.

Out of Denver .....

.... and into Salters

Another kingfisher was spotted near Nordelph. There are several cormorants around as well, including some sitting on telephone wires – how do they do that with webbed feet?

Well Creek through Outwell and Upwell was still shallow, but much less shallow than it had been two weeks ago. A little rain makes all the difference.

We were through Marmont Priory Lock by 3.00 with the help of Maureen and her husband. They had a lock full of weed, some of which we were able to push through as we left the lock.

We will be going through Stanground Lock tomorrow. This lock is manned and boats have to book a time to go through. Stephen phoned them up and was told that they are very busy tomorrow and have a limited number of slots available. He accepted the 9.30 slot which means we either have to do a long day today or get up very early tomorrow. We decided to do the long day today, so instead of stopping at March which is what we had originally planned, we carried on towards Ashline Lock intending to moor at Whittlesey.

When we got to Ashline, helpful fishermen told us that the Whittlesey moorings were completely full. Steve walked up to have a look for himself, came back and reported that there were two boats already moored up on the lock landing above the lock (one of them being Phenomenal) so we decided to join them! By the time we had done the lock and moored up it was nearly 7.30 – time for food and drink!

Earith to Denver

30 August 

Overnight we had a change of mind about going along the New Bedford River. On occasions Steve’s heart has a tendency to go into overdrive in stressful situations. He could already feel the effects of just thinking about the trip so we decided that extra stress was unnecessary and we would not make this journey with its uncertainties about tides and timings. Steve still got up early so that he could let the others know of our decision and wish them a safe journey.

As we are now going back along the Great Ouse the same way as we came, we have to go through Hermitage Lock which is manned but doesn’t open until 9.00. So we left our Earith mooring at 8.15, moored on the landing by the lock and waited for it to open. The lockkeeper arrived a little early and opened up the lock at 8.45 so we were through it soon after 9.00.

We then had a very long stretch of river with no locks and, for some parts, not a lot to look at either.  But the sun was out and it was actually very pleasant boating weather. There is still a lot of weed in places, though judging by the heaps on the land alongside the river, EA have made efforts to remove at least some of it.

A swan makes a path through the weed.

We stopped at a marina on the outskirts of Ely for diesel (we had done the water and a pump out at Earith last night) and then moored a little further along while we ate our sandwich lunch.

We did have one moment of excitement when we came across a narrowboat breasted up to a wide cruiser shell making their way slowly down the river. They moved over as soon as they could to let us come past.

We decided to press on and moor very close to Denver Sluice arriving at 4.15. 

View towards Denver Sluice

View the other way

The timing of going through Denver Sluice and Salters Lode depends on the tide and we have been told by the lockkeeper that he will start letting boats through at 11.45, so we will be here until then.

The sandbanks show why you have to wait for the tide.

We went for a walk crossing Denver Sluice and the Relief Channel Sluice before wandering down the road towards Denver village. We bought some honey from a roadside box at the Railway Gatehouse next to a level crossing.

Great Eastern Railway plaque on Railway Gatehouse

Hemingford Grey to Westview Marina, Earith

28 & 29 August

We had decided to make an early start leaving the festival so were ready to leave at 7.30. At the first lock, St Neots, we met up with Rosery who had moved off the festival moorings yesterday evening. We shared the lock, but were unable to do so at the next lock, Offord, as it is not long or wide enough. 

As we were approaching Brampton Lock we saw a group of canoes on the lock mooring. We expected them to move off which is what canoes usually do, but it became apparent that they were going to go through the lock and were just waiting for a cruiser to come out before they went in. Brampton is a big lock and all nine canoes plus their small accompanying motor boat plus us all got in. The youngsters in the canoes were scouts going for a couple of nights camping.

By Godmanchester Lock we had left the canoes behind, but Peddler and Hector had caught us up and we managed to fit everyone in (though there was little room to spare!). Houghton Lock is also big enough for three good sized narrowboats – this time it was us, Peddler and Phenomenal (Hector having turned off into Hartford Marina).

We moored at Hemingford Grey in time for lunch and then went for a walk to Hemingford Abbotts. We were due to have a meal with our friends, Penny and Allen, in the evening so we phoned them to finalise arrangements and suggest that their grandchildren might like to come and see the boat. So a little later Penny plus daughters Rachel and Katie plus Katie’s children Nia (2½) and Moses (12 days) arrived. Moses did not seem very interested in the boat and slept through the whole experience, but Nia enjoyed feeding the swans and ducks and exploring the interior of the boat.

Nice houses at Hemingford Grey

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal with Penny and Allen later and also enjoyed catching up on family news and news of mutual friends who had worked in Tanzania with us.

We arrived back at the boat too late last night for me to do the blog so again there is a two day helping.

We left Hemingford at 8.30 this morning. There was no point in leaving earlier as Hemingford Lock is not open until 9.00. It has a problem with part of its mechanism and so is manned by Environment Agency staff.

It had been raining earlier in the morning but it had faired up by the time we got to St Ives so we moored up near the bridge. We had a short walk around, did some shopping and had a coffee before continuing towards Earith. 

St Ives

The remaining locks (St Ives and  Brownshill) were busy with boats moving in both directions so progress was quite slow, but we moored at Westview Marina which is just before Earith at 1.30. There are several of us moored here together as the plan is to make a very early start tomorrow and proceed in convoy along the New Bedford River which is tidal. More of this tomorrow.

This evening six of us enjoyed a meal together at The Crown Indian restaurant before retiring to our boats for an early night!

At St Neots

26 & 27 August

Sunday morning’s activities began at 8.30 with a communion service held in the Entertainment Tent. The festival organisers had not been able to allow us to use the tent for a service during the hours the festival was open to the public. However there were 29 of us at the 8.30 service – BCF members plus several others including two of the security volunteers.

The weather forecast for today was not good, but we opened up as we had done on Saturday. The rain came at about 11.00 and then set in for the day. Footfall around the site was very light and most stands (including our BCF one) gave up soon after 2.00.

Lots of stands but not many people.

The parade of illuminated boats and the firework display were scheduled to go ahead as the rain was forecast to stop by early evening. This indeed is what happened so we joined seven or eight other boats in the parade and then enjoyed the firework display afterwards.

We had a late evening cup of coffee with Jan and John Halford on Jubilee and then retired to our own boat.

One of the illuminated boats (not Chyandour)

Monday dawned much brighter. As on Saturday we took a turn manning the BCF stand and volunteering for IWA giving out programmes and collecting donations. The festival closed at 5.00 and several of us gathered to put all the leaflets etc away and dismantle the displays and the gazebo.

Boats at the festival (1)

Boats at the festival (2)

A quiet evening followed before setting off on the journey home tomorrow.

Goldington to St Neots

24 & 25 August 

Friday – a lovely sunny morning which was much fresher than the last few days. We left our mooring just before 8.00 hoping to get to St Neots by lunchtime. Our first lock was Castle Mill which is deep and has very heavy gates. It is obvious that Sultana Bran for breakfast is not enough. I should have had at least three Weetabix as I failed completely to move the bottom gate and Steve had to come and help. Several of the gates on this stretch are heavy but that was the only one I couldn’t move at all.

We took on water at Barford Bridge so that we arrive at the festival with a full tank, and then moved over the river to the lock. We were following two other narrowboats so we had a short wait before going through ourselves. We followed these boats through the next lock, but when we got to Eaton Socon lock (the last of the day), there was room for all three of us so we were quickly through there. 

Then it was just the last leg to the festival site where we quickly found our designated mooring. We are the outside boat of five which means quite a journey to reach dry ground. We had some lunch and then went for a wander around the site.

We're the boat in the bottom left hand corner.

We met some of our BCF friends and it was arranged that we would meet later on to put up our gazebo. It was very windy but we did manage to put it up and tie it down! We will finish arranging the inside tomorrow.

Steve has put up a BCF banner on our boat plus some flags and one lot of lights – more lights tomorrow when hopefully the wind has dropped.

We had some very heavy rain during the evening, but there was a good turn-out for the Boaters’ Quiz. The BCF team came joint third which we were all quite satisfied with.

Saturday – the gazebo was still there this morning but some rain had got in. Luckily nothing was damaged so we just mopped up the water.  

Ready for the festival opening

There were enough BCF members around to have a rota of people manning the stall so Steve and I went off to do a bit of volunteering for the IWA, giving out festival programmes and rattling a donations bucket, before taking our turn on the BCF stand. We also had time to have a look around the site at the other stands. It was lovely to meet some BCF visitors as we walked round – Pam & Peter Ekins and Peter & Fran Braybrook.

The weather stayed sunny and warm until lunchtime, but during the afternoon we had some very heavy showers. Everyone in the various stands had to take measures to keep their goods and displays dry, but it looked as if everyone stayed open for business until the festival closed to the public at 6.00.

The evening turned much drier so we walked into St Neots to buy some milk and bread and then Steve put some more lights on top of the boat.

More boats,

Bedford to Goldington GOBA Mooring

22 & 23 August

We had a lazy start on Wednesday morning, but by 9.30 we were out in Bedford having another look round so here are a few more photos. 

Almshouses

"Reflections of Bedford" showing old industries of lace and brick making

John Bunyan

There is not a photo of Wilko’s where we bought a flowerpot to replace the one which broke as the wind caught it only a few minutes after we had left the mooring yesterday morning.

After a coffee in one of the town's numerous food and drink outlets, we went back to the boat to collect our stuff for going home. The train journey home was uneventful – Bedford to Bletchley, Bletchley to Rugby, Rugby to Nuneaton and a bus home.

After mowing the lawn, Steve spent most of the evening catching up with church accounts while I did some washing (and a very small amount of ironing).

The weather had been fine and dry all day, but there was some rain overnight. Steve had a nurse’s appointment on Thursday morning, so after he returned home, we collected our bits and pieces together and caught a bus back to Nuneaton and made the return train journey to Bedford. 

By 3.30 we were on the move with the intention of returning to the Goldington GOBA mooring where we had moored on Monday night. We did not time our departure very well as we ended up following the trip boat John Bunyan which is very long and very wide. It took quite a bit of manoeuvring to get her into Bedford Lock. She would be winding before Cardington Lock so we would not be following her for very long.

The "John Bunyan"

We made it back to the mooring in time for a good walk around Priory Country Park before supper.

Same mooring as Monday, but without Paws

Otter and baby in Priory Country Park

Castle Mills to Bedford

21 August 

So we did our shopping this morning and then had coffee with Pat and Tony. 

We were ready to move off at 10.45. The plan was to just go through one lock (Cardington) and then go into Priory Marina to pick up a gas cylinder and have a pump out. This we managed to do but it all took rather a long time as first of all the person with the key for the gas cylinder cage was out in the marina doing something so we had a bit of a wait, then the gas cylinder had a different top from the empty one and Steve was not sure it would fit. We trundled it back to the boat and found that it would fit, so that was OK. 

After the pump out, we set off again and then I noticed that the key for the pump out (and the water) filler wasn’t hanging in its usual place. A quick search of his pockets convinced Steve he must have left it behind. So we winded (easy enough on this wide river) and headed back. There it was on top of the pump out cupboard! Safely retrieved and off we went again. It was just as well we were not in any hurry as by now it was 1.15, so we had lunch on the move before doing the last lock before Bedford. 

We have moored on the embankment with a grassed area alongside us, busy cafés and coffee shops opposite us and an attractive footbridge just downstream from us. 

Stephen went to Bedford School and so we wandered through the town to the school for a look round. Obviously after 55-60 years there have been many changes both in the town and in the school, but there was plenty to recognise as well. After that we visited to the John Bunyan Museum which is quite impressive.

Bedford School

Steve used to row from here.

We had a short visit from Fran and David Eyre who live near Bedford – they needed a couple of BCF stickers for their boat and we had arranged for them to come and collect them.  It was good to meet members we'd not met before even if it was only briefly.

Brampton to Castle Mills

20 August 

I forgot to say we saw Jane and John Pescod on Ichthus yesterday. They were coming out of a lock as we were preparing to go in, so we could do no more than exchange greetings.

Today the wind has dropped and it is warm and humid. We started out at 8.30, passed under the partly constructed new A14, and took on water at Buckden Marina before we did anything else. 

New A14 from one side ....

...... and from the other side

Then on to Offord Lock with The Old Flour Mill development nearby; I don’t know whether the old mill is actually part of this, but it does look better than the derelict mill buildings we have seen. The house martins certainly seem to approve as they have nested in the eaves.

When we arrived at St Neots lock, there were two narrowboats waiting. This is a very long lock and after some discussion, the two other boats decided they could both fit in. So they went up and we waited while a large cruiser came down in its turn. There had been a bit of a delay as he had had to dismantle his wheelhouse in order to fit under the bridges. When exiting the lock, he had to go very slowly and carefully as he was very nearly too wide as well as being too tall!

We shared this lock and the next one, Eaton Socon, with a cruiser called Eau de Vie owned by a Christian couple taking their pastor and his wife out for the day. They travelled faster than us so they had already been through Roxton Lock when we arrived. However, as we came out of the lock, we saw them tucked into the greenery at the edge of the river. Their engine had stopped and wouldn’t restart, so we were able to give them a tow. Fortunately the next lock, Great Barford, was big enough for both of us, so we towed them in and we worked through together. They moored up after the lock as they could catch a bus home from there!

We passed Lorraine and Mike Newman on Annie & Walt; we will see them later at the festival. The rest of the journey through Willington and Castle Mills Locks was without incident, (except for a sharp shower of rain) and we are now moored abreast of Pat and Tony Collins on Paws 4 Thought. Pat had the kettle on when we arrived just as I knew she would! 

Paws and us.

We have been for a walk and discovered the quickest way to Tesco’s – we will do some shopping before leaving tomorrow.

Hemingford Grey to Brampton

19 August 

It was very windy this morning – the wind woke me up at 6.30. But it was dry and quite warm. We went to church at St James in Hemingford Grey and had coffee with a friend from Tanzania days, Allen Foster (grandson, Moses, has arrived safely – see yesterday’s post).

St James Hemingford Grey

Then we continued on our way. The locks today were even busier today than yesterday – not necessarily boats going to the festival, but lots of local river craft out for the weekend.  At Houghton Lock there was already one narrowboat on the landing stage and we were following another one, so the three of us breasted up to wait for the boats already in the lock to come out. The steerers (all the men!) decided that we might as well work from the outside in, which would mean that we would go into the lock first along with two cruisers which had arrived meanwhile. The woman from the boat which would now be in last (though they had arrived first) was not very happy about this arrangement!

We also had a wait at Godmanchester and Brampton Locks, but then you don’t choose to travel by narrowboat if you are in a hurry! I managed to leave a windlass at Godmanchester Lock – fortunately not the special one you need for some locks in this part of the world.

Old Bridge at Godmanchester

The Current A14 Bridge at Godmanchester

Our mooring tonight is another GOBA one; our companions at the moment are three cruisers but there is room for more. The view is not exciting, but very pleasant and peaceful.

As the wind had died down and the sun came out, we went for a walk along a section of the Ouse Valley way, passing under the new A14 still under construction (photos tomorrow when we go under it by boat).

Aldreth to Hemingford Grey

18 August

It was a bit grey and overcast this morning with quite a strong breeze. Off we set at about 8.15 aiming for Hermitage Lock where the efficient and friendly lockkeeper fitted us and a cruiser in neatly and then worked us through.

It must be getting near festival time as there are definitely more boats going in the same direction as us. We arrived at the next lock, Brownhills, as a boat was going out, there was another boat in front of us and then it would be our turn.

St Ives Lock had volunteer lockkeepers on it which was helpful as it meant that I could scramble back onto the boat while they opened the gates for us. (There were boats waiting on the landing stage and it would have been difficult for Steve to pick me up there.)

I took several pictures of the old bridge at St Ives as we have a water colour at home done many years ago by a relative of Steve’s. It will be interesting to compare the pictures.

St Ives Bridge with Chapel of St Ledger

The last lock of the day, Hemingford, was full of boats when we got there.  At one time there were 14 people on the lock sides plus all those still on boats. Most of these got back on their boats while they were still in the lock, but there were still two children left! Fortunately they were very sensible and just waited while our boat and a cruiser moved off the landing stage into the lock and their dad brought their tiny boat back round to pick them up.

There are six boats in this lock, three on each side.

We are planning to go to church at Hemingford Grey tomorrow. We were hoping to see friends who live in the village, but a grandchild is imminent and they are away. This village is also of interest to us because it is where some of my mother’s family lived in the 1800s.

We first of all moored on the council moorings, but there was a lot of concrete at the wrong level for us, so we moved down to the GOBA moorings. This is another great site from where we can sit and watch the river traffic. The river is very busy here; cruisers of all sizes plus narrowboats, some boats propelled by people rather than engines and a paddle-boarder.

Our view across the river.

Venerable willows along the bank.

We walked round the village; there are some lovely thatched cottages and the village still has its school and shop (with post office) in addition to the church and the pub. Talking of the pub, The Cock, we had a very good meal there later in the evening.

Hilgay Bridge to Aldreth

17 August

We woke to a beautiful sunny morning though it did have a distinctly autumnal feel. We found a little visitor on our roof - it's a long way up the side of a boat for a small snail!

Our continued journey down the river was pleasant and uneventful. On the way we saw grebes and cormorants, a  pair of Egyptian geese, a little egret and a small wader type bird which we’ve decided may have been a common sandpiper.

First view of Ely Cathedral

We stopped at Ely for a couple of hours. We wandered around a little and then went to the cathedral refectory café for lunch. We have visited the cathedral before so did not feel it necessary to pay their entrance fee for a second time.

Continuing our travels along the river we were slowed down by the sudden appearance of weed, which seemed to have been blown into a thick layer in certain places.

Tonight we are moored at another lovely spot, this time a mooring near Aldreth provided by the Great Ouse Boating Association (GOBA). We went for a short walk along the embankment. From up there you can see quite a long way – there was even a slight hill in the distance (according to our OS map, the land rises to 30 metres!)

Chyandour and Arachne

There is another BCF boat, nb Arachne, moored here but there was no-one on her when we arrived. Later on Peter and Jean returned and came on board for coffee. They know this area well and we will see them again at the festival if not before.

March to Hilgay Bridge

16 August

When we woke it was grey and drizzly and it got wetter through the morning. We needed to time this morning’s journey well as we will be going onto the tidal Great Ouse today and we had to be at Salter’s Lode Lock for midday.  We set off at 7.00 and made quite slow progress through March as there are a lot of boats on end of garden moorings.

We have seen a number of wind turbines on our journey, but this was the first ‘farm’ of them that we had noticed.

We had contacted the lockkeeper at Marmont Priory Lock yesterday and she had said she would set the lock ready for us. So when we arrived, we could go straight in. As she did not seem to be around (it was only 8.30 after all), we slowly and carefully worked our way through it ourselves.

The channel through Upwell and Outwell was very shallow and again progress was slow. We finally arrived at Salter’s Lode at 11.30 and who should be there but our old friend nb Phenomenal. We moored alongside them and waited for the tide to fall sufficiently. The rain finally stopped while we were waiting.

Salter's Lode

Phenomenal went into the lock at 1.00; they are also going to the IWA Festival, but we will not see them again for a few days as they are visiting Downham Market first. 

nb Phenomenal making the turn out of Salter's Lode

With the help of the lockkeeper we survived Salter’s Lode lock. Steve took the turn out onto the river in his stride and we made our way to Denver Sluice where there was another helpful and friendly lockkeeper and then we were on the Great Ouse.

Chyandour emerging from Salter's Lode

Approaching Denver Sluice

The weather by now was warm and sunny with quite a strong breeze; it was enough to dry out the very wet steerer! As we had already had quite a long day, we moored up on an EA mooring at about 2.30. It is a lovely setting with views up the river. 

I went for a walk along the Fens River Walk which runs along an embankment next to the river and was rewarded with the sight of a group of goldfinches feasting on a bunch of thistles.

Another lazy evening followed, though we did take time to admire the sunset and the moonrise.