River Great Ouse tributaries on a 70 foot narrowboat.

[rusty69]

We have been up and down the Gt Ouse many times on Mr Rusty, a 70ft narrowboat, but never it's tributaries.

 

We hope to rectify that, and try and discover as many as possible.

 

My ancient Imray suggests that The River Cam is possible, as is the Lark.I assume the Wissey and Little Ouse will be a bit trickier.

 

Can anyone advise on limits of navigation and turning points please for these tributaries.

 

My own research suggests:-

 

River Lark

Winding possible at Judes Ferry (though imray suggest only 45')

 

Little Ouse or Brandon Creek

Winding below the Brandon Lock is possible on a 70 footer.

 

River Wissey

Stringside Drain turning?

 

River Cam

Turn below Jesus lock

 

Any low bridges to watch out for? Oh, and nice moorings too.We will join GOBA.

 

Thanks as always.

Edited September 6, 2019 by rusty69
Missed a bit

[Chris G]

17 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

River Lark

Winding possible at Judes Ferry (though imray suggest only 45')

 

Any low bridges to watch out for? Oh, and nice moorings too.We will join GOBA.

 

Thanks always.

Winded a 57 footer at Judes Ferry last year.  I'm doubtful about doing it in a 70 footer.  I think you need to wait to hear from someone who's actually winded a 70 footer!

Well worth joining GOBA for the use of all their moorings. 

[David Mack]

Fulbourne (71 ft 6 ins) has winded at Judes Ferry, below Brandon Lock and below Jesus Lock. It has also been up the Wissey but I was not on board and don't recall where it turned.

You can't do Reach and Burwell Lodes as Upware Lock is too short. This is as far as we got in 2001.

 

 

[rusty69]

4 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Fulbourne (71 ft 6 ins) has winded at Judes Ferry, below Brandon Lock and below Jesus Lock. It has also been up the Wissey but I was not on board and don't recall where it turned.

Fantastic, so looks like all four are possible. I just need someone to confirm if Stringside drain on the Wissey is the place to turn and the trip is on.

 

Thanks

[ditchcrawler]

6 hours ago, rusty69 said:

Fantastic, so looks like all four are possible. I just need someone to confirm if Stringside drain on the Wissey is the place to turn and the trip is on.

 

Thanks

You should be able to wind at the junction a short way passed the GOBA moorings, I am not sure of the name. We went a mile further but came down backwards. The map is from Waterway Routes

[rusty69]

6 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

You should be able to wind at the junction a short way passed the GOBA moorings, I am not sure of the name. We went a mile further but came down backwards. The map is from Waterway Routes

That's great, thanks. That looks to be the Stringside Drain.

[Scholar Gypsy]

Good advice above.  Yes, that is Stringside drain on the Wissey. It's pretty obvious, just after the adult campsite (no, not what you think...).  Last time I was there there was quite a bit of shoaling, so I would have a look (if the water is clear enough) and prod with the boathook before you work out how to turn. 

 

On the Lark, the best way to turn is to put your stern into the slipway entrance, on the left just before the pub moorings. Then the current will take the bows around. If you do stop on the pub moorings then get your fenders out as it is all a bit rickety and is designed to scratch your paint.

 

I would sound a cautionary note about the Little Ouse at present, where the water is 12-18" below normal for the last few miles and there is some shoaling. Some boats have got quite badly stuck here in recent months and there is an EA advisory notice warning about this.  I turned my 57' boat with no problem earlier this week (blog link ) but I think a 70 footer would be too long to turn in the weir pool  (Google Earth gives a measurement of 63') and you would risk getting stuck in the normal place. Basically you have to stick your bows into the lock cut (top of the picture, north) and then turn anticlockwise. You could easily turn just upstream of the siphon/sluices at Hockwold (110' plus). That would be the last safe place to turn before Brandon.

 

Upware lock is frustrating, as the lock serves no useful function in current conditions (the drop is about 2"). Unfortunately the interlock won't allow you to open the gates at both ends! Turning at Wicken and Burwell is no problem though Reach may require a bit of gardening beforehand. If you want to cadge a lift on my next trip to Wicken let me  know...

 

On the Cam, yes bags of room to turn below Jesus lock. October to March you are allowed (with prior booking on Cam Conservators website - separate licence required for the Cam of course) to go up the Backs through the middle of Cambridge. I take visitors when I do this trip (next one end October?).
 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2019 by Scholar Gypsy

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

 

 

 

 

 

Ahh - Navionics.

 

Do you have it on a dedicated plotter, phone or ???

 

I have it on my phone and with a Chrome cast can 'project' it onto a 12" TV which makes for much easier reading. For £34 a year for the whole of UK, Irish And Dutch waters its a great system

 

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.navionics.singleAppMarineLakes&hl=en_GB

[rusty69]

1 hour ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

I would sound a cautionary note about the Little Ouse at present, where the water is 12-18" below normal for the last few miles and there is some shoaling. Some boats have got quite badly stuck here in recent months and there is an EA advisory notice warning about this.  I turned my 57' boat with no problem earlier this week (blog link ) but I think a 70 footer would be too long to turn in the weir pool  (Google Earth gives a measurement of 63') and you would risk getting stuck in the normal place. Basically you have to stick your bows into the lock cut (top of the picture, north) and then turn anticlockwise. You could easily turn just upstream of the siphon/sluices at Hockwold (110' plus). That would be the last safe place to turn before Brandon.

Thanks for that. We will turn at Hockwold as you suggest, or reverse the 1 mile  back from Brandon if feeling brave.Thanks also for the kind offer.

[Scholar Gypsy]

24 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Thanks for that. We will turn at Hockwold as you suggest, or reverse the 1 mile  back from Brandon if feeling brave.Thanks also for the kind offer.

Something went wrong with the link to my blog, here it is: https://nbsg.wordpress.com/2019/09/05/autumn-trip-to-brandon/

[rusty69]

Just now, Scholar Gypsy said:

Something went wrong with the link to my blog, here it is: https://nbsg.wordpress.com/2019/09/05/autumn-trip-to-brandon/

Thanks. I will take a look.

[Scholar Gypsy]

44 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Ahh - Navionics.

 

Do you have it on a dedicated plotter, phone or ???

 

I have it on my phone and with a Chrome cast can 'project' it onto a 12" TV which makes for much easier reading. For £34 a year for the whole of UK, Irish And Dutch waters its a great system

 

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.navionics.singleAppMarineLakes&hl=en_GB

I think that is just advertising on Google Earth, it doesn't do anything useful as far as I can see.  

 

I use MX mariner on my phone, screenshot below, and then export to google maps to create something like this (trip last week). About £10 for the app and the same again for charts of London and East of England.

 

[David Mack]

2 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

 

On the Lark, the best way to turn is to put your stern into the slipway entrance, on the left just before the pub moorings. Then the current will take the bows around. If you do stop on the pub moorings then get your fenders out as it is all a bit rickety and is designed to scratch your paint.

 

 

On Fulbourne we arrived early evening and tied up to the rickety pub jetty. Next morning we carried on upstream to see how far we could get - we grounded after a couple of hundred yards, but a shollower draft boat might well get further. We then had to reverse back to the winding hole.  Not confident enough of depth to put the stern in, so we had to push the back end round against the current, but we got there in the end.

[Alan de Enfield]

31 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

I think that is just advertising on Google Earth, it doesn't do anything useful as far as I can see.  

 

I use MX mariner on my phone, screenshot below, and then export to google maps to create something like this (trip last week). About £10 for the app and the same again for charts of London and East of England.

 

 

 

Isn't technology wonderful.

[ditchcrawler]

3 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Good advice above.  Yes, that is Stringside drain on the Wissey. It's pretty obvious, just after the adult campsite (no, not what you think...).  Last time I was there there was quite a bit of shoaling, so I would have a look (if the water is clear enough) and prod with the boathook before you work out how to turn. 

 

On the Lark, the best way to turn is to put your stern into the slipway entrance, on the left just before the pub moorings. Then the current will take the bows around. If you do stop on the pub moorings then get your fenders out as it is all a bit rickety and is designed to scratch your paint.

 

I use to stand the boat poles up in the river bed to stop the boat going under the decking

 

I would sound a cautionary note about the Little Ouse at present, where the water is 12-18" below normal for the last few miles and there is some shoaling. Some boats have got quite badly stuck here in recent months and there is an EA advisory notice warning about this.  I turned my 57' boat with no problem earlier this week (blog link ) but I think a 70 footer would be too long to turn in the weir pool  (Google Earth gives a measurement of 63') and you would risk getting stuck in the normal place. Basically you have to stick your bows into the lock cut (top of the picture, north) and then turn anticlockwise. You could easily turn just upstream of the siphon/sluices at Hockwold (110' plus). That would be the last safe place to turn before Brandon.

 

Sue on No Problem use to wind there but of course that was with a good level https://noproblem.org.uk/blog/much-better-on-the-way-back-down-the-little-ouse/

3 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

 

 

Upware lock is frustrating, as the lock serves no useful function in current conditions (the drop is about 2"). Unfortunately the interlock won't allow you to open the gates at both ends! Turning at Wicken and Burwell is no problem though Reach may require a bit of gardening beforehand. If you want to cadge a lift on my next trip to Wicken let me  know...

 

Will you get a 70 foot boat through tat lock, I tried to measure it for someone but couldn't confirm it was 70 feet.

 

 

 

[Scholar Gypsy]

Upware lock is frustrating, as the lock serves no useful function in current conditions (the drop is about 2"). Unfortunately the interlock won't allow you to open the gates at both ends! Turning at Wicken and Burwell is no problem though Reach may require a bit of gardening beforehand. If you want to cadge a lift on my next trip to Wicken let me  know...

 

Will you get a 70 foot boat through tat lock, I tried to measure it for someone but couldn't confirm it was 70 feet.

 

 

No.  There's a  photo above of Fulborne (71'6) which is way too long.

[ditchcrawler]

1 minute ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Upware lock is frustrating, as the lock serves no useful function in current conditions (the drop is about 2"). Unfortunately the interlock won't allow you to open the gates at both ends! Turning at Wicken and Burwell is no problem though Reach may require a bit of gardening beforehand. If you want to cadge a lift on my next trip to Wicken let me  know...

 

Will you get a 70 foot boat through tat lock, I tried to measure it for someone but couldn't confirm it was 70 feet.

 

 

No.  There's a  photo above of Fulborne (71'6) which is way too long.

Thats what I thought, I have vague memories of sitting in the lock, bows against the top gate sticking a pole off the stern to touch the far gate and then measuring the length, which I have since forgotten.

[Scholar Gypsy]

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

Thats what I thought, I have vague memories of sitting in the lock, bows against the top gate sticking a pole off the stern to touch the far gate and then measuring the length, which I have since forgotten.

I'll try this on my next visit, but I think you could probably get a 63' boat in, at an angle. Of course there is some debate about how long my own boat is, I reckon 57' including the fenders....

[Scholar Gypsy]

23 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

I'll try this on my next visit, but I think you could probably get a 63' boat in, at an angle. Of course there is some debate about how long my own boat is, I reckon 57' including the fenders....

And in the meantime Google Earth gives 67' between comparable points on the two gates (eg the upstream faces), so knock off 18" and I get 65'6".