Seeking advice on liveaboard moorings in Cambridgeshire

[kiteapot]

Hi all,

 

I've started down the very exciting towpath of looking for a liveaboard, and have been advised to find a mooring first. My search triangle is Ely -> Cambridge -> Huntingdon. Ish. Google is our friend, but I can't seem to find many liveaboard marina moorings.

 

The marinas that I've found that are maybes are Riverside and Fish & Duck. Does anyone have any experience with these, clarification of where offers liveaboard moorings, or anything else that might be helpful?

 

Thanks in advance!

Kit

[nbfiresprite]

Foxes Marina in March. The marina is in lockdown so the office is only open between 9 and 10am but is not accessible in person and you should call 01354 652770 to speak with a member of staff.  March is only 30 minuites from Cambridge by train

[pearley]

Forget Cambridge. Large waiting list, or was. There is a small community at Stretham Old Engine.

Also Hartford Marina at Huntington.

[Alastair]

You need to search for marinas and contact them.

There are a few who allow liveaboards but might not have space. Upware marina, Shrubbs come to mind.

[Scholar Gypsy]

I found it helpful (a few years ago) to explore using Google Earth (or Google maps satellite), to spot possibilities.  Not all are well advertised on the internet, so some shoe leather may be necessary to track down contact details. Many moorings are run by a local farmer, so you need to know who they are! Some very isolated moorings too eg  a mile north of Upware. 

 

For example here is

• Stretham Old Engine as mentioned above: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.3330059,0.2203159,683m/data=!3m1!1e3
• Upware marina: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.3083203,0.2517407,342m/data=!3m1!1e3
• Lock marina, Upware: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.3061399,0.2540527,171m/data=!3m1!1e3 http://www.lock-marina.com/  http://www.lock-marina.com/
• Riverside, Isleham: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Isleham/@52.3541448,0.419044,683m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x47d84015d6e01bc1:0x2afdbf9339d08df2!8m2!3d52.340264!4d0.411017
• There are several other sets of moorings along the Lark - very isolated eg here
• Tiptree, south of Upware:  https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Upware,+Ely/@52.2976425,0.2434979,342m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x47d86c5c2f846f4f:0x37ac4e181078007d!8m2!3d52.3079679!4d0.254691
• Shrubbs, further south:  https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Shrubbs+Marina/@52.2791927,0.2252605,684m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x47d86c5c2f846f4f:0x37ac4e181078007d!2sUpware,+Ely!3b1!8m2!3d52.3079679!4d0.254691!3m4!1s0x47d86dc5565750f7:0xe52f782523e9d26!8m2!3d52.2785611!4d0.2255101

 

Also, some of the other marinas are OK for under the radar moorings. Drop me a DM if you would like to know more.

 

[kiteapot]

Thank you so much for the responses, everyone!

8 hours ago, nbfiresprite said:

Foxes Marina in March. The marina is in lockdown so the office is only open between 9 and 10am but is not accessible in person and you should call 01354 652770 to speak with a member of staff.  March is only 30 minuites from Cambridge by train

Thank you so much - I've contacted them. 

 

1 hour ago, pearley said:

Forget Cambridge. Large waiting list, or was. There is a small community at Stretham Old Engine.

Also Hartford Marina at Huntington.

Hence the triangle - it was the same in Oxford. You'd get a mooring about the same time you hit retirement and didn't need it! ? Thanks for the tip about Stretham! Already contacted Hartford.

 

58 minutes ago, Alastair said:

You need to search for marinas and contact them.

There are a few who allow liveaboards but might not have space. Upware marina, Shrubbs come to mind.

That's exactly what I've been doing ? I know space is usually tight anywhere on the waterways for liveaboards. Thanks for the tip about Upware - I'll have a look!

 

46 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

I found it helpful (a few years ago) to explore using Google Earth (or Google maps satellite), to spot possibilities.  Not all are well advertised on the internet, so some shoe leather may be necessary to track down contact details. Many moorings are run by a local farmer, so you need to know who they are! Some very isolated moorings too eg  a mile north of Upware. 

Haha. That's why I've been doing - borrowing peoples internet to squint at Google Maps. I'm not new to boating, but there are some tricks you pick up from being a boater that you just can't fast-track. ?

 

49 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Also, some of the other marinas are OK for under the radar moorings. Drop me a DM if you would like to know more.

I read somewhere that I can't DM before a certain time or number of messages, so I will, but bear with