Visitors moorings on Grand Union Northampton arm?

[jetzi]

I have been doing some virtual boating / planning out some future cruising.

 

I took a look at Google Earth along the GU Northampton Arm to see where others moor. Usually it's pretty obvious where boaters have congregated, but I couldn't see a single moored boat along this canal, just the 17 locks - which I'd rather not do all in one day.

Is this just an unpopular route? Or are there very few visitors moorings along the arm?

Are there any visitors moorings near the centre of town, near where the canal joins the Nene?

If so - is Northampton a relatively safe place to moor overnight, or can it be a bit rough?

[matty40s]

You can moor below on a pontoon and above the last lock at the top of the Nene, the town moorings are quite useful for Morrisons and the town centre. Reasonably safe although susceptible to flooding after a lot of rain.

It is probably a good idea to do the whole flight (4 plus hours ) as there are large estates next to the lower half of the flight, then the motorway and the pounds can empty overnight. Just above the top lock are lovely moorings, and then there are services at Gayton Junction.

Edited June 11, 2020 by matty40s

[GUMPY]

Here
https://maps.app.goo.gl/kdn5aEMYMt2ZthdF6

And here
https://maps.app.goo.gl/zR23BpJB7M7b6yPMA

Are about the only places I have stopped on the arm, its advisable  not to stop in between them.

Having said that the houses and playground by the first one were not finished last time I came down.

I prefer to do it in one hit and stop on the river or overnight in Northampton Marina.

Edited June 11, 2020 by Loddon

[GRLMK38]

Moor in the Gayton area or at Northampton Marina (overnight charge) would be my advice unless you want to extend the journey to Weston Favell Lock visitor moorings, assuming there is space (2-3 boats).  If not, you will need to do another 3 hours downstream to the next one.

 

Worth joining the Friends of the River Nene.  They have some excellent moorings along the river once you are clear of Northampton.

 

Don't forget to budget for a EA licence for your time on the Nene and possibly an "unofficial toll" for lock assistance on the Arm.

 

If you make it as far as Oundle then the Cruising Club has good moorings in return for a reasonable donation.

[Split Pin]

There are some visitor moorings just above the last narrow lock before the river, there were boats there last summer when i passed through, I was told Asda was just behind the buildings, if you are lucky there will be some moorings on the river before Beckets Park lock near to Morrisons. I stopped in Northampton Marina as the friends who we were travelling with preferred the safety of a marina. It all seemed very quiet despite the fact taht there was a festival in the park.

Edited June 11, 2020 by Split Pin
Typo's

[john6767]

Go down in one hop and stop at Northampton marina over night.  Unless you have a gold licence you will be going into the marina to buy your licence anyway.

[Scholar Gypsy]

I've done it single handed in about four hours, going downhill. An easy flight, the bottom section is a bit shallow/narrow/weedy. Don't forget to buy your Abloy key when you go into Northampton marina.

[jetzi]

So I'm hearing that we should do the whole Northampton Arm in one shot, 17 locks in one day would be a record for me - I guess they are narrow locks so a bit less effort than broad.

1 hour ago, Loddon said:

Here
https://maps.app.goo.gl/kdn5aEMYMt2ZthdF6

Glad there is at least one possible stopping point along the way!

Also glad to know that there is a mooring just before the last lock.

 

I don't have an abloy key or a middle level key, I will try to pick these up when I pass a marina.

 

2 hours ago, GRLMK38 said:

Weston Favell Lock visitor moorings, assuming there is space (2-3 boats).  If not, you will need to do another 3 hours downstream to the next one.

 

Worth joining the Friends of the River Nene.  They have some excellent moorings along the river once you are clear of Northampton.\

 

If you make it as far as Oundle then the Cruising Club has good moorings in return for a reasonable donation.

Haven't thought much about the Nene moorings yet. Other than joining FotRN and hopping between their moorings, was hoping perhaps they'd have a list/map available.

Will have a gold license. We move very very slowly so we expect to spend a couple of months exploring the MLN and anglian rivers.

 

2 hours ago, GRLMK38 said:

an "unofficial toll" for lock assistance on the Arm

What does this mean? That sounds like there is someone I need to bribe?!

[MoominPapa]

5 minutes ago, ivan&alice said:

What does this mean? That sounds like there is someone I need to bribe?!

There's a vagrant by the name of Leon who lives up and down the flight and makes cash by assisting boaters. I've never had any problem in refusing his help when I don't want it.

 

MP.

 

[Scholar Gypsy]

This is a handy guide to Nene moorings.  Being a river, the situation is rather different to canals. 

 

https://noproblem.org.uk/blog/nene/

 

Map of the FOTRN moorings on their website  http://friendsoftherivernene.co.uk/

[GUMPY]

31 minutes ago, ivan&alice said:

Glad there is at least one possible stopping point along the way!

We discoverd that mooring  after arriving at the top lock one afternoon intending to stay up there, as we were mooring a boat came up leaving top gates open. The bottom gates leak so the flight would have  been completely empty in the morning,  it was our civic duty to shut all the gates after of course having been through the locks. Made for a long day but it would have taken longer  to refill the flight.

Edited June 11, 2020 by Loddon

[john6767]

You will have to get an Abloy key at the marina, you will not get through the Nene locks without one.  You get a Middle Level key and windlass at Stanground.

Edited June 11, 2020 by john6767

[WhiteSuit]

No sign of Leon when I came down last September, His tent had gone. Used him once and we made really good time going up. 

I have stopped just below the M1 for a meal break but it would be a bit noisy for an overnight. I normally moor on the town moorings, it is very handy for Morrisons, on our way up or down. Quite a number of pedestrians past but always found it quiet and no trouble for overnight. Definitely go with FOTRN for the best river moorings.

 

Has anyone any news on the current state of the arm, we are looking to go up as soon as allowed. I know several pounds tend to run dry and I assume the arm has hardly been used this year.

[GRLMK38]

10 hours ago, WhiteSuit said:

No sign of Leon when I came down last September, His tent had gone. Used him once and we made really good time going up. 

He has a good work ethic and plenty of stories to tell but may intimidate some with his ways (but not in any threatening way).  We used him on the way down but didn't fancy four hours of chit chat on the way up.

[ditchcrawler]

20 hours ago, MoominPapa said:

There's a vagrant by the name of Leon who lives up and down the flight and makes cash by assisting boaters. I've never had any problem in refusing his help when I don't want it.

 

MP.

 

Someone I will never use.

 

[matty40s]

20 hours ago, WhiteSuit said:

No sign of Leon when I came down last September, His tent had gone. Used him once and we made really good time going up. 

I have stopped just below the M1 for a meal break but it would be a bit noisy for an overnight. I normally moor on the town moorings, it is very handy for Morrisons, on our way up or down. Quite a number of pedestrians past but always found it quiet and no trouble for overnight. Definitely go with FOTRN for the best river moorings.

 

Has anyone any news on the current state of the arm, we are looking to go up as soon as allowed. I know several pounds tend to run dry and I assume the arm has hardly been used this year.

The arm has seen LOTS of use recently, as soon as the Nene came off strong stream for the first time since late September....

[Split Pin]

21 hours ago, WhiteSuit said:

No sign of Leon when I came down last September, His tent had gone. Used him once and we made really good time going up. 

I have stopped just below the M1 for a meal break but it would be a bit noisy for an overnight. I normally moor on the town moorings, it is very handy for Morrisons, on our way up or down. Quite a number of pedestrians past but always found it quiet and no trouble for overnight. Definitely go with FOTRN for the best river moorings.

 

Has anyone any news on the current state of the arm, we are looking to go up as soon as allowed. I know several pounds tend to run dry and I assume the arm has hardly been used this year.

He was there when we came up in August in the heat of the summer he was wearing a tee shirt wraped round his waist  facing forward pinny style and nowt else.

[MoominPapa]

4 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Someone I will never use.

 

Me neither, under normal circumstances. Once we were crawling up the flight behind some very stressed newbies who refused to accept any help and just got more stressed and slower as we came up behind them. I offered Leon some cash to stay out of their sight, but to ensure they never encountered a lock against them or a low pound. He was good to his word and got paid for his work.

 

MP.

 

Edited June 12, 2020 by MoominPapa

[jetzi]

Very interesting! I'll keep a lookout for Leon. I shan't think I'd use him but out of interest, what's the going rate if I wanted to?

23 hours ago, john6767 said:

You will have to get an Abloy key at the marina, you will not get through the Nene locks without one.  You get a Middle Level key and windlass at Stanground.

Can these three items be ordered online, say, rather than relying on the marina? (being open / having stock / etc)

[matty40s]

Cider/cash.

 

The marina is open 7days, very well managed and always has abloy keys and licences available.

You wont get past Stanground unless there is someone there, and that someone will have keys and a windlass for sale.

[john6767]

10 minutes ago, ivan&alice said:

Very interesting! I'll keep a lookout for Leon. I shan't think I'd use him but out of interest, what's the going rate if I wanted to?

Can these three items be ordered online, say, rather than relying on the marina? (being open / having stock / etc)

Possibly you can get Abloy keys on line, I don’t know, but if you don’t have a gold licence you need to stop at the marina anyway.  I appreciate right now there is no real reason to stop and have night out in Northampton, but under normal circumstances that worked for us.

 

You can’t go through Stanground without the lock keeper and you need to book in advance.  Selling you a key and windlasses is done while in the lock and is painless!

[jetzi]

As I say I'll have a gold license as we move very very slowly so we expect to spend a couple of months exploring the MLN and anglian rivers.

Thanks for the tip on Stanground.

[matty40s]

MLN and other navigable drains could take you several years at your steady pace.?

[jetzi]

Exactly, which is why I'm not interested in a temporary license. I don't like boating to a deadline!

I must admit though, when I work it out and see how it's going to cost me 300 GBP odd for this trip (gold license upgrade) I start to wonder if it actually makes sense. If the gold license would start from now then that would be one thing, but I'm only going to get 4-5 months of gold license yet I still have to pay the whole January-December price. (Yes I know I'll get a refund on my CaRT license, but even so - I'm halfway through the year so I'm paying for half a gold license I can't use!)

The miser in me kind of wants to carry on up the GU and wait for January to get on the EA waterways. But with the few and far between moorings and the SSAs on the Nene and Ouse that might come in winter that sounds like a miserable existence, and I'm supposedly boating for fun!

[TheBiscuits]

You could always pootle about till March or April, and accept the loss of quarter of the year.