Jump to content

Guidance for visitors to the Fenland Waterways


Scholar Gypsy

Featured Posts

2 hours ago, CIEL said:

Further to your comments about doing the Backs and taking visitors.

The piece in Waterways World this month that refers to one of these trips has a fundamental error.

Which way does the Cam flow?  Does "Down River" have the same or opposite meaning to "Down Stream".

I think the author has got confused as to which way the Cam flows and meant to say that you met up below (he wrote above) Jesus Lock and the head of navigation is just upstream (he said just down river) from Silver Street bridge where you had to turn. 

As far as I am concerned the Cam flows down from the pool above Silver Street bridge and continues down through the backs and to Jesus Lock which lets down to the visitor moorings below.  It then flows on towards Ely.

Chris - whose home mooring is on the Great Ouse just upstream from Eaton Socon lock.

 

Yes, you are right. I decided not to point this out to the author. It's also a common mistake on the Trent, where people often use "up" to mean "north".

 

One of my other visitors (and Buster did the dog) made this video which includes my attempt to get the boat up the rollers above Silver St...
 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 28/05/2022 at 18:15, CIEL said:

Further to your comments about doing the Backs and taking visitors.

The piece in Waterways World this month that refers to one of these trips has a fundamental error.

Which way does the Cam flow?  Does "Down River" have the same or opposite meaning to "Down Stream".

I think the author has got confused as to which way the Cam flows and meant to say that you met up below (he wrote above) Jesus Lock and the head of navigation is just upstream (he said just down river) from Silver Street bridge where you had to turn. 

As far as I am concerned the Cam flows down from the pool above Silver Street bridge and continues down through the backs and to Jesus Lock which lets down to the visitor moorings below.  It then flows on towards Ely.

Chris - whose home mooring is on the Great Ouse just upstream from Eaton Socon lock.

 

tbf, "up" and "down" gets unusally complicated on Anglian waterways where you've got a tidal section in the middle of the main course of the Great Ouse and miles of non-tidal river you often lock down to (the Cam through Cambridge definitely flows down to the Great Ouse though) so I can understand people talking about rivers like "down the road" or "up" to somewhere north. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, enigmatic said:

 

tbf, "up" and "down" gets unusally complicated on Anglian waterways where you've got a tidal section in the middle of the main course of the Great Ouse and miles of non-tidal river you often lock down to (the Cam through Cambridge definitely flows down to the Great Ouse though) so I can understand people talking about rivers like "down the road" or "up" to somewhere north. :)

There's a campaign to rename the Ely Ouse the Cam.  The Ely Ouse and Bedford Ouse are really two separate rivers/drainage systems, only joining together at Denver (or even Kings Lynn in extreme flood conditions when Denver Sluice is permanently shut). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

There's a campaign to rename the Ely Ouse the Cam.  The Ely Ouse and Bedford Ouse are really two separate rivers/drainage systems, only joining together at Denver (or even Kings Lynn in extreme flood conditions when Denver Sluice is permanently shut). 

If that happens will the Old West be called the same ?

Talking of Kings Lynn is there a guide anywhere as to how to make the journey there and back? C has expressed an interest in going there 😯

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

There's a campaign to rename the Ely Ouse the Cam.  The Ely Ouse and Bedford Ouse are really two separate rivers/drainage systems, only joining together at Denver (or even Kings Lynn in extreme flood conditions when Denver Sluice is permanently shut). 

As long as there's not Cam Conservancy takeover and another licence to pay, that would actually make sense 🙂

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Loddon said:

If that happens will the Old West be called the same ?

Talking of Kings Lynn is there a guide anywhere as to how to make the journey there and back? C has expressed an interest in going there 😯


I can offer
1) this guide, 30 years old but it hasn't changed a lot. I managed to get hold of a decent hard copy recently:  https://nbsg.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/kl_denver_foote_1992.pdf

2) The Spotted on the Wash facebook group, largely cruisers going round to Wells etc but they have good advice on where the sandbars are especially around Stow Bridge
3) The Denver lock keeper, who will advise on when to leave
4) This website which includes details of the new pontoons. https://www.sailthewash.com/sail/harbours/kings-lynn-pontoons/

5) some other bits and bobs in section 3 here: https://scholargypsy.org.uk/washing/

12 minutes ago, Loddon said:

If that happens will the Old West be called the same ?

Talking of Kings Lynn is there a guide anywhere as to how to make the journey there and back? C has expressed an interest in going there 😯

PS this map shows how the waterways were in about 1080. There are some sources that say the Old West used to flow the other way ie to the west. I am visiting Crowland tomorrow.

 

Chisholm_plate11.jpg.8f1dd418d88bf75054a3271846181663.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:


I can offer
1) this guide, 30 years old but it hasn't changed a lot. I managed to get hold of a decent hard copy recently:  https://nbsg.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/kl_denver_foote_1992.pdf

2) The Spotted on the Wash facebook group, largely cruisers going round to Wells etc but they have good advice on where the sandbars are especially around Stow Bridge
3) The Denver lock keeper, who will advise on when to leave
4) This website which includes details of the new pontoons. https://www.sailthewash.com/sail/harbours/kings-lynn-pontoons/

5) some other bits and bobs in section 3 here: https://scholargypsy.org.uk/washing/

PS this map shows how the waterways were in about 1080. There are some sources that say the Old West used to flow the other way ie to the west. I am visiting Crowland tomorrow.

 

Chisholm_plate11.jpg.8f1dd418d88bf75054a3271846181663.jpg

Thank you, a mine of info, I just need to digest it now. I think Denver might be a better starting point rather than Salters as there will be  more usable tides.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 29/05/2022 at 21:17, Scholar Gypsy said:


I can offer
1) this guide, 30 years old but it hasn't changed a lot. I managed to get hold of a decent hard copy recently:  https://nbsg.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/kl_denver_foote_1992.pdf

2) The Spotted on the Wash facebook group, largely cruisers going round to Wells etc but they have good advice on where the sandbars are especially around Stow Bridge
3) The Denver lock keeper, who will advise on when to leave
4) This website which includes details of the new pontoons. https://www.sailthewash.com/sail/harbours/kings-lynn-pontoons/

5) some other bits and bobs in section 3 here: https://scholargypsy.org.uk/washing/

PS this map shows how the waterways were in about 1080. There are some sources that say the Old West used to flow the other way ie to the west. I am visiting Crowland tomorrow.

 

Chisholm_plate11.jpg.8f1dd418d88bf75054a3271846181663.jpg

Are you going by boat Simon? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 29/05/2022 at 21:17, Scholar Gypsy said:

The Spotted on the Wash facebook group, largely cruisers going round to Wells etc but they have good advice on where the sandbars are especially around Stow Bridge

 

 

Wells Next The Sea ? - a superb place but I'd have thought not ideal for a NB, or even a flat bottomed barge.

 

The 'bars' are constantly moving and the tides run fast.

 

 

We had to 'slide in' behind the boat with the black hood, fortunately a 5knt tide was running so we were making virtually no forward movement and just ferry-glided into the slot.

 

Got moored up, and the next morning I was on the back deck having a cup of tea when this HUGE seal slithered up the sugar-scoop and up the steps, it lifted its head and what a terrible sight to behold - It was @rusty69 in her back rubber suit.

 

 

 

Wells2.png.f74e0cc88dfccc27a63f410fdd33c3a0.png

 

 

The main channel is off to the right and follows the 'horizon' Its a couple of miles from the pontoons to the open sea but quite well marked.

 

 

CAM00264.jpg

Edited by Alan de Enfield
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

Wells Next The Sea ? - a superb place but I'd have thought not ideal for a NB, or even a flat bottomed barge.

 

The 'bars' are constantly moving and the tides run fast.

 

 

We had to 'slide in' behind the boat with the black hood, fortunately a 5knt tide was running so we were making virtually no forward movement and just ferry-glided into the slot.

 

Got moored up, and the next morning I was on the back deck having a cup of tea when this HUGE seal slithered up the sugar-scoop and up the steps, it lifted its head and what a terrible sight to behold - It was @rusty69 in her back rubber suit.

 

 

 

Wells2.png.f74e0cc88dfccc27a63f410fdd33c3a0.png

 

 

The main channel is off to the right and follows the 'horizon' Its a couple of miles from the pontoons to the open sea but quite well marked.

 

 

CAM00264.jpg


I agree - the boats I was referring to were proper sea going cruisers. They do seem to enjoy burning rather a lot of fuel ....

I was at Gibraltar point last week, but could see no narrowboats at all ....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Not this year. The Denver/Boston crossing is trickier than Wisbech/Boston, for a number of reasons. 

So I assume you have now left the building!
If not I was going to ask you to have a look at the practicality of taking a boat through the new Peakirk stop gate set up? (after modification). The old lock was taken away when the new non-navigable gate was put in and the Maxey Cut was built.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

I landed there (early 70s) on my 1st cross-country flight.

 

Pic of my retrieve crew.

 

 

 

Gibratler Point.jpg

Landed.jpg

Retrieve Crew 2.jpg

Very nice - reminds me of when our garden backed onto school playing fields and we quite often had a request from a sheepish pilot to use our phone. A few hours later (in pre-mobile days, 1960s) a rather cross wife (which it always was) would turn up with the trailer and pack it all away.

4 minutes ago, oboat said:

So I assume you have now left the building!
If not I was going to ask you to have a look at the practicality of taking a boat through the new Peakirk stop gate set up? (after modification). The old lock was taken away when the new non-navigable gate was put in and the Maxey Cut was built.

 

Sorry! I didn't leave enough time to explore the Welland, Surfleet and Glen on the way home, sadly.   You'd need to ask Chris Howes about that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Scholar Gypsy said:

Very nice - reminds me of when our garden backed onto school playing fields and we quite often had a request from a sheepish pilot to use our phone. A few hours later (in pre-mobile days, 1960s) a rather cross wife (which it always was) would turn up with the trailer and pack it all away.

 

Yes I often had to do the same - the Gliding club phone number is impressed into my DNA

 

"Buckminster 385"

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Very nice - reminds me of when our garden backed onto school playing fields and we quite often had a request from a sheepish pilot to use our phone. A few hours later (in pre-mobile days, 1960s) a rather cross wife (which it always was) would turn up with the trailer and pack it all away.

 

Sorry! I didn't leave enough time to explore the Welland, Surfleet and Glen on the way home, sadly.   You'd need to ask Chris Howes about that.

Chris knows of my plan, but due to CV19 & other stuff (like 13,000 miles) access was not possible last year.
Next time?

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Yes I often had to do the same - the Gliding club phone number is impressed into my DNA

 

"Buckminster 385"

Ditto “Herriard 270”, Lasham clubhouse, also in the ‘70’s🙂

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.