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GU/Nene and beyond.worth the effort.


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I remember the first time we stayed at Ferry Meadows CC site. I hadn't really taken much notice of where it was as it was just an overnight stop over on the way to Folkestone.

 

Walking the dog alongside what I took to just be a large fishing lake I stumbled upon some finger pontoons to which two narrow boats were moored. They seemed so out of place so on checking on my phone I twigged it was actually a lake connected to the Nene and a very nice mooring spot. 

 

On further exploration I found the dyke that connected it to the river. Had a very nice afternoon sat by the river. The area is very lush and pleasant. Would love to do it by boat sometime.

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9 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

I remember the first time we stayed at Ferry Meadows CC site. I hadn't really taken much notice of where it was as it was just an overnight stop over on the way to Folkestone.

 

Walking the dog alongside what I took to just be a large fishing lake I stumbled upon some finger pontoons to which two narrow boats were moored. They seemed so out of place so on checking on my phone I twigged it was actually a lake connected to the Nene and a very nice mooring spot. 

 

On further exploration I found the dyke that connected it to the river. Had a very nice afternoon sat by the river. The area is very lush and pleasant. Would love to do it by boat sometime.

Only downside is Peterborough right next to it and you do get a fair number of "locals" around at weekends.

We tend to avoid that area for that reason.

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4 minutes ago, Loddon said:

Only downside is Peterborough right next to it and you do get a fair number of "locals" around at weekends.

We tend to avoid that area for that reason. or not.

 

Yes it was quite busy near the lake but much quieter by the river. I can't remember if the moorings were gated or not.

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59 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Yes, I liked the one at Fotheringay, it was funny because when I saw the sign saying it was £5 I thought 'How do we pay that?' no need to worry, the farmer was at our door (both times) within 10 minutes;), I don't know where he watches from, but he's pretty alert.

We stopped at Fotheringay in both directions and he was there for the mooring fee before I had finished knocking in the pins both times.  He lives at the house at the top right of the field; my wife had hurt her leg and he said we could go through his garden to get to the road (for the pub) rather then here having to climb the stile over the wall.  Pub was very nice as well, but limited opening hours I think.

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18 hours ago, Athy said:

A CHORE? Few sharp turns, little traffic, hardly any locks, and some of those have lock-keepers. What would you consider easy?

Unless he means Whittlesey dyke which can be a chore, mile opon mile of straight apart from one s bend, while counting one after another

the fishing posts.

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3 minutes ago, nbfiresprite said:

Unless he means Whittlesey dyke which can be a chore, mile opon mile of straight apart from one s bend, while counting one after another

the fishing posts.

We came across the bend in Whittlesey after dark, quite tight in a 70' boat. One of the best pubs on the journey though, called the letter B - didn't realise that we had moored up 100 yards from a traveller site until setting off early next morning!

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Just now, BWM said:

We came across the bend in Whittlesey after dark, quite tight in a 70' boat. One of the best pubs on the journey though, called the letter B - didn't realise that we had moored up 100 yards from a traveller site until setting off early next morning!

That's the Briggate Bend on the Briggate river, Whittlesey Dyke is a mile to the south east of  Whittlesey.

 

There is no traveller site in Whittlesey, Manor field is hired out to the caravan club for rallys

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1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Is there a difference ?

 

Oh very much so. Rally's are run by sergeant major types with caravans lined up in regimented fashion to a strict code set out by the Caravan Club. No hedgehogs are eaten (normally).

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50 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

Oh very much so. Rally's are run by sergeant major types with caravans lined up in regimented fashion to a strict code set out by the Caravan Club. No hedgehogs are eaten (normally).

And the most senior ones are the ones pitched closes to the flagpole

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20 hours ago, Athy said:

A CHORE? Few sharp turns, little traffic, hardly any locks, and some of those have lock-keepers. What would you consider easy?

 

Maybe chore isn't the write word...I remember it being impossible to do more than something like 2mph and a lot of it being in-between high banks so you couldn't see out. At this point I'd only lived on the boat mooching about near Denver while I waited for Salters Lode to have it's new gates put into service, that was my only point of reference at that time, then followed by the Nene. Then finally onto the relatively disappointing GU canal! Learning how to steer a boat in Feb / March rivers certainly was a contrast to the still canals!!

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So to add for the OP. Yes the Nene is absolutely worth doing. The Ouse was cool too, for sights and the massive sluice complex, but I've yet to see anything as nice as the Nene. Loads of wildlife and a lot is secluded. One thing that stands out is how tranquil it can be (if you ignore a 71' 2.5l diesel engine) due to the lack of footpaths following the banks, you get to go places that most people cannot

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2 hours ago, nbfiresprite said:

Unless he means Whittlesey dyke which can be a chore, mile opon mile of straight apart from one s bend, while counting one after another

the fishing posts.

You have to do the New Bedford River to really experience mile upon mile of dead straight ...

Edited by David Mack
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2 hours ago, David Mack said:

You have to do the New Bedford River to really experience mile upon mile of dead straight ...

 

This is the bit I was mooching on? Denver to Ely, I found that less dull than the middle levels because at least it was wide so you could see out and it's deep so I could get up to 7mph or so. 

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17 minutes ago, sirweste said:

 

This is the bit I was mooching on? Denver to Ely, I found that less dull than the middle levels because at least it was wide so you could see out and it's deep so I could get up to 7mph or so. 

No Denver (below the sluice) to Earith. 20 miles dead straight apart from one wiggle. Avoids Ely. We had to take it to the IWA National at St Ives in 2007, as a train had derailed and wrecked the railway bridge at Ely shortly beforehand.

 

Came out of Salters Lode at low tide, and we were then punching the current for what seemed like hours, barely making headway over the land, until the incoming tide overcame the outgoing current and we started to move. About half way up we were overtaken by 2 or 3 gin palaces from Kings Lynn which had to carefully time their passage to have enough depth of water at Kings Lynn, but then get under the March-Ely railway bridge before the tide had risen too far to give insufficient headroom for the fly bridges.

 

Edited by David Mack
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23 minutes ago, sirweste said:

 

This is the bit I was mooching on? Denver to Ely, I found that less dull than the middle levels because at least it was wide so you could see out and it's deep so I could get up to 7mph or so. 

No that's not the NBR, turn left out of Denver and keep going up to Earith that is the NBR, it's good and quick until the tide turns and then..........

 

Took to long composing again ?

Edited by Loddon
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39 minutes ago, MaryP said:

Yes, the Nene gets my vote too, although we only went as far as Irthlingborough due to time constraints. Just to see where the earthlings live...... I'll get my hat.....

You missed it he best bits ?

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1 hour ago, sirweste said:

 

This is the bit I was mooching on? Denver to Ely, I found that less dull than the middle levels because at least it was wide so you could see out and it's deep so I could get up to 7mph or so. 

Whats the situation with the rowers there, they were building it when we left

1 hour ago, David Mack said:

No Denver (below the sluice) to Earith. 20 miles dead straight apart from one wiggle. Avoids Ely. We had to take it to the IWA National at St Ives in 2007, as a train had derailed and wrecked the railway bridge at Ely shortly beforehand.

 

Came out of Salters Lode at low tide, and we were then punching the current for what seemed like hours, barely making headway over the land, until the incoming tide overcame the outgoing current and we started to move. About half way up we were overtaken by 2 or 3 gin palaces from Kings Lynn which had to carefully time their passage to have enough depth of water at Kings Lynn, but then get under the March-Ely railway bridge before the tide had risen too far to give insufficient headroom for the fly bridges.

 

One bit I didn't do

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9 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Whats the situation with the rowers there, they were building it when we left

 

Didnt have any problem with rowists when we were there last year, in fact I dont remember seeing any below Ely

 

9 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

One bit I didn't do

 

You haven't been banned, you could come back 

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