Midnight on Tour

[Midnight]

Well here we are at Market Harborough 3 weeks into our first retirement cruise. Heading for the Fens and Great Ouse, then Birmingham and the Shroppie via Fradley to Langollen. If you see us passing please remove the tomatoes from the tin before throwing alternatively give us a wave.

Edited May 23, 2021 by Midnight

[Mad Harold]

12 minutes ago, Midnight said:

Well here we are at Market Harborough 3 weeks into our first retirement cruise. Heading for the Fens and Great Ouse, then Birmingham and the Shroppie via Fradley to Langollen. If you see us passing please remove the tomatoes from the tin before throwing alternatively give us a wave.

Glad you are enjoying your retirement cruise.

If you come back via the HNC it will probably spoil your enjoyment and have you heading for your retirement armchair.?

[Slim]

Would appreciate it if you would  let me know how you find the locks into  Liecester as you go through. Did that run two years ago and I found it a slog (single handed and 73 at the time). Mind you it was  one  of the hottest days of the year. Would  like to do it again in a couple of months.

Many thanks 

Edited May 23, 2021 by Slim

[Mad Harold]

9 minutes ago, Slim said:

Would appreciate it if you would  let me know how you find the locks into  Liecester as you go through. Did that run two years ago and I found it a slog (single handed and 73 at the time). Mind you it was  one  of the hottest days of the year. Would  like to do it again in a couple of months.

Many thanks 

At our age,all locks are a slog!

[Midnight]

Going into Leicester on the Soar the locks were fine much easier that the heavy paddles in Yorkshire. Along the Leicester Grand Union we found many self-openers which were a bit of a pain until we got the hang of how to manage them with the paddles.

[Tonka]

See you have moved on from Market Harbrough 

[Slim]

3 hours ago, Midnight said:

Going into Leicester on the Soar the locks were fine much easier that the heavy paddles in Yorkshire. Along the Leicester Grand Union we found many self-openers which were a bit of a pain until we got the hang of how to manage them with the paddles.

Thanks for coming back. Swimming gates I can normally deal with. As I recall the gates either swam (a pain) or were so heavy they were a pain in the back and I'm no lightweight.

[Midnight]

At Gayton Junction. The original plan was to go to London but with covid still around we will be turning left tomorrow and heading for @Athy country and onto the Great Ouse for awhile.

[GUMPY]

Don't forget that Bedford is a hot spot for the Delta Covid Variant.

We will be curtailing our Gt Ouse trip at St Neots and doing more on the lower reaches if the situation hasn't improved by the time we get there.

Looks like we might actually see some moving boats on the Nene this year?

 

[Midnight]

3 hours ago, Loddon said:

Don't forget that Bedford is a hot spot for the Delta Covid Variant.

We will be curtailing our Gt Ouse trip at St Neots and doing more on the lower reaches if the situation hasn't improved by the time we get there.

Looks like we might actually see some moving boats on the Nene this year?

 

Oh thanks good info will do same.

I was thinking of leaving the boat at St Neots or Huntingdon for a few days home leave. Any recommendations for marinas / moorings?

[GUMPY]

10 minutes ago, Midnight said:

Oh thanks good info will do same.

I was thinking of leaving the boat at St Neots or Huntingdon for a few days home leave. Any recommendations for marinas / moorings?

Not really not been up that way before, there are plenty of marinas but some are expensive best call around. 

We are splitting our trip into 3 out to Gt Ouse leaving it at Little Ouse moorings , 2 weeks wandering then back to Little Ouse then a week later home to the Nene. Have to do it that way as we cant leave the garden that long, just means 1000 miles of driving  home and back twice

[PaulJ]

53 minutes ago, Midnight said:

Oh thanks good info will do same.

I was thinking of leaving the boat at St Neots or Huntingdon for a few days home leave. Any recommendations for marinas / moorings?

You could try Buckden Marina or I think River Mills at Eaton Socon still have an empty space at the moment.

[Midnight]

Back aboard after 3 days shore leave heading to St Neots tomorrow. We plan to do at least one of the side rivers on the return.  Anyone any thoughts which is the better option between Brandon Creek or the River Wissey for 57ft

[Scholar Gypsy]

On 26/06/2021 at 15:59, Midnight said:

Back aboard after 3 days shore leave heading to St Neots tomorrow. We plan to do at least one of the side rivers on the return.  Anyone any thoughts which is the better option between Brandon Creek or the River Wissey for 57ft

That's a tricky one. The Wissey is a prettier river, with a nice lake to anchor in and swim if it is hot. The Little Ouse has more to walk to at the end (Thetford forest etc) and a very fine mooring at Hockwold Fen.  If you really can only do one then I would do the Wissey, I think. NB there are some good moorings near the head of navigation, I can send you details if you need.

PS have you done Wicken Fen on your way - unmissable IMHO.


https://scholargypsy.org.uk/2020/10/05/little-ouse-river-brandon-and-thetford/

https://scholargypsy.org.uk/2020/08/14/summer-trip-4-march-to-ely-via-wissington-lake/ 

Edited June 27, 2021 by Scholar Gypsy

[Midnight]

8 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

That's a tricky one. The Wissey is a prettier river, with a nice lake to anchor in and swim if it is hot. The Little Ouse has more to walk to at the end (Thetford forest etc) and a very fine mooring at Hockwold Fen.  If you really can only do one then I would do the Wissey, I think. NB there are some good moorings near the head of navigation, I can send you details if you need.

PS have you done Wicken Fen on your way - unmissable IMHO.


https://scholargypsy.org.uk/2020/10/05/little-ouse-river-brandon-and-thetford/

https://scholargypsy.org.uk/2020/08/14/summer-trip-4-march-to-ely-via-wissington-lake/ 

Thank you we may have time to do both as covid cases in Bedford being still high means we may turn around tomorrow. Is it possible to turn a 57ft boat at the end of Wicken Fen?

[Scholar Gypsy]

4 minutes ago, Midnight said:

Thank you we may have time to do both as covid cases in Bedford being still high means we may turn around tomorrow. Is it possible to turn a 57ft boat at the end of Wicken Fen?

Yes. I do that every time I visit.

 

When the channel divides, I would put the bows to the left, pointing towards the windmill, and then reverse onto the moorings.  I think the NT electric trip boat has not yet restarted, but if it has it is worth coordinating your departure with them as there are some somewhat blind bends!

Edited June 27, 2021 by Scholar Gypsy

[matty40s]

20 minutes ago, Midnight said:

Thank you we may have time to do both as covid cases in Bedford being still high means we may turn around tomorrow. Is it possible to turn a 57ft boat at the end of Wicken Fen?

Most of Bedfords cases are in schools, unless you are going for a lesson, Bedford is pretty safe.

[Guest]

40 minutes ago, Midnight said:

Thank you we may have time to do both as covid cases in Bedford being still high means we may turn around tomorrow. Is it possible to turn a 57ft boat at the end of Wicken Fen?

 

If you are double jabbed whats the problem?

[Midnight]

11 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

If you are double jabbed whats the problem?

Double jab or not who wants to catch it?

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Midnight said:

Double jab or not who wants to catch it?

 

No body wants to catch it.

 

But being double jabbed significantly reduces the chances of becoming seriously ill or being hospitalised, otherwise why bother having it?

[Scholar Gypsy]

A recent video of the Wissey.  

 

[Guest]

23 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

A recent video of the Wissey.  

 

 

Watched that last night and was taken by how pretty it is. Tbh Id also never heard of it untill I watched the video.

[Scholar Gypsy]

31 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

Watched that last night and was taken by how pretty it is. Tbh Id also never heard of it untill I watched the video.

 

Shhh. Don't tell anyone.

[Tonka]

1 hour ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

No body wants to catch it.

 

But being double jabbed significantly reduces the chances of becoming seriously ill or being hospitalised, otherwise why bother having it?

that is what Andrew Marr thought

[Midnight]

1 hour ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

No body wants to catch it.

 

But being double jabbed significantly reduces the chances of becoming seriously ill or being hospitalised, otherwise why bother having it?

Okay you go first and let me know how bad it was