Anglian waterways trip - questions!

[nicknorman]

Anyway, thank you to all who have contributed to this thread!

Edited May 22, 2023 by nicknorman

[ditchcrawler]

We have done all the Middle Level and most of the Gt, Little Ouse, Cam, and all the other bits. Its all in my blog if ever you feel like dipping in http://nbharnser.blogspot.com/ around 2011 for a coupe of years

[Stroudwater1]

14 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

So do I !  There are a lot of new and good books around, I would commend The Fens by Francis Pryor which explains the new archeological techniques, and Imperial Mud by James Boyce which makes an interesting analogy between the Fens in C17 and later, and English attitudes to colonialization. (ie the Fenlanders were uncivilized savages etc).  A lot of the "accepted wisdom" has been debunked in recent years. A community that could have built this in 1083 can't have been that poor... 

Point of information the uncivilised savages failed to insert proper foundations so the tower  fell down less than 200 years later in 1322 🤣. 
 

A tour up the Octagon tower that replaced it is highly recommended- it’s a masterpiece, and all rebuilt within 18 years. 

[PaulJ]

Great info here- nothing I can add other than cut one of your old philip screwdrivers down to a couple of inches- makes the manual guillotines on Nene alot easier as there is a hole in most!

 

[Scholar Gypsy]

38 minutes ago, Stroudwater1 said:

Point of information the uncivilised savages failed to insert proper foundations so the tower  fell down less than 200 years later in 1322 🤣. 
 

A tour up the Octagon tower that replaced it is highly recommended- it’s a masterpiece, and all rebuilt within 18 years. 

Absolutely,  the 1,000 year old tree trunks are quite something. Not for those afraid of heights..

 

https://nbsg.files.wordpress.com/2019/07/dsc_5359.jpg

[Midnight]

I had a lot of trouble getting my Anglian Pass in 2021. I had to apply online but EA said they would ring for the payment. Two weeks and several emails still no call. When we arrived at Bottisham lock. I rang the Cam Conservators and explained so they allowed us onto the river. The EA called several weeks after we left but I paid anyway as I had promised the Cam people I would do so.

Apply early!!!

[pearley]

48 minutes ago, Midnight said:

I had a lot of trouble getting my Anglian Pass in 2021. I had to apply online but EA said they would ring for the payment. Two weeks and several emails still no call. When we arrived at Bottisham lock. I rang the Cam Conservators and explained so they allowed us onto the river. The EA called several weeks after we left but I paid anyway as I had promised the Cam people I would do so.

Apply early!!!

Yes, the EA seem to take forever to process payments, even updating DDs to reflect licence increase takes time. They should use CRTs online system.

[Scholar Gypsy]

55 minutes ago, Midnight said:

I had a lot of trouble getting my Anglian Pass in 2021. I had to apply online but EA said they would ring for the payment. Two weeks and several emails still no call. When we arrived at Bottisham lock. I rang the Cam Conservators and explained so they allowed us onto the river. The EA called several weeks after we left but I paid anyway as I had promised the Cam people I would do so.

Apply early!!!

This is strange. In both 2022 and 2023 it took an hour (in total) between the email arriving and the finished licence coming out of my laminator. I think I may have rung them to make the payment. And it may be that a repeat licence is faster than a new one. 

 

The EA have a project to deliver a properly online system, but it will not be quick....

[Mike Todd]

22 hours ago, pearley said:

Let you off!

 

What I find most remarkable that although the 2 channels were not constructed until the 50/60s they followed virtually the same course as suggested by Vermuyden 300 years earlier.

The river had not moved much in that time either!

[ditchcrawler]

18 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

We have done all the Middle Level and most of the Gt, Little Ouse, Cam, and all the other bits. Its all in my blog if ever you feel like dipping in http://nbharnser.blogspot.com/ around 2011 for a coupe of years

This is when we took up a mooring on the Middle Level Harnser's Travels: The Big Move is OVER Floods Ferry (nbharnser.blogspot.com)

[Scholar Gypsy]

14 hours ago, Mike Todd said:

The river had not moved much in that time either!

Some bits had, eg the Great Ouse between Ely and Littleport,  built in C19th.

[Mike Todd]

3 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Some bits had, eg the Great Ouse between Ely and Littleport,  built in C19th.

Of course but not, I suspect, on the line of the Cut off and Relief Channels.

 

A propos their purpose: am I right in recalling that Vermuyden was only concerned about drainage whilst the Cut Off Channel especially is about moving water around (an idea that is coming back into fashion elsewhere) or was that a further development after it was first built?

[enigmatic]

On 22/05/2023 at 13:37, nicknorman said:

We are planning to do the Nene / Middle Levels / Great Ouse (and tributaries) this July/August. Well apart from anything else, if there’s going to be another drought then the water flows down hill and so head for the low ground!

 

I have a few questions for those in the know please:

Is it worth joining the friends of the River Nene?

Is it worth joining the GOBA?

do the water levels in the Nene and Gt Ouse ever become too low for navigation?

Is there likely to be a serious problem with weed?

 

and anything else…?

 

I think we will trade in our CRT licence for a gold one, then we can get the Anglian Pass. I was a bit surprised that a gold licence is only slightly more expensive than the normal canals one.

 

To add a bit more detail: GOBA membership is definitely worth getting if you plan on spending time on the tributaries, as there are virtually no other viable moorings there. It also gives you the best mooring for the Hemingfords and Houghton (beautiful villages but the EA moorings have a dangerous gunnel overhang or are on an island), useful extra space if the popular moorings in Ely and St Ives are full and a few other rural moorings on the main system

 

Friends of the Nene have beautiful rural moorings, most useful ones in between Northampton and Wellingborough which is a long stretch to cruise otherwise. Pear Tree farm one looks lovely

 

Both are pretty basic grass bank moorings compared with the EA straight edges and bollards. FWIW I've cruised both rivers happily without the memberships because the EA moorings are good, but people I meet that have them think they're great and I have occasionally felt envious when cruising past.

 

The weed on the Middle Level is truly horrendous in late summer, especially when wind has bunched it altogether. I've opened my weed hatch five times in the space of a mile before (but most of the other 26 were fine!). It's not a major issue on the rivers.

 

I wouldn't worry about levels dropping too much unless youre very deep draughted, you're more likely to have a journey delayed by a day or two for strong stream alerts.

 

 

[GUMPY]

Sign up for the SSA alerts so you know when not to move, the  Nene can be an absolute bitch when there is some fresh on.

[Scholar Gypsy]

18 hours ago, Mike Todd said:

Of course but not, I suspect, on the line of the Cut off and Relief Channels.

 

A propos their purpose: am I right in recalling that Vermuyden was only concerned about drainage whilst the Cut Off Channel especially is about moving water around (an idea that is coming back into fashion elsewhere) or was that a further development after it was first built?

As designed and built (1960) the cutoff channel was for drainage,  though some extra sluices at Denver were added (1972) so that the water could flow backwards and then be pumped to Essex. And ten years after that a lock was added to make the relief channel navigable most of the way to Kings Lynn.

 

https://greatbradley.weebly.com/water-transfer-scheme.html

 

Anyway  here we are punching the tide at Denver yesterday.  There was so much fresh water coming off the Ouse washes that Denver sluice cannot drain by gravity. 

 

 

Edited May 25, 2023 by Scholar Gypsy

[DandV]

On 23/05/2023 at 04:37, nicknorman said:

No I’m pretty sure you can get a daily, weekly or monthly licence for ML with just a CRT standard licence.  But you can’t get a short term licence for the Cam and the only way to get an “Anglian pass” which covers ML and Cam, is to have a gold licence (or annual EA registration)..

 

But doing the sums it looks like trading our CRT licence in for a gold one will be the best deal and certainly removes any timing hassles. Also means our licence will renew in January as opposed to April which means we might miss an increase!

An enduring advantage of a 1 January renewal is that you get a hassle free choice every year whether to renew standard of gold.

The gold is especially advantageous if you incorporate both Thames and East Anglia cruising in the same year. 

[nicknorman]

Thought I’d better update…

 

Having bought Gold licence, Anglian Pass, FOTRN and GOBA, moments later Nene was closed at Abington lock. Grrrr. We detoured to MK which was surprisingly pleasant, the the Nene was open again a week early. Nene day 1 bucketing down. We tied up on the Washlands mooring and sat it out! Nene day 2 was blowing a gale. Telemachus is pretty good in the wind but the flowers on the roof didn’t like it at all. Day 3, weather was better and it was all rather pleasant. FORTN do have some great mooring spots. One of which is Pear Tree farm. Lovely.
 

 

Except for the caterpillars and moths (fortunately moths by the time we arrived). They were everywhere all over the tree trunks and were in the process of fluttering off so all over our boat next morning and a few inside despite us keeping all the windows closed!

 

Nene was pleasant and uneventful although it was getting a bit “fresh” so downstream was fast! Peterborough not the prettiest waterfront but we did our shopping etc. ML was very variable. Not too bad for weed but very slow in places eg Upwell/Outwell because it was shallow and we are deep!

 

Salters/Denver crossing was a doddle, quite a big tide so we had to wait a while for enough air draft. Something was beckoning us on…

 

Big wide R Gt Ouse was a marked change for the ML. Even the wildlife liked it, there was a baby seal basking on the visitor moorings…

 

 

Enjoyed Ely, but we didn’t do the cathedral, the plan is to do it on the way back.

 

Then it was up to Cambridge. In fact we stopped abeam Waterbeach and got the train in. Enjoyed a long walk round the colleges and watched the punting mayhem. Following day (yesterday) weather was to be dire but in the event it wasn’t too bad so we set off for the city and got a mooring right up at Jesus lock. But then it was bucketing and no data from phones and worst of all, both Barbie and Oppenheimer were sold out. So we left in disgust and moored on a GOBA out of town. Today has been Wicken Lode. Hmmm, a bit different from the big river, but lovely mooring at the end.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 23, 2023 by nicknorman

[nicknorman]

Well the Old West River (Pope’s corner to Hermitage lock Earith) was pretty dull because you can’t see over the banks and there are no villages etc. and it is fairly shallow, so we were down to canal speed of 3.5mph. But contrary to reports from previous years, weed wasn’t a problem. Very chatty lock keeper at Hermitage lock and then we were onto the big river again, tidal at first (as in 6” of tide on a good day). Fortunately missed the right turn that takes you out to sea.
River much more interesting now and we have moored at Holywell which is a very pretty little village near St Ives. Thatched cottages plus a few “Grand Designs” so they aren’t short of a bob or two round here. Dinner at the Old Ferry Boat.

[enigmatic]

You're coming up to the best bit of the river

[David Mack]

How far are you planning to go at Bedford?

[GUMPY]

9 hours ago, nicknorman said:

Dinner at the Old Ferry Boat.

For a "chain" pub it's not bad.

Was a favourite stop of ours when we moored at St Ives.

There is also a lovely mooring on the Old West where you can watch barn owls hunting.

[Scholar Gypsy]

It's worth walking to Aldreth,  along the causeway used by Hereward the Wake  until he was defeated by William the Conqueror in 1074. My favourite mooring is on the backwater 1/2 mile above Great Barford

[nicknorman]

7 hours ago, David Mack said:

How far are you planning to go at Bedford?

End of navigation I suppose. The Waterways Routes maps we are using shows 60’ winding at the end, we are 59’. But it also shows several “low bridges” without saying how low.
 

Oh and we’ll need diesel in the next few days, any recommendations?

Edited July 25, 2023 by nicknorman

[pearley]

We've been to Cambridge twice in the last couple of months and surprisingly have been the only boat in the visitor moorings each time. (Apart from a small cruiser obviously overstaying) Perhaps this is due to so many local boaters refusing to pay for the Anglian Pass. We intend to visit again in September. Must get as much value as we can for the £112.

3 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

End of navigation I suppose. The Waterways Routes maps we are using shows 60’ winding at the end, we are 59’. But it also shows several “low bridges” without saying how low.
 

Oh and we’ll need diesel in the next few days, any recommendations?

The pump price here at Hartford is £1.40.

[rusty69]

3 minutes ago, pearley said:

The pump price here at Hartford is £1.40.

It was more than that when I popped into Jones a few months back. 

 

I ended up going to Tesco (not in the boat).