cruising the Nene. Tips?

[Tigerr]

Hi, thinking of taking a trip up the Nene in a few weeks. Understand it's a river licence.

Anything to bear in mind? I see from Pearsons there isn't a huge amount of mooring, but anything else to know in advance?

[pearley]

Environment Agency licence. And you will need EA Abloy key.

[ditchcrawler]

There is an organisation, "Friends of the river Nene" I think who do have some moorings, They have a Facebook group, I don't know any othe contact details Friends of the River Nene - Members Forum | Facebook

[PaulJ]

3 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

There is an organisation, "Friends of the river Nene" I think who do have some moorings, They have a Facebook group, I don't know any othe contact details Friends of the River Nene - Members Forum | Facebook

Website here too- https://www.friendsoftherivernene.co.uk/

[Tigerr]

That's a very useful contact, and it looks like they have a number of mooring spots. 

Looks comparable to the thames in terms of licence costs. 

[PaulJ]

11 minutes ago, Tigerr said:

That's a very useful contact, and it looks like they have a number of mooring spots. 

Looks comparable to the thames in terms of licence costs. 

Its peanuts to join and gives you some cracking mooring spots.

Sign up for RAB  here https://www.visitanglianwaterways.org/

(was SSA - Strong Stream Advice) and expect to get stuck either trying to get on, off or while you are on it- its a bonus if you dont 😀

[Col_T]

Northampton gets more weedy and shallow the closer you get to Northampton. The section through the Washlands is brilliant; mooring is a little sparse on the river generally but much better if you join the Friends of the Nene - I see you have already had the link. You might want to check if the river is still on reds but the river itself is a nice place to be.

 

Oh yes - Oundle has a Waitrose within easy walk of the stone bridge after Aston Lock, which is probably the easiest shopping spot after Northampton and Peterborough; Elton has a good little village store.

[matty40s]

Wellingborough, Tesco across the park.

Good market in Thrapston.

FoTRN, we used many of those spots, most in the middle of nowhere, lovely. Dont expect to be able to get off the mooring at Woodford to the village, farmer doesn't like boaters and had barbed wire it off last time we were there.

Do the flight and overnight in Becketts Park, Morrisons very near and town centre easy walking distance.

 

 

[Scholar Gypsy]

This website is designed for people going all the way to the Fens, but will include some useful tips. Includes link to the website with current stoppage and SSA notices. 

https://goba.org.uk/a-guide-for-visitors-to-the-east/

Surely at Woodford the wire is stop walkers getting on to the field by the river? If the farmer didn't like boats then he would not let FOTRN use the land?

[Tigerr]

Great stuff. Very helpful. Thanks to all. 

[GUMPY]

54 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Dont expect to be able to get off the mooring at Woodford to the village, farmer doesn't like boaters and had barbed wire it off last time we were there.

AIUI it was more to do with locals having picnics/BBQ in the field😱

It was possible to get to the village, a thick blanket was a useful tool 😎

[Scholar Gypsy]

Just to tempt the OP, here is the aforesaid mooring at Woodford.

[ditchcrawler]

43 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Just to tempt the OP, here is the aforesaid mooring at Woodford.

I think you are being called back for tea 😄

[Scholar Gypsy]

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

I think you are being called back for tea 😄

They were blinded by the sun. I was en route (by taxi) to Kettering station..

[Tigerr]

Am I right in thinking if we follow the Nene to the end, we can lock out into the Wash. From which we can transit to the Norfolk Broads? 

I suspect there's a bit more to it than that but we'd quite like a new adventure. 

[matty40s]

Err, no, not in a narrowboat...

Out of the Nene via Wisbech and back in at either Boston or Kings Lynn. The trip to Gt Yarmouth is for proper well prepared and kitted out sea going craft.

[ditchcrawler]

9 minutes ago, Tigerr said:

Am I right in thinking if we follow the Nene to the end, we can lock out into the Wash. From which we can transit to the Norfolk Broads? 

I suspect there's a bit more to it than that but we'd quite like a new adventure. 

It has been done Chris Coburn  

 

[midnight cowboy]

Which hospital was the steerer admitted to after arrival in GY?

[blackrose]

23 hours ago, Tigerr said:

Anything to bear in mind? 

 

 

You'll need a short throw windlass otherwise you might be skinning your knuckles on balance beams. Also some of the manually wheel operated guillotine gates can be pretty hard work.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Just to tempt the OP further, a couple of pics.   It became really important when approaching a lock to see whether it had a box or a wheel.

[matty40s]

If you are chickening out of your North Sea expedition, and prefer the Middle Level maelstrom, you can pick up the CWDF middle level windlass and March services key from a boat near Weedon. Nicknorman borrowed last year, and it was returned by CaptainPegg.

Courtesy of GUMPY Nene Free Services.

[Mike Todd]

1 hour ago, blackrose said:

 

You'll need a short throw windlass otherwise you might be skinning your knuckles on balance beams. Also some of the manually wheel operated guillotine gates can be pretty hard work.

Some people, I understand, devise their own device to insert into the hole near to the rim which acts as a handle to make turning somewhat less of a chore!

1 hour ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

Just to tempt the OP further, a couple of pics.   It became really important when approaching a lock to see whether it had a box or a wheel.

Just so that you can send the appropriate crew member to work it?

[Lochwarden]

I once saw someone operating the wheel with a geared down cordless drill with an attachment that fitted on the large square nut in the centre. Always been meaning to try that myself, but never got round to it. 

[Mac of Cygnet]

11 hours ago, Mike Todd said:

Some people, I understand, devise their own device to insert into the hole near to the rim which acts as a handle to make turning somewhat less of a chore!

Just so that you can send the appropriate crew member to work it?

I had only one crew member, and her paws couldn't grasp the wheel or reach the box.

[Midnight]

Good moorings and welcome at the various boat clubs along the Nene (Nen in Northampton). Last year we were stuck on red boards for a week at Oundle BC and they were most helpful and there's a washing machine at the marina. You may also find a dumpy screwdriver helpful for those lock wheels although at least one was a real chore. Annoyingly, when coming upstream, some boaters don't follow the rules and leave the guillotine gate down when exiting the top gates. You then have to wind the gate up, down and up again. If you are really unlucky you may even meet @matty40s of this parish 😆😆😆

 

On 08/03/2024 at 18:04, Tigerr said:

Am I right in thinking if we follow the Nene to the end, we can lock out into the Wash. From which we can transit to the Norfolk Broads? 

I suspect there's a bit more to it than that but we'd quite like a new adventure. 

 

If you want adventure try crossing the Wash from Boston to Wisbech. Longer boats can only pass through Grand Sluice at Boston for a few minutes when the tide makes a level with the Witham so going from Wisbech to Boston needs careful planning. A pilot is more or less essential and Daryl Hill is your man.

 

 

Edited March 10 by Midnight