Still want to flee The Broads

[Phil Ambrose]

Having asked about the K&A and absorbed all the replies we decided against the K&A so bearing mind the size of our boat (40 X 12) we looked at the River Great Ouse, Cam etc. I have checked the lock sizes and we should fit OK upto Earith so the only thoughts I have are, what about airdraft?

Does anybody have any relevent info or can offer any advice. I should add that we live aboard and would hope to find a mooring from which we could cruise from returning as we want and "hole up" in the Winter.

 

Phil

[ditchcrawler]

Having asked about the K&A and absorbed all the replies we decided against the K&A so bearing mind the size of our boat (40 X 12) we looked at the River Great Ouse, Cam etc. I have checked the lock sizes and we should fit OK upto Earith so the only thoughts I have are, what about airdraft?

Does anybody have any relevent info or can offer any advice. I should add that we live aboard and would hope to find a mooring from which we could cruise from returning as we want and "hole up" in the Winter.

 

Phil

Phil you may get some info at

camboaters@yahoogroups.com

[Mat B]

EA do a useful map of the Gt Ouse here (Warning 9Mb PDF)

 

Air draft at bridges can be found at this EA web page

 

m@

[Phil Ambrose]

Thanks Brian & Matt, useful info gained from that, have now checked out lock widths, air draft and draft, oh and bought a map. All I need now is a bit of local knowledge with regard to the actual width of the tributaries of the River Great Ouse, no point us cruising down the Lark or Wissey and finding we cannot pass somebody coming the opposite way, our beam is 12 feet. I have also checked out winding holes with regard to our 40 foot length.

 

Phil

[Athy]

The Wissey looks pretty darned narrow in places, a shame as it is very pretty. If you turn on to the Middle Levels you might have problems with your air draft at a couple of bridges in Nordelph and Upwell - fill the water tank and remove roof clutter before attempting!

[Big COL]

Thanks Brian & Matt, useful info gained from that, have now checked out lock widths, air draft and draft, oh and bought a map. All I need now is a bit of local knowledge with regard to the actual width of the tributaries of the River Great Ouse, no point us cruising down the Lark or Wissey and finding we cannot pass somebody coming the opposite way, our beam is 12 feet. I have also checked out winding holes with regard to our 40 foot length.

 

Phil

 

 

 

You should be able to get through the middle levels and on to the Nene

[Mac of Cygnet]

You should be able to get through the middle levels and on to the Nene

 

The OP has not posted his air draft yet, nor has he expressed any intention of traversing the Middle Level. I only just squeezed under the bridges at Upwell and Nordelph on a small narrowboat, but of course this may not be relevant.

 

Mac

[FadeToScarlet]

The bit of the Ouse, known as the Old West River, to Earith is a little bit flat and boring, but you won't see anything because of the high flood banks on both sides. You can get down the Ouse and Cam from Denver all the way into Cambridge (I've never been down the smaller tributaries myself, but I've been told that they're nice) but it will be a little bit boring- apart from the stretch from Bottisham Lock into Cambridge, the rest is pretty flat, featureless and boring, with floodbanks on either side, so you may be a little bit bored!

 

It's a shame that your beam won't let you go to Bedford on the Ouse (there's one lock that is IIRC 9' wide, between St. Ives and Huntingdon I think but I could be wrong) because that's a much more interesting stretch.

 

In terms of airdraft, you'll be fine, I can't think of any bridges lower than (I guess) 10' or so.

 

(You can tell I'm starting to get a little bit bored of the Great Ouse, can't you!)

[Big COL]

The OP has not posted his air draft yet, nor has he expressed any intention of traversing the Middle Level. I only just squeezed under the bridges at Upwell and Nordelph on a small narrowboat, but of course this may not be relevant.

 

Mac

 

Just had a quick look through the middle level link all the locks are wide enough, air draft looks ok. This is the main link for traffic off the ouse to reach the canal system, only to do the complete trip you need to be narrow beam up the Northampton arm.

[nbfiresprite]

You should be able to get through the middle levels and on to the Nene

 

Ashline and Stanground are only 11' 6" wide

 

Firesprite

 

Middle Levels

[Phil Ambrose]

The OP has not posted his air draft yet, nor has he expressed any intention of traversing the Middle Level. I only just squeezed under the bridges at Upwell and Nordelph on a small narrowboat, but of course this may not be relevant.

 

Mac

 

 

Hi Mac, my air draft is 6' 8" and I refered to Mat b's post as per airdraft link which I checked and found to be OK. We have already looked at Middle Levels and decided that it would be unwise to try it. We intend sticking to River Great Ouse and it's tributaries and the Cam, but thanks for the input.

 

Phil

[starman]

The Middle Levels are a good place if you want to, as you say, "hole up" for the winter as you have no licence to pay so you can take out shorter term BW or EA licences when cruising elsewhere. On the other hand, they can be a tad dull unless you like cruising in straight lines and moorings are infrequent outside of marinas. There again, you can sometimes find some very cheap marina moorings.

[nbfiresprite]

The Middle Levels are a good place if you want to, as you say, "hole up" for the winter as you have no licence to pay so you can take out shorter term BW or EA licences when cruising elsewhere. On the other hand, they can be a tad dull unless you like cruising in straight lines and moorings are infrequent outside of marinas. There again, you can sometimes find some very cheap marina moorings.

 

Which is why there is a very long waiting list.

 

Firesprite

 

Middle Levels

[Biggles]

Phil you may get some info at

camboaters@yahoogroups.com

 

 

All that lot do is moan about the rowers. I only subscribe to hear their rants. Very entertaining, that and the odd stolen bike.

 

Biggles

 

You should be able to get through the middle levels and on to the Nene

 

 

Not 12' beam

 

Biggles

[Biggles]

The Lark is pretty but doubt you would want to do it twice. It was shalloow as well but think thats been fixed.

 

For more on the Ouse try GOBA a bit up them selves but good moorings and good benefits for members, forum is severly over moderated though, or a much less formal forum but its only a forum Ouseabout

 

Hope this helps

 

Biggles