Chatteris

[Scholar Gypsy]

Does anyone have any fairly recent experience of where is the best place to moor to visit Chatteris (on the Middle Level) for a couple of hours?

 

I can see two bridges, one (west) on a slight bend and the other (east) on a straight bit.

 

Many thanks

[FidoDido]

Either, though a bit of a walk... I'd go with the one on the A141 as it's closer. The banks are steep, but th vegetation is quite short currently. About half an hour to walk into the centre I'd guess.. I live in Chatteris at the weekends, so could offer a lift possibly.

 

Or moor in March, Benwick or Ramsey and get a bus? All have decent visitor moorings.

Edited April 10, 2014 by FidoDido

[Scholar Gypsy]

Many thanks - that's very helpful.

 

The walk will be good for me! I hope to be there on Friday 18th, in advance of locking out at Salters Lode on Saturday. It all rather depends how I get on on the Nene.

[Traveller]

E

 

Or moor in March, Benwick or Ramsey and get a bus? All have decent visitor moorings.

I was at the rally when the Ramsey key heading/mooring was upgraded and opened - must have been in the 80s. It was a really nice job and a great mooring. The last time I saw it it looked very run down and neglected. Is it better again now?

[FidoDido]

The curry house on the high street is very good indeed, the best pub is called the Honest John (look on google or you'll never find it), and the Petrou Brothers chippy is award winning. It's very close to the Honest John.. Very good butchers, master locksmith shop, and some very good cafés too.. Enjoy! Don't be put off when you start to enter Chatteris. The end near the 40ft is the worst bit. Lots of lovely historic buildings further on past all the modern and industrial units. If you want a good greasy spoon, the Green Welly on the roundabout is great. You'll be stuffed for under a fiver!

 

Nearest pub is fairly newly opened Ship. Does real ales, but still in the process of finding its feet. Doesn't do food. Cross Keys hotel does nice food, and has old school quirky atmosphere, but it's beer is green king. The George hotel does reasonable food, but is more of a lager pub with loud music. Great if you like that sort of thing, but I don't. Best cafe is polish set at the back of a shop, but can't recall name.. To right of bakery.

I was at the rally when the Ramsey key heading/mooring was upgraded and opened - must have been in the 80s. It was a really nice job and a great mooring. The last time I saw it it looked very run down and neglected. Is it better again now?

It's basic, but not particularly neglected as far as I would say. It's a mooring was the point.. For chatteris you'll have to peg into a bank, use a plank and climb up a 20ft tall 45 degree angle bank through the vegetation..

[pearley]

Our son conducts Chatteris Town Band but that doesn't help you at all!

[MoominPapa]

Many thanks - that's very helpful.

 

The walk will be good for me! I hope to be there on Friday 18th, in advance of locking out at Salters Lode on Saturday. It all rather depends how I get on on the Nene.

I'd normally regard Chateris to Salters Lode as a pretty long day's boating, so depending on Saturday tide time, you may want to be closer to Salter's Lode the night before. Well Creek is shallow and unavoidably slow. 16ft/New Popham's Eau are fast, but quite a long way.

 

The Nene is in fine fettle. There's not enough current to worry, but enough to make going downstream significantly faster than going upstream.

 

 

MP.

[OldPeculier]

'Three good butchers, two fine chandlers, an indoor pool and a first class cake shop...'

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY2aHxWV1xE#aid=P89Us2GL6Tw

[FidoDido]

I'd normally regard Chateris to Salters Lode as a pretty long day's boating, so depending on Saturday tide time, you may want to be closer to Salter's Lode the night before. Well Creek is shallow and unavoidably slow. 16ft/New Popham's Eau are fast, but quite a long way.

 

The Nene is in fine fettle. There's not enough current to worry, but enough to make going downstream significantly faster than going upstream.

 

 

MP.

indeed, we could only go on tick over or the bottom of the boat would be sucked down and we would stop!! I even opened the weed hatch thinking I'd picked something up, only to see the prop free and 2 inches above the bottom! Couple of very low bridges too, so remove chimneys and stuff from roof.

[Scholar Gypsy]

Thanks again to all for their comments. I think I have seen the Chatteris town band on the DVD I have on the Middle Level ...

 

In the end I had a spare day, and it was a toss-up between a diversion to Chatteris or an exploration of the Wissey. The Wissey won!

 

The Nene was indeed fabulous, though it was a pity that the moorings at Cogenhoe are no more. I also tried the backwater at Nassington (there were narrow boats on the wharf) but gave up when I ran aground in soft mud...

 

A few photos on the blog.

[starman]

I was at the rally when the Ramsey key heading/mooring was upgraded and opened - must have been in the 80s. It was a really nice job and a great mooring. The last time I saw it it looked very run down and neglected. Is it better again now?

No! Worse. Moor at Bill Fen Marina and walk 10mins down the track to the town (Tesco is at the end of the track BTW).

[Traveller]

No! Worse. Moor at Bill Fen Marina and walk 10mins down the track to the town (Tesco is at the end of the track BTW).

Worse! Heavens it was falling to bits some years ago so now it must literally be unsafe? I remember so well the rally when it (Ramsey key) was first upgraded and opened. It was brilliant and must have cost a fair bit. What happened for it to end up like this?

In the end I had a spare day, and it was a toss-up between a diversion to Chatteris or an exploration of the Wissey. The Wissey won!

 

The Nene was indeed fabulous, though it was a pity that the moorings at Cogenhoe are no more. I also tried the backwater at Nassington (there were narrow boats on the wharf) but gave up when I ran aground in soft mud...

 

A few photos on the blog.

How was the Wissey?

[Scholar Gypsy]

?

How was the Wissey?

 

Very enjoyable:

• good moorings at Hilgay, and a fantastic butchers & bakers (and just about everything) shop up the hill
• lots of nice winding bits of river, lots of wildlife etc
• a vast and rather scary sugar beet factory. We didn't see anyone working there, though I think it must still be operational! Looked like a set for a 1960s gangster movie
• two sizeable lakes just upstream - we have anchored before
• some sections where the flood banks are a long way back from the river, so you can see the natural state of the land (soggy!)
• some good solid bank where you can moor between the cutoff channel and Stoke Ferry - that village is worth an explore as well. We moored on the straight section in the middle of this map, on the north bank - good footpath access to the village.
• a GOBA mooring at Stoke Ferry, in the middle of the campsite/caravan park (on right hand edge of the map).
• fair turning at Stringside drain at the head of navigation (I would put your bows to the right, and then gently back into the drain). Try to avoid the sizeable shoal on the inside of the bend (I ran aground).

Edited April 26, 2014 by Scholar Gypsy

[ditchcrawler]

 

 

 

• fair turning at Stringside drain at the head of navigation (I would put your bows to the right, and then gently back into the drain). Try to avoid the sizeable shoal on the inside of the bend (I ran aground).

 

The true head of navigation is about another half mile

[Scholar Gypsy]

The true head of navigation is about another half mile

 

This blog had put me off further exploration....

 

The Imray's guide does say that Stringside drain is the head of navigation but i) there was no EA sign (there often is) and ii) that guide can be a bit inaccurate...

Edited April 26, 2014 by Scholar Gypsy

[pearley]

When we were there in 2008, the GOBA mooring at the caravan site had been suspended for some reason so we moored, in pouring rain, just before the aqueduct over the cutoff channel. Seem to recall a pair of black swans in the lake by the sugar factory.

[starman]

Just been on the Wissey too; an absolute delight. The Hilgay butcher does a fine steak pie and the caravan site GOBA mooring was v friendly. Walked into Stoke Ferry which has some lovely buildings but is overshadowed by cast ugly animal feed factory.

Oh and the wissington beet factory is the largest IN THE WORLD believe it or not and most moden in Europe. Worth googling it (or reading my blog post ;-) )

[Traveller]

I hate the mess that the beet harvest creates though :-)

[starman]

Agreed. And the stink anywhere near a factory.

[Scholar Gypsy]

Just been on the Wissey too; an absolute delight. The Hilgay butcher does a fine steak pie and the caravan site GOBA mooring was v friendly. Walked into Stoke Ferry which has some lovely buildings but is overshadowed by cast ugly animal feed factory.

Oh and the wissington beet factory is the largest IN THE WORLD believe it or not and most moden in Europe. Worth googling it (or reading my blog post ;-) )

 

Thank you for that - fascinating!

[ditchcrawler]

Just been on the Wissey too; an absolute delight. The Hilgay butcher does a fine steak pie and the caravan site GOBA mooring was v friendly. Walked into Stoke Ferry which has some lovely buildings but is overshadowed by cast ugly animal feed factory.

Oh and the wissington beet factory is the largest IN THE WORLD believe it or not and most moden in Europe. Worth googling it (or reading my blog post ;-) )

And the glass houses

[starman]

Yes indeed 70m tomatoes a year using 'waste' heat from the beet works.

[Mac of Cygnet]

No! Worse. Moor at Bill Fen Marina and walk 10mins down the track to the town (Tesco is at the end of the track BTW).

 

Ramsey moorings are perfectly serviceable if rather messy. I'm moored here now. Room for three boats at a pinch. There is a Tesco in the distance down the road, but the Coop just across the cut is much nearer and handier for the rest of the town.

[ditchcrawler]

 

Ramsey moorings are perfectly serviceable if rather messy. I'm moored here now. Room for three boats at a pinch. There is a Tesco in the distance down the road, but the Coop just across the cut is much nearer and handier for the rest of the town.

3 so long as no one wants to turn round to leave if you are talking Narrowboats