River Nene to Peterborough ?

[PeterDHS]

Just looking at possible places for our annual 'big summer cruise' from the Soar.

The Nene looks very appealing and is virgin territory for the 'Feersum Endjin' and crew. However I'm concerned that mooring spots seem few and far between, especially if you discount marinas. Can I manage without towpaths and winding holes.....or pubs at regular intervals ?

Love to hear from any locals.

 

Peter

[GUMPY]

We did it last year its our local river, we live near Thrapston.

Don't discount marinas some are worth stoping at as they provide good facilites and convenient breaks.

Its good to be able to stop in the wild, no one about and no chance of anyone walking by.

There is a new association Friends of the River Nene that is creating new mooring places available to its members.

Thrapston is good for mooring and shopping

Lots of info in the link below re facilities and mooring.

http://noproblem.org.uk/blog/nene/

[Derek Porteous]

We did the River Nene through the Middle Levels and the Great River Ouse down to Bedford (and back) a couple of years ago. They are massively beautiful. Loved every minute of it, although we never had to contend with rain or, rising river levels. Whilst you are right about lack of pubs at regular intervals, there are pubs. It just needs a bit of planning for the following days cruising. I don't think there was a single day that we didn't moor within easy walking distance of a pub. Not that we are obsessed, we just like to have options.

 

Hope you have a great cruise and a fantastic time.

[FadeToScarlet]

The Nene has always been dogged by a lack of visitor moorings, but the new Friends of the River Nene association have opened up three new moorings already in a few months, with more promised.

 

At the moment, there's moorings at:

 

Northampton marina- £10 a night, but access to all the normal facilities, shoreline plug in, run by CWDF members!

 

becket's park- 48hr floating pontoon

 

Britannia pub- customers

 

Wash lands flood mooring- 48hr pontoon in summer

 

Billing aquadrome (costs I think, but facilities on site)

 

Cogenhough- informal currently, soon to be managed by FotRN

 

Wellingborough- proper mooring posts, but can be noisy from the grain factory

 

Ditchford- new FotRN mooring by the water skiing club

 

Irthlingborough / Rushden and Diamonds- 48hr with facilities

 

Woodford - FotRN mooring- beautiful, in land below the church

 

Thrapston- 48hr EA, down side cut by bridge

 

Thrapston- 48hr FotRN (NB no access to village off boat, fenced off everywhere- we tried and failed to get to the pub)

 

Thrapston- 48hr on riser posts by sailing club

 

Titchmarsh- very short EA 48hr mooring

 

Wadenhoe- pub mooring, free to patrons

 

Ashton lock- well established, unofficial meadow moorings

 

Oundle- unofficial meadow moorings, by A427 bridge. Brewery nearby, apparently!

 

Fotheringhay- moorings owned by landowner, £2 short stay, £4 overnight- but very well worth it!

 

Wansford-in-England- high bank in village, established unofficial moorings

 

Wansford station- well established meadow moorings, floating pontoon by Nene Valley Railway bridge. Good for a train trip, or a fortifying fry up at the nearby transport cafe on the A1!

 

Alwalton lock- 48hr EA next to lock. Nice area.

 

Ferry meadows country park- lots of pontoon moorings in the lake. Beautiful with morning fog! Secure place to leave boat.

 

Thorpe Meadows- EA moorings down the side cut next to the rowing lake. Good pubs for a dinner!

 

Peterborough Embankment - 48hr EA.

 

 

The Nene is about 24 hours worth of boating if you're efficient at the locks and don't hang about. We normally do two 12 hour days, stopping somewhere in the middle around Thrapston, but a more relaxing four days would let you stop in more interesting places- say, Northampton Marina - Cogenhough, then Thrapston, then Fotheringay, then Peterborough.

[Martin Megson]

Just to add to the above comprehensive list there are unofficial moorings above Elton lock which are handy for the village.

[Keeping Up]

If you go beyond Peterborough there is a 48-hour pontoon at the Dog-in-a-Doublet. The food at the pub is excellent (but the service can be a bit iffy)

[Scholar Gypsy]

I agree it is a fabulous river.

 

To comment on FadetoScarlet's comprehensive list:

 

• The Elsan point at Billing (actually within the campsite) is the most fragrant I have ever used.
• On the other hand the facilities at Irthlingborough were a little lacking when I was there last Easter ....
• The moorings at Ashton are in the backwater above the lock. If you are there in October you can visit the world conker championships.

[PeterDHS]

Thankyou. You guys are marvellous and I thank you for your time and interest.

Seems that moorings are a bit sparce but not impossible, and also that the Nene is a beautiful stretch of water which is well worth exploring.

 

Peter

[Mac of Cygnet]

 

I agree it is a fabulous river.

 

To comment on FadetoScarlet's comprehensive list:

 

• The Elsan point at Billing (actually within the campsite) is the most fragrant I have ever used.
• On the other hand the facilities at Irthlingborough were a little lacking when I was there last Easter ....
• The moorings at Ashton are in the backwater above the lock. If you are there in October you can visit the world conker championships.

 

 

There were no facilities at all (not even water) at Irthlingborough when I was there in the summer. However I can add Denford (above the lock) and Warmington (Elton Boat Club backwater - under 30ft only) to the list.

[Scholar Gypsy]

Has anyone managed to moor recently at Nassington? I bottled out last Easter, in a rather silted up backwater.

Edited February 3, 2015 by Scholar Gypsy

[lydfordcastle]

 

There were no facilities at all (not even water) at Irthlingborough when I was there in the summer.

 

If you're really desperate like I was when marooned at Irthlingborough for two weeks in July 2012, then it's possible to fill containers from taps in the boot wash areas opposite the play school although it would be prudent to wait until all football club officials have gone home. Better still, if you're going to get marooned by floods, make sure you're somewhere else other than Irthlingborough as the town is a dump with no redeeming features apart from the Sunday Car Boot. An earlier 5 day marooning found us at Elton which was nice and the owner of the Crown Inn in Duck Street allowed us to use his outside tap to fill containers provided by the nice EA lads.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Has anyone managed to moor recently at Nassington? I bottled out last Easter, in a rather silted up backwater.

 

I did land to investigate the notices on the 'island' but quickly retreated in the face of extortionate charges. I'm glad I did, because I fetched up at Elton in the half dark and discovered the beautiful little Crown (see previous post).

[FadeToScarlet]

There were no facilities at all (not even water) at Irthlingborough when I was there in the summer. However I can add Denford (above the lock) and Warmington (Elton Boat Club backwater - under 30ft only) to the list.

There's been no facilities operating since at least 2008, when we first came down.

[Mac of Cygnet]

There's been no facilities operating since at least 2008, when we first came down.

 

Yes, they were there in 2006, but only the water worked in 2009 when I next moored there. I presume Rushden & Diamonds are still in administration? It's all a bit eerie now. And I agree that Irthlingborough isn't worth the walk.

[Athy]

Thankyou. You guys are marvellous and I thank you for your time and interest.

Seems that moorings are a bit sparce but not impossible, and also that the Nene is a beautiful stretch of water which is well worth exploring.

 

Peter

When you get to Peebo, do hang a right and carry on through the Middle Levels. Moorings and pubs at March (good shopping, sanny station), Upwell, Outwell, and a fascinating, remote boating experience.