Journey up the Nene

[hackenbush]

no, just below Billing lock, turn off to right just above road bridge

Ok thanks

[Scholar Gypsy]

PS no formal moorings I think between Wellingborough and Cogenhoe/Billing; but some fields you could tie up to....

 

And the new marina at White Mills of course - they have an Elsan point,

 

http://www.whitemillsmarina.co.uk/

Edited October 8, 2016 by Scholar Gypsy

[pearley]

Great. Thanks

 

From there, how do we get to the Wellingborough visitor moorings or are there other moorings good for a night stay you could recommend?

Opposite Whitworths is the visitor moorings. Elsan is brick building set back a bit from waters edge.

There's also an M&S Food just up the road.

[hackenbush]

very clean & fragrant elsan point at Billing. use visitor mooorings in marina, cross road into campsite (after asking at the office)

And will we be able to get water there? The water point in Wellingborough was locked and we didn't have the appropriate key

[stagedamager]

Billing visitor moorings have water.

[pearley]

And will we be able to get water there? The water point in Wellingborough was locked and we didn't have the appropriate key

Same Abloy key as the locks last year but I believe Anglia Water shut the supply off during the 'closed' season.

[john6767]

And will we be able to get water there? The water point in Wellingborough was locked and we didn't have the appropriate key

We used it in August, it is the standard Abloy key. The Abloy padlocks take a bit of getting used to though, they do not spring open like a normal padlock.

[Ssscrudddy]

If you ain't got the right key, how did you get through the other locks...

[pipistrelle]

How did you get on? I hope you enjoyed the river as much as I have. I've never seen so many kingfishers. Am sad to have arrived at Peterborough and can't wait to do some more boating next summer. I was a bit nervous of the river, for some reason envisaging locks more like those on the Thames and weed of Triffid-like proportions, but it was calm and beautiful. Even saw some late-flying pipistrelles.

 

A few words of advice to anyone contemplating coming downstream: 1) Gaydon Marina have stopped selling the Abloy keys. 2) The Northampton flight has a very leaky lock in the middle and my deep-drafted boat was stuck for nearly two hours on Saturday - we let water down and it leaked out as fast as we could let it in and it was a pain in the bum and we didn't get down the flight until 9:30pm 3) Northampton Marina is worth stopping at - really nice people, great facilities and more cute dogs than you can shake a stick at. 4) the turn to Billing Marina is very easy to miss. It's between a pub and a bridge. If you overshoot it you may end up having to go on to Cogenhoe Lock in the dark, ahem. 5) Paper Mills in Wansford was a really nice pub that went the extra mile to provide me with a dairy-free meal and supplied dog treats.

 

It was nice to meet Melealeuca & Theodora too - hello to you all.

[MoominPapa]

We passed you moored on Peterborough embankment today.

 

As you're deep drafted, it's very important to tell Tina, the locky at Stanground, this when you book your passage. If she knows, she'll let water down for a couple of hours beforehand so that you can float in the lock when facing towards the Middle Level. The alternative is that you'll have to wind above the lock and go into it backwards. That's a minor problem for boat 60' and less which can wind again just below the lock. For boats longer than 60' you'll then have to reverse of half a mile down Kings Dyke to the first full-length winding hole. This is Not Fun.

 

Cheers,

 

MP.

[pipistrelle]

Yes, the kind folk at Brinklow advised me of this. I think it'll be Monday that I'll be setting off (& will have experienced crew for the last stretch), as I was working today and over the weekend. So was going to call Tina on Sunday or tomorrow, in case she was off on Sunday - thanks for the reminder.

 

Does anyone know where I can fill up with diesel between Peterborough & Ely? My tanks look about half empty, but my heating is a diesel stove and I'm tempted to switch it on tonight, as it's cold down here. With hindsight, I should have stopped at Oundle, as dirty laundry is piling up and my cat got disgusted at having an extra dog aboard and crapped all over my bed, while I was sleeping in it. If anyone wants a big-boned, gormless ginger cat, he is all yours.

Edited October 14, 2016 by pipistrelle

[gazza]

Depending on where Alan is with fuel boat Bletchley try 07856 686363

 

Peterborough boating centre Stanground

 

Fox boats at March.

 

Little Ouse Moorings (normally the cheapest)

 

You are then in to Ely.

Edited October 14, 2016 by gazza

[ditchcrawler]

Yes, the kind folk at Brinklow advised me of this. I think it'll be Monday that I'll be setting off (& will have experienced crew for the last stretch), as I was working today and over the weekend. So was going to call Tina on Sunday or tomorrow, in case she was off on Sunday - thanks for the reminder.

 

Does anyone know where I can fill up with diesel between Peterborough & Ely? My tanks look about half empty, but my heating is a diesel stove and I'm tempted to switch it on tonight, as it's cold down here. With hindsight, I should have stopped at Oundle, as dirty laundry is piling up and my cat got disgusted at having an extra dog aboard and crapped all over my bed, while I was sleeping in it. If anyone wants a big-boned, gormless ginger cat, he is all yours.

Peterborough Yacht Club

[nbfiresprite]

Yes, the kind folk at Brinklow advised me of this. I think it'll be Monday that I'll be setting off (& will have experienced crew for the last stretch), as I was working today and over the weekend. So was going to call Tina on Sunday or tomorrow, in case she was off on Sunday - thanks for the reminder.

 

Does anyone know where I can fill up with diesel between Peterborough & Ely? My tanks look about half empty, but my heating is a diesel stove and I'm tempted to switch it on tonight, as it's cold down here. With hindsight, I should have stopped at Oundle, as dirty laundry is piling up and my cat got disgusted at having an extra dog aboard and crapped all over my bed, while I was sleeping in it. If anyone wants a big-boned, gormless ginger cat, he is all yours.

 

Tina's day off is usualy a Thursday and a half day on Sunday (Afternoon) at this time of year. As for laundry the one in March is 10 minuites walk south from the Town Bridge along the High Street on the left handside (Next to the second pelican crossing) . £3 per wash

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.5448525,0.0875463,3a,75y,102.23h,84.35t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s251av-6Mxqc21QTGjrYAcQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Edited October 14, 2016 by nbfiresprite

[gazza]

Peterborough Yacht Club

I heard a whisper they were less keen on being a fuel supplier to non anrc or Awcc members these days.

[ditchcrawler]

I heard a whisper they were less keen on being a fuel supplier to non anrc or Awcc members these days.

OK a few years since I bought off them but even then I was AWCC

[gazza]

OK a few years since I bought off them but even then I was AWCC

It's perhaps best to add that to any recommendation you make for PYC - many won't have heard of the AWCC. Remember too that it requires a volunteer club member to dispense the fuel!

 

The elsan now has a padlock on it as they were fed up with people stopping by and using it - particularly mid week when not many people were about

[ditchcrawler]

It's perhaps best to add that to any recommendation you make for PYC - many won't have heard of the AWCC. Remember too that it requires a volunteer club member to dispense the fuel!

 

The elsan now has a padlock on it as they were fed up with people stopping by and using it - particularly mid week when not many people were about

I don't think I made it known that I was an AWCC member, but there were loads of people there when I stopped.

[gazza]

I don't think I made it known that I was an AWCC member, but there were loads of people there when I stopped.

You are missing my point, I understand they wish not to be the last fuel stop before leaving the Nene, posting on here a recommendation to use PYC isnt that helpful - regardless of what has happened previously.

AWCC and ANRC members can avail themselves of the clubs facilities.

[hackenbush]

How did you get on? I hope you enjoyed the river as much as I have. I've never seen so many kingfishers. Am sad to have arrived at Peterborough and can't wait to do some more boating next summer. I was a bit nervous of the river, for some reason envisaging locks more like those on the Thames and weed of Triffid-like proportions, but it was calm and beautiful. Even saw some late-flying pipistrelles.

 

A few words of advice to anyone contemplating coming downstream: 1) Gaydon Marina have stopped selling the Abloy keys. 2) The Northampton flight has a very leaky lock in the middle and my deep-drafted boat was stuck for nearly two hours on Saturday - we let water down and it leaked out as fast as we could let it in and it was a pain in the bum and we didn't get down the flight until 9:30pm 3) Northampton Marina is worth stopping at - really nice people, great facilities and more cute dogs than you can shake a stick at. 4) the turn to Billing Marina is very easy to miss. It's between a pub and a bridge. If you overshoot it you may end up having to go on to Cogenhoe Lock in the dark, ahem. 5) Paper Mills in Wansford was a really nice pub that went the extra mile to provide me with a dairy-free meal and supplied dog treats.

 

It was nice to meet Melealeuca & Theodora too - hello to you all.

We moored up in Denham last night in a beautiful spot and I've decided to stay put for a while. The river was amazing, absolutely beautiful. Lots of trees half-fallen over it which you have to watch out for. I lost my witches cap over the chimney due to one of those.

Agree with you on all those points. Northampton Marina- great people. And yes we overshot Billing and had to reverse. They could do with a sign perhaps. And we had to wait a couple of hours on Northampton flight while they filled the pounds.

 

It's been an incredible trip and so many thanks to Peter X who has turned me into an almost boater

[Ssscrudddy]

There's a small boat yard just before Stanground lock that does diesel if it's open, very easy to miss.

[gazza]

There's a small boat yard just before Stanground lock that does diesel if it's open, very easy to miss.

Peterborough boating centre....

[Peter X]

Thank you hackenbush for having me along on what was a very enjoyable trip.

 

We took nine days from March to Denham, of which about 3.5 days were the Nene from Stanground Sluice to the Northampton Junction, and we were boating almost from dawn to dusk each day, typically 7 to 5:30, this including various pauses for water, shopping for food and chandlery, boat fixing etc.

 

It's a beautiful trip along the Nene, worth taking time over if you can, but we were in a hurry to fit our target date.

 

The EA licence, which we bought from the Visitor Information shop in Peterborough, is £8.50 per day or £48 for a week. We bought four days, but someone in a hurry in summer could do it in three, and a week would give a nice relaxed trip.

 

Billings could do with some signage; I'd been into there once last year coming from upstream, but was uncertain coming upstream and ended up reversing 50 yards or so. Once inside it's difficult to make out where a visitor should go for the various facilities, and again a few simple signs would make things a whole lot easier. If you want water there, go left over to the big glass-fronted building, turn right just in front of it then right into an empty pontoon.

 

We saw Clypeus on the visitor pontoon at Northampton on the Sunday and would have said hello but it was unoccupied. (It's OK to say that on the forum because I know pipistrelle has moved on!)

 

We had a delay too on the Northampton Arm due to low pounds halfway up; I see that CRT have this in their winter closures list, which may fix it:

Lock 6, Northampton Arm

(Grand Union Canal)

07/11/2016 - 16/12/2016

To undertake gate replacement works.

[pipistrelle]

Lock 6 is the one! I'd also reported it to CRT.

 

I think it was probably occupied on Sunday...but I was sound asleep for most of the day. I agree, I'd like to have taken more time on the Nene. So many nice looking pubs to explore.

 

Re laundry, as there doesn't seem to be anywhere open in Peterborough today, I'm just going to take the student approach of buying extra pants and socks and chucking the extremely soiled bedding. I'm not stopping in March, but useful to know in future. Once I'm in Ely I can test my new washing machine.

We passed Bletchley on its mooring, and I spoke to Alan briefly at Northampton, so I'd guess he's heading the opposite direction. Will aim to stop at one of the other places, I guess. It looks like it's taken me exactly half my fuel supply to get this far.

[gazza]

Alan refueled a friends boat at Titchmarsh today.

 

Johnson's on Fore Hill in Ely are very good, there an old launderette up at West End just passed Ollie Cromwell's gaff, it's a reasonable walk laden with a gert big sack of washing - worse still when you find it shut....