Middle Levels - Temporary Mooring

[Jennifer McM]

??? Didn't know that, thought we were going down to sea level. 

[Athy]

8 minutes ago, Jennifer McM said:

??? Didn't know that, thought we were going down to sea level. 

You're possibly below it right now. The lowest points of the Fens are in Cambridgeshire, up (or down) to 10 feet below sea level. Not sure exactly where though. You're still in Cambs., but by the time you reach Upwell you've crossed into Norfolk, where the ground tends to be higher (hence the lock!)

Edited June 25, 2018 by Athy

[ditchcrawler]

5 hours ago, Jennifer McM said:

Don't go there Dr Bob.

 

Digital TV is not great here, and the wifi was in and out. Imagine how deep blue was the air ?

I had no problem wit WiFi on 3 and I was there for almost 2 years

 

6 hours ago, Jennifer McM said:

Yes, we're still here. Not sure if we'll be moving today or tomorrow. Will need to let the lock keeper at Marmont Priory Lock know we'll be going through the lock. 

 

Not sure what to do though Athy, we need topping up with diesel (we're over half a tank left, but like to keep it topped so we're not desperate). Yesterday we passed Fox Marina, but at that time yesterday, England's game had started and John was desperate to moor. So do we go through March and wind to come back to Fox Marina, or do we continue on to another diesel point? A boater mention another one yesterday (but forgot the name) further along.

 

Which way was Alchemy going?

Do you need to book Marmont lock now, I use to give Maurine a ring and let her know I was on my way but never booked

[Mike Todd]

15 hours ago, Jennifer McM said:

We must have passed each other today? Our mooring is just 'before' the town by the footbridge (leading to Aldi or is it Lidl?) right next to the park. It's a mooring for just two boats.

I'd been keeping an eye out for you and wondered if you had passed us whilst we were in March on Sunday morning. However, Maureen at Marchmount (plus daughter and grand daughter!) assured us that they had not seen you so we already surmised that you must have stopped before where we were moored.

[Jennifer McM]

52 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I had no problem wit WiFi on 3 and I was there for almost 2 years

 

Do you need to book Marmont lock now, I use to give Maurine a ring and let her know I was on my way but never booked

Sometimes the wifi was delivering over 40 Mbps download but only 0.3 upload, and it was in and out. Probably there was a lot of people on it. At this minute it's 18 Mbps download and 11.3 upload, and Sir is happily watching the Russian game without a problem.

 

Yes, I phoned Marmont lock to go through between 11 and noon tomorrow, she suggested one o/c. No problem, for us, just wondering if she's putting us through with another boat.

[nbfiresprite]

The new mooring rules come in to force today, THE NBTA are unhappy about this and so they should, they brought it on themselves. 

Edited June 25, 2018 by nbfiresprite

[nbfiresprite]

1 hour ago, Athy said:

You're possibly below it right now. The lowest points of the Fens are in Cambridgeshire, up (or down) to 10 feet below sea level. Not sure exactly where though. You're still in Cambs., but by the time you reach Upwell you've crossed into Norfolk, where the ground tends to be higher (hence the lock!)

The lowest point is at Holme Fen.

[nbfiresprite]

22 hours ago, Timx said:

Well the White boat by the sanny station, had been there b4 we got there and was still there unoccupied when we left, looks like no one cares. Mooring opposite the services is a health hazard with all that duck, geese crap, you got the better mooring.

It also was 36 hours, gives you two nights effectively

That bargee traveller has been moored there for sometime. As it has no name or index number (common for NBTA boats) how does the council plan to find out who owns it? It has aready had notices put on it. The council should have made it a requirment that vaild name and index number be displayed.

[Athy]

9 minutes ago, nbfiresprite said:

The lowest point is at Holme Fen.

I believe so, but i don't know exactly where that is, hence my comment.

[Jennifer McM]

1 hour ago, Mike Todd said:

I'd been keeping an eye out for you and wondered if you had passed us whilst we were in March on Sunday morning. However, Maureen at Marchmount (plus daughter and grand daughter!) assured us that they had not seen you so we already surmised that you must have stopped before where we were moored.

Yes, we must have stopped just around the corner from you. How far are you intending to go? We're going down the Lark, and from there is still undecided. Hope to be able to give you wave ?‍♀️

[Scholar Gypsy]

5 minutes ago, Athy said:

I believe so, but i don't know exactly where that is, hence my comment.

South west corner, near Ramsey.  Magic place. 

[ditchcrawler]

1 minute ago, Jennifer McM said:

Yes, we must have stopped just around the corner from you. How far are you intending to go? We're going down the Lark, and from there is still undecided. Hope to be able to give you wave ?‍♀️

Cheapest diesel use to be on the Little Ouse about half a mile from the junction. you can wind a 57 foot boat just above their moorings but 60 needs to go a bit further   http://www.littleousemoorings.co.uk/MooringFacilities.html

 

[nbfiresprite]

4 minutes ago, Athy said:

I believe so, but i don't know exactly where that is, hence my comment.

Head up the forty foot towards Ramsey, instead to turning into Ramsey lode go through the lock instead. Down through Ramsey St Mary (low bridge), Left at the junction, then right at the next junction. Follow the lode to the end where you can turn. This is the nearest point you can moor to Holme Fen. Follow the footpath which will take you to the lowest point, where you will find a post that was placed in the ground in 1851. Back then the top of the post was level with the ground. Not now its about 8 feet above the surface which shows just how much the ground has sunk in the passed 167 years.

[ditchcrawler]

2 minutes ago, nbfiresprite said:

Head up the forty foot towards Ramsey, instead to turning into Ramsey lode go through the lock instead. Down through Ramsey St Mary (low bridge), Left at the junction, then right at the next junction. Follow the lode to the end where you can turn. This is the nearest point you can moor to Holme Fen. Follow the footpath which will take you to the lowest point, where you will find a post that was placed in the ground in 1851. Back then the top of the post was level with the ground. Not now its about 8 feet above the surface which shows just how much the ground has sunk in the passed 167 years.

I couldnt find the footpath when I went down there

[Jennifer McM]

8 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Cheapest diesel use to be on the Little Ouse about half a mile from the junction. you can wind a 57 foot boat just above their moorings but 60 needs to go a bit further   http://www.littleousemoorings.co.uk/MooringFacilities.html

 

Brilliant, thanks for that!

[nbfiresprite]

4 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I couldnt find the footpath when I went down there

You may need fire up the the chainsaw and cut your way through as it tends to get badly overgrowen in the spring and summer months. It is marked on my os map, you known how some landowners are when it comes to rights of way across their land.

[Scholar Gypsy]

27 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I couldnt find the footpath when I went down there

It's right next to, and parallel, to the railway. Walk north to the level crossing, cross the railway, and then walk north on the road on the west side of the railway, crossing again on the track marked to Holme Fen.

 

The mooring can get a bit overgrown, see photo below

 

For the last half mile you will worry, as the channel gets narrower, if this was a good idea. keep going and you will get to the turning point, right next to the railway.

 

As you can see I moored opposite the winding hole, which was a bit norty.

 

Edited June 25, 2018 by Scholar Gypsy

[Athy]

28 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

It's right next to, and parallel, to the railway. Walk north to the level crossing, cross the railway, and then walk north on the road on the west side of the railway, crossing again on the track marked to Holme Fen.

 

The mooring can get a bit overgrown, see photo below

 

For the last half mile you will worry, as the channel gets narrower, if this was a good idea. keep going and you will get to the turning point, right next to the railway.

 

As you can see I moored opposite the winding hole, which was a bit norty.

 

What an evocative photo! Wild camping by boat.

[Athy]

Well, Cyan must have either changed its plans or sunk in the lock. I was working in my river garden from before 1 o'clock until a quarter past three; as they were booked to use the lock at 1 o'clock I expected to see them come past, but there was no sign of them. Still, a lot of weeds got pulled up and a fair bit of hedge got a trim.

I wonder if they took a wrong turning (it sounds impossible, but last year a Fox's day hire boat actually did this).

[Jennifer McM]

36 minutes ago, Athy said:

Well, Cyan must have either changed its plans or sunk in the lock. I was working in my river garden from before 1 o'clock until a quarter past three; as they were booked to use the lock at 1 o'clock I expected to see them come past, but there was no sign of them. Still, a lot of weeds got pulled up and a fair bit of hedge got a trim.

I wonder if they took a wrong turning (it sounds impossible, but last year a Fox's day hire boat actually did this).

Yea of little faith ? Though I did manage to make a fool of myself ??

 

We arrived early (12 noon-ish) at Marmont Priory Lock, thinking we could stop for a cuppa or a beer before our '1 o/c slot'! Approaching we were waved at by an elderly gentleman on the lock to go into the empty lock. Thinking he was a boater that wanted to come down, I jumped off to help set the lock with him, and help him through. I was panicking a bit, thinking we weren't supposed to go through the lock until 1 o/c, and wondering if this man knew he should set a time with the lock keeper. So I asked him if he'd been through this lock before..... You can imagine the look on the man's face, telling me he'd lived in the house for 60 years, and that he was married to the lock keeper ? Whoops! Seriously he's such a lovely man, and thank goodness he has a brilliant sense of humour.

 

Our eyes were peeled looking for a house with wisteria, we did see one near Russells (?) fish 'n' chip shop, but couldn't see anyone resembling Athy ☹️.  NBfiresprite popped by to say 'Hello' last evening, he did say we were to shout "Two beers please" as we approached!

 

We're moored by the Five Bells outside the Church - just managed to get under the bridge, bar scraping the flowers under the roof. Glad we brimmed the water tank before we set off from March this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 26, 2018 by Jennifer McM

[ditchcrawler]

4 hours ago, Jennifer McM said:

Yea of little faith ? Though I did manage to make a fool of myself ??

 

We arrived early (12 noon-ish) at Marmont Priory Lock, thinking we could stop for a cuppa or a beer before our '1 o/c slot'! Approaching we were waved at by an elderly gentleman on the lock to go into the empty lock. Thinking he was a boater that wanted to come down, I jumped off to help set the lock with him, and help him through. I was panicking a bit, thinking we weren't supposed to go through the lock until 1 o/c, and wondering if this man knew he should set a time with the lock keeper. So I asked him if he'd been through this lock before..... You can imagine the look on the man's face, telling me he'd lived in the house for 60 years, and that he was married to the lock keeper ? Whoops! Seriously he's such a lovely man, and thank goodness he has a brilliant sense of humour.

 

Our eyes were peeled looking for a house with wisteria, we did see one near Russells (?) fish 'n' chip shop, but couldn't see anyone resembling Athy ☹️.  NBfiresprite popped by to say 'Hello' last evening, he did say we were to shout "Two beers please" as we approached!

 

We're moored by the Five Bells outside the Church - just managed to get under the bridge, bar scraping the flowers under the roof. Glad we brimmed the water tank before we set off from March this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pleased to read this post as when we were there he was quite unwell

[Mike Todd]

On 25/06/2018 at 16:10, Jennifer McM said:

Yes, we must have stopped just around the corner from you. How far are you intending to go? We're going down the Lark, and from there is still undecided. Hope to be able to give you wave ?‍♀️

We are hoping to do Wissey, Little Ouse and Lark before we spend a few days in a marina at Huntingdon - but today's extra trip down the Relief Channel (and a lengthy boat clean) means we are not sure where we will be!

 

Surprised that we have enjoyed the Relief Channel - with no flow the pontoons are well known water amenity sites (ie places to jump in or launch canoes from) We will be back up through the lock tomorrow. Enjoy the crossing from Salters Lode - when are you booked? Mind you, when we rang two days ahead we were told just to turn up when we wanted to. OTOH, ringing is he easiest way to find out the passage times! Coming back is probably the trickier.

 

A local boater had suggested that it is best to get a weekend mooring ahead of time as it is likely to be busy . . . come back rain, all is forgiven.

[ditchcrawler]

9 minutes ago, Mike Todd said:

  Mind you, when we rang two days ahead we were told just to turn up when we wanted to. OTOH, ringing is he easiest way to find out the passage times! Coming back is probably the trickier.

 

A local boater had suggested that it is best to get a weekend mooring ahead of time as it is likely to be busy . . . come back rain, all is forgiven.

I never booked, but I knew how they timed it with respect to Kings Lynn tide times so knew roughly what time we would be locking through.

[Athy]

5 hours ago, Jennifer McM said:

Yea of little faith ? Though I did manage to make a fool of myself ??

 

We arrived early (12 noon-ish) at Marmont Priory Lock, thinking we could stop for a cuppa or a beer before our '1 o/c slot'! Approaching we were waved at by an elderly gentleman on the lock to go into the empty lock. Thinking he was a boater that wanted to come down, I jumped off to help set the lock with him, and help him through. I was panicking a bit, thinking we weren't supposed to go through the lock until 1 o/c, and wondering if this man knew he should set a time with the lock keeper. So I asked him if he'd been through this lock before..... You can imagine the look on the man's face, telling me he'd lived in the house for 60 years, and that he was married to the lock keeper ? Whoops! Seriously he's such a lovely man, and thank goodness he has a brilliant sense of humour.

 

Our eyes were peeled looking for a house with wisteria, we did see one near Russells (?) fish 'n' chip shop, but couldn't see anyone resembling Athy ☹️.  NBfiresprite popped by to say 'Hello' last evening, he did say we were to shout "Two beers please" as we approached!

 

We're moored by the Five Bells outside the Church - just managed to get under the bridge, bar scraping the flowers under the roof. Glad we brimmed the water tank before we set off from March this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ah, so you didn't sink. Good.

Maureen's husband I haven't seen for a while, he's ex-Royal Navy I think, pleased to hear that he's still flourishing.

Yes, that's us next to Russell's Butchers (the fish & chip shop is a few doors further towards the lock).

Let us know when you're coming back through!

[Jennifer McM]

9 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Pleased to read this post as when we were there he was quite unwell

Yes, he told me (in that short space of time) he'd had/got two major health problems. He was able to swing the windlass about....

8 hours ago, Athy said:

Ah, so you didn't sink. Good.

Maureen's husband I haven't seen for a while, he's ex-Royal Navy I think, pleased to hear that he's still flourishing.

Yes, that's us next to Russell's Butchers (the fish & chip shop is a few doors further towards the lock).

Let us know when you're coming back through!

Think he mentioned he moved into the house from the RAF.

 

He mentioned something about them saving that lock as the authorities wanted to fill it in during the 60s. If there's a waterways journalist about, I suggest it would be great if they could interview this gentleman before much information is lost. Think what he has to say would fascinate many people.

 

Will let you know when we'll be passing through, now we know where you are might give you a short blast of the horn if you're around.