Monday 27th July - Little Thetford Moorings to Ely
This morning we set off from our mooring and headed back into Ely to spend the afternoon with all our girls and our grandchildren. Just by chance we had arrived in Ely at a time when Lizzie and Bea, Annie and Alba were visiting Laura and Amy over night.
Having moored up safely back in the same spot as last time but facing the other way, it began to rain very heavily, so we stayed put on the boat until the rain had passed over. We then walked to Laura and Amy’s house and spent a delightful afternoon with our family.
After a walk around Ely, cups of tea and coffee, and delicious brownies, we left them to teatime for the children and a Greek night for the girls and walked back to the boat. A wonderful afternoon.
2.25 miles, 1 hour cruising time.
Tuesday 28th July - Ely to Clayhythe Bridge
We woke to a lovely sunny morning, so we set off early to go down to the water point, fill up with water, then turn the boat and head back up to the Marina to fill up with diesel and replace the empty gas bottle. Whilst we were there an Environmental Agency patrol boat joined us called ‘Ouse To Know’. They informed us that the first lock on the way down to Bedford had broken down and it could be a while before it is fixed, so advised that we perhaps explore the River Cam first. So quick change of plan!
We set off back out of Ely, passed the Little Thetford Moorings and at Pope’s Corner we turned left at the junction and headed for the River Cam and Cambridge. The weather was very windy and chilly until the sun came out. There were some very young cows in this field, such a lovely English scene.
Just after Bottisham Lock we passed nbEnbilulu, we first met this boat last year in Newbury and we have kept in touch with Di and Mark ever since, another Bourne Boat, No.48, we are No. 33.
We moored up for the night at Waterbeach on the way to Cambridge and after a spot of lunch we went for a walk back to the lock along the river.
This building was built and owned by the Cam Conservatories, they made a lot of money in their time and became quite rich. The prosperity and confidence of the conservators during this period can easily be seen at the house they built for themselves at Clayhithe. It was a large building in the Tudor style with Dutch gables, it had a large banqueting hall which was also used for committee meetings. (Today it is used as a foreman’s home).
We finished our walk by exploring Cow Hollow Wood, a wood planted in 2000 to commemorate the turning of the millennium. Although it is still a young wood there was plenty to see and we spotted a deer among the trees.
I have drawn a blue circle around where the deer is just to help you locate it.
Wednesday 29th July - Clayhythe to Cambridge to Little Thetford Moorings
A beautiful start to the morning and the beginning of our trip into Cambridge.
A new bridge being constructed, this is the part that will go over the river and will be craned into position, all looks very technical!
The final bridge before we got to Jesus Green Lock. Here we need to turn round and head back again because powered boats are not allowed access beyond the lock because of all the punts and rowing boats.
Jesus Green Lock the final lock before The Backs and then turning at the Mill Pond as powered craft are not allowed any further. During the winter months, when there are no punts it is possible to get permission to take a narrowboat along the Backs, but not this time for us. We moored up alongside Midsummer Meadows whilst we had coffee, then set off back out of Cambridge.
We passed nbEnbilulu on their way into Cambridge. They are mooring at Jesus Green and decorating the boat for their daughter’s wedding on Saturday. The bride will arrive by boat, can’t wait to see the pictures! We hope they have a lovely day!
We continued cruising until we had left the River Cam and finally moored once again at the Little Thetford Mooring. A long day, but another tick in the box, Ely, Cambridge and next Bedford!
20.5 miles, 3 locks, 6 hrs 6 mins.
Thursday 30th July - Little Thetford to One Pound Mooring.
Today we left the Little Thetford Moorings, turned the boat round and headed for the junction again, but this time we took the right turn and stayed on The Great Ouse. This was the Marina on the turn selling wide beam boats.
We passed Stretham Old Engine, the last survivor in the southern Fenland of over 100 steam-powered pumping stations applied to fen drainage in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is also the largest and most complete example of any of these, and one of the earliest, having been erected in 1831. The Old Engine laboured successfully until 1925, and was used as a stand-by until 1941. It was then superseded by a more convenient and efficient diesel engine connected to a centrifugal pump. In 1945 the diesel engine was itself superseded by another pumping station, now electrically powered, located some one and a half miles to the southeast on the bank of the River Cam.
I love these water birds. The great crested grebe is a delightfully elegant waterbird with ornate head plumes which led to its being hunted for its feathers, almost leading to its extermination from the UK. They dive to feed and also to escape, preferring this to flying. On land they are clumsy because their feet are placed so far back on their bodies.
We are in Hermitage Lock at Earith, it is a manned lock which took us up to join the Tidal Ouse for a section of about 2 miles. The river here was very wide but as you can see in the photo it was extremely gentle flowing and we barely noticed any difference in the handling of the boat.
We moored for the night at One Pound Visitor moorings just past the Pike and Eel Marina, the field is used for grazing cows, and if we had read the notes we would have known this! They were most inquisitive, it was the fastest mooring up ever and we remained inside the boat until they decided to go elsewhere to investigate. A boat further down decided to bbq and had to abandon it as the cows were once again intrigued by their activities!
The cows have departed for pastures new, Toby is relaxing in the evening sunshine and surveying his kingdom, he really is King Toby!
16.5 miles, 2 locks, 5 hours 24 mins.
Friday 31st July - One Pound Mooring to Holywell
Today we made an early start and set off for Holywell, a very short hop away with the intention of mooring up and going to buy a pint of milk and moving on. However we found a delightful mooring which we fitted into perfectly, so decided to stay put and enjoy the warmest day of the year so far.
Holywell is a chocolate box thatched roof cottages village, very picturesque. We decided to set off early and walk through the fields to St Ives where we could pick up our milk and fortuitously visit a market where we bought bull’s eye geraniums to freshen up the flower tubs.
Toby got very hot and thirsty on the walk and on the way back he took every opportunity to go and stand in the river to cool off. He is looking expectantly for us to throw a stick or ball for him to swim and collect - no luck this time, we just wanted to get back to the boat!
By the time we had got back it seemed that many other people had also decided this was a good spot for a hot day, it felt almost like being beside the sea! However peace was soon restored by evening time and we enjoyed the pleasant evening sun to ourselves.
1.5 miles, 0 locks, 1 hour cruising time.
Saturday 1st August - Holywell to Hemingford Grey
We left Holywell nice and early and headed for St Ives where we wanted to put on water. St Ives Bridge is a 15th-century bridge noted for being one of only four bridges in England to incorporate a chapel. The chapel was restored in 1930, having previously served as a toll house, inn and as a private residence. It had originally been designed as a chapel, though, and dedicated by the monks to Saint Leger. By 1736 it was being used as accommodation, and in that year two extra floors were added. During the 1850s and 1860s it was turned into a notorious public house, then a doctor’s surgery. By 1930 the structure was found to be weakened so the extra storeys were removed and the chapel restored. As a result of this, the roof is modern. An unusual feature is the crypt, about two metres above the river’s water level. The bridge and the chapel are now Grade I listed and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
Unfortunately the water point mooring was full of river cruisers so we were unable to use, but a quick turn around and we went back to Jones Boatyard where we could put on water and diesel as a bonus!
This stretch of the river is incredibly busy, a combination of a beautiful river and a Saturday in high Summer, so after contending with a crowded lock, us and 5 river cruisers, we decided to call it a day and thankfully secured a mooring at the very quaint village of Hemingford Grey.
We went for a walk around the village and found the farmers cutting the hay in the meadows. Hemingford Grey meadow stands in the flood plain of the river and floods for a few days each year, this leaves a layer of rich silt which encourages excellent quality hay. After the hay is harvested the meadow is used for grazing, the soil has a high gravel content so is easily drained and the grassland doesn’t become marshy and deteriorate.
The Manor, built in the 1130’s is reputed to be the oldest continuously inhabited house in Britain and the garden was created by the author Lucy M Barton. The house and garden were used as the basis of her children’s books Green Knowe written between 1954 and 1976.
4.5 miles, 2 locks, 3 hours 6 mins cruising time.
Sunday 2nd August Hemingford Grey to St Neots
A fairly early start, and at our first lock of the day we met a day hire boat celebrating a birthday and all wearing hats with Marine written in them, different I guess! Still they were all having a great time.
The church at Hartford just outside Huntingdon was particularly pretty, a lovely village scene with people sitting beside the river enjoying the scenery.
We cruised through Huntingdon, our second daughter was born in the hospital at Hinchingbrooke, just down the road whilst we lived in Peterborough.
This is the lock at St Neots, we used to visit St Neots when my Mum lived in Little Paxton just down the road. I remember her talking about the flats and apartments being built alongside the river, and the times when the bus couldn’t get through because the river was flooded.
We moored up for the night on the riverside moorings in St Neots and went to explore the town. We shall do some shopping there tomorrow, before continuing our adventure. We had planned to get as far as Bedford, but it has taken us longer than we expected and we have reached the midway point for our licence on these waterways. That means we need to turn round and begin our journey back to Northampton.
14 miles, 5 locks, 5 hrs 30 mins cruising time.
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