Ely to Pike & Eel Pub (near St Ives)

Miles 18.3 Locks 2

Photos from each end of our journey today, the first is the river frontage at Ely just before we set out. This is the GOBA mooring just upstream of the Pike & Eel pub just across the river from a village called Over. GOBA is the Great Ouse Boating Association. We were recommended to join as they have moorings up and down the river.

The trip has been one of contrasts, wide rivers at the start and end with the narrow bendy Old West River between Popes Corner and Hermitage Lock. The wildlife has changed too the wide rivers have terns and crested grebes whilst the narrow river had swans and mallards. At Ely there was a black swan swimming about and near 20 penny bridge we saw an oyster catcher.

In this shot we are alongside the Deisel dispensing boat at Westview Marina near Erith. I thought it was just a store for Junk until I went to the office and was told to moor the boat alongside "the cruiser with the pump in the cockpit

Salters Lode to Ely

Miles 15.8 Locks 2
We have done our tidal section today crossing from Salters Lode to Denver Sluice on the ebb. Then a long run up to Ely for tea. We had a quick stroll into the city and went into the cathedral just as evensong had started. What a beautiful sound , the choir in the cathedral.
Tonight's pics Waiting to enter the Lock at Salters Lode. In the lock chamber waiting to lock up onto the ebbing tide. This I was prepared for - Locking DOWN on to the non tidal Great Ouse at Denver felt weird

In Ely it is almost like home we are under the approach flight path for one of the American airbases nearby. Either Lakenheath or Mildenhall

March to Salters Lode

Poor signal tonight. I will add pictures to this page when a stronger signal is available.

Miles 13.3 Locks 1

A day of contrasts. We set out from March in the sunshine and arrived at Salters Lode in a downpour. The contrast between the open stretches of waterway and those running through the villages of Upwell, Outwell and Nordelph is great, in the villages the navigation is narrow and weedy ( 4 trips down the weed hatch today, two in Upwell and two just outside Nordelph) in the country they are wide and weed free in the centre. The other impression is that the land always appears to be below the level of the navigation and in some places it is very obvious that it is. The approach to Salters Lode is also interesting in that for the first time since coming onto the Middle Levels there are hills on the horizon.

This is our destination for tomorrow Denver Sluice seen from Salters Lode

Peterborough to March

Miles 19.3 locks 3

We are now on the Middle levels at March. Two shots of the town moorings below. The navigation started narrow and weedy but soon we were in the big sky country with long straight stretches with a bend at the end very similar to the River Witham downstream from Lincoln.

We have checked with the lock keeper at Salters Lode for a time for locking through to Denver Sluice and the Great Ouse and we wont be able to get there for tomorrows passage so we will be going at 9.30 am on Monday.

Wadenhoe to Fotheringhay to Ferry Meadow

Wadenhoe to Fotheringhay

Miles11.4 Locks 5

After a meal in the Kings Head at Wadenhoe and a nights sleep we travelled via a stop in Oundle for diesel to Fotheringhay. We moored below the castle mound and hoped that the spirit of Mary Queen of Scots (who was executed there) was not about. what we did get was a lady collecting GBP 4.00 mooring fees and spouting doom and gloom about the weather forecast for June
Fotheribghay to Ferry Meadow

Miles 16.1 locks 6

Ferry Meadow is a country park on the outskirts of Peterborough we are moored on pontoons at the side of a lake.

The Nene Valley Railway runs alongside the river and we saw a loco (a Class 5 ) moving out of Wandsford. It has been back and forth up and down all afternoon, probably on driver training as thee is no official timetable today and it never came as far as Ferry Meadow Station. For the railway buffs the next two photos show Nene Valley SETTRACK at 12" to the foot.

We will be leaving the River Nene tomorrow and entering the Middle Levels Navigation for the connection with the River Great Ouse.

Two days

Tuesday 8/6/2010 Irthlingborough to Thrapston

Miles 9.7 locks 5

Started in the rain this morning and before we got to the lock the rain had eased but the prop was fouled with weed again so it was down the weed hatch to clear it off. The rain was coming on and off and the river improved. Near woodford we spotted a Red Kite for the first time and we continued to see them throughout the day. Stopped at Thrapston and went for a walk into the village.
Mooring by ThrapstonWednesday 9/6/2010 Thrapston to Wadenhoe.

Miles 5 Locks 2

Not far today as our travelling companions wanted to stop at their favourite moorings. A walk up to the church and later round the village soon showed us why.

Still at Irthlingborough

We haven't moved today we have been to nearby Rushden where we lived between 1973 and 1985

visiting old acquaintances and looking at the changes to the town.

Cogenhoe to Irthlingborough

Miles 12 Locks 10
We set off from Cogenhoe as the mist was clearing. the river was very weedy for the first 3 miles and one time I had to stop and clear the prop via the weed hatch. By the time we stopped in Wellingborough fo a visit to Tesco to top op the liquid refreshments the sun was just peeking through the clouds By the time we went Through Ditchford lock with the offal processing plant behind it was getting dark with a thunder storm in the offing.

It didn't take long to come and by the time we has passed Higham Lock and got to within hundreds of yards of the mooring beside the Rushden & Diamonds sports complex the heavens had opened. So we put the cover up in a downpour only to have it finish just as the covers were up.

On a more pleasant note it has been a good day for bird watching we have seen Common Terns, Common Buzzards (5), Cormorants (3) Kingfishers (2) and a solitary Tufted Duck

Gayton Marina to Cogenhoe

Miles 10 Locks 23
We have reached the River Nene. We arrived in Northampton at midday and locked onto the river. On the way we passed under the M1 alongside Rothersthorpe services. This is how it looks under the motorway. The locks on the River Nene are quite different from those on the canals, the main difference can be seen in the next pic where the Mitre gates of the canals are replaced by a Guillotine gate. Thankfully most are electrically operated and all you do is press a button. We do expect to come across some that have to be raised by hand turning a wheel. I hope it is not my day for operating the locks when we meet one

We are now moored on the water meadow by Cogenhoe lock

Norton Junction to Gayton Junction

Miles 12.7 Locks 7
The first pic really belongs to yesterday at sunset butit was taken at Norton junction our starting point for today. This will be aour last full day on the canals as we descend the locks of the Northampton flight onto the River Nene (pronounced Nen if you come from these parts). This afternoon at Gayton Marina. we will stay here and start our descent to the Nene tomorrow.

Brinklow to Norton Junction

Miles 18.7 Locks 9 Long Tunnel 1
We came off the Northern Oxford Canal about lunch-time and headed south on the Grand Union Canal through Braunston Tunnel to Norton Junction where the Leicester arm leaves the main line. As with rest of the country it has been wall to wall sunshine today the factor 30 sun block went on before 8 am. Tho pics tonight of the locks at Braunstone.


Braunston Bottom Lock Lock No 3

Atherston to Brinklow

Miles 20.4 Locks 10
A misty start to the day as we climbed the Atherstone flight into the town where we stopped for some provisions. As the day wore on we passed through Nuneaton and skirted the top of Coventry and onto the Northern Oxford Canal. We passed under the M6 at about 3 pm and moored up at Brinklow at 5.30.
The picture feature tonight is the Charity Dock boatyard at Bedworth. The pictures say it all. Pics will be loaded tomorrow poor connection tonight

Huddlesford Junction t Atherstone

Miles 15.8 Locks 4
Only 4 locks today 2 just before lunch time at Glascote near Tamworth and the bottom two on the Atherston flight just before we moored up. We will be completing the ascent tomorrow with a pause below lock 5 to visit the shops in Atherston itself. For those readers who like to know exactly where we have been we have passed through “in the correct sequence” Whittington, Hopwas, Fazeley, Tamworth and its suburbs of Glascote and Ammington, Alvecote and Polesworth. For the aficionados of the railways these names may sound familiar as we are travelling alongside the West Coast Main line.
Have you ever wondered why it is always hard to put dry gloves on wet hands which has been the story of my life today steering in the rain , which, I think we have all had today. Changed gloves once because of them being soaked and numerous times to get things from my pocket. Still the forecast is for improvement from now on. I hope so I would hate it if we had one rainy day out of three for the next two months.

Weston Lock to Huddlesford Junction

Miles 19.5 Locks 7
We are now near Litchfield where the Coventry Canal meets the derelict Wyrely to Essington Canal. No pics tonight but a couple of links to the RSPB site showing a couple of birds we don't normally see on the Macclesfield Canal.
The Reed Bunting http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/reedbunting/index.aspx Just before Huddelsford Junction on the Coventry Canal and the Tufted Duck http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/t/tuftedduck/index.aspx Just after Weston Lock. Fradley was busy as usual withe the added congestion of two sets of boats breasted up close to one another but on opposite sides of the canal. Still the Ice cream bought at the junction made up for that.

Chatterley to Weston Lock

Miles 19.9 Locks 16
At least the rain held off today bu it was quite windy. The Trent and Mersey canal between Stoke and Weston has been quite busy with one boat passing as I write this update at 3 mins to nine. We had heard of the anti-vandal locks that had been fitted to Etruria and Trentham locks and the first picture is of the one at Etruria. Anyone with a Dalton windlass will have problems at the lock mechanism prevents the windlass from turning a full circle once it has been placed all the way on the Spindle. We had to queue at the Meaford locks for at least one boat using the lock in front. Here we are waiting for the third lock down on the flight.

High Lane to Chatterley

Two days report as there was no connection last night
28/05/2010 Miles 13.7 locks 0
A nice run in the sun from High Lane to Bosley. Didn't start untill after 12 noon as we waited in vain for the pump-out cards to arrive. at least the weather was kind to us. The picture is of the Mill at Bollington with the new bridge at the front.
29/05/2010
Miles 12 locks 13 and one long Tunnel
What a contrast in the weather, the driest we have been today was when we were in the Harecastle Tunnel. So no pictures today. We are moored at the southern end of the tunnel at Chatterley.

One day to go

We have made three trips to the boat today loading up for the summer cruise on which we hoped to set off tomorrow morning. Unfortunately the two BW Pump -out cards I ordered last week failed to arrive in the post today so we will have to wait for tomorrows post before catching the bus to High Lane.
We also heard that with the water levels on the Macc being about 3 inches down the crew of Discovery No1 had to discharge their drinking water before the could get out of the High Lane Arm. This made me check our situation and we were hard aground on the bows so I decided to pull away from the edge and only suceeded after several minuits of hard heaving.

May Day

We spent the May Day Bank Holiday at Whiteley Green on the Macclesfield Canal. We went on the Friday and returned on the Monday. The moorings belong to the NCCC and two large gazebos were set up to have a space for people to gather and chat. there was heating provided and lighting was by two Tilley Lamps. Quite a few club members turned up, the BBQ was light on Saturday and Sunday for people to cook their own food. On Sunday members with a musical bent gave a show.

Boats moored @ Whiteley Green Br 24 Macclesfield Canal.

Final Green Lane Update

From the following sequence of pictures you can see Green Lane Aqueduct on the Lower Peak Forest Canal in Romiley after repair work to fix a serious leak. As you may recall two separate attempts were made or the second visit was planned as the pointing of the wall where the most water was coming through was not done until after the first visit. There is still a small "weep" in the arch of the aqueduct

The spot where most of the remedial work was carried out.

Looking North towards Woodley Tunnel

Looking South towards Hyde Bank tunnel.

As I pass this spot quite regularly I will watch for further activity and report if there are any significant changes.

Back in the water

We relaunched the boat earlier today after a week of cleaning and blacking the bottom. It is a very satisfying feeling to see the boat gently slip back into the water, now all we have to do is get the rest of the boat ready for the summer cruise.