Post by JohnV on Sept 15, 2016 20:37:21 GMT
The upper section of the Gt Ouse reminded me much more of the rest of the canal system than the other parts.
There were more boat movements, especially around St Ives, St Neots, Huntingdon and Godmanchester. St Ives and Huntingdon are excellent stops.
Both of them have good moorings just below the ancient bridges although at St Ives you have hoards of bread throwing children, which means half of it will land on your roof.
It's a very short walk into town where there are good facilities including a Budgens just at the end of the market.
If being covered in lumps of bread and having to listen to the inane explanations being handed out to the kids does not appeal then go upstream of the bridge and shortly after on the right you will see a channel going off. there are plenty of excellent moorings along it but if you have a longish boat you will probably have to reverse out. almost opposite the first section of the moorings, virtually the other side of the road is the print works and small shop of Imrays the chart and guide publishers (The door is very unobtrusive you have to look for the brass plate and even then it is not obvious !)
Just downstream of St Ives (but immediately upstream of the lock) is the entrance to Jones Boatyard (Fuel and a quite respectable chandlery)
The moorings immediately below the bridge at Huntingdon are a much more private affair and don't seem to attract the crowds, possibly because the waterside is separated from the public walkway. This is another decent stop for supplies although a slightly longer walk than St Ives (reasonable chippy just up the road however)
(I won't comment on the pubs as Gazza and Loafer seem to have done far more investigating that scene than I have)
Just a few miles upstream of St Ives before you get to Huntingdon is the very attractive village of Hemingford Grey with an unusual church right on the edge of the river, excellent Parish moorings with three big wheely bins for rubbish are shortly upstream of the church and above them are a set of GOBA moorings on the meadow. A short walk up the road from the start of the Parish moorings are the pub and a bit further the village stores and post office (this was one of the busiest village shops I have come across for many years.
Immediately after Huntingdon is the town of Godmanchester, I have passed over this area many times as the A1 is on a raised section. I have often looked down and seen the boats and thought that it was a place I must visit properly.
I am afraid I was disappointed as the moorings as you approach Godmanchester down the back water are quite a walk from the town and the attractive looking quay right by the road edge has a row of warning buoys preventing your approach and the weed was so thick that I gave up trying to approach the famous chinese bridge
St Neots probably has the best mooring for access to shops, if you moor at the Priory centre pontoon you have only about a hundred yard walk to a Waitrose supermarket ( and very little further to the high street) Just before you get to the supermarket there is an intriguing non chain wine shop with some excellent wines at reasonable prices (including lots of merlot, Patty)
My guide showed a large section of moorings on the park side at St Neots but above the bridge (where there were signs) but lots of people were to be seen mooring on the edge of the park opposite the Priory downstream of the bridge.
Above St Neots I must mention the very helpful and friendly boatyard of Kelpie marine with what must be a unique position for a boatyard, between the North and South bound carriageways of the A1.
About 3 or 4 miles upstream of Kelpie Marine is the village of Gt Barford with it's striking 15th century bridge (Moorings just downstream of the bridge parish on the side by the pub ans slipway and GOBA on the opposite bank
After Cardington Lock (unfortunately there is not a good view of the great airship hangers from the river) You begin to approach Bedford passing Bedford Boat Club with it's serried ranks of cruisers (this is definitely not sewertube country) you are suddenly confronted with the unusual sight of a pyramid ....... quite a weird sight !!!
Just before Bedford lock there is a low bridge (Engineers Bridge) which gave me a fright. I hadn't noticed that it was only 6 foot headroom and hadn't taken down Shapfell's mast I am prepared to swear that my anchor light only survived because it fitted between the rivets on the steelwork .... it was that tight !!!
With the the mast folded down I proceeded into Bedford through Bedford lock and under the new footbridge. Again plenty of moorings but no other boats ..... I suppose the low bridges keep out a lot of the cruisers.
The Imray guide gives Sovereign Quay in Bedford as the official head of navigation but the chart shows another three miles to Kempston mill to what was the original head.
I progressed slowly up the next section which is very attractive although obviously never far from housing estates. A surprising wealth of wildlife for a semi-urban environment including quite a few kingfishers.
The current was getting noticeably stronger as we approached Kempton Mill and the weed was getting thicker, I was almost at full throttle and only creeping up the last few hundred yards but as the bow of Shapfell got level with the footbridge I could feel the weed getting heavier on the rudder and chickened out reducing the throttle and letting the current drift me back downstream until I got to a point where I felt it safe to turn round. I'm not too disappointed as I was probably only a couple of hundred yards short of the very end.
just a little additional note ...... On my way back to the River Lark I stuck my head into the Cam but only for a whistle stop tour to say I had been there and called in at the 5 miles from Anywhere for a bite and a pint (a pub that not only serves the essentials of beer and grub but milk, loaves and even coal !!!)
SAM_0437 by mudlarker2, on Flickr
Approaching St Ives from downstream
SAM_0439 by mudlarker2, on Flickr
St Ives bridge from the public moorings
SAM_0443 by mudlarker2, on Flickr
Hemingford Grey Parish moorings
SAM_0478 by mudlarker2, on Flickr
Hemingford Grey church
SAM_0469 by mudlarker2, on Flickr
View from Priory centre pontoon at St Neots
SAM_0466 by mudlarker2, on Flickr
Gt Barford bridge
SAM_0460 by mudlarker2, on Flickr
Has the infinite improbability drive been switched on and this is the Suez canal ?
SAM_0461 by mudlarker2, on Flickr
Bedfords answer to Giza
SAM_0459 by mudlarker2, on Flickr
Bedford's new footbridge
SAM_0442 by mudlarker2, on Flickr
Autumnal morning on the way back to the river lark for pick up
SAM_0522 by mudlarker2, on Flickr
There were more boat movements, especially around St Ives, St Neots, Huntingdon and Godmanchester. St Ives and Huntingdon are excellent stops.
Both of them have good moorings just below the ancient bridges although at St Ives you have hoards of bread throwing children, which means half of it will land on your roof.
It's a very short walk into town where there are good facilities including a Budgens just at the end of the market.
If being covered in lumps of bread and having to listen to the inane explanations being handed out to the kids does not appeal then go upstream of the bridge and shortly after on the right you will see a channel going off. there are plenty of excellent moorings along it but if you have a longish boat you will probably have to reverse out. almost opposite the first section of the moorings, virtually the other side of the road is the print works and small shop of Imrays the chart and guide publishers (The door is very unobtrusive you have to look for the brass plate and even then it is not obvious !)
Just downstream of St Ives (but immediately upstream of the lock) is the entrance to Jones Boatyard (Fuel and a quite respectable chandlery)
The moorings immediately below the bridge at Huntingdon are a much more private affair and don't seem to attract the crowds, possibly because the waterside is separated from the public walkway. This is another decent stop for supplies although a slightly longer walk than St Ives (reasonable chippy just up the road however)
(I won't comment on the pubs as Gazza and Loafer seem to have done far more investigating that scene than I have)
Just a few miles upstream of St Ives before you get to Huntingdon is the very attractive village of Hemingford Grey with an unusual church right on the edge of the river, excellent Parish moorings with three big wheely bins for rubbish are shortly upstream of the church and above them are a set of GOBA moorings on the meadow. A short walk up the road from the start of the Parish moorings are the pub and a bit further the village stores and post office (this was one of the busiest village shops I have come across for many years.
Immediately after Huntingdon is the town of Godmanchester, I have passed over this area many times as the A1 is on a raised section. I have often looked down and seen the boats and thought that it was a place I must visit properly.
I am afraid I was disappointed as the moorings as you approach Godmanchester down the back water are quite a walk from the town and the attractive looking quay right by the road edge has a row of warning buoys preventing your approach and the weed was so thick that I gave up trying to approach the famous chinese bridge
St Neots probably has the best mooring for access to shops, if you moor at the Priory centre pontoon you have only about a hundred yard walk to a Waitrose supermarket ( and very little further to the high street) Just before you get to the supermarket there is an intriguing non chain wine shop with some excellent wines at reasonable prices (including lots of merlot, Patty)
My guide showed a large section of moorings on the park side at St Neots but above the bridge (where there were signs) but lots of people were to be seen mooring on the edge of the park opposite the Priory downstream of the bridge.
Above St Neots I must mention the very helpful and friendly boatyard of Kelpie marine with what must be a unique position for a boatyard, between the North and South bound carriageways of the A1.
About 3 or 4 miles upstream of Kelpie Marine is the village of Gt Barford with it's striking 15th century bridge (Moorings just downstream of the bridge parish on the side by the pub ans slipway and GOBA on the opposite bank
After Cardington Lock (unfortunately there is not a good view of the great airship hangers from the river) You begin to approach Bedford passing Bedford Boat Club with it's serried ranks of cruisers (this is definitely not sewertube country) you are suddenly confronted with the unusual sight of a pyramid ....... quite a weird sight !!!
Just before Bedford lock there is a low bridge (Engineers Bridge) which gave me a fright. I hadn't noticed that it was only 6 foot headroom and hadn't taken down Shapfell's mast I am prepared to swear that my anchor light only survived because it fitted between the rivets on the steelwork .... it was that tight !!!
With the the mast folded down I proceeded into Bedford through Bedford lock and under the new footbridge. Again plenty of moorings but no other boats ..... I suppose the low bridges keep out a lot of the cruisers.
The Imray guide gives Sovereign Quay in Bedford as the official head of navigation but the chart shows another three miles to Kempston mill to what was the original head.
I progressed slowly up the next section which is very attractive although obviously never far from housing estates. A surprising wealth of wildlife for a semi-urban environment including quite a few kingfishers.
The current was getting noticeably stronger as we approached Kempton Mill and the weed was getting thicker, I was almost at full throttle and only creeping up the last few hundred yards but as the bow of Shapfell got level with the footbridge I could feel the weed getting heavier on the rudder and chickened out reducing the throttle and letting the current drift me back downstream until I got to a point where I felt it safe to turn round. I'm not too disappointed as I was probably only a couple of hundred yards short of the very end.
just a little additional note ...... On my way back to the River Lark I stuck my head into the Cam but only for a whistle stop tour to say I had been there and called in at the 5 miles from Anywhere for a bite and a pint (a pub that not only serves the essentials of beer and grub but milk, loaves and even coal !!!)
SAM_0437 by mudlarker2, on FlickrApproaching St Ives from downstream
SAM_0439 by mudlarker2, on FlickrSt Ives bridge from the public moorings
SAM_0443 by mudlarker2, on FlickrHemingford Grey Parish moorings
SAM_0478 by mudlarker2, on FlickrHemingford Grey church
SAM_0469 by mudlarker2, on FlickrView from Priory centre pontoon at St Neots
SAM_0466 by mudlarker2, on FlickrGt Barford bridge
SAM_0460 by mudlarker2, on FlickrHas the infinite improbability drive been switched on and this is the Suez canal ?
SAM_0461 by mudlarker2, on FlickrBedfords answer to Giza
SAM_0459 by mudlarker2, on FlickrBedford's new footbridge
SAM_0442 by mudlarker2, on FlickrAutumnal morning on the way back to the river lark for pick up
SAM_0522 by mudlarker2, on Flickr
