Leaving Home

On Friday 22nd June Patience left home, slipping her anchor at The Lazy Otter, quitting Stretham,  The Old West River and heading for The Middle Level.
Over 2 1/2 years we have fond memories of the marina at The Otter, The Old Bridge, the irascible Cyril, liveaboard Tim and his two barges, Alan our guide, and even the stuffed otter in the pub itself. It was where we found Patience in November 2009 and where we learned to handle her.
But nothing stands still and the next challenge is a new mooring in a different part of the river system.
We are stocked with enough food and water for 5 days, we've checked the weather and the EA warnings as far as we can, surveyed Denver lock, yet we don't really know what lies ahead given recent drought, floods, heavy rain, unpredictable winds ... and it's June!
So, a brief stop at Ely and another at The Ship, Brandon Creek, but onward, crabwise at times, up the Ouse, with a 20mph tailwind and occasional heavy showers. Wet weather gear at all times.
Despite gusts forcing us towards the bank we arrive at Denver at 6.30pm, 21 miles from Stretham. Plenty of moorings and now fine weather, with the prize of a meal at Jenyns Arms and a lateish start tomorrow.

Patience in early morning at Denver. The sluices are in the background.

Denver sluices and lock are crucial barriers to the sea. Without them it could surge down from the Wash. They also take water from inland out to sea, in a highly complex series of channels and sluices that drain the fens using a system developed by Vermuyden in 1651. Beyond Denver lies a route out to The Wash, where it is possible to cross to Boston, Lincs. We are attempting an easier option: to go up the tidal section for a very short way before turning acutely east down Salters Lode, gateway to The Middle Levels, those rivers joining The Ouse through the Nene to the Grand Union. Our destination is Oundle on The Nene, 76 miles and maybe 4 days from The Otter.
Good weather is expected tomorrow, followed by heavy rain overnight, so we feel confident as we retire on Friday evening.

Stretham Ferry Bridge

Mentioning the old bridge at Stretham Ferry set me wondering how old it was and when the place stopped being a ferry (bridges usually being the death of ferries). 
This view of the bridge from the east shows a pretty elegant but strong arch framing the marina beyond.

This part of the A10, the Roman Akemen Street, connects Cambridge and Ely. The old road became less popular by the 11th century when the main route was along the Aldreth Causeway. However it was still possible to cross the Old West River by a ferry until 1763 when a Turnpike Road was opened with a toll bridge.

The original bridge was so narrow and steep that farmers needed extra horses to haul their carts and motor cars found it difficult too, so it was replaced in 1925 by the present bridge, which was tested by placing four traction engines on it. Until 1976 it carried all the traffic along the A10, when the road was straightened, bypassing the old bridge and the pub. In many ways this has been a benefit for both pub and the marina, which are more peaceful with the traffic a little further away and have the advantage of a quiet stretch of road for access.

The Pub, described in 1797 as being "old and well established," was known in 1797 as the 'Charles in the Oak'  but was destroyed by fire in 1844.  The old pub closed in 1986 after which it was redeveloped and reopened as the Lazy Otter in April 1987.

Stretham to Great Barford

We spent five glorious days afloat in weather that was as sunny and as warm as any we have had this year. Starting on Wednesday from Stretham to moor at Hemingford,  on Thursday to Godmanchester, and on to Great Barford in the evening, we debated going on to Bedford but left that for another day.
Complicated personal arrangements meant that folks were getting on and off Patience at various points, but Duncan saw it through - 84 miles, 24 locks and five days.

The Old West River

We had three problems, which will be described in more detail in a later post, but this was a great trip exploring the further western regions of the Ouse. The water level was generally low but the water clear and sparkling, with trees dipping into the edges, abundant wildlife (heron, kingfisher, and swans, geese and ducks all with young chicks) and a classic view of a basking seal at Earith.

Cygnets on The Ouse

We noted that the moorings at Hemingford appear to be very grand but are in fact hard concrete and so high that there is an ever present risk of either scraping poor Patience's sides or even getting her gunwhales trapped under the ledge with water rising. On the other hand the rough moorings a hundred yards further up are fine and a visit to the excellent Cock for a good pint and a splendid meal compensate for any inconvenience.

 Don't miss the lovely garden in Lucy Boston's house which you can see by peeking over the wall by the moorings.
On Thursday to Godmanchester where we can borrow a private mooring and we filled up with water and newspapers. On to St Neots whose Paper Mill lock is long and deep and can be disconcertingly vigorous with surges of water. Passing the delights of St Neots and the golf course of Wyboston and on through Roxton Lock we smiled smugly at the poor motorists above us in queues on the A1 and the A14. Moored up at Great Barford bridge and ate at the busy and friendly Anchor right next to the bridge. It has been said that a long narrow boat might find it awkward manoeuvring through some of the arches as the river bends immediately south of the bridge but we think you should easily make it so long as you bear left directly after passing through the arch.
The return journey varied with the available crew. We spent longer at St Neots this time and moored for the night at The Offords where the GOBA mooring (a bit cramped though perfectly adequate with a gangplank),  opposite the chic popularity of the Buckden Marina with its pool and gym - and whose well constructed moorings are charged at £5 per night (and which were mainly empty...).

The Old Bridge at St Ives

The final night we moored at St Ives, close by the Norris Museum of local history. It seems to be a honey pot for young people on a Saturday night out. The Golden Lion, where we ate at 8pm, was taken over by young ravers at 8.30 so we made our excuses and left. We counted 12 take-away shops, four pubs with live music and - too late - two small friendly restaurants close to the old bridge.
There was a lot more weed in the river than there had been a few days before - but The Tale of Three Problems must wait, tantalisingly, till my next blog post ....