2am, thunder and lightening woke us all. The windows needed closing as the rain hammered down on Oleanna. As we tried to get back to sleep I wondered if our next problem would be too much water!
Drawing board back in it’s slot with stools
Monday mornings is when people are about again at the cruising club. Mick went to chat with Fred and get another £3 worth of electric, our hope is that we won’t still be here next Saturday.
Tilly finding shade under the bench
What a lovely mooring this is. Now that all the masses of woofers have gone elsewhere Tilly comes and goes to the shed as she likes, the friendly cover towards the marina entrance from the river has also kept her busy today. It’s quiet, no passing foot fall. The benches are nice to sit out at for lunch, very pleasant.
Jar of bay leaves coming in handy again
I got on with the final things before my meeting tomorrow. Colemans’s in town could scan my plans so after finding out who would be running the country and having lunch I walked in. It was a surprisingly well stocked stationers, due to the close proximity to Oundle School which seems to surround that part of town.
St Peter’s Church
I had a little wander about before heading back to the boat.
Blue skies across the water
By the end of the day, my model was packed up ready for tomorrow. Drawings scanned and copied. A new storyboard and photos of model pieces in the dropbox folder. Time to enjoy a Monday night roast. Well that was the plan until I got the chicken out of the fridge and it smelt decidedly odd! Mick was sent into town to Tescos for a fresher bird.
0 locks, 0 miles, 73 lightening flashes, £3 more, 24 copies, 12 scans, 1 dropbox filled, 1 model packed and ready to go, 1 chicken in the bin, 1 chicken in our tummies.
Another earlyish morning with the hope of avoiding people out to enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend, not that we have a problem with them, it’s just easier to avoid them if they’re not already in the water and still at home.
The wide beam not the first to leave their mark on the bridge
We got to see how much paint the wide beam had left on the bridge yesterday, just another gouge in the 1722 structure. Last chance for a photo of the church before we turned our back on Fotheringhay.
Goodbye Fotheringhay
We’d noted a narrowboat moored up facing the opposite direction to us, could this mean the next lock would be set in our favour? Yes! I was grateful as it was our next manual wheel operated lock and all I’d have to do was lower the guillotine gate once. Having enough hands to lock the wheel once finished is something I’ll need to master as there’s a lock some way ahead that is very hard to do by one person.
Tansor and Cotterstock both look like places to have a good wander around, even if they are only small. On the list for next time, suspect we’ll need to catch a bus or have a lengthy walk from Oundle.
Shopping mooring for Oundle
Now the river works it’s way southwards around the east side of Oundle, under several bridges to Ashton Lock. Ahead we could see the buoys that mark shallow water below the lock, a right hand bend immediately below it. The bow of a boat appeared, Mick slammed on the breaks and then reversed back to give them room to manoeuvre. Would we be passing them on the wrong side, did it really matter just so long as neither boat got stuck in the mud.
BOAT!
It took a while and eventually the bow came round followed by the stern. The main thing for us was that the lock, another manual one was sat waiting for us, only one movement required again! As we left the lock another boat appeared heading down stream, they were also very pleased that the lock was in their favour.
I think someone should look where they are going!
Two canoes, neither knowing which side to pass us on were avoided. Then a rib with two chaps fishing from it coming under a bridge. Had they clocked us? They were moving, both with lines in the river. One chap seemed to be steering, occasionally as they moved along at speed. Another boat passed on the wrong side. Have the rules changed? Has nobody informed us that the rules have changed?
At last passing on the right
Then a cruiser came round the next bend. They were facing towards us, straight at us! Their course was corrected slightly, then their bow faced us again, which way would they go, we only had a small distance further to starboard that we could move. In the end, in the nick of time they moved over and we finally passed someone on the right.
Essential lock equipment for the Nene
Lower Barnwell Lock was empty, a lady just walking over the bridge to the control panel. The guillotine gate started to lower. I bipped the horn. I beeped the horn. We were just about there! I BEEEEPED the horn! At last she spotted us and raised the gate again, very apologetic she was.
Hello Ken!
The narrow entrance to the marina, only just noticeable. Plenty of room on the Cruising Club moorings, but today we breathed in and turned into the marina, wide open water. We’d been told to head to the services, these weren’t at first obvious, but there was a bit of a give away, NB Cleddau with Ken and Sue chatting to the lady. Cleddau had almost got to Irthlingborough Lock when they heard it was broken about ten days ago. They’d returned down stream to the marina to await the lock reopening.
Pontoon sharing
We pulled in on the same pontoon, settled in, a very friendly welcome from all. A quick health and safety check revealed a fence with Tilly sized gaps under it right alongside an intermittently busy road. Sadly this means that for the next couple of days I’ll have to cope with a bored cat.
A bored bundle of cat
Mick had a lift from Ken and Sue into town to do a small food shop whilst I got my model box out. It was time to work my way through the show and make notes. As expected I ended up with two sides of A4! Several scenes just need a touch of a tweak, others need a bit more, but Christmas at the Tower of London looks great, even though I say so myself. The biggest job still to do is the front cloth which due to it’s nature will happen over several days.
The big glasses of Pimms
At 6pm my model was packed away, time for Pimms on the terrace with Ken and Sue. Very civilised. The setting sun put a limit on the time we were prepared to sit out, Ken’s timer for his tray bake encouraged people into their boats to eat. Mick had found some sad gits sausages at the Co-op so we had sausage and mash.
4 locks, 7.39 miles, 4 boats heading down stream, 1 trolling rib, 8 Kingfishers, 1 marina mooring, 7 trips, 1 load of washing, 1 bored cat, 2 x A4, 1 butterfly net, 1 pair snow shoes, 4 large Pimms, 6 bog standard sausages, 1 supermarket order started.
Wansford Station EA mooring to Fotheringhay Castle
The alarm woke us and we were up breakfasted and on our way before 8am, we wanted to try to catch ourselves up and try to be moored up before too many people took to the waters on paddle boards or swimming.
A misty start
A very misty morning, the grass sock dampeningly wet with dew. We weren’t the only ones enjoying it, before the first lock we counted eight Kingfishers, each one far to quick for the camera!
We passed under the A1 bridges followed by Wansford Bridge surrounded by coaching houses.
Dewy spiders webs
Wansford Lock was set against us as all the locks would be today, everyone is heading upstream. Some fishermen helped close the top gates, very handy as the first gate had swung itself back open by the time I reached the other side of the lock where a walker offered to hold the gate for me too. We were soon up and on our way passing the posh houses and on to Yarwell Lock.
Here we didn’t remember the bell tents along the bank, an addition for the summer holidays? The top gate cill leaked badly but thankfully having a powered guillotine gate at the bottom this didn’t cause us any problems, Oleanna hung back in the lock to avoid any water getting into the bow. Once up we pulled in to top up with water, well fill the tank as we were really quite low. As soon as we’d got the hose sorted the cruiser that had been moored behind us last night arrived. Discussions were had with them, they weren’t keen to share a lock with anything weighing more than half a tonne, so they’d not wait for us.
Elton Mill in need of rescue
Above Elton Lock we came across Paul and Jacquie from NB Mosi-Y-Tunya and NB Rosnald, both moored up and enjoying the nearby village. They both would pass us later on, leap frogging their way ahead.
Waiting below Elton Lock
At Warmington Lock a group of youngsters considered going in for a swim, I think our presence along with two EA vans put them off. Mick tied Oleanna up and came to lend a hand as this is the first of the wheel operated locks heading upstream. Of course with Mick helping it did mean that it would be one of the easiest mechanisms to operate, the wheel almost turns itself once you’ve got it started, so I left him to empty the lock and wind the guillotine gate up. I then had to bring it back down.
From here we could see the tower of St Mary and All Saints Church at Fotheringhay, sitting on it’s hill in the distance. We followed the course of the river round to the castle mound where we pulled in infront of a boat that looked like it had been re-floated after being sunk for some time.
The time was noted, as after our last visit here everyone mentioned at how quickly the land owner arrives for his mooring fee. We had lunch then walked into the village to take a look at the church.
St Mary’s and All Saints Church
From the river we’d not really noticed how oddly sized the church was. Walking up the grand tree avenue to the north door we all of a sudden did a double take. The church just didn’t look long enough! This was backed up when we went inside. Where was the choir, the font was in the wrong place and there was no big east window.
There’s bits missing
Back in the 1430’s the church was built with a college and cloister on it’s southern side. A short while later a parish church of a similar style was built to the west end of the collegiate church, it is the parish church which remains. The college was seized by the crown in 1547 and the chancel was pulled down almost immediately.
A window of York
At the east end of the church a high up clear window sits above ridges in the wall where the original building used to continue. One coloured window shows off the coats of arms of the Yorkist dynasty.
The wonderful 15thC painted pulpit sits delicately where all can see it. Fan vaulting in it’s canopy matching that in the ceiling of the west end. A wonderful light filled church. Outside you can see where the building used to continue. The stone work less dressed than on the rest of the building, blocked in doorways and windows suggest of what once was.
On top of the castle again
We had a wander around the village before returning to the boat. Tilly and I had a good walk up the castle mound, she likes the view from up there. Then three and a half hours after we arrived the chap turned up with his Golden Syrup tin for the mooring fee. There was chance to ask about the moorings alongside the campsite. We’d been hoping to moor there and have the London Leckenbys come and camp, but sadly timings hadn’t worked out. The moorings alongside the campsite during the summer months have been suspended as so many campers now want to access the water and boats were just getting in the way. However if you turn up in winter it will be fine.
Breathing in didn’t help the boat or the bridge!
We also chatted about the boat behind us. It had been refloated three days earlier at Stibbington and had been brought up stream with the aim of reaching Oundle for it to be craned out. However it wouldn’t fit through the bridge as it was too wide! A little bit like a widebeam we’d heard coming through earlier in the afternoon!
Taking on water again
Sadly the boat was taking on water again and later on a chap turned up with a pump to raise it, he also left it with a bilge pump going over night. The new plan was to head back down stream possibly to near Stanground Lock where they would be able to get it craned out. The boat was built in the 1930’s and they are hoping to have it as a trip boat on the River Avon.
Blue and pink
4 locks, 9.18 miles, 1 proper days cruise, 10 kingfishers, 1 castle mooring, 1 short church, 1 props list updated, 1 meeting arranged, 1 cat of the castle, grade 1 hair cut, 1 lovely boat hopefully being saved.
Salters Lode To St Peter’s Wharf, Outwell, Well Creek
Yesterday a third boat crossed over from Denver, NB Watt Way with Anita, her dog and cat onboard. This morning she was nowhere to be seen, she must have pushed off early and it being an electric boat she had quietly passed us without waking us.
Bye Salters Lode
The day started off cloudy, heavy grey everywhere. In distant fields we could see clouds rising up. Was this caused by a tractor ploughing through the dry earth? Or wind catching dust? Or a fire? We couldn’t decide what it was but with no smell of smoke it was likely to just be dust.
No boats moored at Glady Dacks. Quite a few fishermen, one asking if there would be any more of us today, not until the next crossing or boats heading eastwards. Soon afterwards we came across the first east bound boat, a hire boat from March.
The blue house
Slow going on the Creek, shallow and narrow we pootled along. This gave us time to think about the coming weeks. The need to be near transport for my final model meeting, hire car to get up to Scarborough to do a turn around. We’d also planned on exploring the Middle Level and taking our time climbing up the River Nene as we’d come down quite quickly. But with the next three weeks being full of work for me, any time we’re not moving will be spent working, not good for wanting to explore the areas.
The old windmill
I made a suggestion. Instead of trying to work and explore, which won’t work and any pleasure out of each activity will be lost with concern over time or feeling like we’ve missed something, I suggested that we leave exploration to the next time. In a couple of years we could get a gold licence again and come back to spend time earlier in the year before school holidays and weed takes over. It would also give us the excuse to cross The Wash to get here. Mentioning The Wash swung it for Mick. We’ll just need to find a boat to do the crossing with. Anyone fancy it 2024?
We passed the blue house, the windmill, sunflowers drying out for seeds. Over the Middle Level Main Drain. A house called Riverside Dreams seems to have shut off the world, locking their dreams behind a big brown fence!
A moving boat!
30 Downham Road looks like it is straight from a theatre stage, a set John Godber wouldn’t require to be broken down anymore. I wonder who lives here other than the skeleton sat in the window today.
Spooky house
Round the sharp bend after St Clements Church. We took note of the fish and chip shop number, but sadly they don’t do gluten free.
Pork pie freshly cooked today
Narrower and shallower still we slowly progressed ducking under the bridges until we came alongside the wharf by St Peter’s Church. This would do us for today. With what looked like a butchers above we went to have a look to see if they had any pork pies. It being Tuesday the pies were about to go in the oven, they’d be ready for purchase at 4:30. Mick returned for one, we’ll let you know what it was like tomorrow.
Our mooring tonight
Behind St Peter’s we spied a brick tower. It turned out to be in the grounds of Welle Manor Hall rather than in the church yard. It used to be a tower at the former entrance to a courtyard, the 30m tower is all that is left now, built circa 1480.
Octagonal tower
The afternoon was spent tracing the designs onto my panto portals then carefully painting in the black. These will be the most time consuming part of the set. I’ll make some big patterns so that I can just draw round them to help save time as most bits are repeated at least four times.
During the day we had a few short showers. A lady with an American lad came for a chat, she said they’d had two inches in March (the place not month). She asked the boy if they had such boats as ours in America, ‘Yes some, but in America we have bigger Narrowboats’!
We had rumbles of thunder in the afternoon and a short shower, but by the evening rain came properly. The almost forgotten sound of rain on the roof, it almost made us turn the TV off to listen.
0 locks, 5.98 miles, 1 boat passed, 1 skeleton, 0 shore leave, 1 pork pie, 0 fish and chips, 2 portals blacked, 1 very achy hand, 1 cruising plan for two years time.
As we got near to rolling up the covers this morning we could hear boats moving. The one furthest away on the moorings winded and headed towards the lock, soon followed by the other two narrowboats who were travelling together. We carried on knowing that we’d have a wait at the locks.
So many boats!
The first two boats breasted up on the lock landing, the next hovered behind them and we sat hovering even further behind. Two cruisers came down the lock, then it was time to fill the lock.
Two in
Houghton Lock is another D shaped lock. The entrance only wide enough for one narrow boat to enter at a time, but after checking in our Imray guide we knew it could hold three narrowboats side by side. The two boats on the lock landing made their way in, the chap from the third boat pulled in and walked up to the lock with a windlass, we then got waved in to make use of the middle of the lock.
Us fitting in the middle
We chatted away as the lock gates were closed behind us and the guillotine gate raised at the other end. The two boats travelling together were from the Macclesfield Canal out for the summer, hoping they’d be able to get back onto the summit pound before winter.
Three abreast
We’ve been three abreast in a lock before at Keadby, Limehouse and possibly Cromwell. Today it felt a touch more cosy than before despite there being plenty of room for us all. The first boat came out the lock and pulled in to help his mate with the lock, which meant we had now leapfrogged all three boats.
Two lock landings
Above the lock we spotted a few places we’d have been able to pull in to visit the mill yesterday, none of them official moorings. But we were glad we’d got to see some of Hemingford Grey and been able to stretch our legs.
A few boat yards. Long gardens to far away houses, a lot of them having work done to them.
All Saints
A riverside church where a couple sat on the bench and waved.
Two games of Boules going on. Measurements being taken to see who’d won.
Who is closer?
Not much further on we pulled in alongside a park, the closest mooring to Sainsburys in Huntingdon. Just after midday, the TV was tuned in and the news left on for the expected speech from Downing Street.
The Mac boys soon arrived and managed to tuck themselves in behind us. The longer boat needing to be next to land as he had animals. His black and white cat soon coming for a nosy as the other boat breasted up. All three boats Tyler Wilson shells, one of a similar age to Oleanna, he’d had the same problem with his gas locker hinges as we’d had.
Lunch and a shopping trip for us to stock up on fresh food for the coming week, by the time we got back to Oleanna the Mac boys had done their shopping and headed off to moor out in the country.
Tilly stamping her approval on panto
Tilly was allowed out, the road hopefully being busy enough to keep her away from it and there was plenty of friendly cover to keep her busy nearer the river. I got on with reading Act 2 of panto. Another scene with a big ship, I loved my ship from last year, how am I going to make this years different?
Queen Rat got her comeuppance and Whittington the cat was made Mayor of London. Tilly wonders how Larry at No 10 feels today with all the press camped outside his front door.
Larry
A much noisier mooring than we’ve gotten used to of late. We had someone tentatively knock on the roof as I was cooking our evening meal, they weren’t expecting anyone to say ‘HELLO!’ from inside. A quiet apology was followed by the lady leaning down to the kitchen window ad wishing us a pleasant evening.
1 lock, 2.53 miles, 4 in a queue, 3 in a lock, 1st boat, 3 boats, 1 dog, 2 cats, 2 boxes wine, 1 bag of peppers, 6 eggs, Act 2, 1 big ship, 1 jungle, 1 tower of London, 1 resignation, 1 Larry for Prime Minister.
Would we be able to escape? Mick tentatively walked the plank to retrieve the bow rope from the tree, the plank only just having enough solid ground under it. With the stern rope back on board he engaged reverse, thankfully there was movement and we slide off the bottom. Now all we had to do was wind!
What’s all the fuss about? Plank walking is easy peasy!
Mick decided to reverse back and swing the bow round meaning it would head towards a big willow tree which really was in an awkward place. Where we ended up meant there was little room both for and aft to get us swinging round. The bow got totally embedded in the willow. I stood in the well deck passing branches over the top and around the cratch.
This was before the amazon totally took over the cratch
STOP! There were two thick branches, one close to the cratch window the other hanging low with roots attached under the bow fender which had the potential to rip the fender off. All hard to explain to Mick from my green jungle position, but he needed to do nothing for a while as I climbed out onto the bow with nothing to hang onto, I did have my life jacket on just in case.
The first branch by the cratch window was easy to sort as it broke off in my hand, the stump of it a handy level to push the other branch away from under the bow. More dangling branches were moved, me back to safety and Mick could try moving us again. This is where bow thrusters do come in handy, although there were times where he needed to stop and let me clear the branches again that were getting caught on the tunnel light and the horns. Then thankfully we were free and pointing in the right direction.
We retraced ourselves back through the narrow Amazonian channel, a sheep coming over to check us out, I don’t think many boats venture down here!
At least we know where we’re going
At the junction with Burwell Lode waterlilies grown in the centre of the triangle where few boats go. Here we turned right, the wider deeper water meant we almost got up to normal cruising speed.
Far more open than the rivers
We were soon joined by two Terns making use of our wake to fish in, the proximity they flew in to Mick’s head at times was quite alarming. They dived in so close to the prop, but this seemed to be worth it as they’d immerge with a catch in their beaks most times.
Pretty horses with a black stripe down their backs
The view was different here, over damp grass land where a herd of cattle grazed, in amongst them Koniks, horses the closest breed to the wild horses that would have inhabited such areas. They are sandy in colour with darker mains and were very busy doing what they do best, eating!
A lufted lift bridge
A bridge, no two bridges! One a foot bridge the other a lift bridge, usually kept open.
We were making good time now, until we reached a depot on the north bank where the channel got narrower, our pace slowed down again.
Cosy neighbours for lunch
Finally our goal came into view and the mooring with enough space for a narrowboat was occupied. As we came alongside I asked through their hatch if we could breast up. They were having lunch and then would be on their way again. We winded, tied to them and had our lunch, then did a do-ci-do when they left. Cat health and safety check, we were a hedge away from a farm yard and was that Giant Hog Weed that the mower had cut? Mick didn’t think it was, but I was unsure, so the verdict wasn’t one Tilly wanted to hear, ‘Not today Tilly, sorry’.
St Mary’s Burwell
We’d heard about St Mary’s church and been told we had to visit. It is one of the finest perpendicular churches in Britain, a wonderful example of 15th Century architecture. Reginald Ely is credited for creating the church, he was a master mason for Kings College Chapel in Cambridge. It is said that he and his workmen honed their skills at Kings before doing their best work at Burwell.
Very light and airy
Lofty, with a timber ceiling, possibly the kind that was originally intended for Kings before the fan vaulting was built. Carved animals line the roof line and vast tall windows fill the nave with light.
Green, a bit like being in a swimming pool
Through the choir screen all the glass has a green tinge, meaning that by the alter seems cold and I suspect many a bride and groom have looked a touch nauseous on their happy day!
Dedicated in 1934
Two colourful stained glass windows date from the early 20th Century adding colour to the scene. By the north door is a large painting of St Christopher, worshipers would have stopped to pray below him on entering the church.
Butterflies flying up the tower
Around the church were masses of butterflies, the tower outside has a cascade of them. Made by locals for the Jubilee there are simply thousands of them, all different shapes and sizes, all very jolly.
Back in the long linear village we spotted a windmill behind houses. A fox on a newly thatched roof. Pound Hill where stray animals used to be impounded until a fine was paid. A plaque remembering 78 people who died in a barn fire during a puppet show in 1727. I always knew puppets had an evil side to them!
A thatcher’s fox
This evening we have gained a neighbour, a Black Prince hire boat with a family from California. They are over on their second boating holiday, the last one was in Scotland. Today they picked the boat up in Ely and this was their first stop. They are very quiet neighbours think they were tucked up in bed by 9.
0 locks, 4.67 miles, 1 reverse, 1 fracas with a willow, 1 escaped boat, 2 lodes, 2 neighbours, 4563 butterflies, 2 pints milk, 1 very long village, 4 welcome to moor alongside posters, 1 new lodger booked, 1 quiet evening, 1 missing episode of Sherwood.
When in a University city such as Oxford or Cambridge we feel we should visit a college or two. With a lot to choose from we chose two which couldn’t be more different from each other.
The choir
First was the tourist attraction of Kings College. I wanted to visit the college as it is where a chorister kicks off Christmas Eve singing Once in Royal Davey Daddies City. To be honest I hadn’t come across this until Mick came into my life, now every year either the TV or radio are on for us to listen. The chapel is also quite a visual treat.
The way in
Entrance is best booked in advance, if you can book a week in advance you’ll get £1 off your ticket. The entrance is down Senate House Passage which leads to the north door of the chapel.
Just look at that!
As soon as you walk in the ceiling and stained glass grab your eyes. I love fan vaulting so I was always going to enjoy our visit. A sit down was needed to appreciate the pleasing structure way over head. One area caught the eye, a very smiley sun just off symmetry, a helium balloon that someone had lost grip of. I wonder how long it will take for it to loose it’s attraction to the ceiling?
King Henry VI laid the foundation stone in 1444, King’s one of his two ‘royal and religious’ foundations, the other being Eton. Both the school and college were to admit a maximum of 70 scholars drawn from poor backgrounds, boys from Eton were guaranteed entry to Kings. From his original plans only the chapel was ever built and that took almost a century. Subsequent Kings took on the college, it’s building paused during the Wars of the Roses.
Lots of light and detail everywhere
The anti-chapel is overwhelmingly carved. Half crowns stand out from the walls, back lit. Tudor heraldic emblems fill every space left around the stained glass windows.
The west window
The dark oak screen which houses the organ was a gift from Henry VIII and bears his and Anne Boleyn’s initials. It’s not as elaborate as many choir screens, but not many date back to this time. He also commissioned the stained glass windows for the north, south and east sides of the chapel, split in two with Old Testament at the top and new Testament below. Sitting looking up at them there is a lot of bright blue sky.
You get big choirs in Cambridge
The choir stalls line the sides, seats going on forever, no wonder the choir is famed.
Rubens
Below the East window stands The Adoration of the Magi, painted by Rubens in 1634. During my A level Art I studied Rubens, I think the best essay I ever wrote at school was about his portrayal of naturally curved women.
Dodgems at Dawn
You then get the chance to walk around some of the outside areas. Today the Front Court was off bounds as the May Ball was being cleared away. It appears that this years thing is bumper cars, we came across them elsewhere in Cambridge today too. The gatehouse and screen, separate the college from the city’s streets and it’s people, the architecture ornate and delicate dates from the 1820s.
Flower meadow
Behind the court lies the Back Lawn, the majority grass. Don’t stand on it whatever you do! Then directly in front of Kings Chapel the grass has been sewn with wild flowers, a sea of waist high daisies with paths leading down to the River Cam. Very pretty and tasty for the bees.
As we crossed over the Bridge we looked back, the whole place shouted MONEY at us. We’d done THE tourist college with it’s spectacular ceiling and old masters, and Keep of the grass signs, now it was time for something very different.
Murray Edwards College
On the north west side of the city, up Huntington Road lies Murray Edwards College. Originally founded as New Hall in 1954, the first year had just 16 women students in buildings on Silver Street, it set out to try and address the low number of women undergraduates at Cambridge University . It was able to relocate to Huntington Road when the Darwin family donated their home The Orchard. The college buildings were opened in 1964 with the capacity for 300 students. In 2005 the college was renamed after it’s first President Dame Rosemary Murray and Ros and Steve Edwards who made a large donation to the college.
Fountain Court
Architects Chamberlain, Powell and Bon had designed the Barbican and Golden Lane Estates in London, they were chosen along with the builders WC French who had built the original motorway bridges on the M1. See, I told you it was completely different.
The Dome
The dining hall known as The Dome is made up of precast concrete, 4 inches thick, flanged so that they overlap each other with glass panels in between. The dome soars high above the first floor, your eye naturally pulled to it’s centre. Four staircases spiral down to the ground and lower floors, one in each corner.
More of the Fountain Court
Large wooden glazed doors invite you into rooms where the texture of the concrete has either been left ruff almost like the sea bed, or polished smooth. Cream brickwork on curved walls surrounds the Fountain Court with its blue lined troughs of water and of course it’s fountains.
Long glazed corridors with large windows, many open today for fresh air create open walkways from parts of the college to the next. For me this was reminiscent of parts of York University and parts of the house my Dad built as our family home.
The Porter was very friendly, gave us both a sticker for the Women’s Art Collection along with a big white folder with details of where we could go and the artworks held within the college and it’s 14 acres of gardens, and yes we’d be allowed to walk on the grass!
The collection is formed of modern and contemporary art by women, the largest of it’s kind in Europe. It was founded in 1986 and has expanded since then with donations and loans from artists. The college houses more than 500 works, including pieces by Barbara Hepworth, Tracy Emin, Rebecca Fortnum to name just a few. Every corner you turn there is another work, at the bases of staircases sculptures sit.
As we left we turned round, numerous potted plants sitting on the front steps a black cat lurking in there somewhere, we decided that we preferred it here to Kings. More inclusive, relaxed, warm, arty, airy, grass between your toes friendly. Well worth a visit and it’s free! Thank you Bridget for pointing us in the colleges direction.
Todays Menu
We now walked back into the city, one last thing on the list of essential things to do in Cambridge to tick off the list, Jack’s Gelato!
That’s better!
The queue was far shorter late afternoon and it was just the right length to have made the very hard decision of which flavour to have. To save any bickering between us we both chose Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt. Mick had a standard waffle cone, I paid the extra for a gluten free one, a rare thing! We sat down on the wall outside King’s College our backs turned towards the money and enjoyed our well earned chilled medication.
0 locks, 1 walked over twice, 0 miles, 7 miles walked, 2 colleges, 513 years apart, 1 spectacular ceiling, 1 mesmerising ceiling, 1 organ screen, 1 walkway of roses, 1 Ruben, 2 Tracy Emin and a Barbara Hepworth, £11, £0, 2 chilled medications well deserved.
Clayhithe Moorings to Fort St George Moorings, Cambridge
Clear clear water
The river was so clear this morning, all the reeds and plants intermingled with the fish below us. The sun was out again with the temperatures requiring shorts and shady hats.
We pootled our way in towards Cambridge, much of the journey we were surrounded by trees offering us some shelter. Baits Bite was to be our second lock of the week. Accompanied by a Lock Keepers hut and behind that a rather shy thatched cottage hiding behind high fencing.
Okay then
By The Plough Pub in Fen Ditton there are signs asking you to keep left, this means passing boats on the wrong side. A rowing boat came round the bend ahead of us, a touch too close to the bank and old man in the pub garden shouted across to them about a painting of the Bumps at this location.
Maybe this is the one he was on about. The bend here is known as The Gut, keeping to the left is because of the difficulty in steering a 60ft rowing VIII, as the boat ahead of us had just found out.
Wonder if these cows have better manors than those at Lechlade?
We’d been surviving on what water we had left since filling up at Prickwillow so we gladly stopped in between the moored boats along Stourbridge Common. Here cows graze right up to the river, leaving their calling cards on the banks. Thankfully today any cowpats were dried out making stepping off to tie up easier than it would have been otherwise.
Whilst the tank filled up I had a shower hoping we still had far enough to go to heat up another tank full for Mick later on. Some bins were found nearby, including recycling which was a relief as our rubbish mountain was getting close to engulfing us.
Under Riverside Bridge where two lanes cross the river, one for pedestrians the other bikes. Past Cambridge Museum of Technology with it’s high brick chimney. Terraced houses were soon replaced with boat houses, one for each college, the river narrower than the Thames through Oxford, but still full of boats.
College Boat Houses
We kept our eyes peeled for spaces, the first one too close to a bridge and right outside a pub. Midsummer Fair was set up on Midsummer Common ready to draw in the crowds later this week, maybe we’d be better further in. Then a space with some wonderful shade, we couldn’t let that go to someone else!
Only a few poles to tie to meant the spikes came out. Mick bashed them into the ground, on the final hit the hammer flew out of his hand and straight into the river! A mental note was taken to it’s location and the Sea Searcher magnet earnt it’s keep assisted by the river clearing a touch and the handle of the hammer being bright yellow!
Despite Tilly’s protestations the doors remained shut for her. The amount of foot fall, bikes, scooters and proximity of a busy road means that sadly she won’t be exploring Cambridge.
First port of call was a visit to Heffers. Heffers was established 140 years ago and was the equivalent to Blackwells in Oxford, the university bookshop. In 1999 Blackwells bought the shop, it still retains it’s name. In a previous life I was a book and map seller at Blackwells in York, so time to have a browse was on the cards. With aircon and some birthday presents to purchase I was going to be kept busy for a while. Mick browsed from a chair near the front doors whilst I headed off to find the Crime Section. One title I was after was easy to find, another however wasn’t there. A friendly chap asked if he could help, the other title was currently being considered for reprint. He then suggested various authors that might be suitable, this was a man who knew his stock inside and out. In fact he turns out to have worked in bookselling for 40 years, 38 of them for Heffers and he is also a judge for the Golden Dagger Awards for thrillers. So I purchased a wild card paperback suggested by him, hope Andrew will enjoy it.
Kings College on the left
A couple of hours had us bimbling around the city along with many thousands of tourists. We did have a couple of aims.
Mathematical Bridge
The Mathematical Bridge which crosses the River Cam at Queens College. The bridge was designed by William Etheredge in 1748 and built by John Essex in1749. It spans the 50ft wide river using short lengths of timber. These short lengths of timber are held in a state of compression by the action of gravity on the whole structure, based on a voussoir bridge requiring strong abutments to balance the compressive forces created by the spring of the arch. The triangulation in the structure makes it very strong. Since it was first built it was repaired in 1866 and then rebuilt to the same design in 1904.
Below on the river the punts were in use, several with experienced guides gliding the punts along with ease showing up those having their first attempt. Just beyond Silver Street Bridge is the limit of navigation, although it is only possible to bring powered craft into The Backs between October and March with permission from the Cam Conservators, between March and October the furthest we can go is to below Jesus Lock. Today we weren’t tempted to have a go on a punt.
At weekends they have a second shop elsewhere in the city
Walking back through the city we headed up Bene’t Street. As soon as we’d turned the corner I could see the queue, at least thirty people standing in line. Slow decisions at the head of the queue very necessary. Jack’s Gelato will be visited before we leave, but I didn’t really want to stand around for half an hour today, so we even refrained from looking at todays flavours as that would have been torture.
The Fair
The walk back to Oleanna passed numerous other University buildings and colleges, the bus station (possibly handy for tomorrow) and then across Christ’s Pieces a park filled with trees offering walkers wonderful shade. Then along and across Midsummer Common which one end was almost totally taken over by the fair, we’ll see how noisy it gets tomorrow when it opens.
1 lock, 4.96 miles, 1 full water tank, 2 clean boaters, 1 miffed cat, 1 big splash, 1 handy magnet, 1 first perusal of Cambridge, 2 long a queue, 1 list, 1 joint membership, 3 options, 1st to read the letter, 2 presents, 1 vat of bolognaise sauce.
Last night we were treated to a rather good sunset. The trees across the way glowed from the setting sun and the sky looked like dragons had been breathed a huge smoky sigh.
A slow start to the day, yesterday we’d decided to wait another day before heading into Cambridge. I’d hunted around places that we could visit locally. Anglesey Abbey 4 miles away, too far to walk there and back and using public transport would take well over an hour. Another Abbey, Denny, still a 3 mile walk and only open Thursday to Sunday.
Then Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum caught my eye. Sadly only currently open on the first Sunday and Wednesday of every month. Oh well, we’d go and see what we could see in Waterbeach, maybe try to find the airfield.
From Clayhithe Bridge you can walk through Cow Hollow Wood a local nature reserve. We took the path to the Remarkable Reedbed, not very remarkable, but the areas were named by school kids when it was first put together in 2000. It makes a nice walk into the village avoiding the road.
We followed Station Road into the village, now classed as a new town since 2018. Plenty of nice looking smart houses around the place. A triangular village green with a post office, convenience store and a couple of pubs.
St Johns
A stop to look round St John the Evangelist, dating back to the 12th Century the tower and spire collapsed and were replaced in 1821. It undertook a Victorian restoration in 1871 by JM Fawcett and John Ladds in 1878. The mosaics on the pulpit and behind the alter most probably date from this time.
Life buoy halo
There was a plaque and book of remembrance for 514 Squadron Bomber Command who were stationed at RAF Waterbeach between 1943 and 45, just how many had given their lives.
We carried on walking through the centre to try to reach the airfield which is quite obvious on Google maps. But today an area of it is now used for NHS staff accommodation. We walked down to the cemetery to see if we could see anything from there, sadly failing. It kind of looks like the airfield is being redeveloped, most probably for housing.
Wonderful reflections
We walked back to the river on Bannold Road crossing the railway line which brought us to Bottisham Lock. A wonderful view upstream to be had from the weir.
Loads of room today
Today there was plenty of space on the GOBA mooring, NB Cleddau and the others having moved off this morning. We then followed the flood bank back to Clayhithe, at times having to lift our arms to avoid the masses of nettles.
All blue and green
The list of places to visit in Cambridge is long and could get expensive. I think this evening we will have to pin the tail on the donkey to choose which things we’re going to do and see.
0 locks, 0 miles, 4 miles walk, 1 church, 17 hollyhocks, 0 airfield, 2 abbeys 2 far away on foot, 2 far away for the bus, 2 sessions of shore leave, 8 times no, 8 courgette and pea fritters for the first time.
Around a bend and a kink of the River Lark lies Prickwillow. A water point and two EA moorings, both empty when we arrived. We pulled in at the end furthest away from the road and got both hoses out to fill up on water. We were soon joined by a narrowboat that had breasted up to us in Ely on Saturday at the services, they were heading to the same place as us, Prickwillow Drainage Engine Museum.
A happy museum
Housed in the old pump house the museum covers the history of the Fens, the drainage of them and as suggested by it’s name has a collection of engines that used to pump the water up from the land into the rivers.
The drain behind the museum
A very enthusiastic chap greeted us at the door and took our entrance fee. He then spent time explaining about the exhibits, how to access more information on items, which way to walk round the museum and then sat us down to watch a ten minute film about the Fens and their drainage.
Vermuyden’s scheme alongside 1949
We heard about the Fens, stilt walking, how peat when drained can shrink the height of a man in the life time of a man, which explains how the rivers ended up being so much higher than the surrounding land. The 1947 floods. Vermuyden and his plans, sluices, redirecting rivers, the Relief Channel, the Cut Off Channel and then about the engines that worked the pumps.
Sadly the steam engines that used to do the work were all replaced by diesel engines before anyone had the idea to form a collection and then a museum. Several engines stand in the engine sheds, their green paint complimented by reds and blues. From two cylinder to four cylinder engines, the smell of ingrained oil hangs in the air.
Oooo, sounds!
For those who love the sound of old engines there are buttons you can press to hear them in action. On certain days of the year they have them all up and running, but sadly for us today wasn’t one of them. I suspect the place would have been a lot busier.
Collections of items fill any spare space left by the engines. Each item logged with a number that you can look up on their website. From obvious spades of all different shapes and sizes to eel catching tools. Pressure cookers to ice skates (there was even a pair that would fit your feet Frank). Mole traps, bread paddles, potato folks, psygrometer which measures relative humidity in the air but resembles a football rattle.
Then lots of photographs regarding the floods in 1947. It was these that brought about the current drainage channels all quite closely based on the plans that Vermuyden had had back in the 1650’s. People clung to the flood banks the surrounding areas covered in water. The army were brought in to help raise the flood banks, one chap in the photos the spitting image of a friend Michael who I used to work with in Scarborough.
Windmills with scoopwheels
A very informative afternoon. A well laid out museum run by enthusiastic volunteers with so much information to hand should you want it. Well worth a visit, but beware they are only open Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.
We then had a walk around the village. We’d spotted the church as we’d pulled in. The grounds were very over grown, lights were on inside and a car parked beside it. Should we look in through the open door, was it now a private house? I sneaked a photo of what looked like a figure, it turned out to be what looked like a set of armour, home made leaning against the wall. After hunting round on the internet I found an article regarding St Peter’s Church. It was bought by a couple two years ago to be turned into an arts centre/studio space with two apartments in the north and south transepts. I suspect there is still a LOT of work to be done.
Plenty of shelves with not much on them
Further along the road is a house set back which is totally engulfed in ivy apart from it’s wheelie bin. The old school house, a Baptist church which is currently under offer to be converted into a house. On the parish notice board there were invites to a wine and book club, a plant and seed swap in the village phone box. We peeked in to see what might be on offer in the phone box only to find two dried out twigs!
A long overdue catch up with the London Leckenbys was had during the afternoon, Josh is in the thick of his GCSE’s, Andrew is busy with work and Jac was full of her recent trip back to Melbourne to see her family.
0 locks, 1.5 miles, 1 load washing, 1 full water tank, 1 mardy cat, 1 museum, 8 big engines, 36786 exhibits, 1 Michael, 1 transgender Einstein, 2 repurposed churches, 2 twigs, 2 more weeks of exams.
