Category Archives: History

Too Wide. 26th August

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

https://goo.gl/maps/2rnBS1yEm1BQMUrp7

Just A Load Of Hydrogen. 25th July

Priory Marina to Bedford GOBA Mooring

Boat chores to start the day, topping up on water, yellow water tank emptied, rubbish and recycling gathered together and disposed of. Whilst all this was happening we were aware that NB Cleddau had returned just a few spaces away. We said our farewells and thanks to Karen the Marina Manager, put a donation in the charity tin to cover our electric and one use of a tumble dryer. We’ve enjoyed our stay in the marina, a very helpful and friendly place to be.

Next, time to say goodbye to Ken and Sue until our bows cross again . This may happen at the end of the week with both boats starting to head back towards C&RT waters.

**Danish Camp boat returning to base with rib and raft**

We reversed and winded, the wind assisting us thankfully and we turned out back onto the river. A right turn and we pootled just as far as the GOBA mooring. The grey widebeam we’ve seen over the last couple of months was moored up, we joined them and had a chat. It turns out that WB Four Seasons was in the parade of boats at the festival and they were Black Pearl, our best in show! Blimey they had gone to more effort than I’d first thought. Sheets had been bought and dyed, the cabin sides covered to make them black, normally grey. Even more impressive, I do hope they got a prize of some sort.

After lunch Mick helped get my drawing board out from it’s slot. Today I’d have an indoor office/studio. With taking over the table and much of the sofa there’s not much space left for Mick, so he headed off on the bike with a shopping list for a reasonable sized shop, but first he headed off to see if he could find a couple of buildings in Cardington, two Airship sheds.

The first shed produced it’s first airship in 1918. Cardington had the worlds best airship facilities, but due to the depression it closed in 1921 after the construction of the R38. However the station reopened in 1924 following the announcement of the Imperial Airship Service, the site was to build R101s amongst others.

The airships were much bigger than before, so the buildings they were constructed in needed to grow, the original shed expanded both upwards and out sideways and a second shed was brought down from Pulham south of Norwich.

The crash of the R101 in October 1930 led to the decision to dismantle the R100 in shed 2. In 1931 the station nearly closed but was used for aircraft storage. However in 1936 RAF Cardington was formed and by 1937 a balloon training unit was formed, by WW2 barage balloons and aerial defences were developed here.

After the war it became a Personnel Dispersal Centre, where RAF personnel passed through to be demobbed. The balloon unit continued to experiment on the site until 1966, then it moved to Wiltshire. The RAF base here finally closed in 2000. The sheds are listed buildings and have been used as filming locations for Star Wars and now one of them houses a film studio.

A lot more information on the sheds can be found HERE

During the afternoon I managed to get a very sketchy ground plan together, rough positions of everything and what is known as a hanging plot. This is a list of what is hanging on which fly bar. I worked out depths of the stage and how things would be brought on and off. In one scene change I’m hoping to enlist the actors in part of the action to strike certain elements of the set, it kind of helps that the ship in sinking at the time!

**First drawing to help make the model**

Then I started to draw up my downstage portal, the design heavily influenced by Crossness Pumping Station.

0 locks, 0.27 miles, 1 reverse, 2 rights, 6 hours shore leave, 1 shopping trip, 2 breakdowns, 1st drawing complete, 2 hangers, 2 boxes wine, 1 longer post than anticipated.

https://goo.gl/maps/9yLdM7CXdTzYUqXd7

Pits Brunch. 12th July

Brampton Park GOBA Moorings to Paxton Pits GOBA Mooring

Time for us to move on and hopefully find another shady mooring. Once we’d had our cup of tea in bed we postponed breakfast and pushed off, NB Eleanor Rugby had long since gone!

**Is this an Aquavista 60/40 split price?!**

First things first. Water! We’d last filled up in St Ives and have been frugal with our usage. A water point was shown on our maps at Buckden Marina, we pulled up on their service mooring. Maybe we’d top up on diesel too whilst we were here. The petrol pump had a sign on it saying they were out and more was on order. The diesel pump just boasted the price £2.25. HOW MUCH!!! Yes this might be the price of a 60/40 split, but still!

We connected up our hose, it was still too early for the office to be open. Water came forth and we started to fill our tank, we’d see if anyone had a problem as we weren’t inclined to top up on diesel. Nobody came to see if they could help us even once the office was open, so we coiled up our hose once full and pushed away.

Offord Lock came next. The top guillotine gate open. As I pressed the close gate button I looked at the lock, blimey it was narrow! Having got used to the D shaped locks which fit three narrowboats side by side this was narrow. Not in the sense of a narrow canal lock but you’d never get two narrowboats in side by side and at 11ft 2″ wide some wide beams would have difficulty.

By the time Oleanna was in the lock coming up we had four gongoozlers. One wondering if the crocodiles would get us on the river, another two not realising that the river continued on up ahead of us for quite some miles.

Onwards now for a couple more miles. We passed a couple of narrowboats including NB Jolly Lamb whom we’ve come across a couple of times in the past. Did this mean that the next mooring would have space for us, we hoped so.

Yes! Just enough room for us beside a shady tree at Paxton Pits. We pulled in, I hopped off the bow with Mick staying on board as the mooring meant we’d need a plank once tied up.

Time for breakfast, well brunch and with it being a touch cooler we risked a cooked breakfast, not quite the full works but certainly a good effort and very tasty.

I continued hunting out panto references. Mick sat outside listening to cricket. Our route northwards at the end of the year was looked at in more detail. Tilly headed off to find friends, breaking the first rule within half an hour! She was speedily reminded of that rule whilst being forcibly removed from the boat along with her friend!

During the afternoon we got some rain showers, the sort that just seemed to add to the general mugginess of the day. Despite this I decided to go for a walk. Solutions to be found for panto are best done whilst walking . I filled a water bottle, showed Mick the route I planned on taking and headed off.

Paxton Pits were gravel pits, in the 1930’s the gravel was mostly used in building airfields around the country. Today gravel is still dug here but the old pits are now filled with water and have become a nature reserve.

In the early 20thC the Trimmings family grew plantations of Cricket Bat Willow on islands at Little Paxton. The trees produce a wood that is light, tough and doesn’t splinter. The firm now called Hunts County Bats still continues today, producing 20,000 bats worldwide every year.

There were also paper mills at Little Paxton, 184 years of production. A raised causeway gave access to the mills in times of flood. Now the area is a modern housing estate.

Much of the land in the nature reserve is gravelly as you would imagine. Plants vie for enough moisture to be able to grow. Purple flowering plants had pushed their way up, possibly Viper’s Bugloss?

I followed the Heron trail handy hides every now and then giving me shelter from the now almost constant showers of rain. One facing towards a bank which may or may not have been Kingfisher nests. I listened out for them but sadly none were to be seen or heard. I did spot 2 Egrets , 2 Cormorants and a Heron all sitting together on a bit of mud.

The nature reserve is a Dragonfly Hotspot with 26 varieties of dragonflies and damselflies. Today however there were none to be seen here, they must all have been out on the river.

I soon had walked past the active gravel pit with all it’s machinery. Wondered if quicksand is still as treacherous in a drought as it seems in the movies. The path turned again to be alongside the river. A home made banner attached to a gate. Was this advertising Matt Walsh’s film examining changing concepts of gender in the digital age? This is what Google suggested it might be.

Tilly’s white tipped tail sprung into the air to greet me back at the boat. A pleasant walk even if a touch warm, I did manage to come up with a few more ideas for work too.

With the beginning of next week likely to be too hot to do much other than breath, we spent some of the evening trying to work out a plan to try to be on the shadiest mooring on the hottest days. Will we succeed? Will we be beaten to the mooringOr will we just cook?

1 lock, 3.27 miles, 0 bins, 1 full water tank, £2.25! 0 crocodiles, 11am mooring, 2 plates of brunch, 32 more images, 3 mile walk, 0 Kingfishers, 2 solutions, 3 possibilities, 30C, 3 hours of gentle showers.

https://goo.gl/maps/M7QuYGaCnM6kMLzZ7

Milling About. 6th July

Houghton EA Mooring to Hemingford GOBA Mooring to Houghton EA Mooring.

Last night we decided we’d head back towards Hemingford Grey to moor for the day and our visit to Houghton Mill. We knew where the mooring was and that it existed, where as if we’d have gone up the lock we might have been in a situation where no mooring opportunity showed itself.

After our cuppa in bed we rolled up the covers headed a short way up stream where the river was a touch wider. Mick then made use of the current and wind to help turn the bow round to face down stream. We pootled our way to the meadow and pulled in where there was maybe a touch too much goose poo, but it would do us.

With breakfast out of the way we set off to walk the mile and a half to the mill. On reaching about a quarter of the way Mick said he’d not got the National Trust cards, would they allow us in just with our booking confirmation email? Possibly, but he turned back to the boat. I said I’d walk onwards, we’d left just about the right amount of time to walk, would we make it in time?

I slowed my pace, took in the wild flowers on the verges. All the thatched roofs had straw finials, some quite amusing. Had Mick got back to the boat by now? Should I quicken my pace again, would we reach the Mill in time for the tour?

**Across the field that had been cut yesterday**

Mick appeared on the Brompton, I should have carried on walking at a normal pace and not slowed so he could catch me up. I had to quicken my pace now, the mill only open for tours on Wednesdays and the weekend, if we missed our slot then that would be it!

Thankfully we managed to arrive in time to stash the bike somewhere and have a quick comfort break, still with a couple of minutes to spare! Phew!!!

In 974AD the Manor of Houghton and the Mill were given to Ramsey Abbey, all the local farmers used the mill and a cut was taken off as payment, a mulcher, for the Abbey. The mill was kept very busy and the Abbey became very affluent. New sluice gates were added to the river to increase water headed to the mill, but this caused flooding in the village. After ten years of campaigning the villagers got their way and the river was returned to it’s old course.

After the dissolution of the monasteries, Ramsey Abbey was flattened, the mill was still seen to be very profitable and was taken over by the crown. Ownership passed to the Earls of Manchester who leased out the mill as a commercial concern.

In the 18th Century there was a rapid development in mill technology. The original mill had had one water wheel this was increased to three at it’s peak. Inside ten pairs of stones milled the flour operated by eighteen people. In 1850 the mill was run by the Brown and Goodman families and was producing a ton of premium white flour every hour. This flour supposedly improved if left for five to six weeks, just the right amount of time for it to have headed down stream to Kings Lynn, round the coast to the Thames estuary and in to London where it would reach the best price!

But in the later part of the 19th Century technology took milling away from mill stones and Houghton just couldn’t compete with steam driven mills. The repeal of the Corn Laws brought in cheaper foreign grain which was milled at the ports to help feed the growing work force of the Industrial Revolution. Houghton Mill moved to milling animal feed and the work force reduced down to two.

**A corner showing how the YHA had looked**

On the retirement of the last miller in 1928 the mill closed and the water wheels were removed. In 1929 the local council bought the mill, it was soon earmarked for redevelopment. In 1934 Houghton Mill Restoration Committee leased the mill and sublet it to the newly formed Youth Hostel Association, providing accommodation for fifty people. In 1938 the committee managed to buy the mill and then handed it over to the National Trust for £1, the same as the original mill had cost to build.

In 1983 the mill was opened to the public, repairs were made and milling could resume with use of the original stones powered by an electric motor. Millennium funding was then sought to reinstate the water wheel.

Sadly due to the mill having to close during the pandemic the water wheel was left idle for too long. The wood that sat in the water swelled soaking up the water and the wood at the top dried out. Once they got it started again the balance was seriously off! They were recommended to turn the water wheel as often as possible which had been helping, but sadly right now the wheel is in need of some tlc. The tour was very informative and well worth doing, thank you Sue from NB Cleddau for reminding me to check the days it was open.

A look around the village brought so many more chocolate box cottages and finials. Ducks, boxing hares, I couldn’t stop taking photos!

Then a round route brought us down Green Lane where both sides of the road were filled with fantastic Hollyhocks. Wow! We got chatting to a lady who is responsible for a third of them, they are wanting to rename the road Hollyhock Lane. She offered us some seeds, but the seed heads weren’t ready yet, maybe if we stop on our way back we might collect a few and leave them places to cheer up people next year.

Back at Oleanna we quickly pushed off again. The meadow as nice as it was really wasn’t suitable or Tilly with the number of woofers around. We winded and headed back upstream pulling in where we’d left five hours earlier, our end space still empty. In fact we had the island to ourselves for a couple of hours before three more narrowboats turned up, Tilly ended up having to share her kingdom with another black and white cat.

Act 1 of panto was read, props and setting notes highlighted with my neon pens left from #unit21. I did have to stop just as Queen Rat was proclaiming that the panto was over and the audience should all go home, she’d crowned herself Queen of England and wasn’t budging. We watched the news and caught up on events in London. I think real life events may run a similar course to those of Queen Rats in Act 2, but without so many belly laughs. Tomorrow will tell!

0 locks, 1.42 miles, 2 winds, 2 cards forgotten, 3 minutes spare, 10 stones, 3 waterwheels, 1 wonky wheel after the pandemic, I blog problem possibly solved, 1 Queen about to loose her thrown, 1 silent Whittington singing for the future, 1 country waiting.

Houses for Sale.

Houghton Thatched Cottage £550,000

Common Lane Hemington Abbots my favourite £1,500,000

Barnfield, Hemington Abbots £775,000, too boring to take a photo!

The Thing About Islands. 5th July

Dolphin EA Mooring to Houghton EA Mooring

The Norris Museum opened in 1933, purpose built to house the collection of Herbert Ellis Norris who left it and money to establish a museum and library in St Ives, a museum for the people of Huntingdonshire. A recreation of his study stands at one end of the museum.

The museum traces the history of St Ives from the Romans, through to Medieval times when the great fair was held every Easter, one of four main wool fairs in England, traders flocked from right across the country and others came from abroad. Mick recited the following rhyme to me the other day, although it could just as easily be relating to the other St Ives.

As I was going to St Ives, I met a man with seven wives, Each wife had seven sacks, Each sack had seven cats, Each cat had seven kits: Kits, cats, sacks, and wives, How many were there going to St Ives?

By the end of the 13th Century fairs were loosing their popularity in favour of places where goods were traded all year round, Flemish weavers out-competed the areas cloth making industry. Then followed poor harvests and the Black Death which killed half the population.

The Anglo Saxons settled in the area and founded the village of Slepe which became St Ives. Ramsey Abbey was one of the richest in the country and with a wooden bridge across the Great Ouse the town prospered. Oliver Cromwell was born in Huntingdon and for a time was a tenant farmer in St Ives.

There were freezes (good for skating), floods, a great fire which burnt down a large proportion of the town. Mechanical methods in farming brought about unemployment of farm labourers, the landowners grew richer whilst the workers rioted.

Outside in the courtyard a wonderful wisteria covers the building and lavender bushes line the paths. The museum may be small but it is looked after by very enthusiastic people, we nearly spent as long chatting to one chap as we did looking at the displays.

Time to move the boat, Mick umphed the stern out and we were soon reversing out of the arm. We winded and then headed over the other side of the river and up another arm alongside the Norris Museum to fill with water. Here were NB Casper and NB Mosi-y-Tunya. Brian and Ann on Casper invited us to breast up so that we could fill with water, the pressure not the best so there was plenty of time to have a chat with them. We seem to have a lot in common with them, Yorkshire and theatre. It was good to actually have chance to talk to you today and our paths will cross again upstream somewhere.

Backwards down the arm as there’s nowhere to wind, we then turned and headed upstream making note of the nice GOBA mooring on the outskirts of town. Up Hemingford Lock, another D shaped lock and past Hemingford Grey. Heather had mentioned the other day about the Manor House. Not quite so easy to just turn up as you need to book to go round the house and this is done either by email or phone. We’ll think about it on our way back.

We aimed for the Houghton EA Moorings. I’d spotted that they were really quite close to Houghton Mill a National Trust property. Last night I had booked us onto a tour round the mill for first thing on Wednesday morning, it’s only open weekends and Wednesdays. With a long stretch of moorings we tucked ourselves at the end and let Tilly out, four hours of shore leave.

During the afternoon we discovered that the blog had reached it’s maximum size! I’d been having difficulty uploading photos, so left it with Mick to see what had happened and see if he could sort things. We really can’t have used 20 GB this year!

I decided to head off for a walk, see where we needed to go in the morning and have a nosy around some of the islands that make up the area. The one we were moored opposite was being mown and the hay was rapidly being bailed up.

I walked with purpose to the other end of the island where the path petered out. Hang on!

I checked my map.

**Another lovely GOBA mooring, so long as you don’t want to get off it!**

We were on an island, with no means of getting off it without a boat. We have a boat, but there is nowhere else to moor Oleanna close to the mill. Oh B**er! I walked back and chatted to a lovely couple on a cruiser who knew the area very well. We could maybe go up the lock and pull in where a boat used to moor, they pointed out roughly where they meant as boats went past. Or we could tie up on the lock landing for our visit. Or we could go back and moor at Hemingford Grey Meadow and walk from there in the morning. Hmmm, what to do?

During the afternoon I’d had a much awaited for email. My Panto script has arrived! It is now printed out and awaiting a first read, all very exciting!

1 lock, 2.55 miles, 2 reverses, 2 winds, 3 familiar boats, 1 museum, 1 full water tank, 1 island mooring, 0 way off, 2 tours booked, 1 change of plan required, 1 ecstatic cat, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 1 panto script, 1 boater about to change into a designer.

https://goo.gl/maps/BgBk2uEpw2jZ3yT79

GT. 1st July

Ewell Fen GOBA Mooring to West View Marina EA Mooring

Today we had a rendez vous around midday so no shore leave for Tilly whilst we had breakfast. We pushed off and pootled our way towards Hermitage Lock passing more pumping stations, a cruiser and quite a few canoes. The canoes were almost certainly a batch of Duke of Edinburgh teenagers, maps out, rucksacks getting dribbled on and plenty of smiles.

**Four of the twelve boats we saw today**

A sign came into view, 3/4 mile to go to the lock, call the lock keeper. He was just penning a boat through, so would reset the lock for us.

The lock has a road bridge over the middle of it, chains hang from the chamber sides as well as below the concrete bridge, we’d have plenty of head room today going up onto the tidal river. A sign on the top gates and one before we’d entered the lock warned us of low water levels on the next stretch. A little like at Cromwell on the River Trent the tide only really affects the river here on spring tides and the lack of fresh water coming down stream isn’t helping with levels at the moment. So if you are deep drafted you need to keep it slow and steady coming out of the lock.

**Left 4.5hrs cruise compared to 8hrs to Denver on the right**

Once out of the lock the Hundred Foot Drain or New Bedford River heads off to the north east, tidal to Denver and Salters Lode. This is the fast route back to the Middle Level, we may or may not go this way on our return.

**Another route to Denver but access is denied**

Then pretty soon the Old Bedford River follows off to the north east too, a straighter version of the new river, on our maps it’s marked as none navigable for nearly half of it’s length, we won’t be going that way.

**That’s a bit of a haul up out of the water**

Earith soon comes into view a village that was once a port. Most of the wharves and warehouses have long gone, but there are still a few signs of it’s past. This is where Jewson and Son’s was founded.

West View Marina was soon upon us, would there be room on the pontoon for us today. As we approached it appeared to be full, but two narrowboats hid the visitor moorings from us, they were empty, we pulled in a little before midday.

A quick tidy up ready for our visitor who soon arrived by bus, calling in at the marina office to pick up a chilled medicated lunch for us all, Magnums which had to be eaten quickly as Heather had been waylaid on her way to us.

We spent time catching up on news and on one of the many tangents we went off on we discovered we’d both worked for Theatre Projects. Heather had been a PA to Richard Pilbrow and I’d made models of new theatres for them over a couple of years as I finished college, possibly twenty years apart but we both knew the directors of old.

With a cuppa consumed after the ice creams we walked over to take a look at Heather’s new (to her) boat, a Pedro. Every now and then on rivers we’ve started to spot Pedros and found their shape pleasing and being made from steel a touch more solid than your average cruiser.

Guilden Tass was bought last year with the intention of taking her over to Ireland to cruise the waterways there. Work is on going, taking it’s time, but one day she’ll have her prop back on, have had her hull blacked and be back in the water.

**Loads of room to sit, a touch out of place due to on going works**

Cruisers are a different beast to narrowboats, width and an indoor position to steer from as well as one right on the very top, but most of all they have wheels not tillers. Indoor is spacious, although the toilet/shower less so. All very exciting, I wonder if she will be back on the water before we leave the area?

**Covers over the outdoor wheel and morse control**

We left Heather to have some boat time on her own, she beamed as she slid the door closed behind herself. Another cuppa later on before we walked her to the bus stop to say goodbye and then have a nosy around the village. Have to say there wasn’t much to see other than a few nice looking houses and a very busy road. We did find the post office which may provide us with a newspaper tomorrow morning.

**Ice skating at Earith, is that GT in the back ground?**

1 lock, 3.66 miles, 1 visitor, 3 magnums, 1 Pedro, 2 boat Heather, 2 many cushions, 0 prop, 1 steep ladder, 0 shore leave for complaining Tilly, 2 Egrets, 1 list of places to visit, 1 very small world, 6 courgette fritters still needing a touch more refining.

https://goo.gl/maps/6P3UgoBcWgE1rknq8

Sock Drains. 30th June

Stretham Old Engine GOBA mooring to Ewell Fen GOBA mooring

Our delivery arrived bang on time this morning, the van pulling up directly above us in the layby. Mick headed up to meet the driver with numerous bags, it took a couple of journeys to get everything down to Oleanna and even longer to get everything stowed on board.

One of the fishermen behind us caught what must have been a pike, reeled it in and then took forever to remove the hook. All we could think was the poor thing. At least once the hook was removed they put it straight back in the water, it took quite a while to catch it’s breath and swim off, hopefully a good distance away so it wouldn’t have to go through the same trauma again.

At the same time a water vole swam across the river and was looking for a place to climb out, sadly it did it’s best to avoid my camera, hiding in the piling recesses.

We pootled past moored boats, one with a unique paint job of vikings and things.

The moorings at The Lazy Otter have gone. Heard on the grape vine that the current owners had applied for a change of use to a house and no longer a pub, which had been refused. We wondered if anything would happen if it remained a pub in the eyes of the authorities but just simply never opened!

Under the A10 and onwards west, the next bridge being Twenty Pence Bridge. How had it come by this name, was it to do with a toll, but it would have been a steep toll? There once had been a ferry here, then a lift bridge, it connected private land to a public road. In 1928 the owners of the land offered to pay 30s an acre towards the cost of making the road a public highway, a through route to the Isle of Ely. By 1931 the new bridge had been built and three steam lorries, two with trailers, representing a weight of sixty tons were used to test it’s strength. People came to view the bridge which now provided a new link between north and south. There are more interesting articles about the area here.

A white egret, some horses, dragonflies and a farmer pumping water from the river to water his crops, no wonder there’s been reports of the Old West being shallow.

At the next bridge we met one of just a handful of boats we’d see on the move today. This bridge Aldreth High Bridge was where the Aldreth Causeway crossed the Old West. The first mention of the causeway is in a Pipe Roll of 1172-3 when a payment was made. It was one of three causeways that crossed the fens to Ely, by the late 17th C it was superseded by the route via Stretham. The current bridge was built in 1901 the iron railings made at Eagle Work Foundry in Ely.

Mick noticed on our maps that the drains on the south side of river are called Sock Drains, First, Second, Third and Forth. Are these the only hosiery drains in the fens? Wonder how they got their names, I can’t find anything on the internet about them. If anyone knows please get in touch.

Not far now and the GOBA mooring came into sight, they are obviously popular with the local cows, well trodden hard earth alongside muddy patches. We found a good bit of bank and Mick fought to hammer our spikes in.

Washing was hung out on the whirligig and Tilly was given five hours of shore leave, although the lack of friendly cover meant she kept close to the boat. We had a couple of walks along the flood bank though, Tilly leading the way ahead until I thought we’d gone far enough.

Various bought items were divided up into portions to be frozen for later and my wild strawberry plants got some attention. Dead bits of plant removed and numerous babies sorted, some were planted in a new trough, the weaker ones left on the bank. If it wasn’t so dry right now they might take hold and become a treat for boaters in years to come.

0 locks, 6.7 miles, 2 boxes wine, 1 free loaf bread, 2 free pork loins, 4 hard nectarines, 2 Chris’s, 1 sorting of finances, 0 handed out, 3 lots of strawberries, 2 Tilly walks, 1 set of fresh bed linen.

https://goo.gl/maps/3RKDFSfFQWQLefG28

14 Days Anywhere! 29th June

Burlow Lode EA Mooring to Stretham Old Engine GOBA Mooring, Old West River

Time to do some boating again and leave the Loades behind.

What a grey morning! The waterproofs were at the ready. After a long chat with the fishermen who’d set up behind us about the National Trust wanting to flood the land, how bad the fishing was and how much the house across the way was on the market for (£1,050,000, it comes with a building plot with planning permission), we were ready to push off.

Slow going again until the way ahead got wider, followed by the Terns again.

Is this a hovercraft sat in the field?

At the two bridges there were several dog walkers, one lady on one side of the water another two opposite, they were waiting for us to pass before getting their dogs to swim across to each other. The dogs were being very patient and loving it at the same time.

NB Ivy May turned out from Wicken Lode a short distance in front of us, they’d had two days moored at the end and really enjoyed it. Today there was space on the EA mooring despite some overstayers, but who knows their circumstances.

A boat was moored in the middle of the lock landing which is also a water point. NB Ivy May just about managed to get in front of them and we did our best to squeeze in behind, but had to stick out across the cut as we were about four foot too long for the gap. Our next water point wouldn’t be until Friday, a load of washing had just finished, so we needed to fill the tank. NB Ivy May disposed of rubbish and then made their way through the lock whilst we filled with water. Eventually the boat in the middle moved up after Mick had suggested that the owner may believe he can moor anywhere for 14 days even water points, but that it was very selfish to other boaters requiring to use the services. He didn’t have a hose and was going to fill up using jerry cans, I also suspect he didn’t have a key either as he looked a touch perturbed when he returned to see the water point closed and us heading off into the lock.

By the time we reached the lock it had reset itself. The top gate almost closed, letting a small flow through and the bottom gate open that bit more. It took a little while for me to work out what was what as you can see next to nothing of the lock from the controls at either end, but we were soon through and on our way again.

Straight on past the pub, the river view tables all full, people waving as we went past. A narrowboat came towards us, quite a long way over and heading for a big willow, thankfully the two dogs on the roof managed to stay onboard.

The heavens opened as Ely Cathedral showed itself again on the skyline.

Popes Corner, time to turn towards the west and onto the River Old West. There are several EA moorings on the first bend but we had our sights set on the GOBA mooring at Stretham Old Engine, hopefully there would be space for us and it be a suitable place for a supermarket delivery.

Another speed check, we were well within it at 42 seconds. Plenty of others were going that bit faster!

The chimney of the old engine showed itself, then the mooring. One boat and a handful of fishermen, but plenty of space for us. We pulled in and settled down for the rest of the day, making amendments to our big shopping order.

A little walk round late afternoon we had a little nosy at the museum. Sadly it is only open on Sundays, maybe every Sunday or maybe the second one each month! Too long for us to hang around to see inside.

Stretham steam engine replaced four windmills that had been trying to drain the surrounding fens for years, they’d struggled to cope with flooding and were at the mercy of the weather. The engine was built by Butterleys in 1831 costing £4950 and it scooped water up into the Old West River. The coal to drive the engine arrived by barge, chunks of 2 to 3ft piled high in the yard, these had to be broken up before they could be burned, the engine using a quarter of a ton an hour. It was one of only three drainage beam engines left in the Fens. It was used for over a hundred years and then was replaced by electric pumps. What a shame we won’t see it running.

1 lock, 8.05 miles, 2 straights, 1 left, 1 shower to be missed, 14 days! 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 0 rubbish,1 order completed after 12 goes, 1 closed museum, 1 fishing tennis fan, 1 looping the loop Spitfire.

https://goo.gl/maps/yyUbrGNLjXzpfTJ69

Not The One In Wales. 28th June

Burwell EA Mooring

Our neighbours were off before we’d even got our cuppas in bed this morning, heading off to make the most of being on a boat for a week. We weren’t tardy either this morning and found ourselves waiting for the No 11 bus towards Cambridge at 10am.

Sitting on the top deck gave us great views, it’s almost hilly round here! There are interesting buildings in many of the villages and plenty of thatched roofs to admire whilst passing at their height. If we had more time it would be interesting to have a look around St Cyriac and St Julitta churches, both share the same church yard. The Maltings in Burwell with it’s quirky roof line. Burwell Museum and Windmill, only open Thursdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays. Or walk round Lode where numerous thatched cottages require there to be boxes of chocolates on every street corner. Sadly they all passed too quickly for photos, well except the later where the bus has to do a three point turn to continue on its route!

We alighted and walked round the corner to the entrance of Anglesey Abbey. Not an abbey and not in Wales, but a rather fine house cared for by the National Trust. With huge gardens and access into the house we were to have a busy day. The offer of a garden highlights tour soon to start was not to be missed and we’re glad we went along as we’d have had no idea what we were looking at.

Jean was a very knowledgeable guide who first took us to see the wild flower meadow. The meadow is left alone for much of the year, the paths cut frequently but the main area only getting one cut a year once all the flowers have set their seeds. She pointed out Common Birds-Foot-Trefoil, known as Eggs and bacon due to its colouring, Knotweed in amongst the grasses.

Pyramid orchids and a rare Lizard Orchid that has appeared in the gardens this year.

We paused at a shrub covered in cobwebs, competing with Miss Haversham’s table covered. This was caused not by spiders but by a moth that weaves it’s silk, the caterpillars eat the shrub beneath before turning into small white moths. Today a few of the adults flitted about, a resting one on someone’s finger. This looked very much like the little things that have been appearing on Oleanna’s cabin sides over the last few weeks. Inside the cratch we’ve had incredible webs, that we’ve been putting down to new very keen spiders, but maybe we’ve got moths in there!

We walked through avenues of trees all given celebratory names, Coronation, Jubilee. Then areas of wood with perfectly positioned statues.

Into the rose garden, just finishing it’s first flush of blooms. Here we heard how the roses were cared for, planting in cardboard boxes is a new method to try to ease the influence of the soil in the beds, far cheaper than replacing all the soil every time new roses are planted. We took in the aromas from the blooms, very reminiscent of childhood making rose petal scent.

Around the exterior of the house we were shown the trained pear tree and then on to the herbaceous border garden where delphiniums towered high at the back of the flower beds. This was the garden currently in it’s prime. I could name loads of the plants but I can’t remember them all so photos will have to do.

The Fairbourne brothers who owned the house from the 1930’s loved gardens and the whole layout would have one garden coming into bloom as another passed it’s best. The next garden over had recently been planted out with Dahlias which would take over as the display garden in a couple of months time.

A very worthwhile tour to have done, one that will change through the seasons.

**The Oak Room for after dinner drinks influenced by Coe Hall in Long Island**

Anglesey Abbey started out as a hospital in 1135 and by the early 13th Century it had been converted into an Augustinian priory. Of course when Henry VIII came along (1536) the priory was dissolved. The ruins of the priory formed the core of the present house, which was built in the early 17th century. The house changed hands many times through the centuries, with not much changing.

In 1848 the Reverend John Hailstone bought the house and made various changes to it’s fabric, removing Jacobean dormer windows and creating the stable block. It was probably him who changed the name from Anglesey Priory to Abbey, the latter sounding far grander.

Urban Huttlestone Rogers Broughton (Lord Fairhaven) and his brother Henry bought the house in 1926. They had inherited £1million each when their father died, their family were very very wealthy Americans from oil refining. Urban was granted his Fathers Barony and became the 1st Baron of Fairhaven. The brothers agreed that the first to get married would sell their share to the other, so when Henry married in 1932 he sold his share to Urban. The house and estate complimented their horse stud at Barton and being close to Newmarket. Now they could enjoy the races in the summer along with shooting in the winter.

Between 1926 and 1930 the brothers altered the house, adding a new porch, spiral staircase and engine room. They also converted the stables into garages. In 1937 Lord Fairhaven extended the service wing and built the Library and in 1939 he added the Tapestry Hall. Money being no problem meant that anything that took Fairhavens fancy could be bought. This makes for an eclectic collection of objects and works of art.

Numerous paintings line the walls, collections giving rooms a theme. One corridor is filled with paintings by an artist Etty known for his historic nudes.

Numerous tapestries hang in corridors and down staircases. Some are old, others obviously commissioned with images of the house. There were one or two that seemed a little bit familiar as though elements had been included from the Marlborough Tapestries at Blenheim.

But all eyes are encouraged towards the Library. A large high ceilinged room, books line the walls, desks each end and sofas by the fire. Opposite hangs the main feature. A couple of months ago the largest known painting Constable painted returned from being cleaned. The Opening of Waterloo Bridge 1817, now reveals crowds waving from buildings and one figure is thought to be the Price Regent as it is the only figure wearing a wig. The volunteer in the room was obviously very proud as he talked about it.

**The Library was made from reclaimed ash from Waterloo Bridge**

If you peek through the leaded windows behind the desk you can make out graffiti, etched by Fairhavens guests. Several of the royal family’s names appear here, sadly my photos didn’t come out, Elizabeth R is there.

Down below stairs the kitchens are open for viewing. An old range is accompanied by several electric cookers. Behind the bars in the safe sit shelves of crockery and a bust of Winston Churchill.

When Fairhaven entertained, three guests his preferred number, dinner would be served at 8.03 in the dinning room, giving the guests three minutes to walk from where they’d had pre-dinner drinks. Then every evening just before 9pm a radio was brought through to the dinning table on a sliver tray so that the news could be listened to.

A house that went on and on, room after room filled with such an eclectic collection of alsorts and then a garden that stretches on for what feels like mile after mile and then some more. What a place, what a very rich chap!

After the house we retired to the cafe for a jacket potato each and a pot of tea. Another walk round the grounds, taking in the Mill this time, sadly it’s closed at the moment. Then it was time to walk back to catch the bus back and give Tilly a head nudge or two.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 buses, 1 huge house, 1 even larger garden, 2 avenues, 56545378 moths, 1 lizard orchid, 8ft Constable, 1 cat up high, 1 parrot, 1 replica ceiling, 2 jackets, 1 mill, 1 very good day out, now it’s time to go boating again.

Fens and Flutterbys. 26th June

Wicken Fen GOBA Mooring to Reach Lode GOBA Mooring

Time to dust off the National Trust cards, today would be their first outing since before the pandemic when we visited the Back to Backs in Birmingham.

Wicken Fen is 254.5 hectares and is a SSSI protected by international designations as a Ramsar wetland site of international importance. It is one of the oldest nature reserves in the country and the first to have been looked after by the National Trust after it was donated by Charles Rothschild in 1901.

Here you can see an area of natural fen land, no pumping out of water to dry the land for agriculture here, in fact at times water is pumped in to help maintain the land. Where we are moored at Monk’s Lode, water is pumped under Wicken Lode and into the fen by a modern windmill (on the left).

The last surviving wooden wind pump (on the right) in the Fens sits proudly over looking the swaying grasses and sedge. It was built around 1912 and was moved from Adventurers’ Fen and restored in 1956. The windmill sails still have sheets wrapped round them ready to to be stretched out to catch the wind, the round shape at the back is where the wheel is to lift water from the drain into the fen to help maintain a high water table.

There are several walks around the area, we chose to walk the Boardwalk and then the woodland walk. Easels are located at places pointing out plantlife, dragonflies, damselflies, birds and in the woodland butterflies. Most of the time living examples wizz past.

In a hide we settled down, quieter than a mouse to watch to see what might happen. The bird feeders attracted a lot of Goldfinches, I think at one point we had about six of them vying for the seed. Such colourful birds the air filled with only their song. Sadly the noise of some people coming into the hide sent them all flying away until the new observers settled down, but only a brave couple of birds returned.

Parts of the fen have changed due to drying out. More plants have taken hold and in some areas trees have taken root. The woodland area a haven for butterflies. There were numerous easels about them. We spotted a Brimstone that flew by and then politely hung from under a leaf, showing off it’s perfect camouflage, if we’d not seen it fly in we’d have never have known it was there.

Flittering White wings occasionally haphazardly flew past us, the odd Peacock and Red Admiral all butterflies of child hood. Then there were masses of small brown butterflies, few wanting to take a rest long enough for the camera to focus upon them. A Speckled Wood, but plenty more without obvious markings. All we could see at the time was a yellowy cream outline to their wings. Later on studying the photos black dots could be seen meaning that they were Ringlets.

We walked out across the fen spotting Meadow Sweet that will soon be filling the air with its fragrance, a smell I will always associate with the Chesterfield Canal. We’d been told to look out for orchids, were these some?

**That’s a nice narrowboat over there!**

Back round to where we’d started after a pleasant walk. You could spend several quiet days walking the fen, seeing and hearing all sorts of nature.

Across the way sat an old cottage with a colourful garden. In the open door way an invite for you to take a peek inside. Nobody had mentioned the cottage and barns, but we did as invited and took a peek. A cockerel came over to show himself off. An outside privy, just as you’d expect except that the newspaper to wipe one’s behind is now photocopied!

Boats used for catching eels with wicker traps, nets for plovers (lapwings). So much crammed into a few barns that we’d nearly walked past.

**This could be Reach Lode or Wicken both narrow and amazonian**

A late lunch and then we were ready to push off, more Lodes to explore. The cruisier behind had left earlier thank goodness as the wind was going to make it hard for us to wind, the bow constantly being pushed over and the stern heading straight for the bank. Eventually we got round and aimed in the right direction, soon meeting the trip boat coming back to drop off it’s visitors.

The going was slow again, I headed to the bow to spread the weight more evenly which helped a touch. A family filled a canoe and so many dragonflies flitted about like fairies. Or do fairies flit about like dragonflies?

We got almost to the junction before we were caught up by the last trip boat of the day. Mick had considered pulling in here to moor but there was still no space on the EA moorings, so we turned eastward had a discussion as to which Lode we’d venture down first, Reach came out top.

Now deeper, or so it seemed for a while, the going was a touch quicker. The Lodes are higher than the surrounding land and without flood banks you actually get a view.

At the fork we turned to the south east towards Reach, reeds started to surround us, swaying in the stiff breeze. Then masses of blanket weed, the sort that tangles props up really well. Mick knocked us out of gear to glide through such sections. Was this only to get worse the further we progressed? We were now just that bit to far along the lode to reverse out again, so onwards we went, thankfully the blanket weed gradually diminished.

At Reach the lode splits in two, well it looks like it used to. Signs warn that this is the end of the navigation and permission should be sought to moor from the Parish Council. Just beyond there were the GOBA signs. Was there space for one or more boats, would there be anywhere in full sunlight? There was space for two or three, but it all looked rather shallow. We tried pulling in where there was less tree coverage, here would have been good last week for the 32C day. The depth prohibited access to land, we backed up and tried again. All the time the stern getting stuck on the bottom. We eventually made it back to the start of the moorings, the bow almost came into the side, just enough to get off, then Mick powered Oleanna round. The ropes were wrapped round trees, we were moored, our plank only just long enough to reach land. This however wasn’t a problem for Tilly!

We hope that tomorrow we’ll be able to get ourselves free again, as it may be some time before anyone else ventures down here!

0 locks, 4.08 miles, 1 wind, 1 left, 2 rights, 1 big fen, 2 windmills, 6531 butterflies, 431 damselflies, 311 dragonflies, 1 canoe, 1 cat tip toing along the plank, 6ft plank only just long enough, 1 very shallow mooring, 0 sight seeing from here, 1 supermarket delivery moved back.

https://goo.gl/maps/Re6B6stACL6d2AiD6

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna