River Ouse

It's been a busy couple of weeks catching up with friends as I return to home waters. The journey through the middle levels was a gentle trundle through the fens. The views are limited in many places as the route is primarily a drainage system and therefore tends to be straight with high banks. However, the villages of Upwell and Outwell offer a pleasant diversion as the river narrows as it winds through.

 

The passage across the tidal Ouse, out from Salters Lode lock and up through Denver complex was unusual and very quick. There were 5 boats waiting to go through when the lock keeper advised that as the tidal river was level with both the middle levels and the non-tidal river. This meant he had a 10 minute window when both locks could be opened at each end allowing boats to pass straight through. I followed the other boats and made my fasted passage between the two waterways. It felt very strange approaching a lock without a gate at the far end.

The unusual site of a lock with both gates open

The highlight of the trip to St Ives was seeing this seal with her cub on the river bank above Earith.

 

 

 

I spent the next few days hopping between St Ives and Godmanchester. The church at Hartford looks particularly impressive from the river

 

 

Whilst in the area I enjoyed a BBQ with good friends Paul and Debbie on the meadow at Houghton. The next day Catherine Pool, another Wyton escapee joined me for a day cruising down the river where we had a bankside picnic before heading back to St Ives.

 

 

I spent the last few days cruising up the river to Bedford where I spent couple of days exploring the town while watching the busy rowing and canoeing club nearby. It was good to see so many youngsters enjoying the river. I then travelled the final couple of miles up river to the limit of navigation - the furthest point one can take a boat. There are plans to build a link between Bedford and the Grand Union canal at Milton Keynes although it will be a few years before funding is raised.