Clive's Retreat Visitors Mooring (River Nene) - Saturday 2nd August
So now we were retracing our steps but before turning round we went into Oundle Marina to use their services and get diesel.
I was very sad to have to turn right out of the marina and not left to go down to the Middle Level. It’s a trip we have always wanted to make, but I doubt we will do now. Anyway, it is what it is and there is nothing we can do about it other than stick it out for 8 weeks and we haven’t got 8 weeks!!
Up through Upper Barnwell Lock and onto Lilford, Wadenhoe then Titchmarsh Lock.
Richard and Steve have found a way to speed up the working of the manual locks. If they both operate the wheel it is much quicker - that is unless one goes the wrong way!
The other end is a lot easier and they can rest while the lock fills 🙂
The River Nene runs alongside lots of gravel pits which are used for all sorts of things. Between Titchmarsh and Islip locks there is the Middle Nene Sailing Club on one side and Titchmarsh Nature Reserve on the other.
Back down to Thrapston and the lovely old Nine Arches Bridge. I took this photo as OtM came through.
We have seen some lovely church spires hiding in the trees as we cruise along. This one is Holy Trinity Church, Denford.
We had hoped to moor just beyond the pretty village of Woodford, but the mooring was all taken up. We carried on not knowing where we were going to stop but suddenly came across a Friends of the River Nene mooring which wasn’t on any of our maps. We pulled over and it was a lovely spot. We sat in the sunshine until the sun went down.
13.5 miles
8 locks
Manor Farm Moorings (River Nene) - Sunday 3rd August
We left our idyllic mooring and headed off upstream.
I think that Irthlingborough Lock is the deepest lock we have come across on the River Nene
at 7ft 9ins.
As we rose up the lock we could see a wide beam coming down the river, how fortuitous we
could leave the gates open.
We stopped in Wellingborough again to go to Tesco. We have no idea where our next large
shop will be. Richard had broken the bracelet on his watch and the battery had gone on mine,
so neither of us knew what time it was! Richard went to Timpsons in Tesco and got both
repaired. I've got a lifetime battery which cost £25 and his repair was free :-)
There are two reasons that we didn’t want to stay in Wellingborough overnight, one was the
goose poo and the other was the noisy Whitworth flour mill. The first Whitworth mill was built
at Wellingborough in 1886. It has an interesting history in that one Frank George joined
Whitworths as a milling apprentice and was soon running the mill for the family. When the
original owners came to retire in the late 1920s, it was no surprise that they sold their
business to Frank. The company has been in the George family ever since. They have
acquired many smaller mills and are now the UK’s largest miller. I had never heard of
Whitworth’s four before, to me Whitworths were dried fruit, and, lo and behold, on doing some
research the fruit business was founded by the same three Whitworth brothers John, Herbert
and Newton who started the flour mill in 1886! They continued with the fruit business after
selling the flour mill to Frank George. Small world!
We had two destinations in mind for today, one either side of Doddington Lock. The first one,
Manor Farm, had space for two narrowboats so we tied up there. The chairs were soon out
along with tea and biscuits which were followed by drinks and crisps. It was a nice warm
evening.
I had been trying to get a photo of one of the guillotine gates coming down and finally
managed to do it today.
11 miles
7 locks
Manor Farm Moorings (River Nene) - Monday 4th August
We decided to stay put today as the weather forecast was dreadful. Rain and wind, with
40mph winds at midday. I used the morning to get some housework done and catch up on
things. The afternoon was spent on research for our Germany trip next month.
We heard more bad news. There had been a murder in Northampton and Northampton Lock
was closed as divers were trying to find a weapon. They hoped to open the lock on Tuesday -
I hope so as the Northampton Flight is only open on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The
murder had taken place very close to where we were moored when we first came onto the
Nene. The poor man was found dead on a bench with an arm injury, I guess he must have
died through losing too much blood - how sad.
Rio loved the mooring at Manor Farm as there was a huge field which he either ran round or
hid in the grass.
Oh boy did it rain in the afternoon, it was stairrods. Tracey took this video.
About 5pm the sun came out and it was a lovely evening, so we sat out. We received some
good and bad news! Good for the people who wanted to go downstream as Lower Barnwell
Lock was open! Bad or even more disappointing for us as it was too late to go on and
continue our trip ☹️
We were wondering if we were going to have to rescue this sheep from the river, but it must
I saw this heron yesterday, I thought he posed beautifully!
The moorings we have used while we have been on the Nene have been created by The
Friends of the River Nene. There are 10 of them and if it hadn't been for them there would be,
basically, no moorings as the Environment Agency have only provided about the same
amount. I took this off their website.
On 26th September 2014, a meeting was held and it was said "let there be friends on the
River Nene". This how FOTRN's dream started.............. Our main focus is to improve the
facilities along the River Nene for all users and that membership shall be open to any
individual, who shares our passion for the river. So three friends and supporters started upon
a journey to achieve the not so impossible. Seven years later and we now have 700
members.
I think most visitors to the Nene join as for £12 a year you get to use their moorings. A very
good deal indeed. Thank you FOTRN :-)
No comments:
Post a Comment