Fens to March and back to Crick

To get to the River Great Ouse from the Nene you first have to cross the Fens by way of the Middle Levels.  This channel starts at Stanground lock, just outside Peterborough, and ends at Denver lock where you join the Great Ouse. Known as the Nene-Ouse link it’s a 28 mile link across the Fens. This journey is possible in a day but most people take two, stopping at March overnight.  We’d decided to chugg to March, spend the night and return the next day.  24 hours notice is required to pass through Stanground lock, we booked and arrived on time at 9am only to discover that you require a special windlass and key for the lock between Stanground and Denver, which the lock keeper is more than happy to sell you.  We were lucky, as we had booked a return trip through the lock for the next day the lock keeper offered to lend them to us.

Stanground Lock entry to the Fens

You pass through Whittlesey on the way to March, which is interesting as the channel through the village is only wide enough for one boat at a time, banks are 10ft high concrete and there is a very sharp right hand turn under a bridge. Shortly after leaving Whittlesey you cross the Greenwich Meridian Line.

Whittlesey Dyke

Reached March 2ish, took a bit of a gamble in hoping we would find a stretch of water wide enough to turn round in. Moored in the town centre and spent the afternoon wandering the streets.  Pleasant enough town, small but excellent local museum, plenty of shops and good fish and chips.

March moorings

Crossing the Fens

Returned to Peterborough next day (Thursday), sun all the way.  Had booked the lock for 2.30pm, passed through on time and handed over the borrowed windlass and key.  Moored on the town quay in Peterborough for the night.  All the services are provided on the quay including  free pumpouts.  Sun stayed out for Friday as we made our way to Fotheringhay  mooring just after the bridge.  Met Jayne & Carl for drinks at The Falcon Inn.  Thrapston was next day’s stop where we again met Jayne & Carl for a few drinks, this time accompanied by Tash & Joyce.  Thrapston’s only a small town/village with a short High Street but lucky enough to have, that we counted, at least 5 pubs plus an hotel. We only managed 2 and the hotel.

Sunday saw us chugg, in dull weather, down to the moorings at the Rushden & Diamonds (now Kettering Football Club).  Reached Cogenhoe next day. Strong winds and rain overnight, and delayed the start next day hoping for a drop in the wind.  After lunch decided to head for Northampton and had such difficulty getting away from the bank, due to the wind, that we changed our minds and remoored for the night.

Back on the Nene

We needed diesel and water and decided to call in at Billing Aquadrome Marina, as they were not due to open until 10am we had a later start than normal and left Cogenhoe at 9.15am.  Eventually made Northampton about 2ish, shopped and then carried on to locked 13 stopping 300 yds short of the M1 for the night. Next morning we made good time  climbing  the remaining 13 locks out of  Northampton , all set in our favour,  and turning right at Gayton junction by 11am.  Crick was reached after lunch next day (Friday). 

We really enjoyed our trip down the River Nene and would recommend it.  The ideal would be to take about 4 weeks, preferably in sunshine, and stop and look at some of the villages and do a few walks.

Not yet decided if we we’ll go out again this year, but for now that’s us signing off.