orf' topic - an Ouse question

[Baitrunner]

I know it may be against the rules to ask about such things as "other waterways". But has anyone any experience of the Ouse (Little or Great)?

 

Went down to Ely on Saturday and it seemed quite pleasant on the river there for a not very bright autumn day. Could imagine it gets busy in the summer though despite there being a lot of mooring spaces.

 

Thought I would ask if anyone had been boating down there and what it was like?

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Mark,

We have no such ruling on the NBN forum, the lounge is an area to talk about any subject within reason.

We even have a area in full members where other waterways topics are discussed.

Regards

Alan

[BroadScot]

Hi Mark,

 

Yup agree with Alan, we had a very good discussion about the Caledonian Canal a while back. Its one of the beauties of this site (yes I am Biased) that we can discuss other waterways. I've got a big waterway 400 yards from my front door, the Firth of Clyde

 

Iain.

[Baitrunner]

Hi Iain,

     Very interested in canals North of the border as well. Will have to try and find the post on that one.

 

Got some very good friends who fancy a canal boat trip with us and they also love Scotland - they visit every year to celebrate their anniversary after getting married up there (yes I was best man and had to wear the itchy skirt).

 

So a canal trip north of the border would be great - is it possible to pre-order sun like we offer down South? 

 

Wasn't Clyde the Orangutan who stared with Clint Eastwood in a few films? I like the way you named a Firth after him     

[Soundings]

We have just (this summer) moved from the Broads to the Ouse. We moor on the Little Ouse at Brandon Creek. Whilst it will always be busy in places like Ely, overall this navigation is far quieter than the Broads are in summer. This summer we cruised the length of the Little Ouse and saw three moving boats! We also went up through Ely and whilst the waterfront was busy we still found a mooring.

It is a nice area and the bonus for us is that it is connected to the other waterways and canals via the Middle Level and the River Nene.

[VetChugger]

Ditto what Soundings has said. Very pleasant cruising although the lock gear is a bit weird for us Yorkies used to ground paddles. Terms such as "slackers" seem to be used and you need a funny handle!

Only downside we found was that pubs had very limited opening times and we rarely managed to get fed at lunchtimes! That's more the Middle Levels than the supposedly "Great" Ouse! Ours is the "Great" one in Yorkshire!

[Soundings]

The Ship Inn at Brandon Creek feeds all day and it is a boat friendly (an dog) pub. The Swan on the River at Littleport is also quite good but I understand it can be a bit flaky re opening! The Middle Levels are a bit "raw" I agree - interestingly different but very isolated and not many hostelries, not that I can remember anyway,

[ChrisB]

We hired an Alpha 29 from Bridge craft at Ely for one week a few years ago. All the bottom end down stream of Hermitage is very quiet even in season. The tributaries Little Ouse, Wissey, Lark, Can and the lodes are delightful with very few locks all of which we passed through were automated guillotine type. EA moorings are for 48 hours and Bridge craft were corporate members of GOBA (Great Ouse Boating Association) who have about 20 privately leased 48 hour moorings. Being EA from an owners point means much higher licence fees. (Locks, automated weirs etc cost money) Marinas are also fairly costly compared with the Broads. Second hand boats on the other hand tend to be much cheaper. We have only cruised up stream as far as St Ives so don't know what it is like between there and Bedford. The section between Hermitage and Brownhills is tidal although about 30 miles from the sea as the New Bedford drains start just above Hermitage and seals are often to be seem there. Hireboats are not allowed to pass along these channels so cannot make the Denver Sluice circuit.

[Soundings]

Our mooring, which whilst not in a Marina is pretty secure, costs £75 per month for a 45ft boat. No leccie though!

[BroadScot]

Hi Mark,

 

This was the thread about other waterways as per usual went off topic  Well sort of.

 

 

Iain

[Baitrunner]

Thanks guys, some very interesting feedback.

 

I might have to give it a go at some point especially as there is an option to hire a boat as well - wasn't sure if they had much of a hire fleet down there. Might not be as nice as the Broads, but nice to have a change now and again.

 

Soundings, I cruised from Oulton Borad to Cantley in early autumn and only passed 1 boat! Mind you it was a foul day and I did question myself as to why I was out      Moorings definitely sound cheaper.  

[JawsOrca]

Mark.. you can't beat the broads.. we tried leaving...managed 8 years and are now paying for it... having spent 11 months (and 20 days?) rebuilding some old boat to come back to the broads .. so be careful if you do stray.. it's a nasty world out there!

[BroadScot]

Hi Mark,

 

After a bit of searching I think this is the thread of interest maybe to you. 

 

Iain

[Soundings]

And from the perspective of another (me!) - there is no way we would consider coming back. We have now even sold the Broads cruiser and bought something that will allow us to go across country should we so wish.

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Mark,

We went on the Union & Clyde Canals last year and I did post some pictures and discussed our time up there.

Sadly the Kelpies were not completed near Falkirk at the time, but the Falkirk Wheel was worth the visit.

One of the issues we had was that everything had to planned because the bridges and locks are operated by Scottish Canals and you have to work to time slots for everything which can be a bit taxing and my opinion takes a lot of the fun out of the laidback slowness of the canal holidays. This is not the case other than some staircase locks in the UK.

We will however have to go back to Falkirk just to see the "Kelpies"

http://www.thehelix.co.uk/things-to-do/the-kelpies/construction/kelpies-time-lapse-video/#.VHOPqYusW8A

Regards

Alan

[BroadScot]

Hi Alan,

 

Just recently the Kelpies were all lit up for Poppy week in red in the evening. Will try and find the pic. But I found this for now.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIEaBC6eOa0&feature=youtube_gdata

 

Iain.

[BroadScot]

Hi Alan,

 

Found it! 

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=811705212214636&set=o.523139894409022&type=1&theater

 

Iain.

[Baitrunner]

Yet another bit of information shared on the forum.

I had never heard of the Kelpies so had to have a google.

Now I feel educated. Who said this Internet forum stuff was full of mindless idiots? It's amazing what you can learn. Fantastic stuff thank you folk.

I am researching boat prices and routes already but need more holiday!!

[unclemike]

im annoyed as i visited the falkirk wheel 2 years ago and was in digs 2 miles from them without knowing about them, was working up there for a week could have found time

[BroadScot]

Hi Mike,

 

It only opened this year, not that long ago.

 

Iain.

[MauriceMynah]

BaitRunner,

 

My parents and I used to own boats on the canal system. I have had boats on the Grand Union as well as on the river Stort. Although I've not had a boat or holiday on the Fens or either of the Ouses, I suspect that the following point will hold true for them as it did for the bulk of the canal system.

 

The Norfolk Broads is a holiday area. You tie your boat up and irrespective of whether you are an owner or a hirer, you are on holiday. You visit one of the waterside towns or villages, and you are amongst other holidaymakers or people catering for the holiday trade. Yes the locals are there and there in force, but the whole atmosphere is one of people all happily holidaying.

 

Now go on the canal. You stop off at a riverside pub. Most of the customers in there are people who work in the area. They are there on their lunch break, or they've just stopped off for a quick pint on their way home.

 

The atmosphere in the shops and pubs is the same as it is in your shops and pubs back at your home. The holiday feeling just isn't there.

 

This isn't to say that you cannot have a really good holiday there, but what I'm trying to point out is one of the major differences.

 

Hope the above makes sense!

[Boaters]

We spent 10 years on the Ouse mooring at St Neots .A good river with many interesting and different places to see .Many of the mooring places were provided by GOBA the local boating association and were all around the system.The locks were a pain in busy periods but we made many friends passing through these locks together on our way along the waterway .We do miss it but enjoy the freedom of heading around the Broads knowing you will be at your destination at the time you estimated .We spent a day in the area recently as was surprised at the amount of liver-board canal boats on the public moorings,particularly Ely.For all this we are thinking of hiring a boat for a week to re visit our favourite haunts.Roy

[Baitrunner]

MM can see where your coming from, but....

 

I have been on a canal holiday before and didn't really see this side of things or as in some previous posts have anything thrown at us - maybe we were lucky.

 

We loved the fact you could just slide up alongside the canal edge, hop off with the dogs and walk along at the same pace the boat was travelling, then hop back on when you needed a beer. We found shops and pubs as well in abundance and found them very welcoming - in fact I have the picture of us on the boat after being in a pub around St pats day with our "traditional Guinness hats" on given to us by a very friendly landlord (yes we had consumed a lot of their Guinness stock that day which may have helped). 

 

And no fighting to get to a mooring before 4pm or they would all be taken and then playing bumper boats. And I love the way it's acceptable to use the bank to help turn the boat round!!!!

 

As I said I can see your point, but being only 40 mins away from our boat in Brundall I am probably spoilt with access to the Broads. I dont think we will move it, but it would be nice to see a few other waterways and it's always good to hear other peoples opinions and experiences.

 

I think this is great that I have had such a lot of feedback and information on canals and the Ouse on a Broads forum - what a diverse bunch you lot are.   

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Mark,

 

I can think of one advantage that some of the canal side pubs have which we have come across which we have never been offered on the Broads, is to have samples of the local brews on tap before we have purchased our drinks.

 

We have come across this both on the Uk canals and up in Scotland.

 

When we were up in Scotland last year we stopped at the Four Mary's in Linlithgow, not a canal side pub, but in the town, they had 6 real ales on tap and we men (three of us) had 3 sample drinks before we purchased our drinks the ladies had to put up with a bottle or two of wine.

 

Iain likes the "Old Post Office" by choice, maybe the beer is a wee penny cheeper

 

 

Regards

Alan

[BroadScot]

Hi Alan,

 

I did like the Old Post Office  I could park right outside on double yellow with my Blue Badge. Sadly, Greene King I think own it now, and they took off Sirloins from the menu. So we went elsewhere for my sis in laws birthday meal. It says it all, when we went in, the place was empty. Rump steak maybe popular and cheaper down south, but up here blokes are inclined to go for Sirloin Steaks. I will try and get to the Four Marys over the festive season when we are over and check things out if I can.

Oh forgot to mention, I complained to The Old Post Office web site, we now have a voucher for a bottle of wine and two meals

 

 

Iain.