Well, the return trip was 200 miles and over a month shorter thsn our rambling journey up to Liverpool.
For the record it was 301 miles, through 159 locks, under 21 moveable bridges and along five tunnels. All in two days under a month.
Which made a total for the whole trip of:
809 miles
586 locks
98 moveable bridges
22 tunnels
All in exactly 17 weeks
Thursday, 29 October 2009
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Home!
4.30 pm and jut as dusk was falling we entered Bill Fen Marina at Ramsey to complete our four month cruise. Like all trips, you feel changed by having enjoyed them, yet quickly absorbed back into a world that should have changed too but has virtually not changed at all.
It was a short, easy and enjoyable final day. Having spent the night marooned by weed we woke to a glorious sunny day and soon poled our way out of trouble, fired up the engine and arrived at Floods Ferry where Star Daughter and Star Grand-daughter joined us for the final leg.
Floods Ferry is a friendly little marina and caravan park right in the middle of absolutely nowhere at the end of a tiny, bumpy arrow straight lane between miles of flat fields. It's run by a cheerful Dutch chap who's probably completely at home in such flatness.
The 'big sky country' is certainly at its best on a day like today - as we neared Ramsey we watched a golden sun slide lower in the sky. Half hidden behind clouds, its rays shone earthwards like something out of a medieval oil painting.
Tomorrow is the big tidy up, then a trip home to a mountain of bills no doubt and with a long list of winter jobs to do on the boat.
It was a short, easy and enjoyable final day. Having spent the night marooned by weed we woke to a glorious sunny day and soon poled our way out of trouble, fired up the engine and arrived at Floods Ferry where Star Daughter and Star Grand-daughter joined us for the final leg.
Floods Ferry is a friendly little marina and caravan park right in the middle of absolutely nowhere at the end of a tiny, bumpy arrow straight lane between miles of flat fields. It's run by a cheerful Dutch chap who's probably completely at home in such flatness.
The 'big sky country' is certainly at its best on a day like today - as we neared Ramsey we watched a golden sun slide lower in the sky. Half hidden behind clouds, its rays shone earthwards like something out of a medieval oil painting.
Tomorrow is the big tidy up, then a trip home to a mountain of bills no doubt and with a long list of winter jobs to do on the boat.
Tuesday, 27 October 2009
Trapped!
We're stuck, marooned against a bankside on the Middle Level. A mass of clinging, thick, impenetrable submerged weed has stopped us dead in our tracks.
It's the second patch we've hit since leaving Whittlesey. The first halted us too. After half a dozen descents into the weedhatch to clear the prop, each one of which saw it foul up immediately again, we poled to the bank and I 'man hauled' for several hundred yards until we were clear of the patch.
By now it was getting dark so we switched on the headlight and carried on, aiming for Floods Ferry and an overnight stop – but we didn't make it!
There's a strong sense of deja vu about all this – on our way out of the Levels we were swamped in clinging blanket weed. Now we're trapped in what looks suspiciously like a rotted down version of the same stuff.
Hopefully tomorrow we'll finally be able to battle through it and reach the marina.
It's the second patch we've hit since leaving Whittlesey. The first halted us too. After half a dozen descents into the weedhatch to clear the prop, each one of which saw it foul up immediately again, we poled to the bank and I 'man hauled' for several hundred yards until we were clear of the patch.
By now it was getting dark so we switched on the headlight and carried on, aiming for Floods Ferry and an overnight stop – but we didn't make it!
There's a strong sense of deja vu about all this – on our way out of the Levels we were swamped in clinging blanket weed. Now we're trapped in what looks suspiciously like a rotted down version of the same stuff.
Hopefully tomorrow we'll finally be able to battle through it and reach the marina.
The early worm catches the bird
Another early start and another great bird spot. Cruising down the Nene at 8 a.m. (that's early for us) we saw what looked like a large white plastic bag caught in the branches of a tree. But as we got closer it was a white bird – a beautiful, snowy white egret. What an elegant bird it is, very reminiscent of a heron with its long pointed black beak and tall, slender legs – complete with comedy yellow feet. But it is that pure white plumage that makes it so handsome.
(Egret pic by 'Squeezyboy/Flickr)
Monday, 26 October 2009
Top wildlife moments
Today we saw what was one of our top wildlife moments of the trip - a red kite on the ground with a kill that rose into the air as we passed giving us full view of its glorious markings and huge wingspan. It's been a good day all round for bird spotting - we've probably seen 8-10 kingfishers flash along the Nene banks.
Sunday, 25 October 2009
We've been clubbing
No not Ibiza style - River Nene fashion. We'd leftt Irthlingborough in company with Nb Lexa who was heading for Titchmarsh lock - seven locks away - and was happy to share locking chores (though with a faster boat and two fit blokes crewing they ended up doing most of the work). He's a member of the Mid Nene Cruising Club based there and told us all about the benefits of Clubbing with the MNCC as we travelled. Cheap moorings, free slippage, social events, a bar etc etc - though you have to join in and 'do your bit' to keep the place, well, shipshape. Not bad a trade really.
We left them behind and headed on to Wadenhoe where we thought we'd celebrate nearing the end of the trip with Sunday lunch at the King's Head there. (More of that later.)
Then our mental clocks still in Summer Time rather than the newly in force British Winter Time we set off again - only to find dusk closing in as we neared Oundle. Time for a bit more clubbing: we pulled up on the empty moorings of the Oundle Cruising Club, grabbed a couple of beers in the clubhouse before it shut and put a couple of quid in the donations kitty. Perfect.
We left them behind and headed on to Wadenhoe where we thought we'd celebrate nearing the end of the trip with Sunday lunch at the King's Head there. (More of that later.)
Then our mental clocks still in Summer Time rather than the newly in force British Winter Time we set off again - only to find dusk closing in as we neared Oundle. Time for a bit more clubbing: we pulled up on the empty moorings of the Oundle Cruising Club, grabbed a couple of beers in the clubhouse before it shut and put a couple of quid in the donations kitty. Perfect.
Nice pub - shame about the grub
The King's Head at Wadenhoe is a delightful pub in a delightful village. A handsome old stone building with a decent range of beers and a friendly welcome - you can even moor at the end of the garden. It's the sort of place you'd expect to be snobby but it is genuine and down to earth.
It's also, given its setting among the upmarket villages of the Nene valley, the sort of place you'd expect to have pretty decent food. Especially when you see the prices: a roast lamb Sunday lunch at £11.95 ain't cheap for a pub. And that's just the main course - puddings are a fiver.
Pleasantly served and nicely presented, it all looked good but the meat was chewy, the potatoes weren't crispy and the whole dish lacked any sort of sparkle. The home-made apple crumble that followed was stodgy and dry. What a disappointment. We weren't surprised to see another meal returned to the kitchen virtually un-eaten.
If we hadn't been typical uncomplaining Brits we 'd have said something. Instead we went back to the boat and I reflected on just how exceptional Starwoman's Sunday roasts were by comparison!
It's also, given its setting among the upmarket villages of the Nene valley, the sort of place you'd expect to have pretty decent food. Especially when you see the prices: a roast lamb Sunday lunch at £11.95 ain't cheap for a pub. And that's just the main course - puddings are a fiver.
Pleasantly served and nicely presented, it all looked good but the meat was chewy, the potatoes weren't crispy and the whole dish lacked any sort of sparkle. The home-made apple crumble that followed was stodgy and dry. What a disappointment. We weren't surprised to see another meal returned to the kitchen virtually un-eaten.
If we hadn't been typical uncomplaining Brits we 'd have said something. Instead we went back to the boat and I reflected on just how exceptional Starwoman's Sunday roasts were by comparison!
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