The Best Laid Plans..... Wednesday 13th & Thursday 14th June

Wednesday 13th June
Ely to Five Miles from Anywhere, Upware
7.75 miles, 0 locks

Firstly it was 'Happy Birthday' to Chris and then we were off. Monty and I were the advanced guard - we went ahead to check that the marina was open for diesel and that there was room to pull alongside.  There was plenty of space as their entire hire fleet is out.

Then we were off meandering along the River Great Ouse

Until we reached Pope's Corner - this time we turned left on to the River Cam - new water to us.

We were surprised how wide it is to start with

and whilst we have seen many cows on this trip this is the first pair of horns.  A bit further on there were quite a number of Highland Cattle - I will try to have the camera ready when we return back to the River Great Ouse.

Our destination was Upware and the Fives Miles From Anywhere, No Hurry Inn

I am sure it is not five miles from anywhere, but it certainly has good 72 hour moorings for patrons.

It was our intention to go there for dinner, so we went up to have a birthday lunch-time pint and book a table which, being a Wednesday, I had assumed would be no problem.  How wrong can you be - they were fully booked!  It is a very busy pub and Wednesday is 'Pie Day'.  We were advised that we would probably get a table in the conservatory or bar area if we were there between 6 and 6:30.  A bit early for us, but needs must.

We actually decided to push the boat out and stay for what turned out to be an excellent lunch.  Chris had a chicken mayo baguette and I opted for the sausage and onion baguette.  Full marks for both, so we returned with high hopes for dinner.  We did manage to get a window seat in the conservatory - this was our table companion on C2.

With this as our view

The table number next door was on this enormous bird!

If you choose to eat outside you do tend to get uninvited dinner guests

 It is a boat friendly pub.  A little pricey for water, but if one was in need it is good to know it is there.

Was our dinner any good?  We both opted for the rabbit, mushroom and port pie and whilst it was not bad, it did not live up to our lunch.  I suspect we just made the wrong choice.  Still it is a good mooring with friendly and helpful staff inside the pub.

Thursday 14th June 
Five Miles from Anywhere, Upware

Today we were supposed to be going to Baitsbite Lock in readiness to arrive in Cambridge mid morning on Friday, however... As the title says - 'The best laid plans....'

We found out yesterday that the Cambridge June Bumps (University rowing races) started on the 13th June and don't finish until Saturday 16th.  We were advised that there were navigation time restrictions and as narrow boats and rowing eights etc are not good bed fellows we decided to re think and look at other options.  To be honest our original plan of Saturday to explore Cambridge was probably not a good one as it is bound to be very crowded, so possibly The Bumps have done us a favour.

So here we are, still in Upware being buffeted about by 'winter winds'.  Something we have suffered in the past, but on a very different sailing vessel.  Twenty years ago we went on a Kaiki Cruise around some of the Greek Islands.  A Kaiki is a traditional Greek boat.  We flew into Rhodes full of hope for our Silver Wedding treat to ourselves.  A taxi dropped us at the harbour and we found the boat - it was deserted!  That did not fill us with confidence!  The crew and other passengers (we were a total of 10) arrived eventually and we set sail the next day.  The crew should have included an English speaking courier - it did not.  The Captain's English was okay, but the deck hand and the two Greek ladies who were supposed to cook and clean spoke no English at all!  Breakfast was included and we knew we would be given the option of either eating lunch and dinner in port or paying to eat on board. We all opted for the former as we had no way of communicating with the supposed caterers.  Cleaning was almost non existent and even the bins (including those in the loo!) were rarely emptied and the two ladies wore the same dresses for the entire 7 day cruise!  So where did those winter winds come in?  Well they blew for the whole week.  The saving grace of the whole thing was that the Captain was an excellent seaman.  We were supposed to be able to eat breakfast as we sailed, but we rocked and rolled so much that that would have been impossible.  We mostly lay on the deck mattresses under blankets!!  It was memorable and being Brits we all pulled together and we all got some money refunded when we got home!

Well as I type those winter winds have just blown the plant trough on the roof onto its side!  Friends of ours made the transit from Salters Lode to Denver Sluice in this wind this morning - not an easy passage without wind, never mind in these winds.  Not much has moved today and no one has left here, so we have hunkered down to catch up on some jobs and there is always walks with Monty.

From here you can walk to Reach Lode lock and follow it along past a long line of permanently moored boats.

This is navigable, however the turning point at the end is not big enough for us.   Burwell Lode goes off Reach Lode - we could turn round at the end of this, but we won't even try due to the amount of weed. 

At the end of the permanent moorings is a short EA mooring for visitors - I do wonder how often it is used.

Then over the bridge above, described in our Imray guide as a "cock-up bridge" - I don't know why either!

and it is either straight on along Reach Lode

or left along Wicken Lode - this too is navigable, but much too narrow and weedy for us

It is a National Trust area and a great walk whether you have a dog or not.

Far reaching views

Water Lilies

in full flower

the only sounds were the gentle ripple of water, the wind (there was a lot!) rustling in the trees and reeds, birds singing in the trees and just one small plane bumbling about in the sky - bliss.

In the distance I spotted this and I just had to go and find out what it was

 
A bird viewing area I assume

and that is the furthest we got when we turned back. 

When we returned we found Chris busy putting up hooks and with a visitor supervising him through the side hatch.