Sunday 11 March 2011 Salters Lode

Last night we really lived it up and went to Weatherspoons where the beer is £1.99 a pint, mine was free because I had a steak. The moorings were as peaceful as normal, but I do wonder what they will be like in the summer when people are out in the park in the evenings.

We set off this morning at ten to ten, just before the fishing match started, we thought we were clear of them but found another 8 on the other side of March, almost up to the railway bridge.

The weather was warm sunny and still, if the pressure goes much higher I will need a new barometer as its almost full scale. As we approached the wind farm not a blade was turning it was so still, but as we made our way past one by one they started move. We could see in the distance that they are half way erecting yet another one.

I rang Maureen at Marmont Priory lock to tell her we were on our way and when we arrived the lock was empty and one of the bottom gates was open, Diana rang the bell for her and then opened the other gate so I could go in. Maureen duly appeared with daughter and grand children and locked up up.

Just above the lock was a canoe with two adults and two children enjoying a morning on the water, they pulled away from the bank as I left the lock and then floated around while I passed them. From here the doing gets quite slow due to the shallowness of Well Creak. 

Upwell must have one of the most inviting Cemeteries in the country, just look at the welcome notice. Fenland District Council really want you to feel welcome.
As we continued along the daffodils are coming into bloom along the banks. One of the houses caught our eye due to its name. Its a bit when a road gets called officially “New Road” the name sticks for the next hundred years.

Just before Nordelph the Middle Level Commissioners have built a very natural Otter holt using old logs, the reads have grown up around it and it is blending into the surroundings very well.
Nordelph has a public visitor mooring, unfortunately it is next to a busy road and a bridge, it use to be opposite the pub, but that has now closed down and become a private dwelling. They also have a very imposing village hall that looks like a large Georgian house with the War Memorial standing in front of it.

 

We arrived at Salters Lode at about 3pm. and took a walk along the bank of the Ouse towards Denver Sluice, Its a shame there isn’t a foot bridge across the New Bedford river which would give access to the Jennings Arms pub, I knew there was a reason I should have bought a canoe or inflatable.
We will sit here now until some time tomorrow, I am guessing it will be about mid morning as we have to wait for high tide to traverse the half mile down to Denver Sluice.
Just beside us is The Old Bedford River. The other end of this is Welshes Dam where we visited by road on our way home last trip.