Monday 18 June 2012

Last thing yesterday evening we took the dog out walk and had a look at the silt bank outside Denver Sluice, it is much smaller than when we looked at it just 2 weeks ago and probably smaller than it was prior to all the dredging the EA did earlier this year. Just as we were returning it started to thunder and lightening which was soon followed by very heavy rain. I fitted a new weather station on Saturday and it is indicating that we had over 6 mm of rain last night.
When we woke this morning it was still raining but it cleared up and was fine by the time we took the dog out. We walked upstream and shouted hello to N.B. Yarwood and N.B. Matilda Rose, N.B. No problem was also there, but we didn’t see them.
As we walked back to Harnser the farmer put a load of cows out on the far bank who enjoyed a good run to the end of the field. Among them was a cow with calf, the calf was not to sure about going to the far end and turned back with its mother chasing after it.

We set off at twenty to eleven, by which time Yarwood and Matilda Rose had left heading for Brandon Creek, we turned left at the River Wissey just as it started to rain again, it was only a short shower and things soon improved with the gin clear water and a clear blue sky making it easy to see the fish and gravel bottom.
We pulled over at Hilgay to investigate the Rose and Crown pub. They advertise food all day, Tuesday to Saturday but their opening hours could hardly be described as all day, opening at different times on different days anywhere between 4 and 6 pm and nothing at lunch time. We walked up to the butchers who we have heard very good reports of, he also sells basic provisions like bread, cereals, tined stuff and papers. His home made pies looked very tasty. Just as we returned to the boat it started to rain again. By now there was a hire cruiser mooring behind us so it was a good job I went right to the front of the moorings.
As it was raining we had lunch not setting off again until it had cleared. As we were setting off the cruiser was topping up with water, there is a tap in a black upstanding pipe right beside the bridge wall.
Continuing upstream past the sugar beet factory we noticed that they are still producing a lot of heat which could be seen rising from the cooling towers, but of course sugar production from beet ended some time back and wont start again until September. Just beyond the factory the river widens out into a lake which is reminiscent of Tixal Wide except you can’t moor there as its all controlled by the factory fishing club. The reflections from here upstream were wonderful with the water again like a mill pond and only the slightest breeze at head height. Shortly after this we saw a Cuckoo land high in the trees and start calling, its only the second I have seen this year and the first to be photographed. 

I am not sure what is happening at the aqueduct but there are navigation bouts over halfway across the river and a notice about the River Dove.  
The next place of note is Stoke Ferry which is a pretty little town just touching the river. We took a walk their after we had moored up for the night, it has some wonderful old buildings as well as a fish & Chip/Chinese Takeaway store, Post Office and corner shop. One of the old buildings has been restored and this must have been quite a wealthy town in the past, but it looks very sad today, even in the sunshine. The old Railway Station and buildings stand all felon in the middle of a field, boarded up and waiting for something to happen.
About half a mile above this is Wittington where their is a GOBA mooring on the camp site, we arrived a little after 4 pm and as we pulled in a gent walked passed who turned out to be the site manager, so I was able to give him our details saving a walk to the office to book in. They also offer moorings to none GOBA members at £8 per night. The only down side is that it is right by the bridge that carries the A10 over the river so is quite noisy.