Canal Boat — February 2018

THE CRUISE GUIDE

Northampton Marina 01604 604344

Billing Marina 07762 905145

White Mills Marina 01604 812057

Blackthorn Lake Marina, Ringstead

01933 622038

Willy Watt, Ringstead 01933 622038

Woodford Riverside 07740 169403

Lilford Marina 01832 272230

Oundle Marina 01832 272762

BOATERS’ NOTES

Visiting boats will need an Environment

Agency licence and a key to unlock the

locks. Boats continuing to the Middle

Level will need to give 24 hours’ notice

to Stanground Lock. Be aware that the

Nene can flood; if in doubt, tie up

somewhere safe. Do not attempt to

pass a lock which has had its top gates

held open and lower guillotine raised.

MAIN BOATYARD SERVICES

Chandlery

Gas

Pump-out

Diesel

Holiday Hire

Repairs

Elsan Disposal

Moorings

Slipway

WATERWAYS

FACTFILE

18 MILES / 7 LOCKS

FOTHERINGHAY

River Nene

in longer boats) visitor moorings in a small

arm above the bridge on the Islip bank.

This, it is said, is where the river

changes its name: up to now we should

have been pronouncing it ‘Nen’, but from

here on it’s ‘Neen’; although that’s been

the subject of some considerable debate.

Wellingborough and other places have

also been quoted as the demarcation point

• and the 1713 Century Act of Parliament
  which first authorised making the river
  navigable called it the ‘Nene or Nen’ as
  well as the ‘Neene alias Nine’ – which
  seems to keep all bases covered, as well as
  suggesting that the debate may have been
  going on for quite some time.
  The notoriously low bridge below Islip
  Lock has recently been rebuilt with more
  generous headroom. A large lake (yet
  more gravel quarrying) accompanies the
  navigation back out into quiet countryside,
  with Thorpe Watervill and Wadenhoe
  villages following – the latter with a rare
  example of a riverside pub with moorings.
  By Upper Barnwell Lock stands another
  fine mill (converted into a restaurant but
  currently closed) as the navigation
  approaches Oundle Marina. The tortuous
  windings of the river mean that the best
  place to visit Oundle town from is either
  here, or another three miles downstream
  at Oundle Bridge – where there are
  ‘unofficial’ moorings against a water
  meadow (the landowner asks boaters to
  leave early on Saturday and Sunday

mornings when fishing matches are held).

Wherever you moor, it’s worth visiting the

attractive old market town with some

interesting shops, a selection of pubs, and

a well-known public school.

The extravagant meanderings continue

to Fotheringhay, notable for the mound

which is all that remains of the castle

where Mary Queen of Scots met her end,

and for its fine church. There are moorings

(for a fee) and a pub.

The locks continue at regular intervals

(as they have since Northampton – even

without the hand-wound gates, this is a

river that provides a certain amount of

exercise), but the scenery begins to

change, as the valley starts to open out

into the wider landscapes of the

approaching Fenland.

Elton, Nassington and Yarwell villages

are followed by Wansford, notable for the

A1 road bridge and for a curious tale about

its name – related by author Daniel Defoe

among others.

An old mill building stands by Upper Barnwell Lock

Orton Lock, the last before Peterborough

8

52 February 2018 Canal Boat canalboat.co.uk