River Great Ouse - convince me.

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Deefor

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Looking ahead to 2013, I'm thinking of trailing the Viking 20 to the Great Ouse for three weeks in August. We'd normally have three weeks on the Broads but the number of hire boats is a bit disconcerting at times :eek:.

So, if any of you moor on the Great Ouse or cruise its waters, I'd be very pleased to hear from you about the pros and cons of what looks like a nice waterway :).
 
We would also be interested in this as it is somewhere we would love to visit, although we would do get the boat there by water across the Wash.

Unfortunately we have commited ourselves to the Broads for our main summer holiday for 2013 but the Great Ouse is on the list for 2014.
 
Likewise, although we're not committed to the Broads in 2013 - yet.

It was the sheer number of hire boats in the summer season that's a worry to me, especially their attitude to mooring and mostly "couldn't care less if we run into you" :mad:. On busy moorings, couldn't really relax until it was dark and the traffic died down. Having been to the Broads many times before but not in high season, we feel perhaps it's time to try somewhere else like the Ouse for our summer away from the Thames.

There doesn't appear to be any Ouse related forums or sites although I've posted a similar request on the Viking Owners club forum as many of its members are based on the Ouse.

Will see how we get on :).
 
Much information can be found on the Great Ouse Boating Association website:- http://www.goba.org.uk.

GOBA provide most of the best moorings (members only). Membership is cheap and very worthwhile for a three week holiday.

Its about ten years since I was based on the Great Ouse but have very fond memories.

Well worth a visit.
 
A lovely collection of Rivers

I spent many happy hours on this waterway before moving to the Thames. It is in a number of sections which all have their differences. Bedford to the Old West River, very pretty, village locations, pubs etc. The Old West River IMHO not very pretty but gets you to Popes Corner and the next parts. At Popes Corner [eastern end of old West] you can join the Cam and cruise down to Cambridge which is a lovely trip. EA Licence works for the Cam Conservancy who administer the Cam. Turn left at Popes Corner and venture up the Ouse to Denver Sluice, the tidal lock. Off this part of the river are a number of rivers joining, The Lark, The Wissey, Little Ouse, and a few more that I cant remember their names, again all very pretty. The section of River from the Old West [Erith, Cambs] to Denver Sluice is almost without locks including the various rivers that join. The Cam has a couple of locks and from memory one of the higher up rivers joining has been extended with one lock. Their are lots of pubs etc, various towns for supplies and many boat clubs. Their is a body called GOBA [Great Ouse Boating Assn] who have various moorings which I believe you have to be a member to use. They have a web site which no doubt explains all. After Ely it is a bit Fen Like in scenery, but that is all personal taste.
I suspect in two weeks you could cruise the network of Rivers. If you have a boat with low air draft [and not to much below the water line] and you are feeling brave, you can cruise through Denver Sluice, turn left at Salters Lode and join the Middle Levels, which are Fen drains and come out at Peterborough where it joins the River Nene. The other route is via the Wash.
Writing this has reminded me what great times I had on these rivers. I would throughly recommend a trip, and now considering one my self.
Their are keys you need for passage through the locks, but I would recommend a read of the GOBA site.
Their were pubs with great names, Five Miles from Anywhere was just that. The Lazy Otter and the list goes on. It is some years since I last visited but I am sure little has changed. Enjoy.
 
EA licence not on the CAM

Sadly, the EA licence no longer covers the Cam.

The Cam Conservators declared UDI last year ending the longstanding Interchange Agreement. They have accepted a Gold licence this year but I don't think they will next year. Also, they do not have a short term visitor licence - only an annual one!!! Quite simpy, Cambridge does not want visitors.

Very few of us based on the Great Ouse have taken out Cam annual visitor licences which were priced at 10% of the Annual Rate of the applicable EA tariff if purchased at the same time as the EA licence. If purchased afterwards the cost is 15% of the applicable annual EA Tariff - and if you get caught without a licence the penalty is 25% of the applicable annual EA Tariff plus possible prosecution.

For boats based on the Cam, you have no choice but to buy a Cam/EA licence which costs 110% of the applicable annual EA Tariff.

So don't bother with the Cam, enjoy the fantastic river of the Great Ouse and its tributaries (other than the Cam) and joining GOBA is a must.
 
Nice waterway "joejo" has desribed it well but I would add.

If you want to stop at the popular places get dont expect to get a mooring in the evening as the best moorings will all be taken by 4pm and don't expect many offers to moor alongside. (5 miles, Ely)

The visitor moorings in Cambridge are normaly full of visiting NB's, (the type that live aboard and never move!)

Do try Hilgay on the Wissey, or the levels and onto the Nene but you will need more than 3 weeks to explore the lot!

The EA licence covers all the rivers and the Levels need no licence at all, but on the Cam there is talk of re-introducing there own licences so keep an eye out for that one.

I would recomend trying it, the Ouse is quet compared to the Thames/broads and the Nene/levels has even less trafic.

There is a forum for the Ouse http://www.ouseabout.co.uk/
 
I keep my boat at Buckden on the Great Ouse. It's a very pleasant river and not anywhere near as crowded as the Thames or The Broads and even in August it's possible to find quiet stretches.

My favourite part of the river is from Buckden to St Ives and my least favourite section is from Ely to Denver Sluice due to the high flood banks and long straight sections.

A Viking 20 should be able to get just about anywhere.

I believe you can still use the first section of the Cam on an EA licence so a visit to the Five Miles from anywhere no hurry Inn would be possible and possibly a trip to Wicken Fen along Wicken Lode (which is very narrow).

There is a short tidal section at Earith but the tide only rises and falls by a small amount so it's nothing to worry about. That is also a good place to spot a Seal.

I did the Middle level through to the Nene in a Freeman 22 many many years ago, if you are planning to do that trip you need to check the tides at Denver Sluice and Hermitage lock and watch out for a huge sand bank at Denver Sluice. It took me about 2 days to do that trip and the Nene at Peterborough is nice enough.
 
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SimonA said:
I believe you can still use the first section of the Cam on an EA licence so a visit to the Five Miles from anywhere no hurry Inn would be possible and possibly a trip to Wicken Fen along Wicken Lode (which is very narrow).
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Click to expand...

That's right, the Cam is an EA waterway up until Bottisham Lock. Above the lock a Cam licence is required.

By the way, if you have a Thames EA licence you get 15 continuous days a year free on the Anglian Region under a reciprocal arrangement. So for a 3 week trip you only need to pay for one week on the Anglian Region - but this would not cover Cam above Bottisham lock.

We also like the reach above Eaton Socon towards Bedford which is much more wild than around St Ives so much to see and do. You could perhaps do a one way trip putting the boat in at Ely and taking it out at Bedford - or vice versa
 
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Thanks to one and all for posting so quick :).

I'm going to get my hands on a decent map of the area so that I can start to look at the places mentioned in more detail and hopefully it'll all come together :rolleyes:.

I like the idea of the quietness you guys mention and the NB's will remind me of Abingdon lol.

Once again, many thanks :).
 
mikemanor said:
You can view the interactive map of the system on the GOBA website at:

http://www.goba.org.uk/main.php?section=The_Great_Ouse|Cruising_Info

This will give you a good idea of where places are on the system. The EA also produces an excellent chart of the system, but you will need to ring the Customer Service Centre who will send one to you.
Click to expand...

I'd spotted the interactive GOBA cruising info page earlier on but now have a couple of questions:

1) By clicking on "locks", it only shows one between Huntingdon and St Neots. Is this correct?

2) Likewise with the "marinas" tick box, it only shows up two :confused:. I thought there were a few more?

Many thanks in advance :).
 
Ah yes - it seems the map is not at present complete. There are more locks than that.

More detailed info can be seen on the Google Earth file instead. If you have Google Earth on your computer go to:

http://www.goba.org.uk/text/google earth map.htm

and follow the instructions. The map starts off rather cluttered but becomes more readable as you zoom in. All the marinas, locks, moorings etc are shown.


If you don't have Google Earth you can first download it here:

http://www.google.com/earth/index.html

It's a free program.
 
Bridge heights and lock sizes for the Great Ouse are available here:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/130784.aspx

However, the Great Ouse is not a place for large boats. Depths can be around 1m or less for long stretches. Large boats are OK on the Ely Ouse but the Old West is shallow with low bridges to 3.0m.

Once on the Bedford Ouse (Earith to Bedford) there are shallow areas and St Ives Bridge is 2.7m. Further upstream Offord Bridge (at Buckden) at 2.5m is the limit of navigation for many. That is why upstream of Buckden is a delightful part of the river. Typically an Ocean 30/Princess 32 can get under Offord Bridge at normal levels - just and very slowly. Buckden Marina and a GOBA mooring are just below the bridge.

An Ocean 30/Princess 32 can squeeze through Cardington lock at 10ft 3" wide, a mile from Bedford, but just beyond Priory Marina in Bedford is a 2.3m bridge - bad news for the Ocean 30/Princess 32s who can visit the marina or the large GOBA mooring on Fenlake Meadow Nature Reserve just before - but if you can get under the bridge the delights of Bedford Town bekon. If you can get under 2.1m then you can get through the town lock onto the upper river and beyond into a reach rarely visited. Its a delight.

Hope that helps.
 
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