Bru
Well-Known Member
Too right. And I will admit that it has occurred to me that the winters would be somewhat cheaper in Holland or Belgium than the UK when (if, no, when!) Jane and I can afford to move aboard and spend the summers cruising
Up the Colne
- Thread starter nortonmotors
- Start date
Too right. And I will admit that it has occurred to me that the winters would be somewhat cheaper in Holland or Belgium than the UK when (if, no, when!) Jane and I can afford to move aboard and spend the summers cruising
Otter
Well-Known Member
Is winter cheaper in Holland?
Phoenix of Hamble
Well-Known Member
Yeah... their snow is dirt cheap!
Kurrawong_Kid
Well-Known Member
Is that in a snowdrift; or a thread drift?Yeah... their snow is dirt cheap!
tillergirl
Well-Known Member
If you will forgive reverting.....
Phoenix of Hamble
Well-Known Member
Don't be so flakey.....
Tam Lin
Well-Known Member
I thought "What's wrong with Colchester?" However, the picture is not very flattering and doesn't show the town in its best light!
ex-Gladys
Well-Known Member
The Hythe area is out on a limb, long way to the High Street, and as a Colchester dweller, it's a very depressed area
nortonmotors
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the low water/no water photo - I guess it was taken a year or more ago and those buildings are completed now.
The quay itself seems to have had a make-over, but all those semi-derelict houseboats drag the place back down again.
A sill further down to keep some water there, trees on the quay, benches, ........... , or just let it return to being a run-down area?
I first visited there in 1981/2 when there were ships, working quays, and the all-pervading smell of fresh timber mixed with that of the sewage works.
The quay itself seems to have had a make-over, but all those semi-derelict houseboats drag the place back down again.
A sill further down to keep some water there, trees on the quay, benches, ........... , or just let it return to being a run-down area?
I first visited there in 1981/2 when there were ships, working quays, and the all-pervading smell of fresh timber mixed with that of the sewage works.
tillergirl
Well-Known Member
In fairness, that is seeing the worst side. On the camera side of the Colne are modern flat/apartments. The big building site will be complete soon and that is flats (although a bit of a slab side monstrosity). There is a Italian restaurant within walking distance, ditto a big Tescos and B & Q. But it is an old industrial area which is unsure whether it is now a residential area or business area.
tillergirl
Well-Known Member
No taken on 3rd August this year. They were still clearing the site for that building last year and the building was nowhere near complete two weeks ago.
Mandarin331
Well-Known Member
I'm happy to say that the main part is now complete, scaffolding mostly is gone, the pale red / pink colour of the building is not unpleasant and the students are in residence (it's university halls) - I reckon someone put a few nights work in to get it finished in time for the new term
I imagine most of the planned development stopped in the recession, so hopefully it'll get going again. I must say I though it a leap of faith for the council to put the pontoons in last year.
The smell is still bad depending on the wind, whether its the sewage works or a remnant of all that fishmeal discharged there I couldn't say but not pleasant some days. There's a few small shops nearby (one stop type shops) ,closer than Tesco's, a chippy, newsagents (and a Kawasaki dealer)
Edit - took some pictures whilst passing this morning, there's a massive build up of mud between each houseboat, so the only place left to moor is the pontoon, of course Colchester Harbour used to dredge a lot, so this is 15 years of siltation...
View attachment 45942
OK, for some reason I can only upload one, will try the second on a new post
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Mandarin331
Well-Known Member
tillergirl
Well-Known Member
Another triumph for the Colchester Planning Department! The building I mean.
Tomahawk
Well-Known Member
We are a mere 6 m ...... WIDE..
I wonder how we would get on if we moored front ends on?
I wonder how we would get on if we moored front ends on?
tillergirl
Well-Known Member
Would end up with your feet above your head in the bunk - unless you berth bum-to!
But I suppose you won't roll out :encouragement:
But I suppose you won't roll out :encouragement:
Tomahawk
Well-Known Member
On reflection...
Is a thread title "up the Coln" perhaps a bit suggestive?
Is a thread title "up the Coln" perhaps a bit suggestive?
nortonmotors
Well-Known Member
Here's another snap "Up the Colne".
Taken in 1981, it shows The Anchor at Rowhedge long before it was extended to its present size.
We stayed alongside for the night, the then landlord leaving the outside lights on so we could continue drinking there until the early hours.
Apologies for the photo quality, it's a scan of a very faded print.
Taken in 1981, it shows The Anchor at Rowhedge long before it was extended to its present size.
We stayed alongside for the night, the then landlord leaving the outside lights on so we could continue drinking there until the early hours.
Apologies for the photo quality, it's a scan of a very faded print.
Laurie
Well-Known Member
About 20 years ago (different career/life) I was party to seeing some plans and drawings to develop this area for visiting boats, and it involved a mini marina and all the peripheral facilities. The quay was pretty derelict then, but it seems all that has been done is to fill the area with flats, and the rivers potential, ignored.
Tomahawk
Well-Known Member
Oddly enough when someone proposed ideas o avoid that happening in a place not too far away… there was a general agreement that is was not wanted. In the end it will all turn to flats as that is in accordance with national planning policy designed to avoid building on undeveloped land.