kings college cambridge river

Have you ever been to the Fens?

Do you want to visit charming English villages?

Can you imagine being the skipper of a narrowboat?

Our canal boat hire base can be found in the Fenland Waterways, on the Middle Level, between the River Ouse and River Nene. Our friendly, family business has been here for generations, offering you our many years of experience, and a warm welcome, from the descendants of boat builder, Charlie Fox.

These waterways in the east of England, are a unique network of navigable rivers dotted with wildlife, pubs and history, and are perfect for exploring by boat. Popular holiday routes are March to Ely, Ely to Cambridge, March to Peterborough and Peterborough to Fotheringhay. Our blog is packed with photos and suggested restaurants and pubs, historic sights, and things to do. These unusual waterways make it possible to cruise from March to Northampton via Peterborough. In the other direction; a boater could travel from March to Ely and Cambridge. The journeys include quaint English villages and towns, scenic countryside and dramatically photogenic Fenland skies and windmills.

Locks and Lock Keys

In Cambridge, the furthest you can travel in the summer is to Jesus Green Lock, because the Cambridge Backs are busy with small unpowered craft, (called punts). Hiring a punt you can see some of Cambridge’s most famous bridges and buildings, such as the Bridge of Sighs, and King’s College Chapel. Jesus Green and Midsummer Common are perfect green spaces to moor up a narrowboat for a picnic, and then explore Cambridge on foot. Baits Bite Lock is currently closed (November 2024) so there is no access to Cambridge until at least the next boating season (2025). It is however possible to hop on a train from Ely or Waterbeach

Notable points on the Fenland Waterways

Salters Lode lock, Denver Lock and Denver Sluice are notable points on the Fenland Waterways. The tidal Great Ouse means navigation is different to an ordinary manual lock and you’ll need to call ahead to check the locking times. If you’re used to boating in other parts of the UK you will find a normal windlass doesn’t work very well around here! An Abloy key, (provided) unlocks the control panels on the Nene and Ouse locks. The Middle Level Yale key provides access to the unmanned locks at Ashline and Lode End, and to the facilities block in March. There is also a special windlass on the middle level (confusingly called an Ouse key) that operates the slackers (paddles) at Ashline and Marmont Priory.

Historic Landmarks

Your holiday route may take you to Ely Cathedral, Peterborough Cathedral, and several unusual museums, including the Stained Glass Museum in Ely, and Oliver Cromwell’s house. Houghton Mill, is a working watermill that sells flour to visitors at weekends. Stretham Engine is a 19th century steam powered pumping station, once used to drain the Fens. The Nene Valley Heritage Railway can be visited from the Environment Agency moorings at Wansford Station. You won’t have time to see all of these in one holiday!

Food and Drink

Of course, a narrowboat holiday isn’t complete without exploring traditional pubs and enjoying riverside dining. If you make it as far as Cambridge, visit the oldest pub on the River Cam, The Fort St George. This authentic British pub dates back to the 16th century and contains oak beams, large windows, and an Inglenook fireplace for cosy evenings, plus plenty of comfy furniture so you can soak in the view of the River Cam. The Moorings Restaurant at the Crown Lodge Hotel in Outwell is just a short walk from Outwell Boat Basin. The Cutter Inn is a smart pub and restaurant located on the river Great Ouse in the heart of Ely, with river views. (Search for more food and drink options on our interactive canal map.)

Narrowboating in the Fens is also great for spotting local wildlife like swans, herons, and sometimes even kingfishers along the canals.

To be honest, exploring Cambridgeshire’s unique waterways by canal boat offers an unforgettable blend of scenic beauty, rich history, and local charm. From navigating the locks and discovering quaint towns, to visiting historic landmarks and enjoying traditional riverside pubs, each journey promises a relaxed pace and a deeper connection with the local heritage. Whether you’re cruising past the impressive towers of Ely Cathedral, watching kingfishers dart along the water’s edge, or enjoying a pint at a centuries-old pub in Cambridge, the Fenland Waterways invite you to experience the heart of East Anglia from a new perspective.

Feeling inspired? Plan your next narrowboat adventure, through the picturesque landscapes of Cambridgeshire.

For more essential tips about our local locks and landmarks enter your email address in the box in the right side bar (‘Follow blog’) and we’ll send you articles direct to your in-box. (We never share or sell email addresses, this is just to send you our latest blog posts.)

The post From Locks to Landmarks: A Guide to Cambridgeshire’s Must-See Attractions by Boat appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.

Credit: By Photos taken for William Winfield; uploaded by Kimberlyblaker –
Wiki creative commons licence

Visit Ely Cambridge and Peterborough for some incredible history

Was your summer too busy to take a break?

Are you waiting for term time, to get cheaper deals?

Want to find bargains by booking last minute?

Our September narrowboat holiday deals could be just what you’re looking for.

Sometimes life and work gets in the way. We get it. Suddenly it’s Autumn and you still haven’t booked a break away with your nearest and dearest. The good news is that now the school term has begun it’s a great time to pick up a last minute narrowboat holiday deal.

Our luxury narrowboats can be hired for weekend, midweek or week breaks as well as holidays up to 14 nights. We also have two boats for day hire which take up to 10 people.

Here are three things you can do this Autumn on a Fenlands narrowboat holiday.

1) Visit Ely

Visit Ely’s skyline-dominating cathedral with its origins traced back to AD 673. Discover its historical connection to William the Conqueror and check out the stunning architectural design. Then take a quirky tour, around the Stained Glass Museum, which has a fascinating collection of rescued stained glass windows stretching back 1,300 years. This Autumn they have a varied programme of lectures and workshops in painting, fusing, leading and copper foiling.

Oliver Cromwell’s House, near Ely, is a now a museum and offers a peek into the 17th century, with re-created period rooms and some fascinating exhibitions revolving around the Civil War. They also now host Escape Rooms, a fun, interactive and immersive puzzle activity designed around the heritage of the building.

2) Visit Cambridge

In Cambridge you can go on a punting tour and see famous landmarks like the Bridge of Sighs, all while relaxing and floating down the River Cam. Visit the university grounds by taking a walking tour seeing some of the 31 ancient colleges. When visiting churches and chapels don’t miss St Peter’s Chapel, the smallest church in Cambridge dating back to the 12th century. St Mary the Great is known as the university church and all distances in Cambridge are measured from its location. King’s College Chapel is a true masterpiece of English craftsmanship.

The Cambridge food tour is a walking tour introducing the visitor to pubs, fish-and-chip shops, delis and speciality shops. If you enjoy shopping you’ll find high street brands, local markets and bohemian boutiques in Cambridge.

3) Visit Peterborough

From the bustle of the huge shopping complex to the serenity of open fields and historic buildings Peterborough is well worth a visit. Ferry Meadows Country Park is a convenient place to moor the boat, with over 250 acres, a watersports centre, lakes for boating and sailing, and the nostalgic Nene Valley Railway. Explore Peterborough to enjoy history, wildlife, walking, cycling, eating, markets and shopping.

Whichever city you visit you will be travelling in style on one of our comfortable narrowboats. Before leaving our hire boat marina you will be fully trained as a narrowboat steerer and one of our instructors will explain how to operate the locks.

Day boat hire begins at £175 and you can search all of our special offers for longer breaks here: SPECIAL OFFERS. You can get up to 15% off when you book online, and prices include fuel, insurance and a damage waiver.

Hey! Are you new here? Subscribe on the right to receive more secrets of the undiscovered Fenland waterways, by email. (We never share or sell email addresses, we’ll only be sending you our local, insider knowledge, every two weeks.)

The post Why Boaters Like You Are Booking Last Minute Holidays appeared first on Fox Narrowboats.