Approaching Denver lock where several cruisers are waiting – cc John Revell

This was my first time entering Salters Lode lock from the tidal Ouse and I was grateful to receive good advice from the Denver lock keeper about how to do this on an in-coming tide.

A fine converted mill at Nordelph. This has been extended but remains very distinct. John Revell

The familiar view as you approach the centre of Nordelph. The Chequers pub on the right closed in 2005.

The journey along Well Creek was uneventful though I recall being intrigued by a simple swing bridge across the river to a small cottage near Nordelph. I learnt later that this belonged to Gladys Dack and her name lives on with the Gladys Dack mooring constructed by the Well Creek Trust on the opposite side of the river. The cottage is now derelict having been badly damaged by a gas explosion which fortunately did not injure Miss Dack.

Glady Dack’s cottage and simple swing bridge. The house was badly damaged by a gas explosion and is now derelict.

After Well Creek and Marmont Priory lock we headed down Pophams Eau and moored near the junction of the Sixteen Foot and Forty Foot rivers. The following day we attempted to reach Horseways lock but gave up when we discovered there was nowhere to turn at the lock. We had to reverse to the junction with the Forty Foot which was something I have done many times since. On one occasion in 2010 this was part of a campaign cruise undertaken by the local branch of the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) which was broadcast on BBC Look East. Alastair Chambers, then Chairman of the Peterborough Borough Branch of the IWA, spoke to the camera while I just had to do the reversing.

I failed to boat the full length of the Forty Foot when I visited the Middle Level in April 1984 {see part 1} and it was a relief to get under the very low Ramsey Hollow bridge without mishap or injuring myself this time. Note that this bridge has since been raised by the Royal Engineers partly with funds raised by the local IWA at events held at Bill Fen marina [courtesy of John and Lynne Shotbolt].

Ramsey basin. Gang plank for access to town but nowhere to turn a 48′ boat round.

That evening was spent at the George Inn at Ramsey Forty Foot where we again added our name to the boater’s log book kept behind the bar before continuing the next day to Ramsey town. My notes record that this was easy boating with a good mooring at the end but nowhere to turn a 48‘ boat like mine.

We explored the town, ate fish and chips and visited the Jolly Sailor, a pub which has changed very little since then and which I last visited in September 2023.

My notes from 1984 state “Jolly Sailor. 6/10. Choice of rooms. Landlord ex RAF. Lots of brasses and locals. Beer by (Watney) Manns.

The moorings at Ramsey deteriorated over the years but have now been completely rebuilt to a high standard. There are also recently built houses on both sides. A turning point has also been provided and I have seen a 60’ narrow-boat turn there.

Plenty of help and onlookers at Lodes End lock

There was no turning point in 1984 so the following morning we therefore had to reverse all the way which took 90 mins. We then went through Lodes End lock and headed for Yaxley. Unfortunately, and not for the only time, we could not get under Exhibition Bridge which was too low to get under so we proceeded to Monk’s Lode where we moored overnight at the end of navigation.

At the end of Monk’s Lode

Our view that this was a very quiet spot was confirmed by a conversation the next day with a local man. He said that the only boats he saw these days were weed boats but this was a shame as he was looking for a wife (presumably to drift past and into his arms). This conversation took place in August when some waterways elsewhere would have been very busy. I reversed a short way and turned near an old pumping station. Monks Lode remains entirely unspoilt but the turning point is overgrown so reversing is needed for most boats.

After another quiet day we paid our second visit to C & T Fox boat yard. My notes say

“Helpful and business like. Diesel £1.20 a gallon. Mooring £6.62 per week”

We also visited the Horse and Jockey pub which was a short distance from the boatyard but has since been demolished before spending the evening in the Red Hart at Three Holes (an Elgoods pub which is also now closed).

Approaching Outwell before the church. A familiar scene still today.

We made our way to Salters Lode the next day, stopping for fish and chips at J R Stott Outwell (still there) and a drink at the Red Lion at Outwell (a splendid looking building on the busy main road, still there but no longer a pub – the prominent Bullards brewery sign  remains) and the Chequers at Nordelph (another closed pub).

Just before Outwell basin and the former junction with the Wisbech canal.

We had chosen to return via the tidal Hundred Foot (New Bedford). We went through Salters Lode at low water and waited outside for the big spring tide to arrive. We set off with the tide and reached the Riverside Inn at Earith by lunchtime. I have used this tidal route many times since then all without difficulty.

[photos]

All Photos Copyright John Revell

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Our hire boat base in March is ideally situated for exploring the Middle Level by narrowboat. This is a fascinating interconnected waterway which will take you through the idyllic riverside villages of Upwell and Outwell on your way to The River Ouse and Cambridge. Alternatively if you are travelling west you can head towards the River Nene and Peterborough. Or you could just explore the Middle Level at a leisurely pace, and enjoy big skies, wind farms and kingfishers.

We asked a few boaters, where do you like to moor on the Middle Level? These are just some of their suggestions.

Upwell and Outwell

Upwell and Outwell are two villages that run either side of the Well Stream, and so give you the feeling that you are cruising down the middle of the road! There are various visitor moorings here, operated by the Well Creek Trust. Amy of historic narrowboat Willow likes the moorings by the church in Upwell because of the lovely edible plants. It is also an opportunity to find out about the Wisbech to Upwell tram which used to operate in these parts.  See if you can find out which children’s story book is based on this tram?

Glady Dacks

Glady Dacks Staithe on Well Creek is a lovely mooring just west of Nordelph. It’s on the left between Upwell and Nordelph.

Angle Bridge

Just south of Angle Bridge on Bevill’s Leam is a “wild” mooring, meaning not an official visitor mooring. There is therefore a bit of clambering needed here. Angle Corner Bridge is on the Twenty Foot River between Old River Nene and Angle Corner on Bevill’s Leam: a broad canal.

Some of the wild moorings on the Middle Level have a 45 degree bank and a lot of reeds to negotiate. But if the visitor moorings are busy on a sunny summer weekend you may find yourself looking for a wild mooring, for which you may need to use a gang plank to get to the bank. However, the solitude of a wild mooring can be so idyllic; and a much needed chance to really get away from it all.

Benwick

Carol Sargent says, “We have hired quite a few times from Fox’s. This year we did the Middle Level ring. Benwick is amazing. Love going through Upwell and Outwell to the church moorings. It’s a lovely quiet waterways.”

Leaving the link route at Flood’s Ferry and heading towards Ramsey, there are visitor moorings at Benwick and Ramsey, at the end of High Lode. The public mooring in Benwick, has only room for one boat, but it has convenient piled sides, concrete top and bollards, which is easier to negotiate than a wild mooring. Stop here for the pub and shop.

Woodwalton Fen

Woodwalton Fen is a beautiful nature reserve and wetland site west of Ramsey, recognised for its wildlife. It provides a refuge for thousands of species of Fen animals and plants, many of which are found nowhere else in the country.

Ramsey is a town at the end of the Middle Level Navigation, on Ramsey High Lode, a broad canal running from Ramsey (which is a dead end) to the Old River Nene.

If you’re cruising towards Ramsey there is a mooring just under the second bridge, and a village shop with a pub there. Ramsey is four hours cruise from Fox Narrowboats marina, and is also home to the Ramsey Rural Museum. Check their website for the current opening times. https://ramseyruralmuseum.co.uk

You may like to read more about the history of the Middle Level here: Middle Level. Our narrowboat holidays can be taken as a week, weekend break or midweek breaks. Check availability today: Middle Level Narrowboat Holidays.

You may also like to read: Secrets of the Middle Level Waterways

We are indebted to boaters Simon Judge, Amy-Alys Tillson and Carol Sargent for help with this article, who were kind enough to let me know their favourite moorings on The Middle Level.

If you enjoy reading about the Fenland waterways sign up for updates from this blog. (We never share or sell email addresses – your details are safe with us.) Just look for ‘Follow Blog’ in the sidebar on the right and we’ll send you stories, tips and advice about narrowboating around the Fens.

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Historian and Author Bill Smith

Local Historian and Author Bill Smith tells us about the Upwell and Outwell Tram Projects. Bill has been a member of the Well Creek Trust since the 1970’s when our own founder Charlie Fox was also a member. This is a unique article Bill has written for us and edited by Susan Lowe.  It is the first time he has publically mentioned the dontation that enable the project to get started Ted Harper.

The Wisbech to Upwell Tram Projects –  Background and  history information.

The  memento  Projects is to celebrate the memory of the Wisbech Upwell Tramway. The Wisbech to Outwell Tramway opened as an experiment in 1883 and was extended to Upwell in 1884. At its peak, six trams a day in each direction provided passenger and, most importantly, freight services for local produce to Wisbech and then via the main railway link to larger towns and cities. Competition from motorised buses ended passenger services in 1927. Freight continued until 1966 when it was cut as part of the “Beeching Axe”. The final tram journey took place May 20, 1966.

Remembering the Tramway is of importance for all living in the area but also for those much further afield – for rail aficionados and enthusiasts, for local history lovers and tourists and also for millions of fans of Thomas the Tank Engine the creation of the Reverend Wilbert Awdry who was vicar of the nearby village of Emneth (1953 -1965). Toby the Tram Engine and his coach, Henrietta and later, Mavis, the Drewry diesel  tram (1952) were based on rolling stock used on the Tramway. Very little evidence of the former Tramway remain today which highlighted the necessity for the Wisbech to Upwell tram projects.

The idea for the Wisbech to Upwell Tram Project came from a conversation, back in the early 1980s  between William (Bill) Smith and Andrew Ingram (who had at that time written The Wisbech & Upwell Tramway Centenary Album -1983).   Andrew remarked to Bill that, “The people of Outwell and Upwell should have kept some reminders of the tramway.  It would have elevated those two villages as there is a vast interest in the old railways”.  Following that exchange, Bill decided to produce a tram memento for Outwell, the village in which he lives.

Bill first embarked upon producing a tram memento for the former tram yard site at Outwell and was given an old Norfolk County Council, spherical road sign marked “Outwell” that had been buried at Bexwell Airfield in1940 during the Second World War.  It would eventually form the centre-piece of the Outwell Memento.  Then, aided by his friends John Button and Tony Judd, he started to source discarded tram-related relics and other authentic railway materials contacting many organisations in the process. They spoke to staff at Bressingham Steam Museum who directed them to a railway “graveyard” at Hardingham in Norfolk.  Bill was offered two full-size Victorian tram wheels fixed to an axle (these gave birth to the Upwell memento idea) and other parts needed to make an installation for Upwell.  These very early tram wheels and axle were designed to run on “bull-head rail” the same type used for the Wisbech to Upwell tramway.

In April 2016 (03/04/2016) on behalf of the people of Outwell and Upwell, Bill submitted a planning application to the Borough Council King’s Lynn & West Norfolk (BCKLWN) for the two mementos to be located in the old tram yards of the two villages.  The submission was supported by  Outwell & Upwell Parish Councillors, local residents adjacent to each site and also the Middle Level Internal Drainage Board (at Outwell) and the Health Centre Managers (at Upwell).  In addition, Michael Walsh (BCKLWN, Property Services) also gave his support.

The Outwell Memento, phase one was unveiled July 2016 (pic A) by two of Outwell’s oldest residents, Norman Wenn and Iris Risebrow – pictured  with Bill Smith.  A vast selection of historical photographs, from Bill’s collection, was also put on display in St Clement’s Church.  The photographs were collected by Bill over the past 40 odd years that has resulted in him producing six local history books.

Welle Film Productions – a local film-making group – captured footage of the event with the intention of adding to it by following the future progress of the Wisbech to Upwell Tram Project.

About the same time, Bill being a Well Creek Trust (WCT) member since 1970 approached them to act as fund-holders for the cash donations that were being pledged for the Project.  WCT, which serves to maintain the ‘survival for all time’ of another local amenity once earmarked for closure – the Well Creek – was a natural choice as their constitution allows them to support other amenities.

Later that year the Project suffered a major setback involving ‘people and politics’ and a lengthy series of very unfortunate occurrences that saw the Upwell installation being put on-hold indefinitely and many of the railway materials that had taken so much effort to source were lost.  These events caused much anxiety and stress to many local people, particularly Bill and his family, and cast a dark cloud over what to that point had been an enjoyable and rewarding process for all involved.

Fortunately the realisation of the importance for the local area came to the rescue.  The Project was put back on track by a committee, primarily of WCT members rallied by Bill, who approached Wisbech Town and Elm and Emneth Parish Councils with the aim of applying for grant funding to produce further mementos for installation not only at Upwell but also along the entire Tramway route.

To beat the expiry date of the original planning permission Ted Harper a newcomer to the area  donated five hundred pounds to prompt the start of the Phase Two project. Sadly Ted died soon after the Upwell project had been unveiled but he did get to see our project reach fruition. Ted’s contribution allowed us to begin the building and installation of the Upwell Tram Memorial (Phase Two)  to go ahead before the middle of August 2019.  Local company, SDM Fabrication of March, offered its services free-of-charge to build and transport the memorial ready for public display.  The event took place on Saturday 27th July and Bill Smith awarded the unveiling honour to ninety-year old Mary Williamson whose husband Bill was manager (until 1974) of Coote & Warren Ltd coal merchants who had a branch at the Upwell tram depot.  Despite a downpour a good crowd turned out to witness the event and then attended the display of tram photographs and other memorabilia coordinated by Bill, assisted by Upwell WI and St Peter’s Church members.  The whole day was again filmed by Welle Film Productions – look out for more details once editing has been completed.

All pictures and text were supplied by William (Bill) Smith .

If you are interested in the Tramway Project Bill is giving a presentation with a unique collection of images at Upwell Village Hall on Friday 29th November Starting at 7.30pm. Address  6 New Road, Upwell, PE14 9AB all proceeds are for the Well Creek Trust and Tram Phase Three Project.

It is possible to visit the Tram Project on a day out by boat from our marina at March.

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March Explorer

Community Involvement With Meadowgate School.

Tracey Baxter our Finance Director jumped at the chance of organising a boat trip for some Sixth Form students from Meadowgate school in Wisbech, following an approach by the lock keepers daughter at Marmont Priory lock Chrissie Norton, who works at the school.

The students and their assistants joined the March Explorer at Marmont Priory Lock. They helped with the operation of the gates and paddles before cruising along Well Creek through the villages of Upwell and Outwell taking a turn at the helm.

wildlife to spot

There was a fish and chip lunch in Outwell and lots of wildlife to spot including coots, grebe, heron, swans and ducklings.

Tracey said, “It was great to get out of the office for the day and to take the trip to Outwell which is one of my favourites on the whole of the UK Inland Network. I’ve done this journey more times than I would care to remember since the waterway reopened to navigation in the 1970’s thanks to the work of the Well Creek Trust.  Each time there is something different to see and experience.”

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Old Bedford river

Lois and Roy Parker in their cruiser and Alastair and Jonathan Chambers and myself in my Fox narrowboat attempted to enter the Old Bedford river at Salters Lode on Saturday 5^th September 2015.

The Parkers were successful and locked through the Old Bedford sluice into the Old Bedford river. They then proceeded along the Old Bedford for about a mile, negotiating their way through dense clumps of floating reeds before being stopped by an impassable mass of cott weed.

The Parkers on the fresh water side of the tidal doors

They then turned round and made their way back through the sluice and returned to the Middle Level via the main lock at Salters Lode. Both tidal doors and guillotine gate at the Old Bedford sluice worked well and the Middle Level Commissioners’ relief lock keeper was very helpful.

I had no problems reaching the tidal doors in my narrowboat but was unable to enter the Old Bedford “on the level” on this occasion.

While we were there a canoe was launched and set off for Manea and I was watched by a common seal as I reversed into the main tidal river.

clumps of floating reeds Old Bedford

Navigating the Old Bedford remains problematical and efforts are being made to restore it as part of the East Anglian Waterways Association (EAWA) “Project Hereward” scheme. It is worth remembering that until the derelict Well Creek was restored to navigation there were only 2 ways to get from the Nene to the Great Ouse; either a sea crossing of the Wash or the route via the Old Bedford, Welches Dam lock, Horseways Channel and Horseways lock. It is not surprising that most boats, including Fox’s Hire Fleet, chose this latter route rather than the Wash.

#ProjectHereward

Thanks to John Revell mooring customer, for this guest article with photos.

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