Blustery excursions along the River Nene
The Nene is a serious river – it is fed from three separate tributaries in Northamptonshire which converge down in Northampton. Over the years there have been several serious floods in and around the town; fortunately no flooding was experienced by the Cleddau crew on this trip.
After a night moored in Northampton Marina (the moorings along the town quay seem occupied by long-term boaters) there was a sharp right turn back onto the river with Northampton Lock directly ahead. A moored (abandoned?) boat right before the upper lock landing and another, encased in plastic at the far end of the lower lock landing, indicated the Environment Agency’s problem in enforcing its own mooring rules…
The first three locks out of the town are recognisable structures for boaters from the broad canals, two pairs of mitre gates at each end of the lock chamber with a windlass needed to wind the paddles.
Memories of previous trips in this direction began to surface:
the look alike showboat - was it ever a floating restaurant?
- the split in the river when in 2022 overgrown greenery obscured the direction arrow and Cleddau pounded on towards a weir…
A helpful arrow is now visible!
After Rushmill Lock in the heart of a business park is a waterside pub – and even at 1130 on a weekday morning a few customers were sipping their pints and their coffees.
Activity spotted at the third lock (Abington) translated into proper help. Three Year 12 Shuttleworth College students on an Adventure Education course had been having canoe instruction. While the two girls watched, Alfie leapt into action on the far side of the lock, eager to wind paddles and push gates. Marvellous! His help was gratefully received…
Onwards, out on the wide river now, formulating Plan A and Plan B. Huge banks and barrier gates protect the town; massive lakes can absorb flood waters. A floating pontoon designated for emergency use in time of flood can be used by summer boaters. Would there be mooring space there? (Plan A)
There was. It’s a lovely spot, especially if you can ignore the noise from the nearby A45.
The walks across the barrage bridges along the Washlands embankments provide wide-ranging views and plenty of bird-life. It’s open. It’s exposed – none more so than when you get caught in the fiercest of hailstorms… While Boatwif tried to dodge between the showers the Captain sat at the bow renewing the zip stitching on the cratch (damaged at Lock 17 on the Northampton Arm flight).
Next day involved a further 5 locks. This felt like the Nene proper, overhead guillotine gates operated from an EA key box, a matter of getting the box open (screwdriver assisted at the first one) and pressing the buttons in the right order.
Semi-wild ponies in a small field beside the Weston Favell Lock thundered around an area of bushes, brushing against Boatwif on her rope-holding duties, making the operation to open the key box even more challenging…
Onward, past Northampton Boat Club (just look at these chalets), out into more open country now, through Clifford Hill and Billing Locks.
Next is Cogenhoe Lock, remembered clearly for several reasons: mooring beside the farmer’s field in 2010, being propositioned, or so it seemed, by a very large sheep in 2022… It’s gloriously rural here, peaceful, with only the noise of the wind and the birdsong.
Below the lock (is) WAS a very large holiday park, fine mobile homes on permanent concrete bases, electric point connection available to each site, the waterside pitches often with little pontoons for small holiday boats – but it has all GONE.
What desolation.
A quick Google search suggests that the excessively heavy rains of September 2024 flooded the area and in order to save lives occupants were compulsorily evacuated.
Now poppies, cornflowers and wild plants are growing across the area.
Onward, Whiston Lock next, and a shiver of memory crept down the back of the neck. During the hard ascent of the Nene in late summer 2022 three locks fell out of order: Irthlingborough, Islip and Whiston. The memory of relief at finally passing through Whiston Lock four years ago was echoed in finding Whiston Lock in full working order in June 2026!
A distant shot of Whiston Church.
Along the river small white/grey birds (Little Egrets) swoop and dart and dive in wonderful aerial display. Oh to be able to capture them on camera…
Clouds began to look moody and just in time Cleddau pulled in to White Mills Marina.
Here was a planned stop, a location where office staff were more than happy to receive Amazon deliveries for their moorers plus take receipt of 4 leisure batteries delivered from Scotland. The appallingly wet weather did not deter John Hallam and his assistant from fitting the new batteries into Cleddau’s cramped engine space. Many thanks to John Hallam of CutnCrank https://cutncrank.co.uk/117-2/
White Mills Marina (near Earls Barton) is about ten years old now. It’s a lovely place, just upstream of White Mills Lock. Apart from mooring pontoons and the usual facilities expected at a modern marina there’s a newly opened moorers’ toilet and shower block which includes use of a spacious and comfortable moorers’ lounge. Alongside it is The Boathouse, a café whose breakfasts and lunches are hugely popular with both the public and with boaters (these two included)…
The Boathouse cafe on the left; new moorers’ facilities block on the right
Time for reflection – The Captain has long term issues with his legs and back; was it really a good plan to continue another 40 odd miles down the river to Peterborough, to join the Middle Levels and do the short tidal crossing onto the Great Ouse…? The route would present physical challenges and perhaps unnecessary risk…?
Common sense over-ruled ambition - after a comfortable three nights at White Mills Cleddau was steered out of the marina and back onto the river.
Passing the “fat boats” on the way out of White Mills Marina
The winds, though definitely blustery, were a tad less fierce than on the previous day!
One blast on the horn: right turn, to head back upstream towards Northampton to rejoin the canals. The river water is clear, straggles of weed below the surface and water lilies above.
At Whiston Lock a swan was dozing on a fishing platform.
Along the river no other boats were seen – until in the narrow approach to Cogenhoe Lock a young family appeared on paddle boards.
Up through the lock, the wind playing with the boat as the Captain fought to exit the chamber and tie up on the lock landing…
Onward, routines learned now for ascending the guillotine locks (each one to be left empty after use).
At Billing Lock there were gongoozlers, siblings and cousins spending the weekend at the caravan park. “Our grandad has a boat,” said one. As the boat was worked through the lock more information was provided about “Grandad’s boat”. Grandad was on a summer voyage, from Brightlingsea in Essex along the South Coast to Cornwall, he’d arrived that day at the Isle of Wight, his boat had three cabins - and most important of all for tech-inclined little boys, “his navigation was broken but it’s fixed now.”
Aah, the trials and tribulations of keeping boats on the water…
Onward, Clifford Hill Lock and next was Weston Favell Lock. With Cleddau secured on the lower lock landing Boatwif set off to see if there was mooring space on the Washlands emergency pontoon.
Yes, there was, if the owner of the little blue boat didn’t mind a bigger boat backing up to his stern…
In a late afternoon walk in the very strong breeze, the wind proved too strong to focus the camera on the waves breaking on the Washlands flood reservoir…
Northampton has a fleet of battery operated scooters for hire – it seems that when riders run out of battery power they abandon their scooters and walk away:
Scooter here on the Weston Favell barrage gate (and two others were spotted on the University of Northampton campus.)
Onward on Sunday, taking avoiding action around the rowers .
Then at Abington Lock there was an unexpected sighting - two other boats – cruisers - moving on the river. And one was sporting birthday balloons.
On through Rush Mills Lock – and traffic jams, or so it seemed, rowers, canoeists, paddle boarders, a cruiser – all wanting the same stretch of water...!
Back to Northampton and quiet waters.
A search for a post box involved a stroll through the university campus. Here’s a curious sculpture
and here’s the Engine Shed, the amazing Students’ Union building, once a storage and repair shed for up to four steam locomotives.
So, the curtailed River Nene cruise complete, what was next? The climb back up the Northampton Arm, of course.
To date:
Northampton Marina – White Mills (Earls Barton) – Northampton Marina: 16 miles; 16 locks
To date:
Repairs, losses and gains
Repairs: (1) shower pump fuse replaced; (2) a 1 metre tear along the zip stitching of the cratch cover acquired at Northampton Arm Lock 17 resewn; (3) bathroom toilet fan replaced; (4) 2018 leisure batteries replaced.
Losses: 1 pipe fender; 1 tyre fender
Gains: 1 windlass (found at Weston Favell Lock); 1 flat fender
2026 Monkton Moments* (Monkton Moment*- a reference to / recognition of Cleddau’s Pembrokeshire connections): 2
(1. “That’s Pembrokeshire, isn’t it? Been across the Cleddau Bridge. Eaten meals at Pembroke Ferry.” Watford Lock Keeper.
2. “Which Cleddau river? I’m from North Wales.” Passing boater.)
