We have been in a lovely littl' backwater of the system this past day. Last night we locked into Reach Lode off the River Cam and moored on the 48 hour EA moorings. We wer3e alone alongside the permit holders. We had met nb SUNFLOWER's crew earlier on the day who told us that we would be able to navigate Wicken Lode and turn at the end but it is very narrow and shallow and I didn't want to chance it. We walked down it this morning and found EA dredging the turning point. The Lode did look very shallow. Weed Cutters from the River Cam Conservators were hard at work on Reach Lode this morning but they told us they were not allowed to enter Wicken Lode, which is owned by the National Trust.
Piglet and I went to have a quiet walk around Wicken Fen this morning hoping to catch sight of a few rare birds. We did spend time in the hides and enjoyed the quiet there noting tree creeper and Little Egret and many warblers. We are not expert enough to tell which if these little brown jobs they were but probably a mix of reed warbler, willow warbler and chiffchaff though none were singing so would not give their identity away. The quiet was broken at one point by a woman with her small son on the board walk. She shouted into her mobile phone "I'm at Wicken Fen, It's been on the telly: that Bill Oddie was 'ere!" The secret's out then.
National Trust opened the cafe on a Tuesday, contrary to information in their handbook, but the prices are not any less. £1.70 for a bottle of coke!
We returned to a salad lunch and the news that Tigger had thrown a sicky and the Best Mate had filled in the whole morning by doing the laundry. It was all dry!
This mooring is delightful and filled up through the day. We were buzzed by a swarm of bees earlier but they went on without staying. Another wonderful sight was of a Bristol Bulldog fighter Biplane making very slow progress across the sky. I wouldn't think it was doing much more than 70mph.
Cambridge to Reach Lode: 7 miles and 2 locks yesterday
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