Brandon, the end of the line on the Little Ouse

GOBA Moorings at Norfolk Fen to Brandon and back, 13 miles 0 locks

This river is different from the Wissey, you can get lost in thoughts on it, very tranquil indeed.  As we cruised this morning to Brandon the high flood banks receded back to show huge flood plains, and later no banks at all, and the river became narrow and deep.  Today weed was a bit of a problem, but not as bad as our trip along Burwell Lode last year.. well to be honest I don’t think anything would ever be as bad as that!..

No chance on going through the lock at the end..

This is only 40ft long.  There was a campaign to make it longer and to extend the navigation of this river further towards it’s source, but it has never happened although it is on some future ‘might do’ plan of the Environment Agency.  A refurbished lock too, and just round the corner upstream beyond that prominent tree are some new EA Moorings..

But not for our use this time, mind you it was dreadfully weedy from  the lock to the head of the navigation at Brandon Bridge.. I very much doubt that any craft would venture through the lock anyway!

Walking into Brandon I was surprised how busy it was.  A main road through the high street carrying huge lorries and tons on traffic.  Here the pedestrian lights were well needed to get across the road.  Nice shops though, a post office, butchers, bakers and a really smashing green grocer.  I managed to get some peas, broad beans and runner beans here, all local produce and all sold to me in brown paper bags, very traditional.  I didn’t get anything from the butcher, I wanted to, because the produce looked good, but I really must defrost my freezer compartment in the next couple of days.. just a bit of pork in there left to eat..

There were quite a few pubs and hotels too, well all round this area are country parks and places of interest.  This is Breckland after all.. from my Imray Guide book..

“Breckland is a primeval region where among sandy and flinty heaths, warrens and woodlands, primitive Mesolithic and Neolithic man once lived and worked, mining the black flint which he ‘knapped’ (split and shaped) to make his tools and weapons.  Over 300 mines have been traced, one of which, Grimes Graves, is open to the public.  Knapping has continued here for thousands of years and not only for peaceful purposes; millions of flints were produced for Wellington’s Peninsular War..”

In fact one of the pubs in the town is called The Flintknapper’s Arms!

There is a lot in the book about Brandon.. The moorings just downstream from the lock were nice on the parkland…

But the book failed to mention the gathering of youngsters in the evening, some carrying packs of 24 beers all making their way to the parkland.. more and more of them were arriving, most under aged for drinking, but obviously out for a good night of binge drinking.. 7.30pm it was.. and by 7.35pm we had pulled the pins on Brandon and this lovely mooring leaving it to the partying kids.. Oh well..

By 9.30pm we were once again tied up at the GOBA moorings at Norfolk Fen.  It was well worth the trip, the sun was setting beautifully giving some lovely colours across the countryside, and a pair of barn owls were spotted hunting across the flood plain.. see it was well worth moving anyway!

I remember this day last year, I wasn’t too far away from here.  I was in St Ives just along the River Great Ouse, in the fishing shop buying some floats and bait when I was told of the bombings in London.  I think most people remember where they were that day..