Northampton

Gayton Junction to Northampton, 5.75 miles 17 locks

A Nene key is required for the river locks and for the service blocks.  This can be purchased at either of the boatyards at Gayton. A river licence is required, or Gold British Waterways licence.

The river is wide once you get through all the locks from Gayton.  There are good moorings by the yellow walk bridge in the town.  Shopping is handy from Morrisons reached from the walkway where the yellow bridge is.  You can bring a trolly down to the boat from there.  Also just opposite Morrisons is a good clothing shop at very good prices. 

The town centre is just half a mile away from the river, follow the signs.

There are some new moorings on past the service block. Midsummer Meadow Moorings look quite good and are not in the town itself, although I have not stopped there and dog walking is restricted to just the tarmac paths alongside the river.

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Weston Favell

Northampton to Weston Favell, 3 miles 2 locks
Pontoon moorings at Weston Favell. Keep a watch out for a split in the river as you cruise across through the washlands, the moorings are tucked in to the left of the main river. Very safe moorings in time of flood as they go up and down with the height of the river.
There are no service facilities here, the A45 is not that far away so there is road noise.  The only problems we found was youngsters on bikes on the flood bank at weekends.  Apart from that it is a dog walkers paradise.  There is one walk all the way around the resevoir on the other side of the river, plus there is a 4 mile walk by following the path along the floodplain towards the A45 then right to go alongside the river to the next lock, crossing the lock taking the path to Little Houghton and finally the footpath back to the moorings.
Little Houghton has a handy store as well as a Post Office and pubs. A bus runs to Northampton from there 07 minutes past each hour.

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Billing

Weston Favell to Billing, 2.5 miles 3 locks

Once leaving the moorings at Weston Favell you come to the first of the guillotine locks.  They are not as daunting as they look.  Our way of locking down the Nene is by holding the back rope around a bollard behind the boat as when the guillotine is first lifted the boat wants to jump forward.

Billing Aquadrome is difficult to get into, and you need to be careful that the entrance isn’t missed.  Go through the lock and alongside the pub garden and before the bridge there is a dog leg to the left into the lake which is Billing Aquadrome Marina. 

There are moorings on the left for the pub, Billing Mill, when entering the lake, and more moorings over the far side of the lake for the boatyard and chandlers (Not open on Mondays).  It is possible to moor overnight here, not something that I have done, but for sure it would be safe enough.

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Cogenhoe

Billing to Cogenhoe, 1.75 miles 0 locks

Best moorings are on the meadow before a backwater that goes off to the right and before the caravan park. Wherever you moor at Cogenhoe (pronounced Cook-no)the meadow nearly always has cows, but they are used to boats and tend not to bother people.

There are no official services here, but if you are stuck for water then see the caravan park manager and he will direct you to a tap. Or go across the bridge, through the caravans and turn to the right just after the mill stream and speak to one of the permanent boaters about getting water from there.

This is also the place to dump rubbish, there is a skip behind the trees just as you enter the backwater moorings.

Post Office and shop in the village, quite a long walk by taking the path up the hill through a field just up from the backwater moorings. You can see the path on the map. For the PO turn right at the Royal Oak pub. This is also a Spa shop.

The office in the caravan park sells essentials when it is open, during the winter at weekends, and most days during the summer. The caravan club house bar is open to boaters at the weekends, it's good in there!

Plenty of good walking by taking the path from the lock to the left over a little stone bridge. There are two huge lakes to walk around when the path reaches a track, one lake to the left one to the right. There is also another 4.5 mile walk visiting the village of Whiston, see the map.

A bus service to Northampton leaves the Royal Oak pub taking about 28 minutes.

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Earls Barton

Cogenhoe to Earls Barton, 2.5 miles 3 locks

There is a place to moor just before Earls Barton lock on the right bank.  Gang plank may be required.  This is a very remote mooring, very pleasant.  There is a footpath over the lock to the left to Earls Barton which is well worth a visit.  Here there is a shoe making factory, Barkers Shoes, with an outlet shop and also Jeyes on the Square museum and coffee shop.  There is also an ironmongery and butcher as far as I know.

The museum is very interesting, a museum of village life as well as ‘The Dolly Lodge’ for collectors of dolls houses and teddys. There is also a Jeyes Pharmacy Memorabilia Display.  There are three pubs in the village. Sadly there is no Post Office now.

Once again there is fabulous walking around the huge lakes left by gravel extraction and even a watersports centre not far away.

Bus service from the bus stop shown on the map at Earls Barton every hour to Wellingborough, taking about 20 minutes. 

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Great Doddington

Earls Barton to Great Doddington, 0.5 miles, 2 locks

In the spring it is possible to moor close to Great Doddington, during the late summer the reeds might be too high to be able to get in.  For sure you will need the gangplank for this one and some pretty nifty mooring skills. Moor on the right bank going downstream.

What you get is glorious views out of both windows, up the hill to the village of Great Doddington one side and right across the open meadow towards the dismantled railway line on the other.

At the lock just before (Doddington Lock) it is possible to put on water.  The chap who lives in the lock cottage will allow passing boats to use his hose which is already connected to a tap.  To get to the water you will need to moor on the downstream side lock landing where you will see the yellow hose.   Of course it is always respectful to knock the door before proceeding with filling just to let him know you are there.

At the mooring there is a footpath across the meadow to the disused rail line which is now a long distance walk, and crossing that brings you to Sywell Country Park with fabulous walks around the man made lakes, there is tons of wildlife so its worth taking the binoculars.

Crossing the little iron walk bridge behind the mooring will take you up to the village of Great Doddington where there is a shop for provisions, unfortunately the Post Office has now gone.  This village is well worth a look, there is a pub there too.  Walking through the village it is possible to take the Nene Valley Way back across the fields to the lock in front of the moorings.  You will walk through a fascinating farm here, I will say no more! Cross the lock up the lane then back along the disused rail line and across the meadow to make a nice circular walk.  See the map.

Buses run from Gt Doddington to Wellingborough at 50 mins past each hour, returning at 05 past the hour and takes just 10 minutes.

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Wellingborough Embankment

Great Doddington to Wellingborough Embankment, 2 miles, 2 locks

Moorings on the left bank going downstream.

Not an ideal place to moor overnight as it is parkland frequented by winos.  I have not heard of any problems there though.  I have not moored overnight here so cannot comment any further on the safety aspect.

Opposite the moorings is Whitworth Flour’s mill which is quite noisy day and night.

Good stop for shopping as there is a large Tesco and Homebase just across the main road which is easily crossed.  There is also a bowling alley by Tescos if you fancy a bit of bowling.

Water is also available on the embankment as well as a resident hot dog van if you are peckish at lunchtime! There are loos here too.

The Post Office at Little Irchester has now closed

There is a bus into Wellingborough on the hour and half past the hour, but the bus stop is not close to the Nene, you need to walk past Tesco along the main road crossing another road before reaching the stop. 

It takes about 25 minutes to walk into Wellingborough from the moorings.

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Irthlingborough - Rushden & Diamonds Football Club

Wellingborough to Rushden & Diamonds, 4.5 miles, 3 locks

Good moorings here on the left bank going downstream.  In past years there has been a few problems with youths on motorbikes, but of late they seem to have found somewhere else to go.  I always moor here now.  It is very quiet except at the weekends in early or late summer when the guys are out on the football pitches which the moorings overlook.

The Enviromnent Agency services are not in use here at the moment as the football club have refused to maintain them at their cost.  It remains to be seen if EA pick up the bill in future for the maintenance.

When we were here last (late summer 2009) the water tap was working along with the diy pump out machine which is free to use as is all EA pump outs on their waters.

Irthingborough is not too far away to deserve a walk to.  There are good shops and pubs as well as a Post Office.

Walking is excellent in this area by crossing the bridge at the lock in front of the moorings.  The end of that path reveals yet more of these ex gravel pit areas, and this is a good one.  Plenty of lakes to walk around plus a reception and exhibition centre with a great deal of local information as well as a cafe.  It was open all summer, not sure about the winter, but would guess that it would be open at weekends.

A circular walk along the river (Nene Valley Way) and over the next bridge after the lock will take you to the lakes, along the disused railway track (now a long distance path) and back up the path to the lock.. an attractive 2 mile plus walk without any diversions. See the map.

There is a bus service to Wellingborough, go out past the football complex, across the roundabout and the bus stop is on the left hand side of the road as you head towards Irthingborough, leaving every hour at 27 mins past taking about 20 minutes.

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Denford

Rushden & Diamonds to Denford, 4.5 miles, 3 locks

If you like rural and very quiet moorings then this is the place, between the weir stream and the farm bridge and lock on the right hand side going downstream. You might need a plank and sometimes there are cows in the field.

No facilities or shops here but there is a pub just at the end of the short path to Denford.  This is a good walking area with many circular walks, as well as a very pleasant 1 mile walk across the fields to Ringstead where you will find a Store and Post Office as well as one of those ‘country’ shops for boots and jackets etc.

The village of Woodford can be visited from here on foot a mile and half away, in fact there is a very nice 4.5 mile circular walk taking in Woodford and Ringstead.

There is nowhere to moor by Woodford although it does show moorings alongside the church, they are too shallow to even try to get anywhere near the edge. There are, however, some very smart moorings, but unfortunately they are private.

Woodford Riverside Marina is now just a permanent mooring site for some boats,  the owners now not operating as a boatyard, and although there is water available it is virtually impossible to venture up the little inlet as it is so very shallow.

A bus service from Denford serves Thrapston (6 mins) and Kettering (45 mins) every two hours at 52 mins past the hour from 9.52am.  If you wish to travel to Ringstead on this bus then be careful because the Ringstead bus stop is outside the village centre, you need to ask one of the passenger where to get off.

From the moorings just walk up the path through the gate to Denford village and the bus stop is at the end of the path on this side of the road for Thrapston and Kettering and outside the pub for Ringstead.

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Thrapston

Denford to Thrapston, 1 mile 1 lock

There are two places to moor at Thrapston.  The first going downstream is an inlet on the left immediately before the town bridge.  It can be a bit awkward to get out if the river has any flow on it as you will need to reverse out.  I have seen 70ft boats in there, but you would be asking a lot of a boat more than 65ft.  If it is just summer flow then you should be OK, the bridge is so close to the inlet when you reverse back it tries to take you into the bridge so have someone on the front just in case.

There is a water point here, and a concrete slipway path to the road, so it is possible to get a Tesco delivery to this point.  There are no rubbish skips.  There is, however a handy pub to the left. The town itself is to the right.

Thrapston has a good butcher and baker as well as a co-op supermarket, banks and a Post Office.  In fact it has some very interesting shops and cafes including an ironmonger (turn right at the first roundabout by the library.  Vets and Doctors are handy too.  The market is nothing to write home about and you shouldn’t plan your visit for that day especially.

The other moorings available in Thrapston is through the next lock on the right hand side going downstream at the Sailing Club.  It is much quieter here although if it is windy the noise of the ropes slapping the masts of the yachts can be quite annoying!

Plenty of walking here, both sides of the river using the walk bridges behind and infront of the moorings, plus a walk all the way round the boating lake.

There is a bus service to Peterborough from Thrapston High Street, but the service has been reduced of late, the only bus in the morning leaves at 9.45, and leaves P’bro at 1.40pm giving you just under two hours in the city. Bus service also to Kettering every couple of hours or so.

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Waddenhoe

Thrapston to Waddenhoe, 4.75 miles 2 locks

Super moorings here.  In fact there are two places to moor.  The first mooring you come to downstream is on the left below the church which you will see while cruising for some time before you reach it.  There are often cows within the woodland at the mooring, but they are a rare breed of cow, and are used to boats, boaters, walkers and dogs.  During the summer the scouts and guides have their camp on the hillside above and it can be entertaining as they bring their rafts to the river, or annoying if you don’t like that sort of noise!

If you are really, really desperate, there is an elsan tip out at the top of the hill within the scout fields.. but you would have to be desperate to carry it that far uphill.  Super walks through the woodland here though.

The second mooring is in the gardens of the pub right up by the lock on the left going downstream.  But you need to use the pub to qualify to moor.. fair enough.  There is also a waterpoint where sometimes an overstaying boat will moor, but you have a right to the EA waterpoint so there would be no problem in mooring alongside to gain access to it.

The gardens of the pub are delightful with picnic tables, and if it is busy with boats, you can moor your boat further along the bywater the other side of the tree, but beware you need to reverse back to continue through the lock on the Nene.  Not an impossible task.

Keep an eye for tree creeper birds and muntjacs who cross the river by swimming..

Waddenhoe deserves an intent visit for a number of reasons (include the church) which you will find out, I will say no more you need to investigate for yourself.

There is a bus service to Peterborough leaving at 9.58pm giving you an afternoon in the city returning from P'bro bus station at 4pm.

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Oundle Marina

Wadenhoe to Oundle Marina, 3 miles 3 locks

There are some moorings after Upper Barnwell Lock and bridge but just before the entrance to the Marina on the left going downstream which welcomes boaters.  There is a Club House there open at the weekends in summer, don’t know about the winter months.  The entrance to the Marina itself is difficult from upstream as it is very narrow and is on a dog leg to the left.  Slowly does it.

The Marina services are over the far side.  Here there is diesel, elsan, water and gas.  It is a bit of a walk to the elsan block.  There is also a well stock chandlers.  Always a bit difficult to moor on their quay as there are a lot of boats in the near vacinity some are grp cruisers, and if there is any wind at all then it is always in that particular marina!

Mooring inside the Marina will cost £10 overnight.  You can moor for the night for free on the outside by the Club House.

The Marina and Club House are locked to the outside at night so there is nowhere to walk any dogs.  I have not stopped here overnight so connot comment further.

There is a restaurant at Upper Barnwell Lock, but unforutunately, at the time of writing, it has no moorings for passing boats, and mooring at either the Marina or the Club House would be no good because the gates of both are locked at night.

It is a 15 to 20 minute walk to Oundle Centre from here.  All shopping available, butchers, bakers, co-op supermarket, chemist etc.

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Ashton

Oundle Marina to Ashton Bywater, 2 miles 1 lock

Excellent moorings just before Ashton Lock along the bywater to the right going downstream.  If you need to get a satellite signal don’t go too far down.  A very peaceful mooring as there are no boats passing, only those coming in to moor.

In the village itself there is a popular pub which can be visited by walking in the opposite direction from Ashton Lock, over the weir and taking the right hand path where it forks coming out by an old mill.  Turn right here to the road.  Turn right for a very short distance and see a marked footpath across the fields to the village.

On the left as you reach the village is a delightful church, do wander into the church yard, past the church and look on the roof of the little outbuilding, you might be lucky to see a couple of peacocks.  The pub is just up a bit on the right.

There are no shops in this village, but Oundle is very accessible by taking the same route from the boat this time taking the left hand path at the fork, cross the bridge over the river that you come to, across the field to the main road.  Cross the road through the industrial estate and turn right once reaching the housing.  Turn left at the junction and Oundle town will be found through the back entrance of the Co-op.

There is plenty of walking in this area, especially on the far bank of the river by crossing the bridge as instructed above.

There is no close bus routes in Ashton, a good bus service can be found in Oundle with regular buses to Peterborough, Thrapston and even Milton Keynes.  The X4 goes from the Market Square to Peterborough every hour on the half hour.

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