After finishing breakfast first, Mike waked to the nearby shops for some milk, a newspaper and a couple of other items.
We moved across to the opposite bank to use the service station so it was almost 10 o'clock before we were properly under way.
Just after Victoria Bridge we spotted the former Ferry House - with a convenient pub alongside just in case travellers needed refreshment on their way!
The next stretch is where mot of the rowing clubs have their boat houses - with little room in between. There were some rowers out but not so many to make it difficult to navigate safely. Here we have a club teaching young new rowers and later we saw a number of 'senior' rowers, all the way down to Baits Bite weir.
The eastern bank just before Chesterton used to be home to a number of industrial activities: gas works, iron works and innumerable tile works. There was also a sewage pumping station - the Cambridge Museum of Technology - which is about all that remains, industry replaced by housing and retail. At present the museum is closed with yet another huge lottery grant being given for a major redevelopment, to be completed next year.
Baits Bite lock is the first of two we passed through today.
The former lock keeper's cottage is now leased out as an office, current occupiers: Light Blue Consulting. The lock has long since ceased to be manned and is boater operated.
At Horningsea there are quite a few boats permanently moored, including this interesting looking steam powered launch.
At Waterbeach, Bottisham Lock only dropped us down slightly before the long level through to Denver.
Below the lock a couple of substantial Lodes connect with the river. Although they were once navigable, at least for smaller boats, they are inaccessible today - the pointed doors are there to keep flood water from flowing back into the lodes - although there are possible plans to re-open some of them.
We paused at Fidwell Fen visitor mooring for lunch. We were passed by that steam launch, being towed rather regally downstream.
The lodes that join at Upware are supposed to be navigable and we had, at one stage, wonderewd whether we might explore them. However, we had been warned some days ago that they were by thjis stage of the summer already rather weedy and also not wanting to risk finding all the moorings further downstream fully occupied, we did nit take the risk.:Perhaps next time!
Some of the farm irrigation pumps are proof that simple diesel engines look as if they last for ever. This one must have seen a good few dry seasons.
We have not seen many boat houses along the Cam (the sort that house boats in the water) but this one looks as if it was once grand but now almost forgotten.
We completed the rest of the Cam, passed Popes Corner and arrived at Little Thetford visitor mooring (almost feels like home) with three boats already there but plenty of space in between.
We did plan a walk to explore Burying Way between the village and Stretham but after getting as far as the level crossing the hot weather got the better of us and we chilled (really?) out back at the boat for the rest of the afternoon. Although the day remained hot and humid, with an airless quality, the sky stayed cloudy and little was seen directly of the sun or blue sky.
13.5 Miles - 2 Locks
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