Cambridge to Oxford

ROUTE SUMMARY

In August 2018 I tackled this - from Cambridge to Oxford I told myself (and anybody else who would listen)- its only 215 miles by water with 115 locks!
Two Dutch lady boaters came with me.
It was too ambitious - it all went well but after Peterborough we decided that we would enjoy the River Nene and call it a day at Northampton. And so in the end we did the 118 miles involved and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Whether I shall tackle Northampton to Oxford I don't know.
(The Northampton Branch of the Grand Union, and then round the Grand Union to the Oxford canal - the remaining 100 miles and about 100 locks)
Perhaps a skiff is not the best boat to do that - and it does involves a mile or so of tunnel.)

ROUTE SUMMARY

VICTORIA BRIDGE (Cambridge)
northeast on the River Cam (Main river) for 13 miles, and 2 locks to
POPE'S CORNER
north on the River Great Ouse (Old West River) for 19½ miles, and 1 lock to
DENVER JUNCTION,
north on the River Great Ouse (New Bedford River) [TIDAL] for ½ mile to
SALTER'S LODE JUNCTION
west on the Middle Level Navigations (Well Creek) for 5 ½ miles, and 1 lock to southwest on the Middle Level Navigations (Old River Nene) for 5 ½ miles, and 1 lock to Old River Nene - Twenty Foot River Junction,
west on the Middle Level Navigations (Twenty Foot River) for 10 ½ miles, to Angle Corner,
west on the Middle Level Navigations (Whittlesey Dyke) for 2 ½ miles, and 1 lock to Whittlesey Bridge,
west on the Middle Level Navigations (King's Dyke) for 4 ⅓ miles, and 1 lock to
STANGROUND SLUICE
northwest on the River Nene (Stanground Branch) for ½ mile to
PETERBOROUGH JUNCTION
southwest on the River Nene (main river) for 61 miles, and 37 locks to
NORTHAMPTON JUNCTION,
southwest on the Grand Union Canal (Northampton Branch) for 4 ½ miles, and 17 locks to
GAYTON JUNCTION,
northwest on the Grand Union Canal (Grand Junction Canal - Main Line - Norton to Gayton) for 12 ½ miles, and 7 locks to
NORTON JUNCTION,
west on the Grand Union Canal (Grand Junction Canal - Main Line - Braunston to Norton) for 4 ½ miles, and 6 locks to
BRAUNSTON TURN,
southwest on the Grand Union Canal (Oxford Canal Section) for 5 miles to
NAPTON JUNCTION,
south on the Oxford Canal (Southern Section - Main Line) for 49 ½ miles, and 38 locks to
OXFORD.

and that's all really!

Note that the Denver Sluice to Salters Lode half mile is tidal and the turn into Salters Lode going down with the tide is demanding, first of all because if you fail to take it in a manually propelled boat there is nowhere else safe to go and stemming the tide may not be possible, and secondly because if you take the turn successfully you then have to stop in a very few yards without damaging your boat. We managed both - but I would be lying if I said we were not worried!

And engined boats often have difficulties there. At least in a small boat we don't have to worry about the silt bank which builds up upstream of the lock channel!