MAPS OF THE RIVER – Cambridge City, The Cam Valley, plus the Great Ouse to Ely
The primary route for our popular river trips is between Jesus Lock, close to the city centre, and Baits Bite Lock, beyond the city boundary near to the village of Milton.
A popular extended trip route is between Cambridge and Ely.
CAMBRIDGE MAP - between Jesus Lock (city) and Baits Bite Lock (Milton)
A popular two hour round trip cruise route will take you between (but not through) Jesus Lock and Baits Bite Lock, taking you beyond the city boundary close to the village of Milton and the fringes of the East Anglian Fens.
Various start points including: The Plough Fen Ditton, Jesus Lock, Fen Road Chesterton, Stourbridge Waterpoint, Fort St George Pub – Midsummer Common.
This route includes: Jesus Green Lido (Swimming Pool), Midsummer Common, Fort St George Pub, Midsummer House Restaurant, the college and city rowing team boathouses, Elizabeth Way Bridge, Riverside, Old Pumping Station – Cambridge Museum of Technology, The Green Dragon Pub, Stourbridge Common, local Live-Aboard boats, Chesterton, Ditton Meadows, Fen Ditton Village, The Plough pub and ‘the bumps’ rowing race course.
CAMBRIDGE MAP - beyond Baits Bite downstream to Bottisham Lock
For extended round trips of up to 3-4 hours it is possible to go through Baits Bite Lock onto a delightful rural stretch of the river. Just 3 miles out of the city but you are transported to a haven of wildlife and tranquillity.
This route passes the village of Horningsea, past a World War II pillbox, the towpath follows the river here all the way to Clayhithe and Waterbeach and The Bridge pub. On the opposite bank is the River Authorities depot and office – The Cam Conservators.
Further downstream The Cam Motorboat Marina and Cam Sailing club moorings appear. Once past here the river opens out for a short stretch before reaching Bottisham Lock.
CAMBRIDGE TO ELY MAP
For the more adventurous the extended river route between Cambridge and Ely provides some stunning scenery and wildlife.
Be warned, at a leisurely pace this route can take up to five hours one-way! This route is offered as a private cruise, or from time to time to as a public shared trip.
RIVER CAM VALLEY - to the sea
To put into context the river network, above is a map of other the waterways connected to the River Cam: The Bedford stretch of the Great Ouse, The Old West River, River Lark, The Little Ouse (Brandon Creek), River Wissey and Denver Sluice, linking with The River Nene, along with the Old Bedford River and Hundred Foot Drain.
This outlines the river route all the way on to Kings Lynn and The Wash, where the river finally enters the North Sea.
We all need to take global warming seriously and start to do things now to reverse the impact we are having on the planet. Otherwise we will potentially change the landscape permanently with ‘Cambridge-On-Sea’ !
The blue section indicates the current shore line of the east coast, clearly showing the The Wash at Kings Lynn and Hunstanton. The white section shows the potential impact of global warming if we continue on the current trajectory. Large swathes of the East Anglian Fens could become underwater, with the Norfolk Boards becoming one great big open stretch of water. One of the little green blobs near Cambridge would be the ‘Ilse of Ely’ similar to how it might have been in the days of Boudicca (Boadicea is the Roman version of her name) !