Salter's Lode and Denver Sluice

We negotiated the scary-sounding Salter's Lode and Denver Locks today. Scary? Well, you have to book a passage and people talk about the intricacies of entering the locks. The two locks allow access to/from a short tidal stretch of the River Great Ouse. This is the usual way to transit between the Middle Levels and the non-tidal Great Ouse.

Before I get to that, here's a curious house between Outwell and Salter's Lode.

This was our first glimpse of Salter's Lode Lock. We were fourth in the queue, so had time to watch the fun as boats left and entered the locks.

The first boat out of Salter's Lode made a right hash of getting into Denver Lock, the tide sweeping him broadside on to the sluice. He made two abortive attempts before slotting in.

A boat coming in to Salter's Lode fared no better. He started turning in too soon and the tide put him completely out of position. In the end he had helpers on the bank pulling his bow round. The lockie gave him a score of minus ten. I shan't embarrass anyone by publishing photos … yet. Besides which, I haven't tried to get in to Salter's Lode from the tideway so I'd better shut up.

After a long time it was our turn into the lock.

With the paddle open it was effectively the sea filling the lock.

Then we were out and onto the tidal section. This is looking back at Salter's Lode Lock.

Denver Lock was soon reached: it's the leftmost part of the structure as you approach from Salter's Lode.

We slipped in beside the previous boat through Salter's Lode. The lockie there should have locked us out together.

We didn't really know where to go after leaving Denver Lock but, as we'd decided to go to Downham Market tomorrow, we turned left and tied up just before the lock we'll be going down.

It's all very confusing here, with waterways going in all direction. Some are navigable, some not. After tea we walked all around and tried to work out what was what.

It was a lovely hot evening with a great sunset. Here's one photo I took, of reflections under a red sky.

We met fellow BCF members - and bloggers - Mike and Christine on Alchemy just before we left Upwell this morning; we also gave Sally a short cruise to her house in Outwell.

Tomorrow, then, it's Downham Market and as near to King's Lynn as we can get on the Relief Channel.