The Lazy Otter (A10) to Ely

In writing up today's walk I realise that it is exactly a year since we walked the first leg of the Ouse Valley Way. Today's walk also joined up with the Fen Rivers Way, which we have already walked, so although there are a few more legs that I'd like to do again as part of the Ouse Valley Way, it could be argued that we completed the path today.

It was sunny when we left home, but it was a bit cold and there was some drizzle in the afternoon. We had deliberately waited until mid-morning, which might have been a mistake since our usual parking place in Ely, the Barton Road car park, was full. We eventually left one car on Cambridge Road (TL535800), where there were several spaces and the parking appears to be unrestricted at all times; parking in Ely can be tricky, so that is definitely worth remembering. We were almost opposite the house where Richard's grandparents used to live, on the corner of Houghton Gardens (his grandparents were Mr and Mrs Houghton) and we were much excited to see that their former house, which we sold in 1985 and which has changed hands at least once subsequently, appeared to be for sale again. However, on closer inspection we realised that the estate agent's board was just being used to advertise a school Christmas fair, sponsored by aforementioned estate agent...how daft can you get?!

We drove a short distance down the A10 past Stretham and parked the other car near the Lazy Otter (pub and marina) at Stretham Ferry Bridge ((TL502721). I'm grateful to "Patience Afloat" for researching the history of this river crossing and thus saving me the effort of doing so. Until 1763 you'd have needed to catch a ferry across the river at this point, and until 1976 all the A10 traffic came over Stretham Ferry Bridge; the A10 was then straightened, bypassing both the old bridge and the pub. The pub, then known as the "Charles in the Oak" (a reference to a story of King Charles hiding in an oak tree to hide from Cromwell's soldiers) was "old and well established" in 1797; it didn't become the Lazy Otter until 1987.

Enough of the stories, though the walk also got off to a rather faltering start; I'd set off in front of Richard (who had to put his boots on) and wondered why he was walking forwards and backwards on the bank alongside the marina. It turned out that he had dropped the map whilst doing up the rucksack but didn't immediately notice; thankfully he realised before walking too far and the map had not blown away! Eventually we were off, walking along a muddy but not impassible bank slightly above the river. It was bracing walking, and a woman out walking two little dachshunds commented to this effect.

We quickly reached "Wooden Bridge" (not wooden) and the attractive Stretham Old Engine. This is open to the public on occasions, but not today. Just past the old pumping station we said hello to several people (and two dogs) who were out doing work in the garden of an attractive house; brrrr! We crossed "Newmarket Road" (the A1123 between Stretham and Wicken Fen) and photographed Stretham Church and Ely Cathdral, "Ship of the Fens" in the distance (photo shown at the top of the page) and looped around past a reservoir and under the railway line to the Fish and Duck Marina.

The Fish and Duck Marina is at the confluence of the River Great Ouse (also known as the Old West River on the section we'd just completed) and the River Cam (also known as the River Granta), and from here to the north the river is definitely the Great Ouse. The Fish and Duck was originally an inn, and the first publican in 1850 was one Richard Pope, leading to the commonly used name of the river junction "Pope's corner". We crossed the footbridge at Pope's corner and headed north, being passed by two rowing eights accompanied by a launch, who were heading south.

The path was surprisingly muddy, and there was nowhere obvious to stop for lunch until we reached a grassy landing stage near Little Thetford, with two conveniently placed benches. We ate our lunch and watched a scull (single rowing boat) heading to the south and then the return of the much noisier eights. After they had passed we had the path to ourselves again, with just birds for company, and this remained the case all the way to Ely.

We were walking parallel to the main King's Lynn to London railway line and we eventually noticed that we had not been passed by any trains; it transpired that there were engineering works between Cambridge and Ely, so the trains were replaced by buses for the whole weekend. It was raining slightly and there was a definite breeze from behind us; this made it impossible to photograph the river to the south, but it didn't bother us otherwise.

Eventually we reached the railway junction with the Newmarket line and a goods train headed off on that line; then we reached Ely Station, with plenty of trains heading all directions but south. We continued along the river to the Marina and the Maltings, then walked up back past the Cathedral, St Mary's Church and Oliver Cromwell's House and back to the car.

Following leg