If you venture through Upware Lock and navigate up Burwell Lode, after about a mile you will reach a fork in the river, turning right will take you to the picturesque village of Reach. Narrow and sometimes weedy in summer it is well worth the effort. There is a GOBA mooring at the Hythe which is on the site of the ancient Port of Reach. The mooring is quiet and sheltered and within easy walking distance of the village pub, the Dykes End.
You can read about the fascinating history of this area here
If you are planning on using the mooring at Reach here are a few things that may be useful to know:
The banks are low and the adjacent land is quite steep. Getting on and off from boats with a high freeboard might be challenging for the less athletic (like me!)
There are also reeds on the bankside so a boarding plank might prove useful if you have one
Close to the bank is quite shallow and you need to keep a look out for the Clunch stones by the bank (the local chalky stone that was exported from Reach)
There is approx 10m in the middle of the mooring where the bank is narrow and steep, but there is plenty of room at either end.
If you do make it here you will be rewarded by a very peaceful mooring with easy access paths to the village pub.
There is an old Anglian water sewage works behind the bushes. This is now only used as a pumping station so no problems with noise (or smell!)
