In the 1970s, the banks of the lodes connecting Burwell and Reach were leaking due to the shrinkage of the Fens, and were now flooding the land that they were constructed to drain. As the Swaffham Bulbeck and Bottisham lodes were also leaking, it was going to cost a lot of money to repair, so one proposal was to demolish the high level lodes and create a new low level system.
As this would have meant that navigation by boats would cease, the boating community and IWA started to campaign to keep the Lodes open.
Eventually the navigations were saved.
[The photo above shows a quiet spot at the end of Reach Lode – by Alison Smedley]
IWA Cambridge Branch (now Great Ouse) adopted Reach as a focal point. Reach still has a pub and the village puts on a big fair on the first Bank Holiday in May each year. For many years, the branch had a boating rally and BBQ whilst the fair was on. It also had a sales stall at the event, mainly to promote IWA.
In 1984, two signs were erected on the Hythe showing the connection with the River Cam. Amazingly, both remained intact until 2023, almost 40 years. Eventually one post snapped and the other sign was not in the best condition, so it was decided that new ones would be made. So over the 2023/4 winter, branch member Peter Webb has made replacements, and they are being installed this (2024) summer.
[The photo, left, shows a new sign, and the photo below one of the old signs – both photos by Peter Webb]
