Wednesday 21 August 2024

Covering The Waterfront


We'll start off today just south of the city of Ely. The country scene in the first photo is just a hundred yards or so (or metres if you like) south of the railway bridge and after that you're in a busy, built up area of pubs, restaurants and everything to do with leisure boating and holidays afloat.



We're going to stroll right through the riverside area of the old city and out the other side. It's only about half a mile, Britain's Olympic gold medalist, Keely Hodgkinson, can cover the distance in one minute 56.72 seconds. We'll take a bit longer than that. 



We'll pass boatyards and marinas, all looking very peaceful and relaxed. It wasn't always like this; Ely, although a tiny settlement and a long way from the sea, was once a thriving  port with ships making their way though the fens along the Great Ouse river.



The white building on the left of the view above is the Cutter Inn, which gets its name, not from a type of boat as I used to think, but from "the cut", a man-made channel which brought the river right next to the higher ground that Ely was built on to make a more convenient dockyard.



We pass The Boatyard, which specialises in rebuilding and refitting canal boats and making them suitable for modern leisure cruising.



The City of Ely takes great pride in their colourful floral displays which brighten every corner. It's also one of the few places I know where almost all the car parks offer free unlimited parking.



The Maltings now operates as an entertainment, conference and wedding venue for the city, and there's also a restaurant attached to it. But as the name suggests it was once a factory producing malt, from wheat brought in through the docks, for the local brewing industry. The weather-vane is in the shape of a malt-shovel.



Nearby other buildings which were clearly once warehouses have been put to new uses. That strange, sticky-outy wooden structure would have housed the pulley system which winched goods into the upper part of the building.



Overlooking this former hive of activity are the grand houses of the entrepreneurs of the day who liked to keep a close eye on their investments and profits.



Today the main business making a profit during the summer months is the ice-cream van. In his working days Les often used to deliver to businesses around here and got to know the ice-cream man - not saying that my brother is fond of ice-cream or anything like that!



The art gallery was just one of Les's customers.



I expect the giraffe is something to do with the gallery.



Right opposite is one of the entrances to the modern marina. It's called Cathedral Marina and I suspect it has views of the great building which are similar to those from the train, which runs just behind the picture above (you can just see the railway's overhead wires). Annoyingly you only get occasional glimpses of the cathedral from our riverside path.



Which is not to say that there's no beauty to be had from where we are!



Our footsteps lead us through the little park on the left bank of the river which has many benches for anyone who's tiring towards the end of our half-mile stroll.



Even in a place like Ely there's some of the "picturesque unsightliness" which always seems to go hand in hand with any enterprise involving boats.



And then, having passed under another railway bridge, we're out in open country once more. Which of course brings up the question of how such a small settlement comes to be called "a city" at all. Having a cathedral has certainly helped in the case of Ely, but there's no rule that says that every town with a cathedral is a city - or that every city has a cathedral. Having a university doesn't necessarily elevate you to city status either. Nor does having a certain size or population. The only rule, as far as I can see, is that a place becomes a city if the king, or queen, says so.



Which only leaves one outstanding piece of business to be conducted before we leave. Les discovered that his friend, the ice-cream man, has retired and his daughter is now in charge - but the ice-cream is excellent as ever. So we'll go and sit by the river for a while, watching the swans glide and the swallows skim over the water, before heading for home.


Take care.


28 comments:

  1. A very pleasant visit. I am sure that Les was more than happy to renew his acquaintance with an ice cream cone. He might have to have had two, just as a quality control check, to make absolutely sure that high standards had been maintained!

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  2. A wonderful stroll through old Ely. So much to enjoy and take in, especially the giraffe on the roof!

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  3. Such great photos of a beautiful city. I have one question though. In front of the Maltings stands a metal looking collection of tall poles...what is it? A sculpture?

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    1. Yes, it's a piece of public art - there are many in Ely, most of which relate to the history of the city and the surrounding fens. This one is by Elizabeth Jane Grosse and represents several "glaives" which were long-handled spears used for catching eels which were an important part of the local economy. The business end of them is rather like a four-pronged fork upon which the unfortunate eel was speared. Thanks for reminding me to mention it. Incidentally the name "Ely" is probably derived from eel-island.

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  4. Thank you for the lovely stroll this morning. Your pictures and words put me right in the midst of England. Sending you and Les lots of hugs and love.

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  5. Thanks for this great tour of Ely! You always make each place you visit sound and look so interesting that I wish I could visit there. I never will so I am so glad to see these through your posts, John.

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  6. I enjoyed this, John. And I enjoyed our brief visit to Ely with you and Les too, all those years ago. I don't think we saw this side of the city then.

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  7. How wonderful, I remember the riverside and walking along there. I've really enjoyed walking along with you, so many lovely things to see:)

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  8. What a picturesque town Ely is. The ice cream truck is a beauty. Thanks for the tour, I enjoyed it.

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  9. The canals and the boats are fascinating. Interesting history!

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  10. I never made it to Ely so appreciated the tour along the path with you, John.

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  11. Se ve que hay mucho movimiento en esa zona. Muy buenas fotografías.

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  12. Another delightful meander. Thank you. I had thought that a cathedral defined a city. Live and learn. And thanks for explaining the poppy out bit...

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  13. What a wonderful walk alongside the river with you & Les. Your walks are always fascinating and the photography outstanding! Thank you for sharing!
    Of course I had to search for whatever information I could find about the giraffe sculpture. "Sarafa the Ely Giraffe was installed in 2019 and is now one of Ely's quirkiest landmarks. She was made by artist Wesley West who interwove a metal frame with 230 metres of fiberglass measuring tapes."
    https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/local-news/sarafa-the-giraffe-ely-landmark-24155997

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    1. Thanks for that. See also the answer to Rose's comment below.

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  14. That is a wonderful ice cream truck!

    People live on those boats, right? It seems very crowded. But what a nice walk you had.

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    1. Some folk live on boats all year round, others are rented out for a week's cruising. And there's one that gives guided tours up and down the river.

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  15. Very scenic area. So at one time it was easier to build canals and haul rather than roads.

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    1. I think that the Cut was constructed because the land alongside the river's natural channel was, like much of the fens at that time, subject to flooding, so unsuitable for the kind of infrastructure needed for a dockyard. Ely itself is built on more solid ground (still called the Isle of Ely) and the river was brought right alongside.

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  16. So much to see !! great photos as always.

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  17. What a lovely spot to stroll through. I imagine strolling is good for your health. Did you stop for ice cream?

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  18. I do not even know where to begin. Love that first photo, of course. And floral baskets are so pretty...they really dress up the wall of the Maltings. The roses are gorgeous. What I would like to know is what that giraffe is made with and how it is held together. And what is that sitting on the ledge with its feet hanging over. I think it is supposed to be a bird, but what kind/why sitting here.

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    1. I found this online: "Almost hidden in one of the prettiest parts of Ely is the latest addition to the city skyline. A giraffe. That's all. A bit of fun, brilliantly realised by the artist Wesley West from an idea by George Peacock. Sarafa has a metal frame, interwoven with measuring tape, of course.... She arrived in an unseasonal gale, but no animals or humans were harmed in getting her in place, by some miracle".

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    2. Damselfly also found some information. See comment above.

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  19. You have a unique eye for the details. The frames do tell me a lot about the city.

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  20. I have never been to Ely but it is on the list of UK cities to visit. Free parking is a huge bonus in a city and one I've not heard of before.

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  21. Thanks for the tour of this charming town!

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