The River Nene. Река Нин. Руководство для судоводителей

This book is about the River Nene, the River Nene itself begins its life in the porous limestone hills of the south and west Northamptonshire uplands. It is hard to trace all of its sources, for several small brooks can be said together to form the source and the very name ‘Nene’ is said to derive from ‘nine’, a reference to the nine springs reputed to give it birth. There are however, two major sources. The first rises close to Naseby, the site of the famous battle of the English Civil
War where, in 1645, the tide of the struggle turned firmly in favour of Cromwell, while the second emerges into the light of day at Arbury Hill, near Badby.
The two major sources of the river unite at Northampton, one of the two largest settlements on the Nene, from where they continue their journey to the sea as one.
The River Nene has been described as the perfect river for the boating enthusiast, as its gentle current makes it generally safe and easy to navigate. While the trappings of civilisation and the urban environment are never too far away, the river often winds its course through wonderfully unspoilt areas. It is very much a river of contrasts. Not only does the pronunciation of its name change from ‘Nen’ to ‘Neen’ at (approximately) Thrapston Town Bridge, but the landscape through which it flows changes character completely more or less once the A1 trunk road has been crossed, on the approach to Peterborough. Upstream of this crossing, the Nene winds its course mainly through undulating uplands, able to expand into its flood plains, when the need arises. East of the Al, however, and certainly beyond Peterborough, it is confined between the high embankments, which protect the surrounding flat fen lands from inundation by its waters. While of vital importance to the flood defence of the Fens, the presence of these embankments does render the river less interesting to navigators, particularly as the undulating, ridge and valley Nene of the uplands is replaced by the artificial straight cuts of the drainers.