Bridge heights
As you cruise along the River Great Ouse you'll encounter plenty of interesting bridges of all different shapes and sizes. You need to be aware of the height of these bridges to make sure your boat has enough headroom to go safely underneath them.
Planning your journey
The tables below provide the distances between the standard water level and the highest point of the bridges along the Great Ouse and its tributaries. These distances are approximate and remember that river levels do fluctuate throughout the year.
Several structures on the River Great Ouse, such as bridges and guillotine gates, have inverted gauge boards fitted upstream and downstream. If the indicated height is less than the air draft of your craft, you must not attempt to pass under the structure. As the boat skipper, it is your responsibility to ensure that there is sufficient headroom to permit safe passage.
Bedford Ouse: Bedford to Hermitage | Headway - metres | Headway - feet |
Bedford Lock Footbridge | 2.1m | 6.11ft |
Footbridge | 2.1m | 7.0ft |
Road Bridge | 2.7m | 8.10ft |
Footbridge | 2.9m | 9.6ft |
Railway bridge | 2.3m | 7.6ft |
Road and Pipe Bridge | 2.7m | 8.10ft |
Sewage Works Bridge | 2.6m | 8.8ft |
Railway Bridge | 2.6m | 8.8ft |
A421 Road Bridge | 6.2m | 20.4ft |
Footbridge | 4.4m | 14.5ft |
Road Bridge (GT Barford) | 3.0m | 9.9ft |
Footbridge | 4.5m | 14.9ft |
Tempsford Old Road Bridge | 3.1m | 10.1ft |
Tempsford New Road Bridge | 3.7m | 12.0ft |
A428 Road Bridge | 6.1m | 20ft |
Eaton Socon Lock Footbridge | 2.7m | 9.0ft |
St Neots Town Bridge | 2.8m | 9.2ft |
St Neots Paper Mill Bridge (B1041 Road Bridge) | 2.9m | 9.5ft |
Offord Lock Bridge | 2.5m | 8.1ft |
Railway Bridge | 4.8m | 15.9ft |
A14 Road Bridge | 5.5m | 18ft |
Huntingdon Bridge | 3.4m | 11.2ft |
Hemingford Lock Bridge | 2.7m | 8.10ft |
St Ives Town Bridge | 2.7m | 8.10ft |
A1096 Road Bridge | 4.1m | 13.5ft |
Rail Bridge | 3.8m | 12.5ft |
Hermitage Lock | 3.4m | 11.1ft |
Old West: Popes Corner to Hermitage Lock | Headway - metres | Headway - feet |
Railway Bridge | 3.6m | 11.9ft |
Wicken Rd Bridge | 3.2m | 10.6ft |
Green End Rd Bridge | 3.5m | 11.5ft |
Lazy Otter Rd Bridge | 3.2m | 10.6ft |
Cambridge A10 Bridge | 3m | 9.10ft |
Twentypence Rd Bridge | 3.3m | 10.8ft |
Aldreth High Bridge | 4m | 13.1ft |
Willingham Flat Bridge | 3m | 9.10ft |
Hermitage Lock Rd Bridge | 3.4m | 11.1ft |
Ely Ouse | Headway - metres | Headway - feet |
Ten Mile Rail Bridge | 4m | 13.1ft |
Hilgay Rd Bridge | 4m | 13.1ft |
Littleport A10 Rd Bridge | 3.4m | 11.1ft |
Sandhills Rd Bridge | 3.45m | 11.3ft |
Queen Adelaide Rd Bridge | 3.16m | 10.4ft |
Queen Adelaide Rail Bridge |
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Potters Rd Bridge | 3.4 m | 11.1ft |
Potters Foot Bridge | 3.5m | 11.4ft |
Railway Bridge d\s of Ely, Willow Walk | 3.1m | 10.1ft |
Loveys Rd Bridge | 3.25m | 10.8ft |
Railway Bridge u\s at Ely | 3.06m | 10.0ft |
Ely High Bridge | 3.19m | 10.5ft |
Newmarket Railway Bridge | 3.15m | 10.4ft |
River Cam: Popes Corner to Jesus Lock | Headway - metres | Headway - feet |
Dimmocks Cote Rd Bridge | 3.7m | 12.1ft |
Dimmocks Cote Rd Bridge | 3.1m | 10.2ft |
Clayhithe Rd Bridge | 3.4m | 11.1ft |
Baitsbite Lock | 3m | 9.10ft |
A14 rd bridge | 4.9m | 16ft |
Stourbridge Footbridge | 3.2m | 10.6ft |
Elizabeth Rd Bridge | 4.9m | 16ft |
Midsummer Common Foot Bridges x2 | 3m | 9.10ft |
Victoria Rd Bridge | 3.2m | 10.6ft |
Jesus Lock | 4m | 13.1ft |
The Lodes | Headway - metres | Headway - feet |
Upware Lock and Rd Bridge, Reach Lode | 2.7m | 8.10ft |
Wicken Lode Foot Bridge | 2.7m | 8.10ft |
High Bridge, Burwell Lode | 2.7m | 8.10ft |
The Anchor rd bridge, Burwell | 2.5m | 8.2ft |
River Lark: Ely Ouse to Judes Ferry | Headway - metres | Headway - feet |
Branch Bridge | 3.4m | 11.1ft |
Railway Bridge, Prickwillow | 3.1m | 10.2ft |
Prickwillow Rd Bridge | 3m | 9.10ft |
Isleham Lock | 2.65m | 8.69ft |
Judes Ferry | 3.2m | 10.6ft |
Little Ouse: Ely Ouse to Brandon | Headway - metres | Headway - feet |
Brandon Creek A10 Rd Bridge | 3.1m | 10.2ft |
Little Ouse Village Rd Bridge | 3.1m | 10.2ft |
Redmere Farm Rd Bridge | 3m | 9.10ft |
Hockwold Sluice | 3m | 9.10ft |
Railway Bridge d\s Brandon | 2.7m | 8.10ft |
Brandon Lock | 2m | 6.6ft |
River Wissey: Ely Ouse to Whittington | Headway - metres | Headway - feet |
Railway Bridge | 2.7m | 8.10ft |
Hilgay A10 Rd Bridge | 2.6m | 8.6ft |
Hilgay Old Rd Bridge | 2.6m | 8.6ft |
Wissington Foot Bridge | 3m | 9.10ft |
Wissington Beet Factory Pipe Bridge | 3.2m | 10.6ft |
Wissington Beet Factory Old Road Bridge | 3.5m | 11.5ft |
Wissington Beet Factory New Rd Bridge | 4m | 13.1ft |
Stoke Ferry Sluice | 3m | 9.10ft |
Stoke Ferry Rd Bridge | 2.5m | 8.2ft |
Whittington Rd Bridge | 2.9m | 9.6ft |