Five miles from anywhere on the River Cam there is a duck infested pub called Five Miles From Anywhere, No Hurry.

We cruised there this morning, with Paula doing loads of laundry between locks. Though the building is modern, there has been an inn here since the 18th century, and it has had this name since 1850. Technically the pub is in the village of Upware, but Upware seems to consist entirely of the pub.

In 1851 a group of undergraduates from Cambridge met at the pub and declared Upware to be an independent republic. They appointed ministers of state, clerics, and consuls, and devoted their time to boating, drinking, skating, drinking, fishing, drinking, shooting, drinking and drinking. However, the Republic of Upware was short lived. In 1861 control of the fledgling state was seized by Richard Ramsay Fielder, a Jesus College graduate, who declared himself King of Upware. He moved into the inn to allow more time for drinking, and dropped the other state activities in favor of his preferred hobbies, writing poetry, fighting with bargemen, and dancing with their daughters.

Oh, and drinking.

From Upware he moved on to Ely, as we will tomorrow.