On to March

We left early at 7:55 as Densie was booked in for a service at Fox Narrowboats in March around lunchtime.  We only had one lock to descend - Ashline Lock a hundred yards further on from where we were moored.  Then onwards through the Fens.

Ol Rivere Nene before Angle Corner

One of several WW2 pill boxes built to prevent an invasion force using the waterways

 For the first 2 miles until the junction with the 20 foot Drain at Angle corner we mde fast progress.  Here we left the old River Nene and the waterway became narrow and shallow, our speed slowing down to around 2.5 mph.

On the positive side the boat was surrounded by large numbers of fish.  We were very pleased to see something a bit like a small shark which we assume was a pike, the first one I have ever seen.  Other than that there were also many shoals of perch, the only fresh water fish we have learned to recognise, and of course lots of other fish we didnt know including some quite large ones perhaps a foot or so in length.  Unfortunately there were also patches of blanket weed, mainly around the 2 or 3 farms we passed but we only had to stop once to clear the prop.

Once we met the old River Nene again at Floods Ferry the waterway returned to its former width and depth and our speed returned to 3.5mph.  But the waters were rather cloudy and there were no more fish to be seen.

Densie moored in March

We reached Fox Narrowboats at 11:55 as planned and the boat was serviced once the engneer returned from lunch.  We set off again on the 0.75 mile journey into March where we had to wait 45 minutes for a mooring to become available, finally tieing up at 4pm.

Today: 10.9 miles, 1 lock 4 hours 40 minutes travelling.

Leaving the Nene, now on the Middle Level

First job this morning was to take the boat to the services facilities on Peterborough Embankment where we filled up with drinking water and emptied the waste tank.  Our passage through Stanground Lock had been booked with the lock-keper for 11:30 so we had a half hour wait before we set off again down the Nene for the last time this year.

On the Nene at Perborough turning towards the Old River Nene

Old River Nene betwen Stanground and Whittlesey

Approaching Briggate Bend, Whittlesey

A quarter of a mile later we turned right onto the old course of the River Nene which was diverted directly into the Wash from its previous destination on the Great Ouse during the draining of the fens in the 17th Century.  The section were are now entering, known as the Middle Level, is a low lying area of  drained fen crossed by a complex set of drainage channels and old rivers between the Nene and the Great Ouse.  There is only one route through the Middle Level navigable by narrowboats which takes us through the old  settlements of Whittlesey and March.

Having descended Stanground we continued down the narrow, shallow and rather weedy Old River Nene, very different to the river we had left in Peterborough. After passing brickworks and a McCain's chip factory we reached Whittlesey where Briggate Bend is well known in canal circles as the tightest and narrowest bend on the whole inland waterway system.  With Denise at the helm we turned the corner easily without touching the sides.

Soon afterwards we were flagged down by a man on the towpath with a problem.  When we quietened the engine sufficent to hear what he was saying we found that his grandson's football had fallen into the river and drifted across to the other side.  With a bit of nifty steering from Mike and help from a long pole with a net supplied by the boy's father we were able to retrieve the ball and return it to Grandad.

A frw hundred yards later at lunchtme we reached our planned mooring near Whittlesey Leisure Centre and tied up for the day.  We could have carried on but we are in no hurry and the heat was getting very tiring.

Today: 5.22 miles, 1 lock, 2 hours 15 minutes travelling

Moored in Peterbrough

Densie moored on Peterborough Embankment

This morning we cruised the 3 miles to the visitor moorings on Peterborough Embankment where we moored at 11am.

After lunch on board we walked into the city centre to look at the shops and the market. The cathedral is well worth a visit but we had already done that 3 years ago when we were last here.  When I returned to the boat I found that despite us having closed the sun facing curtains the temperature oin the saloon was around 35 deg C - phew!

We will be staying in Peterborough tomorrow to buy groceries for the next stage of our journey.

Today: 3 miles, 1 lock, 1 hour 20 minutes travelling

Outskirts of Peterborough - Ferry Meadows Country Park

Another day of pleasant boating weather though we had a shorter day than usual as we have no need to be in Peterborough until tomorrow. We left our moorings at 9:15 and travelled downstream towards Peterborough.  The scenery has now changed from farmland to flood plain hay meadows.

In Water Newton Lock, with the church in the background

Water Newton Mill

The first lock was at Water Newton in a really delightful location with the church overlooking the millstream and the guillotine lock.  The water was overflowing the top gate so we had to be careful to keep the boat clear.  After leaving the lock there is a good view of the 18th Century watermill, now converted as a dwelling.  Then on through Alwalton Lock to Ferry Meadows Country Park.

Milton Ferry Bridge near Ferry Meadows

Dnsie moored in Ferry Meadows Country Park

This large expanse of old gravel workings is now a park used by the locals with walks and cycle tracks around a set of large lakes and a nature reserve.  In the largest lake connected to the river by a narrow channel there are moorings for perhaps 10 boats.  In the past we have found them to be busy but today Densie is the only boat there.

Next to a path around the park there is a local NVR railway station so we had tconsidered taking a train trip into Peterborough.  However we changed our minds when we discovered that steam engines were currently banned due to the risk of grass fires in this hot dry weather.  Further round the nature reserve area there are a couple of hides where we hoped to find something of interest.  However the marshy areas had all dried up so apart from a few great tits there was nothing to see, so we returned to the Park centre and made do with an ice cream.

Today: 6.17 miles, 2 locks, 2 hours 45 minutes travelling

Wansford Station

Had a very good meal last night at the Falcon in Fotheringay, a multi-award winning gastropub.  We would highly recommend to any visiting boater.

The weather was pleasantly cooler today, which was lucky as the scarcity of moorings has resulted in  a longer journey than usual.  We set off at 8:30 so as to finish by lunchtime. The first lock was Warmington, our final manually operated guillotine lock on this journey, a pleasing milestone.

Typuical Lower Nene scenery.

 Our journey took us from the Middle to the Lower Nene.  The latter presents a different type of landscape to that we have found so far with flat farmland on both sides of the generally wide and deep river.   This has enabled us to travel at a steady 3.5 mph with no strain on the engine.

Densie moored below Wansford Station

Thomas the Tank Engine under repair

NVR's engines at Wansford Station

We arrived at the Wansford Railway station moorings, about 2 miles from the inaccessible by boat village of Wansford,  at lunchtime as planned and in the afternoon visited the adjacent Nene Valley Railway yard and workshops there.  The station is owned by the NVR who run vintage trains to Peterborough and Yarwell several days a week, though sadly not today.

Today: 7.6 miles, 4 locks, 4 hours 15 minutes.

Fotheringay

Again like yesterday - hot and glorious boating.   We left early at 8:30 so that we could finish before the hottest part of the day.  By 9:10 had descended the manual Ashton Lock and we were moored in an unofficial mooring on the edge of Oundle about 0.5 miles from Waitrose.  So we now have enough groceries to last until we reach Peterborough.

Cotterstock Church

Nene scene betwen Cotterstock and Foteringhay

Fotheringhay Church in 2015

Now under repair

Then onwards through a couple more locks, one electric and the other manual to reach the moorings at Fotheringhay at lunchtime.  The view of the amazing Fotheringhay church from the river is one to be found in many guidebooks though sadly the church is now encased in plastic sheeting following major repairs to the roof.

Totals: 5.12 miles 3 locks 2 hours 40 minutes travelling.

Ashton in the shade

Nothing much new to say - hot sunny weather, lovely scenery, guillotine locks etc etc

Barnwell Mill next to Upper Barnwell Lock

Moored in the shade at Ashton

After leaving the Middle Nene Cruising Club's moorings at Titchmarsh we descended 5 scattered powered guillotine locks to arrive at the pleasant moorings near Ashton Lock a short distance from Oundle.  On the way we filled up with water at Upper Barnwell Lock - a useful find as water points are not common on the Nene.

We are beginning to run short of groceries so we would have liked to eat out this evening.  However it is 3/4 of a mile walk to the nearest pub so a bit too far.  Hopefully we will have the chance to shop in Oundle and/or eat out at our next stop.

Today: 7.3 miles, 5 locks, 4 hours 10 minutes travelling