Back to scraping through Bridges as we travel the Middle Levels

Today – March to Thorpe Meadows, Peterborough, Middle Levels and River Nene, 17 miles, 2 locks
Weds -Salters Lode Lock to March Town Bridge, Middle Levels, 12.5 miles 1 lock

It wasn’t boring at all!

I did actually enjoy the Middle Levels this time, maybe because of the glorious weather or maybe it was because I was anxious at going over to East Anglia back in the Spring treading new ground, but my memory of the Middle Levels was of ‘a boring straight ditch’

It was great… although I did get the phone call wrong to the lady who ‘mans’ Marmont Priory Lock.. Well I though we were sort of getting close to it, so I gave her a ring..”We are close I think”  “Describe what you see around you” says she, “Well there is a green sign coming up on the right I can see” “Ah well that is the sign for the lock!!”  Ooops!.. Never mind, she sent hubby out, and he locked us through.  He was telling me that his wife gets paid just �7 a month for looking after the lock and seeing people through, and a free phone!  Well she and hubby have been there for over 30 years, and they actually own part of the lock along with a beautiful house, so they are happy with their wage!

The Middle Level Commissioners don’t charge a licence fee for travelling on their waterways, so they are going to try and earn some extra income by renting out mooring space.  I see Waterscape have the news of that here.  Apparently they want to charge something like �30 a metre for boats.. bit cheaper than BW moorings.. but more remote!

Back to the low bridges again then… this one at the beautifully named village of Nordelph, down came the chimney to squeeze under this 2.1m of headroom bridge.. it just cleared the flowers.

We spent last night at March Town Bridge, and fishing was far too good to come inside, and when fishing was over, the Ship Inn was too much of a temptation to miss, and we went out for a couple of pints.  We were entertained by 30 or so youngsters watching two or three of their show off friends leaping from March Town Bridge into the shallow water below.  I suppose the leap was some 16 or so foot from the top… They really do chance it.. there is all sorts of rubbish in the water through the towns.. no harm was done though, and by 10pm they had all run home from the tremendous lightning storm that had prevented me from coming online after returning from the pub.

Now then, not the best of pics, but had to be recorded.. count them.. 10.. that is the most I have ever seen for one family of swans, didn’t they do well!!

On then to Peterborough today, again the weather was glorious.  Here this huge boat is actually a floating bar and cafe, but they don’t miss the river customers!  They have built a landing stage into the river.. Tonight we have moored in Thorpe Meadows, a side water off the Nene.  It’s a bit noisy with the pub here, but hey everyone is enjoying themselves on this lovely summer evening.