No Problem with NABO!

Moored Nether Heyford, GU Canal

I will get that name right.. Nether Heyford it is, not all the other names I have been calling it!

Nether Heyford, actually, is a lovely village. A very short distance from the canal where there are very good moorings to be able to visit. Down the hill, taking 10 minutes, not the 5 minutes advertised on the bridge for the pub down there by the way! A Post Office and Cost Cutter all in one, with a very good selection of groceries.

It also has a butcher.. but beware he closes at 12.30pm on a Monday other than that open all other days all day. There is a huge village green.. it looks far too big for the tiny village, and a couple of pubs, none of which we visited... I enjoy having a pint for sure when we pass.. but not if I have to trapse uphill on the way back!

NABO, the National Association of Boat Owners have responded at last to the Proposed Licence Increases by British Waterways.. NP and it's crew are members of NABO.

We decided to join this year so that we could have some representation on boating politics, and oh boy there sure are some at the moment!  NABO’s response for those interested - click here

We are both delighted with what they have said, and hope that British Waterways take notice of their comments!

I am worrying about THAT tunnel that we have to go through to reach Braunston.. so we are dithering.. I made a comment on Andrew's blog the other day about me dithering.. at that time I wrote a note to myself  "Thou shalt not dither on important issues".. well I suppose it is important that we get through Braunston Tunnel, so I best get on with it!  Please help me out and don't use the tunnel on Thursday when I will be coming through!!

Nether Heywood and a new Editor for Waterways World

Today Gayton Junc to Nether Heyford, GU Canal, 4 miles 0 locks
Yesterday – Moored Nr Gayton Junction, Grand Union Canal

Plenty of walking done over the weekend as usual, as well as totally relaxing and getting used to the amazing amount of boats up and down the Grand Union Canal!  It takes a bit of getting used to as well, after spending the last 6 months over in the East.  You know, if two or three boats came past in a day we would have been surprised over in that area. 

The nice thing about walking is that invaribly there is the very obvious way to go.. the towpath!  Walking along the towpath there is much to been seen that is missed travelling by narrowboat.. a lot of the mile posts along this canal have a plaque on the base, not seen from the water.  The plaques have inscriptions on them, each dedicated to a person who has had some impact on that particular part of the canal in days gone by.  Chocolate Box photos too make me pick up my camera as I walk..

.. and here close to where NP was moored over the weekend, the interesting ‘cuts’ in the iron fixed to the bridge where the ropes from horses pulling the boats in the past have scared..

Yep you can see NP in the background… no she isn’t on fire!  It’s been a bit chilly in the evenings, we have had a cosy fire a couple of evenings this week!

Today then, we just moved up a short distance, still typical of our rate of speed.. we are never in a hurry, well not unless we have to. 

Lupin and the butty Sunny Valley came by yesterday, and here they are at The Wharf at Bugbrook.. we were going to stop over for lunch today, but there was nowhere to moor.. 

 I popped into Nether Heyford on arrival to take back the remaining library books to the mobile library which I knew was arriving there this afternoon.  My last chance to return any books from Northamptonshire.. soon we will be out of the county and into Warwickshire.  I phoned Tim at Staffordshire Canopies, and booked our slot at Gt Haywood for our new cratch and pram cover (aka ‘wigwam for wimps’) to be made and fitted the back end of October.  I am not a wimp really, but it will, for sure, provide another room in the winter, and a rather nice place from which to fish from!

I see Richard Fairhurst has moved from Waterscape to be Editor no less for Waterways World

After two-and-a-bit years, yesterday was my last day at Waterscape. On Monday, I start as editor of Waterways World (no hyperlink...yet), the best-selling and longest-established canal and river magazine.

I'm very proud of what we achieved at Waterscape, replacing the disaster zone that was the original Netdecisions-built site with a much more comprehensive, readable, and usable site costing a tiny fraction of the original.

Well that must surely be a huge loss to Waterscape I would think, but just as big a gain for Waterways World.  I am really looking forward to maybe a few changes in a mag that for me has become one that I don’t purchase anymore because of so many adverts, and another reason I don’t purchase it is because it seems always full of stuff that is not quite ‘on the towpath’ for my liking.  I do prefer their rival Canal Boat..

I am also looking forward to Richard putting Waterways World on the internet properly, although I do think it could do with a new domain name and a better front page than is there at present. Having said that, Canal Boat Magazine is not much better at the moment!!

Richard will do a grand job of putting Waterways World on the net for sure! Good Luck in your new job from me Richard

It’s getting very windy here.  We were planning on moving through Wilton and Buckby Locks tomorrow, but not if the wind remains so high.. NP hates the wind, and I hate NP’s behaviour in it!

Continuous Cruisers around Gayton

With the deadline for the return of the forms to British Waterways on 30th September, it was no wonder that on the last few miles of the River Nene and here close to Gayton it is on people’s minds.. and much of ‘meeting at the lock’ conversations dwelt on the subject.

One chap we met on the Nene was most incredible and does the true continuous cruisers like Vic and I no good whatsoever.. He boasted that he has not had a licence for 9 years out of the ten he has been cruising.  He is off to the London area for the winter, not having a mooring though.. he didn’t say if he was going to keep to the mooring rules, and I didn’t ask.  He has a new boat now, not registered with any authority yet.. well spose if his boat is not registered then no need to licence!  He has no intention whatsover to pay the extra 147% more that it is proposed by British Waterways for boats that have no mooring as such.  I doubt he will buy a licence at all next time anyway!

At the first couple of locks of the Northampton line I met up with a retired couple, pensioners..

 “I have returned the forms, I cannot afford to pay an extra 2 and half times what I am paying now.  I have told them my pension only just about covers what I have chosen to do for my retirement, what with the threat of the diesel being 3 times more than it is now in a couple of years it is impossible for me to pay.  I have told them I cannot pay the extra for the licence and have also told them that I will not be paying any licence fee if it is increased that much.”

British Waterways are making a grave mistake proposing this unbelievable increase.  Very few boaters will declare that they are continuous cruisers when they next licence their boat. 1300 boats are believed to be in the continous cruiser category this year, I dread to think what that figure will be for next year if it was published. 

Anyway enough banging on about waterway politics for now…

As you see the smilies are back!

It sure has been a serious culture change coming back on to British Waterways.. but to help us back John Sinclair joined us at the bottom of the Rothersthorpe flight on Thursday.  It was great to see John again, the last time I was in a state of disorganised chaos having just picked up Wendie’s two dogs for their annual holiday.. there were tins of dog food, blankets, mutt towels, dog baskets etc etc all over the place.. gawd knows how John managed to step over everything.. this time was much better and we all had a great day together working slowly through the locks.

John helped me through my post summer blues… I was sorry to leave the Nene, River Gt Ouse and all the little tributaries.. Wicken Fen.. Burwell Lode.. ah memories.. but here we are back on the system.  Lots of boats around!

I think I have all my stuff back on the computer safely now.. gawd I didn’t realise how much stuff I actually use.  So many programs to reinstall.  

We are meeting Chas and Ann on NB Moore2Life next week in Braunston..  that will cheer me.  

British Waterways have us back!

Thu 22nd - Close Wooton Lock to Gayton Junction, GU Canal Northampton Branch, 2 miles, 14 locks
Wed 21st - Weston Favel Lock to Close Wooton Lock, River Nene and GU, 5 miles, 7 locks
Tue 20th - Cogenhoe to Wooton, River Nene, 3.5 miles, 4 locks
Mon 19th - Doddington to Cogenhoe, River Nene, 3.5 miles, 3 locks Sat/Sun 17th/18th Sept - Moored Great Doddington, River Nene

Well the sign at Northampton welcomed us to British Waterways yesterday as we entered the weedy unkept Northampton end of the Grand Union line. What a mess, certainly BW have done absolutely nothing about the mountainous growth on both the towpath and far sides of the canal. Still it's probably not one of the areas they want to promote.. maybe out of the public eye being just a 'route' to the EA rivers.

I have had to reformat my computer, something I really hate doing.. so many settings and programs to put back on, I am nowhere near finishing that yet, so there will be no smilies for a while! I have put just the basics back on at the moment, and of course my ftp program so I can at least put the latestest pics here.

Over the next few days I will have bunged everything back on, including the software for the 'Where we are' page, so sorry that has not been updated yet. Also I need to reinstall my software that I use to write the blog, so I am not sure if this will look right.. hope so.

Just a quick blog from me this evening to say that all is well here despite my absence... A lot has happened over the last few days, I will catch you all up shortly.

Locks and more Locks as we near Northampton

Denford to Great Doddington, River Nene, 14.5 miles 10 locks

Much cooler this morning, the northerly wind forced out the winter coat and a pair of woolly gloves.  We pulled the pins on Denford resisting the temptation to stay for another Sunday roast at the local pub and made our way upstream.  It was noticeable today that the river was flowing a little faster than of late, but with yesterday’s rain perhaps I should not be too surprised.

Woodford is a lovely village…

It is a great pity that there is nowhere to moor here, OK so you could get into the side if you really, really wanted to, but there are no official moorings to be had.  There are a couple of pubs too, so I am sure that some ‘village’ moorings somewhere would give them some river trade.

Locks are coming thick and fast at the moment, just about 1 lock every mile on this upstream stretch as we near Northampton.  Some are guillotine, some have pointy gates at both ends, and this one at Ditchford Lock has a rather odd looking contraption that sort of ‘rolls’ down, forming the bridge while up!

We have settled for the weekend between Doddington and Earls Barton Locks, it is beautiful here, and not far away is another of these glorious Nature Reserves that have sprung up from the many gravel workings of some 10 to 20 years ago.  I am off tomorrow to see if I can spot any early winter visitors landing on the lakes over there.. no doubt I will incorporate it in an interesting walk around the valley.

We should be through Northampton on Wednesday or Thursday by the look of it, so if anybody would like to come see us up the Rothersthorpe flight of locks on the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union Canal on one or other of those days you would be more than welcome, I know John mentioned joining us for that when we met in Bedford… anyway just drop me an email or use the comment thing on here if you would like to join NP back up to ‘the system’!

The Australian Connection on the Nene

Sun 11th Sep to Today – Moored Denford, River Nene

I’m Back!

Lunch on Sunday at The Cock Inn here in Denford was absolutely mouth watering, even better than the last time we ventured into that pub back in April I think it was.  I am almost tempted to stay here till Monday just to go again!

The trip ‘dan saff’ was quite arduous, and I was totally whacked by the time I got back home here.  I had to wait for an hour for a bus for the last part of the journey from Kettering to Denford, and I missed it because I was standing at the wrong bus stop, so had to wait another hour!!

Andrew Denny gave my name to a young lady in Australia who was given a project..

My name is Katie and I am 7 years old and I live in Australia.  Your friend Andrew Denny said that you may be able to help me with my school project.  I would like to do my project about english narrowboats.  I have to answer some questions and then make a model.  Please would you tell me about living on your narrowboat?  would you please answer my questions?

I was delighted to answer Katie's questions, in fact some of the questions I had to really think about.. they were good questions.  So here they are then with my answers!

Q1. How has the environment (climate, land type, amount of water etc) affected the type of house the people live in?
Because the climate in England is fairly good, we are able to live on our narrowboat all year round.  We have an authority called British Waterways who we pay a fee to each year to look after the waterways and the environment around them.

Q2. What is the house built of?
The narrowboat is built of steel on the outside, and on the inside it has wooden panels and floor.  Between the wooden panels on the inside and the steel outside there is a gap where foam is poured to help insulate the narrowboat and keep us warmer. 

Q3. what sort of people live in the house? (eg farmers, nomadic herdsmen etc)
In our narrowboat my husband Vic and I have retired, so the answer for us is retired.  But all sorts of people live on narrowboats.  Some are students, some are workers who work on British Waterways, or work for boatyards.

Q4. give two good points about living in that syle of house
1. To be able to relax in my retirement by travelling around the countryside at 3 miles an hour
2. To meet lots of new friends who also live on their narrowboats

Q5. Give two bad points about living in that style of house
1. We have to go to special places to fill up our tank of water which takes about 250 gallons when full.  It means we have to move even if we don't want to.
2. Sometimes ice on the waterways mean that we cannot move.

Andrew did a wonderful blog on Granny Buttons here, and provided Katie with loads and loads of information.  I decided to keep it brief because she had to take in such a lot of information from Andrew… any more than straight answers from me, and I think poor Katie would have been overloaded for her project… mind you it is interesting to compare the answers given to Katie from Andrew and myself!

I think Katie wanted a bit of action.. in the next email she was disappointed that I didn’t fall in!!

Do you ever fall in the canal?  I think that would be a bad point.  In the story I read about narrowboats the children had to learn to swim and the babies were tied to the roof with rope so that they didn't fall in the water.

My reply..

I have not fallen in the canal for over 25 years Katie, but I very nearly did last winter, I just hung on, but only just!  If it had been the summer, maybe I wouldn't have tried so hard and would have let myself fall in the canal to cool off.  This time of year in England it is very hot!

And Katie’s model?  Well hey how about this then… Katie had help from her baby sister on this one.  For 7 years old, this young lass sure is a star!

 

Rainy Day...

George, the well loved mutt of my daughter Wendie, died today at lunch time.  It wasn’t long since he was holidaying with us.. Bless him, a lovely dog with a heart of gold, although he could be mischievous when he wanted and would often enjoy wandering off on his own when he felt the urge.  Today he didn’t wander off, and the poor ol’ lad had a stroke.. He was wonderful with the two young grandchildren… never once batting an eyelid or a snarl at their antics.  Often used as a ‘pony’ and dragged outside for a game, George took it all in his stride.  Often young Niamh would crawl up beside him in his basket and fall asleep cuddling her Georgie.

I know Lucy is going to miss him, and for sure Vic and I already are.  We always enjoyed him onboard here once a year or so.  A very special dog was Georgie.

I have updated all the Picture Albums today while it has been drizzling so they are done.  I do rely on my readers to let me know if any photos have not come out as I don’t have unlimited bandwidth to check them, so if anything is out of place perhaps you would let me know.

Some of the pictures from the middle of August until a week or so ago are quite dark.  I was wondering why and checked and checked my internal camera settings, only to find the ‘knob’ on top had clicked round from ‘auto’ to ‘sunset’!  Gawd knows why I didn’t look at that first.. still they seem to be coming out OK recently.

'The Nen' or 'The Neen'? The Pack Bridge at Thrapston decides!

Titchmarsh to Thrapston, River Nene, 3 miles 1 lock

Just a few miles, but perhaps one of the most prettiest parts of the river as it bends and weaves its way round Titchmarsh Nature Reserve with its large lakes and abundance of wildlife.  Islip Lock is in a lovely setting, here the Mill House..

Once again blessed with wonderful weather, and I am thinking myself very lucky at the moment with some of the country experiencing a lot of rain.  Mr Tesco delivered some groceries today as well as the coalman some coal .. so our roof is now in its ‘winter state’

The moorings just by the pack bridge at Thrapston have improved somewhat since April, and it even looks as if the water might work this time, although we have yet to test that out… we will do the water just before leaving tomorrow.

Thunder crashed across the sky earlier however, just as I was enjoying an hour’s excellent fishing… I did venture out for a walk before that, but had gone no more than a mile or so when my legs decided they didn’t want to know for the day … I had walked too far yesterday I think.. so I turned back and got the rod out instead.. good job I did too or for sure I would have got a soaking!

The lady in the Post Office was a pain today, having a good go at me for having mail sent there!  “You should have contacted me first” says she.. my tickets for the train trip south on Monday.. “I did try to phone you on several occasions to say I was expecting mail”  said I defensively “I am far too busy to answer the phone all the time”… ah well… *sigh*  I wasn’t in the mood to argue with her today so….

A nice town is Thrapston, and I joined the library while I was here and got out a few books about the local area.. I mustn't forget that on this upstream side of the pack bridge, I must now pronounce the Nene ‘The Nen” On the downstream side all the way to Peterborough it’s the ‘Neen’.. tis very important in these parts you know, to pronounce it right!  

If it’s not raining tomorrow will move up to Denford for the weekend.. I am in two minds about that though.. the fishing is really excellent right here.. ah but MAYBE it is better there!!

Too much chat, but thinking of winter too!

Oundle to Titchmarsh Farm Bridge, River Nene, 6 miles 4 locks

Into the Marina this morning for diesel then, oh what a pig of an entrance that Marina has, it’s so tight trying to get in and out of there, and there was a bit of wind today too.. just makes things that little bit more difficult, but hey ho, 50p a litre!  I wasn’t surprised though, it seems the price is getting higher and higher at the moment.  When we called here for diesel in April the price was 37.5p.. Picked up some antifreeze… grrrrr winter is coming nearer.. and also on the way out picked up some long lengths of wood from the grass at the entrance of the Marina after spying them just lying there last night.  I asked Mark at the Marina if we could put a few on the roof.. he told us to help ourselves on the way out

First lock today…

Upper Barnwell Lock with the The Mill Restaurant alongside.  There are a lot of these mill buildings all along the Nene, most built in the same way.  I wondered if just the one builder built the lot looking at them!

Our next lock was Lilford.. this one in a lovely setting.. here the bridge on the downstream side I just managed to snap before Vic dropped the guillotine gate.. last time we were here a car had almost destroyed the balustrade pillars along the top, and it was all fenced off, today it looked a treat, they have done a total repair job on it, and it looks splendid again..

It was here that we met a family taking a narrowboat to Huntingdon for their son to live on.  For the life of me I can’t remember the name of the boat, but what a lovely family they were.. far too much chatting meant that Vic left the keys for the security door on the electrics for this lock in the keyhole.. We had left the lock leaving it for the family to take their boat in, and had travelled about 400 yards when I said to Vic, “Got your keys?”  I won’t put on the blog what he said!… but a quick ‘shove it in the bullrushes’ and Lucy and I made our way back to the lock to retrieve said keys.  It’s never easy on the river going back for anything… there is never a path!.. so struggling through the undergrowth I eventually made it back just as they had left the lock, they reversed back and got the keys that they thought better to leave there, and the young man who is going to live his life on this boat, gave a good chuck and they landed safely on the bank!

Many thanks to that family, and when we are back in Huntingdon we shall go visit… I know what the boat looks like, but hopefully the young man will see this blog and enlighten me with the name that eludes me at this moment in time.

Going on down past Wadenhoe, where we had hoped to moor last night, I said a fond goodbye to the carp I nearly caught in the bushes there… I’ll have him next year!!

The locks are easy going uphill, especially if they are mechanical… here Vic stands unemployed no need for a windlass here, the river does the work of filling Titchmarsh Lock..

With a full diesel and water tank I knew Titchmarsh Farm Bridge was going to be a doddle, I wasn’t wrong, there had been no rain, the river was a couple of inches lower than when we went downstream in the spring…

Tons of room!!

Out came the chainsaw this evening.. so we have antifreeze, a pile of logs, and tomorrow we have coal being delivered… ah winter isn’t so bad.. I just have to keep thinking about all those lovely log fires.. makes me feel a bit better with the long summer days becoming shorter.

Narrow minded

Waterways News Snippets

 Pamela Goodman had her doubts about a canal holiday reports the Telegraph

I was dismayed to read this article today…so I fetched out the Proposal Document again this evening to look at one of the reasons why British Waterways are proposing to put No Problem in the Higher Rate Licence Fee bracket, the same as hireboats.. one being “level of usage eg wear and tear on locks”..

Pamela was dubious when she arrived at Black Prince Narrowboats ready to holiday on a 70 footer ..

“What happens if we crash?" is never a good opening line, but the sight of Pippa, all 70ft of her, resplendent in black and purple livery, conjured images of inevitable disaster.

"No worries," the manager said, "narrowboats take some getting used to, so everyone bangs them around a bit. Anyway, she's not wooden - her hull is made of steel"

Well not EVERYONE bangs them around a bit Mr Manager!!

I must remember to steer well clear of any Black Prince narrowboats when I get NP back on the canals later this month!

No Problem with Yarwell THIS time!

Today – Elton to Oundle, River Nene, 10.5 miles 5 locks
Tues 6th Sept – Wansford Stn Bridge to Elton, River Nene, 7 miles 3 locks

I need to go ‘dan saff’ next Monday, so plans had to change a bit on our way back up the Nene.  It is very difficult to get transport from this part of the world to go most anywhere south of London, and in any case, the family asked me if it would be possible for me to travel avoiding the underground.  I know life goes on, but they have asked the question which means that I will go via Birmingham and Southampton to get down to the Portsmouth area.

I am aware too in the back of my mind that the Nene could flood at any time now that the leaves on the trees are visibly turning from their vibrant greens, and then there is the matter of Titchmarsh Bridge to consider.. we only just squeezed under that on the way down in the spring having to take everything off the roof including the TV aerial.. any rain this weekend and we might be stuck for a while.

Decisions, decisions I just hate them, and I hate having to plan my days ahead to such a degree, but that is the way it is at the moment, and it took me all of four hours on the internet last night to find buses and trains to take me south.  In the end, Denford was chosen as the best point to start my 7 and half hour journey south on Monday.  Denford is on the upstream side of Titchmarsh, and an added bonus is that we should arrive there on Saturday or Sunday, and the Cock Inn does the most wonderful Sunday lunch I have ever tasted on the whole of the waterways, sooo …. a bit of a bonus that!

Yesterday then we pulled the pins aiming for Elton in the most glorious weather once again.  This river is a pure delight, and I have to say I am enjoying it even more going upstream than I did going down, and I sung its praises then!!..

Pulling into Yarwell Lock made me shiver even though the weather was hot… memories…. memories…

On the way up!

Here was the cause of all the problems back in April…

This is what poor NP sat on as the lock was emptied… there are a series of these all along the lock wall.  It is hard to believe that just these chain bolts coming out of the wall can nearly tip a 20 ton narrowboat over.. but they did!

No problems on the way upstream though, in fact we have both found it much easier going ‘uphill’ through the locks.  Elton church soon came up on the left, and once through the lock there we moored for the evening having to shift NP a couple of times to get a gap in the trees for the satellite dish to find the dot in the sky.  Well Vic couldn’t possibly miss Alfie telling Cat to shove off!!

Lucy and I spent the afternoon wandering around the countryside visiting Elton, Warmington and Fotheringhay on a round trip of some 7 or so miles.  The countryside around here is absolutely delightful, above is all that remains of Fotheringhay Castle with the Church in the background.  Mary Queen of Scots was executed here.

Today, pulling the pins early, we once again enjoyed simply beautiful weather and countryside..

We were hoping to reach Titchmarsh Bridge today and moor at Wadenhoe, but calling in at Oundle Marina changed our plans once again.  They are shut on a Wednesday.. hey and  me always checking ahead before pulling in anywhere for diesel normally!  On this occasion I didn’t phone them.  I really didn’t want to know the price of the diesel!  The reason being that whatever the price it had to be put in as it is the only place on the Nene to get it!

We will go back tomorrow to fill up, now having moored just outside on the visitor moorings of the Oundle Cruising Club.  It’s lovely here actually.  A nice grass bank area with picnic tables.  It is very quiet indeed though, we are the only boat here.  There is a club house.. looks too quiet to be open tonight me thinks!

Lucy is not talking to me this afternoon… We are on an island, the way out is through a gate onto a very busy main road.  I told Lucy there is no chance of a walk today.. so now I am getting the ‘cold look’ every time my eyes meet hers!

Gives me time to catch up on emails now and a few other bits and bobs..

The Old Woman is at Wansford!

Today – Ferry Meadows to Wansford Stn, Sibson, 6 miles, 2 locks
Weekend Moored Ferry Meadows

Phew what a sweltering weekend it was too, no rain or thunder for us either so we have been pretty lucky over here in the east.  I planted up the winter pansies having bought them from the market back in Ely as tiny little plants with the promise from the stall holder that they would all be different colours.  They are too, and now there are a couple of flowers on each plant!

Although we had moved to the other bank on the backwater that leads to Overton Lake (I did say Orton Lake on my last blog, my mistake), another ranger did come by and ask us to move, but with me on a walk to collect post from Alwalton on Saturday, Vic assured him that the other ranger said it was OK to change sides… he seemed happy enough with that, and we were left in peace to enjoy a very pleasant and quite weekend under the trees relaxing.

Alwalton is a fabulous village.. it is very close to the A1, but you can’t hear the traffic at all when you are there.. This has to go down as my number one village shop of all time…

This little shop and Post Office does everything.  Not only does it open at 7.30am every morning and closes at either 5pm or 6pm every evening, sells all sorts of useful stores, but hey how about this.. It also doubles up as a rather nice cafe!  Not just the usual stuff though, how about for �4.50 per person a High Tea!  And what you get is rather special too.. “includes a pot of tea, two small sandwiches, one scone served with preserve and cream, and your choice of cake from the daily selection”..  Tea and Coffee on it’s own.. Tea per pot �1.25 per person.. “choose from Traditional English, Assam, Earl Grey, Decaffeinated or Fruit Teas”.. Coffee per Cafetiere �1.50 per person “choose from Mild, Medium, Strong Roast or Decaffeinated coffee… They also do food like Quiche, Farmhouse Platters, Baguettes, Sandwiches and Cottage Rolls with all sorts of fillings..

Hey just from this one little shop and Post Office!!  Wonderful stuff!!   Anyway, on my first visit on Saturday the post had not arrived from home, but I really didn’t mind having to go back this morning.. gave me an excuse to collect some more home made goodies to store onboard.

So pulling the pins late this morning we moved down to Alwalton Lock in beautifully warm sunshine with no wind whatsoever, it was just so picturesque along the Nene.  There is nowhere to moor anywhere near the lock, so we just poked the bow onto the pontoon allowing others to moor for the lock if needbe while I went back to the Post Office/Store/Cafe in the village.

It is only a short walk to the village, but it passes through a woodland where I met a lad on his bike who shouted back to his mate “Look out there is an old woman coming!” “OI!…. I ain’t THAT old” I retorted!!… Gawd, I didn’t reach the age of 60 yet, how dare they call me an old woman before my time!  Anyway the post had duly arrived, and I picked up a couple of sausage rolls for lunch and headed back only to find the boys fishing off the pontoon.. “Gimme yer bag, I’ll carry it to the boat for you”  said the lad who received my retort earlier… Ha, maybe looking like an ‘old woman’ is not so bad after all!

The next lock along is Water Newton, perhaps the prettiest setting of all the locks on the Nene.. here the approach ..

And the lovely house on the upstream side..

The Mill obviously has the fishing and mooring rights on the bank the pic was taken from as there is a line of  ‘Private Moorings and Fishing for The Mill House’.. its very shallow there, and obviously no boats have ever moored, but whatever, nice spot, spose they don’t want people mooring in ‘their’ back garden!

Settled today at the bridge by the Nene Valley Railway Station at Wansford.. might just stay here tomorrow too..

Our First Lock Nicking of the Year at Orton!

Thorpe Meadows, Peterborough to Ferry Meadows, River Nene, 2 miles 1 lock

Here we go then back up the Nene on our way to the main British Waterways system.  Doing our usual speed today, just the one lock done!

Thorpe Meadows was rather disappointing though, and we felt slightly vulnerable with youngsters tearing up and down the moorings on bikes late last night, and again this morning.  School is back next week, so the days will be quieter without kids about.

Here the Boathouse pub close to the moorings at Thorpe Meadows, they don’t have their own pub moorings though, it was busy enough last night for them not to need the trade from the river I suppose.  It was interesting to turn off the main river and go up the bywater.  Right along side the cutting is a rowing course just separated by a bit of concrete, a really weird feeling cruising past it.. here this is what it is like, and it was well worth the trip just to see this..

Leaving after a lazy morning here we shortly reached Orton Lock, the first on our way up the river.  I was just lined up ready to go in when I noticed the guillotine coming down… had to ‘slam on the breaks’!  The guy with his finger on the button looked the other way keeping his finger planted on the down button.  Ah no worry, although it was a bit awkward to reverse back onto the Lock pontoon to tie up and let Vic off.  This is the first time this year that a lock for us has been slammed in our faces!

Anyway it was a lovely day, and there were plenty of fish in the river, so I got the rod out, and while waiting caught a couple of nice perch.. if I had my way, I would have been happy to tie up there all day!!

On then to Ferry Meadows, a mooring that we enjoyed when we came down the river in spring.. a simply glorious day today it was too.. We tied up just in the backwater leading to Orton Lake, and I settled into some serious fishing until a Park Ranger stopped and asked us to move.  Well I suppose he was right, it was well overgrown and might have been awkward for broad beam boats to pass, so I asked if we could moor on the other side.. “You can but you might get moved by another ranger” says he.. so we moved over, and have yet to see a ranger since.. maybe tomorrow we will, but if I see him first then we shall duck below the windows!!

This is why I really like it here… there are miles and miles of different walks.. Lucy badgered me late this afternoon to pull the rod in and get going, she remembered this place alright!

Just for you Wendie as promised!

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….. and…

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.