Peterborough to March

Sat  22nd June  Peterborough Ferry Meadows to Embankment

When we awoke we were the only boat remaining on the pontoons. There was an organised event going on, with lots of people running round the park. We left the moorings and found the hidden way out.

Ferry Meadows pontoons

There must be a way out of here

We returned to the river, where we headed downstream past Peterborough Yacht Club and went through Orton Lock, the final one before we leave the Nene. We passed under several bridges and found a mooring on the Embankment.

Orton Lock and Peterborough Yacht Club

Leaving Orton Lock

Bridges at Peterborough

We went into town, calling in at the tourist office to collect a map. We came across a homeless guy playing a very out of tune guitar. We spoke to him and he said he was partially deaf, and his guitar tuner had got wet and died. We found some in cash converters, so we bought one for him. He was delighted, and he tuned his guitar immediately. It sounded a lot better.

We visited the cathedral, which is mostly Norman, and very fine. We found the market, where we were hoping to find somewhere to eat, but the food hall was mostly closed. We tried to find an Indian restaurant but the one we found was closed. We ended up at Wetherspoons for a drink. When we tried to order a curry, they said they had none left! We moved on and had a nice meal at Turtle Bay. Some ladies shared our table, having lots of cocktails.

Peterborough Cathedral

We returned to the boat, and discovered a guy nearby who’s tent had been burnt down, along with his food and meagre possessions. James took him to Asda and bought him a sandwich and a few other things.

Burnt out tents

Evening in Peterborough

Moored in Peterborough

1 lock, 4 miles.  Dep 1015, arr 1135.

Sun 23^rd Jun  Peterborough

We were collected from outside the Key Theatre by Tricia Higham, the lady we had met at Ferry Meadows. She took us to her church, Kingsgate Community Church. This was huge, with 1800 members. It was performance style, with a stage and large screen. We didn’t know many of the songs as they write their own. There was also a performance by an African choir from a village supported by the church. We were given a welcome bag which contained a CD. The talk was very good – all about sharing our faith, and taking opportunities.

Kingsgate Church

African choir

Afterwards we went for a meal with Steve and Tricia at the floating restaurant called East, where they have a Sunday Buffet. It was very good. We saw several St Pancras Cruising Club boats going upstream. They had come from Wisbech, and had crossed the Wash from Boston the day before.

Steve and Tricia

We just managed to reach Asda in time for a bottle of milk before returning to the boat.

We had a call from Libby Bradshaw, who came on board for a cuppa. She had been part of the STPCC party crossing the Wash. The rest had gone up to Peterborough Yacht Club, but Libby was waiting for crew to join her. We know Libby mainly from Little Venice Cavalcade.

Libby

No boating today.

Mon 24^th Jun  Peterborough to March

We noticed that the water level had risen, and the bottom step was under water this morning. We set off from the Embankment and did a U-turn to go downstream past an old warehouse and Panacea, Libby’s boat. We turned right, away from the Nene, passing under a railway bridge.

Water level risen

Warehouse

Panacea

We were soon at Stanground Lock, where one boat was already going through. We followed, and descended through the lock to the Middle Levels, which are at a lower level than the Nene.

Entering Stanground Lock

Descending in the lock

Our plan was to go to Whittlesey today and moor up. We managed to negotiate the notorious Whittlesey Corner, which was a very tight turn.  When we arrived at the Whittlesey moorings, we looked at the weather forecast and saw that tomorrow was going to be wet, so we decided to move on to March today.

Whittlesey Corner

Moored at Whittlesey

Ashline Lock was visible from the Whittlesey mooring, and we had an opportunity to use the special key to get through the gate, and the special windlass to open the paddles. The paddle gear was low geared, and it took many turns to wind up one paddle, so we only used one side. The width of the lock is 11’6”, so two boats cannot fit in the lock.

The paddle gear

James raising a paddle

Gabriel in the lock

Working the bottom gate paddle

Then we were following very straight channels with few landmarks. The map was not very good, failing to mark some basic things like bridges and houses. In places the channel was narrow and we were pushing a lot of water back. In other places it was wide and deep, and we could cruise more easily.

Angle Corner

We passed Fox Narrowboats, where we will be moored for three nights from tomorrow. We thought we would moor a little further on tonight, and come back tomorrow. The channel is narrow in March and there was nowhere to turn round, until we were through March and out the other side. We turned at the junction with the Twenty Foot River, and returned to moor on the visitor moorings by the bridge.

Water lilies

Narrow Channel in March

Winding at the junction with the Twenty Foot River

March

Hazel went to make an appointment with a hairdresser for tomorrow morning, and James went to buy ice cream. It was very hot and humid, with thunderstorms forecast.

Moored in March

2 locks, 20 miles. Dep 0900 arr 1625

Next: Heavy rain forecast overnight and tomorrow morning. We cruise for a mile back to Fox narrowboats where the boat will stay for three nights. We hire a car, load up all our PA equipment and instruments, and make an early start on Wednesday to go Kidlington area for David Clark’s Farewell service, then to Trowbridge Premier Inn for 2 nights. On Thursday we have Lin Atwill’s farewell service near there. We are playing and singing at both events. Back to the boat on Friday. Church in March on Sunday.