Look East: Day 6

Today was forecast to be as windy, if not windier, than yesterday — except for first thing.  So we’d agreed with Mark and Judy on the boat in front that we’d both set off early.  It was a little after 7 that we untied, in relatively calm conditions.

By the time we got to Titchmarsh Lock the breeze had picked up, and it continued to increase.  The river was lovely, though, with great views, red kites, and kingfishers.

There are many churches visible from the river, some with towers, some with spires.  Wadenhoe church is one of the most prominent, as it’s fairly close to the river and up a hill.  Here’s Mark and Judy approaching it, ahead of us.

We both moored up at the garden of the King’s Head in Wadenhoe.  It was barely 9am.  We accepted an invitation for tea and coffee on board Mark and Judy’s boat, then we went for a walk around this very pretty village.  All the houses are stone, some are thatched and most of the rest have pantiles.  The Pearson’s guide book comments that if the village was in the Cotswolds, it would be mobbed; as it’s in Northamptonshire, it’s not.

One notable feature is the dovecote.  We went inside to see the nest boxes, and the rotating ladder which gave access to them.

Moorings at the pub are free to patrons, so all four of us went for an excellent lunch.  Another boat arrived up Wadenhoe lock, having battled the wind from Oundle.  I went to find some blackberries, and ended up in the field alongside the lock.  There is work going on there, to install an Achemedes Screw hydro electric system.

We considered moving on this afternoon, if the wind dropped.  But it hasn’t, so we haven’t.  It’s supposed to be calmer tomorrow, but rainy instead.

4 miles, 1 lock.  (45 miles, 47 locks)