Look East: Day 8

Yesterday evening turned into one of those unexpected boating pleasures.  Judy and Mark came round for a drink at about 5; a couple of hours later we decided they might as well stay for dinner, so between us we compiled a slightly strange meal of steak pie (from the butcher at Thrapston, provided by J&M), potatoes, and salad — followed by a crumble of apples and blackberries I foraged at Wadenhoe.  A number of bottles of wine were consumed, although we’re not sure what that number was.

Overnight, the wind got up again, and the boat was creaking and groaning on the pontoon.  This morning was very bright and sunny, and as the wind had dropped both boats set off at a bit before 8am.  The first lock of the day, Water Newton, is one of the prettiest, with a church as well as a mill alongside.  He best view of the mill (now houses) is from below the lock.

The wind increased as we passed through Alwalton Lock and then round the loop of Ferry Meadows Country Park.  The final lock, Orton, was being crossed by large numbers of school children.  One of the teachers told Adrian that the whole school was doing a sponsored walk.

The entry into Peterborough was much more green and leafy than I was expecting.  It’s not until you get close to the city centre that things look more built up, and there are some impressive railway bridges.

At Peterborough Embankment we stopped at the water point and started a wash load, and Judy and Mark also stopped for services.  This was where we’d part after a very enjoyable few days together, as they were booked to go through Stanground Lock onto the Middle Levels.  By now the wind was absolutely howling again, so we wait to hear whether they actually went through, or decided to sit it out until tomorrow.  After saying our goodbyes, we turned a moored up just along the embankment.  To be honest, it’s not the prettiest place we’ve ever stopped.  There’s a park, but it has a large population of Canada geese, and there’s a tented community here too; across the river is a building site, where large numbers of flats are going up.

We went into the city for lunch, and for Adrian to collect a new phone ordered online after the old one pretty much gave up the ghost.  We visited the Cathedral, which was free to go in and made little effort to guilt you into paying (although one of their donation boxes is equipped for contactless payments).  The nave ceiling is very impressive, as is the lantern tower.

Tim Peake’s space capsule is in the Cathedral at the moment and seemed to be drawing people in.

9 miles, 3 locks.  (75 miles, 61 locks)