Well we finished up spending four days in Peterborough altogether, and now Bop’s funeral is now behind us, so it’s time to move on to meet our September the 10^th deadline before the Northampton Arm closes for repairs.

Thursday 30^th; as arranged we met Nick and Polly on NB Thomas Ryan 2 who had pushed to get through the Middle Level to be with us on our trip up the River Nene, with them being with us by 11am (right on time Nick). We watered up the boats and Nick nipped off to ASDA to top up his supply of tobacco and once he got back we headed off together. Right on queue the rain came down quite heavy so our start was delayed for 20 minutes or so, but as it eased we left our moorings and passed under the five bridges, heading toward Orton Lock.

The lock negotiated we picked Polly up ready for a transfer onto Thomas Ryan 2 when we caught Nick up near Ferry Meadows. With Nick doing around 2mph we pulled alongside for an easy transfer, and we pulled ahead and lead the way to our next lock. As we progressed we were reminded of just how pretty this section of the river is, passing under an old three arch stone bridge at a slow and steady pace. Before arriving at Alwalton Lock we caught up with a wide beam who seemed to be cruising on tick over and as he moved over for us we passed him (I guess stealing the lock), so with us arriving first we pulled in and waited for Nick and Polly. The guys on the wide beam were not at all concerned and came up to help us through, as it turned out they had just bought it from Priory Marina in Bedford and were taking it to Billing, in Northampton as their mooring (a long slow trip).

Next came Water Newton Lock which is to me the prettiest lock on the Nene, with its stone mill and houses, (even on for sale with a mooring), all far too expensive for Sally and I to even consider. From there it was a short run up to Sibson and Wansford Station where we planned to moor up for the night, which we did, and against a big field, so that the cats and Socks could get out and have a good run. It was a damp, cold day but all in all a good one.

Friday 31^st; we woke up to glorious sunshine, with the early morning sun starting to warm everything through, and promising us a great days cruising. Our aim today is to head for Elton where we plan to stop and do some fishing and spend the night. Setting off with Nick and Polly following us we made our way round Stibbington and Wansford where the A1 crosses the river and passed the Haycock Inn which was the turning point for Sally and I when we had our first narrowboat holiday.

 Kingfisher

 

 Heading for Wansford Lock we travelled by some very expensive new houses with one by the river still empty and for sale, however I guess they would be to far out of our reach.

Under the A1

 Thomas Ryan 2 at Wansford

 

On reaching the lock we went in and waited for Nick and Polly to catch up and come along side, then lowered the guillotine gate, but with the water flowing over the top of the gates we allowed it to fill itself. Now as the Nene locks needed to be left reversed it was a pleasure to see another boat approaching so we just cruised out leaving the gates ready for them. Next came a short run up to Yarwell Lock, passing a caravan park which ran alongside the river, and Nick is sure that he spotted some rainbow trout which gave us hope of maybe catching our evening meal when we moored up. After Yarwell we had a longer run up to Elton and once again spotted trout in a river which was running very clear, it goes to show that the rivers are improving now with all of the regulations placed on industry and farming.

Once we had cleared the lock at Elton, we crossed over the river and moored alongside a grass bank, which again was ideal for the animals. I doubt that the engine had started to cool before Nick and I had settled down to some serious fishing, with the girls doing their own thing. (Oh yes Polly, you bake great cakes, thank you). We sat till well after dark and had a good catch between us, however the trout were not amongst the catch, but we did spot a couple of guys poaching on a small river running alongside of us, we guessed that they were netting.

Saturday the 1^st September; it was yet another good day in the offering and although it was overcast it was still warm. Our aim for today is to reach Ashton Lock and the place were Sally and I were marooned for three weeks on the way down last April/May due to the floods, but this time we do not intend to stay that long. Before we left, Nick and Polly went to have a walk around the village, and Sally went off to fetch her newspaper, which is now a Saturday ritual. We eventually left Elton at around 11am taking a steady cruise up to Warmington Lock and the first of the none electrified guillotine gates.

Elton mooring

Both leaving the lock together as another boat was coming downstream and wanting to use the lock, I must say it is a nice treat not having to stop and reverse the gates. From here we were heading for Fotheringhay with its old bridge and water point where we intended to top up our tanks. First we passed the old castle mound with its one section of ruined wall, and then the bridge where I knocked off the cleat on the way down, but no water as another boat had tied up there and the owners had left the boat.

 Castle mound

 

So onwards we went making for Perio Lock (Bob and Anne watch out for the high overhanging walls). With the river being so clean we saw lots and lots of fish and contemplated stopping to catch a few, but we didn’t as we had a few miles left to do before Ashton. Here we left Nick and Polly to reverse the gates and we trundled on toward Cotterstock Lock and Oundle, leaving them to catch us up there.  Cotterstock Lock done it was Nick and Polly’s turn to head off while I closed up and had Sally go out and wait for me. Now as the exit was a sharp left turn to get on the landing stage, poor old Sally had a heck of a job to get on it, especially as the wind was blowing her away from it, but after several attempts and lots of huffing and chuffing she made it, and we got under way. It was along this next stretch that we had a nice surprise waiting for us, we saw eleven Red Kites all flying around and some of these would have been the young ones from the pair we photographed at Ashton, I have to say it was thrilling to see them.

 Red Kite

 

Of course the next job was the Lock at Ashton and after negotiating it we backed down the backwater and moored up for the night, with one job left to do. Thomas Ryan 2 had a serious problem with the bottom of the hull being choked up with muscles which must have been slowing the boat down with all that drag, so Nick and I devised a way of getting rid of them, without taking the boat out of the water. What we did was to get and 8' plan’ and drill a hole at each end, to allow us to tie ropes to it, then we filled the lock and stretched the plank across the lock. Nick the brought the boat into the lock, with us sliding the plank under the front of it, securing the plank on the bollards so that when he drove over it, it would tighten up and scrape off the hull. Well believe it or not, the muscles were crunching and falling off as he passed over the plank with the ropes keeping it tight to the hull. We did this a couple of times, and then were able to hold it with our hands, pulling it backward and forward in a sawing motion to clear the remaining shells. Job done, clear hull, and a boat which should go a little faster and be more manoeuvrable, necessity is the mother of invention (and I got a packet of Munches for it).

We ended the day with some good fishing, staying out till way after dark and catching a host of fish in the moonlight. Alex my friend, Nick is a good teacher and I have learned a lot since we fished together, and my list of fish now reads; Ruffe, Perch, Mirror Carp, Rudd, Roach, Skimmer Bream, Bream, Bleak, Chub, Dace, Pike and of course Eel. Now as we have decided to stay over tonight, I have been baiting all day ready for tonight.