18 August
It was a bit grey and overcast this morning with quite a
strong breeze. Off we set at about 8.15 aiming for Hermitage Lock where the
efficient and friendly lockkeeper fitted us and a cruiser in neatly and then
worked us through.
It must be getting near festival time as there are
definitely more boats going in the same direction as us. We arrived at the next
lock, Brownhills, as a boat was going out, there was another boat in front of
us and then it would be our turn.
St Ives Lock had volunteer lockkeepers on it which was
helpful as it meant that I could scramble back onto the boat while they opened
the gates for us. (There were boats waiting on the landing stage and it would
have been difficult for Steve to pick me up there.)
I took several pictures of the old bridge at St Ives as we
have a water colour at home done many years ago by a relative of Steve’s. It
will be interesting to compare the pictures.
St Ives Bridge with Chapel of St Ledger |
The last lock of the day, Hemingford, was full of boats when
we got there. At one time there were 14
people on the lock sides plus all those still on boats. Most of these got back
on their boats while they were still in the lock, but there were still two
children left! Fortunately they were very sensible and just waited while our
boat and a cruiser moved off the landing stage into the lock and their dad
brought their tiny boat back round to pick them up.
There are six boats in this lock, three on each side. |
We are planning to go to church at Hemingford Grey tomorrow.
We were hoping to see friends who live in the village, but a grandchild is
imminent and they are away. This village is also of interest to us because it
is where some of my mother’s family lived in the 1800s.
We first of all moored on the council moorings, but there
was a lot of concrete at the wrong level for us, so we moved down to the GOBA
moorings. This is another great site from where we can sit and watch the river
traffic. The river is very busy here; cruisers of all sizes plus narrowboats,
some boats propelled by people rather than engines and a paddle-boarder.
Our view across the river. |
Venerable willows along the bank. |
We walked round the village; there are some lovely thatched
cottages and the village still has its school and shop (with post office) in
addition to the church and the pub. Talking of the pub, The Cock, we had a very
good meal there later in the evening.
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