Peterborough to Elton

September 3rd & 4th

Monday  We make the return journey to Peterborough, pick up supplies at Asda and return to the boat. The weather over the last two days has been sunny and warm, though we did have a heavy shower while we were home.

We are expecting friends for the evening so we do a quick tidy up! Peter and Heather are friends from university days and they arrived laden with an Indian take-away for supper. We had a wonderful evening catching up on family news, news about other university friends and just generally enjoying each other’s company. We also managed a short cruise up and down the Nene.

Tuesday  At 8.45 we went to fill up with water before starting today’s trip.

Orton Lock was the first for today and as we were leaving it, a steam train on the Nene Valley Railway went past – clearly heard, but our view of it was somewhat obscured so no photo.

Approaching Orton Lock and its canoe slalom

Alwalton and Water Newton Locks passed without incident. 

Water Newton (the old mill buildings being put to use unlike others which lie derelict)

Fifteen minutes after we left Wansford Lock, I realised I’d left our Abloy key in the control cabinet (this is the special key you need to open the cabinets at these locks so that you can raise and lower the guillotine gate). My excuse was that as we left the lock, a boat was ready to come into it, so I didn’t have to return to the cabinet to collect the key as the second boat would work the lock. We decided that as we’d only gone a short way it was worth turning round and returning in the hope of retrieving our key. This we did - many thanks to nb Portabello for leaving the key behind and not taking it with them.

Lunch on the move as we’d lost some time. Yarwell Lock next and I didn’t leave anything behind! We decided to press on and moor above Elton Lock which is where we moored on the way down. This time we are on our own with just the cows across the river for company.

The weather today has been rather grey and cool, but we are being very brave and not lighting the fire! However there are already signs of autumn.

Horse Chestnuts turning brown.

We have seen very few boats on the move today – a total of three since first thing this morning.