Salters Lode to Alwalton

On Saturday 1 July we set off from Salters Lode on the shallow Well Creek, we weren't looking forward to this because on the outward journey we continuously dragged the bottom and fouled the prop.  The return trip wasn't so bad, water levels were a touch higher and so was our stern because we didn't have as much diesel in the tank.   We stopped at Upwell on Church Staith which is maintained by the Well Creek Trust.  They've made some terraces on the bank for flower beds and filled them with a variety of plants including herbs, rosebushes and some annuals. 

Bess preparing to jump off at Church Staith

The next day we continued along Well Creek to Marmont Priory Lock.  

The narrow, shallow Well Creek at Upwell

After the lock we were on a bigger waterway and were able to pick up some speed - to 5mph!
We had decided to stop short of March in case the moorings were full over the weekend. While travelling our view was restricted to the top of the high embankments so when we pulled up we thought we were well away from civilisation.  And we would have been if there hadn't been a gypsy camp on the far side of the field.  

On Monday morning we sailed into March to find only one other boat on the town moorings.  We stocked up with shopping and I enjoyed another walk along the embankments with a view over the flat Fens. 

The amazingly flat Fens near March

The next day we sailed to Whittlesey and on the way encountered some strange looking boats, weed-cutters which pulled over before we passed. 

The weed-cutters stopped for a break

We had booked into Stanground Lock for 11.30 on Wednesday and set off from Whittlesey in plenty of time.  After negotiating the right angled bend we discovered the weed-cutters hadn't worked that section.  Kev had to continually go into reverse gear to throw the weed off the prop which slowed down the journey. 

The notorious right angled bend at Whittlsey

As we arrived at Stanground Lock (just about on time) a heron caught a fish and obligingly stood long enough for a photo. 

The heron with it's catch

The lock-keeper at Stanground had developed his own system of taking boats through the lock and it was very odd.  He tied our centre rope to a bollard and asked Kev to put the engine in gear so we were pulling the rope taut.  Not the best method but we were soon through the lock and onto the River Nene.  We picked a quiet mooring furthest from Peterborough city centre and I started the task of finding a replacement laptop.  

I ordered one from Argos on Thursday morning and by mid-afternoon it had been delivered to the store ready for collection, excellent service.  Then of course it had to be set up and unfortunately an electrical storm played havoc with our broadband signal which kept going off.  Eventually all the windows updates were installed and the laptop was up and running.  We went to bed and shortly afterwards heard voices outside.  Then some music started.  A cruiser had been riding up and down the river all night, now they were moored up in front of us and were having a party on the bank.  The music went on and on, we thought they'd be there until dawn but the boat's batteries didn't last that long.  The volume of the music started to reduce, the party ended abruptly and the boat sailed off.

The next morning we sailed off as well.  Our first stop was at the Asda mooring in Peterborough and then we continued up the Nene.  After the flat Fens it was good to see some rolling countryside and stone bridges across the river. 

A picturesque bridge over the Nene, very different to the Fens

We stopped at Alwalton Lock in quiet countryside and on our walk we came across a small river with a ford.  Bess and Brinny showed off their new confidence in water by chasing about with a spaniel which was playing in the river.

Playing in the river

Our journey from Salters Lode to Alwalton