Retirement with No Problem

Ferry Meadows to March, River Nene and Middle Levels, 20 miles 3 locks

I let Lucy swim this morning before leaving Ferry Meadows, she was happy in the water, and it will exercise her leg well. It was good there, she could just walk out of the lake rather than jumping out..

A huge lake, here Moore2Life over the far side, leaving behind us and making their way from the moorings to the cut that joins the lake to the River Nene..

It was a lovely day, and it wasn’t long till we passed through Orton Lock and arrived in Peterborough.  It sure was nice to arrive by boat instead of by bus!!  Over the last 6 weeks I have been up and down to Peterborough on the bus from various places along the Nene due to a serious injury to my beautiful dog, Lucy.  I nipped into the city to pick up a colour cartridge for my printer.. I have one on board somewhere, but can I find it?  No chance.  A narrowboat is only a small place.. but I can still lose stuff on here!!

Then it was off to the middle levels.  I had booked the lock for about lunchtime, and by 12.10 we were on our way with Ann and Chas of Moore2Life across the Middle Levels.  There isn’t really anywhere to stop until March, it is no good stopping on the visitor moorings at Whittlesey, it is outside the leisure centre and in the evening they can be as many as 200 young people wandering about.  Most are OK, but when we were there last year one or two were a bit intimidating. 

And so onward.. and across the meridian line at Flood’s Ferry …

The middle levels can be a bit boring, well from Stanground to March anyway, with high banks, but today the weather was just glorious, a lovely warm sun and a gentle breeze made it the most perfect ‘crossing’.  Hey look at this on one of the fishing pegs.. five fledgling swallows waiting for mum to bring some worms!..

March is most amazing.  It sort of appears out of nowhere from the emptiness of the last 4 hours since Stanground Lock in Peterborough.. it is narrow and there are many boats moored at the bottom of gardens.. This is the best garden along the waters edge though…

Complete with it’s own windmill too!.. We stopped by the services to take on water and do the cassettes, oh and to fish out a huge road cone.. then tied up this evening at the visitor moorings by the main road bridge.  Last year the youngsters of the town were all jumping from the bridge.. I do hope they don’t tonight, there is something under the water there.. Last year too we had a great night in the pub.. just getting nagged by Vic to go see if we can have an equally good night this year.. time for..