Peterborough town moorings are great, but, I don’t think it would be good or secure to stay overnight, which is a shame as there’s little other places to overnight.
As we join the Middle levels from here at Stanground Lock just North of Peterborough we decided to stay on the lock moorings, which was ok as we’d booked a lock passage for the following morning.
The Levels are a very different experience, mostly made up of Dykes and ditches with old bits of river thrown in for good measure. Lots of the channel is flanked by high banks with views either straight down the channel or up to the sky!
It’s governed by the Middle Level Commissioners and there’s very little in the way of services such as water or sanitary stations.
It’s a cruise of 28 miles and 2 locks and can take 8-9 hours non stop, but it’s much nicer navigated in 2 easy days.
We had train tickets booked on the 18th, from March town station to Exeter the following day so had to press on to get there in time. And wouldn’t you know it rained heavily all day.
Thankfully there’s only one lock at Whittlesey, called Ashline Lock but it’s a slow Lock, with many turns to the paddle gear which makes me sweat inside the waterproofs.
Despite the rain it’s a great day, saw a swan with many tiny cygnets on her back huddled under her wings whilst being transported along. Just amazing.
There’s a very tight bend in Outwell Village, looks nothing on approach but it’s very tight and narrow under the bridge. We remembered it from our first time here in 2005 and were able to slow nearly to a stop and turn Chrissie in the space before the bend.
Fox’s Marina just before the town of March is about halfway and we’d booked Chrissie in for a weeks secure mooring.
Back onboard and out of Fox’s Marina into March town moorings for a spot of shopping and a chance to replenish the larder. They are good moorings but wouldn’t want to be just where we’d moored overnight, further on is ok.
But we left March and spent the night in a Channel called Pophams Eau.
Mooring is not easy out of the towns but with a bit of persistence we managed to get a rope ashore and a few pins in to keep us in. Spending 2 nights there and exploring the near surroundings.
On from there to Salters Lode and the Great Ouse River lock with a passage booked up-river to Denver for the 28th.
For the next chapter in 2017 please click here.
Or back to home page.