Fotheringhay to Peterborough

Tonight we're at Thorpe meadows at Peterborough which is a rowing complex and a small lake off the main river and a mooring jetty for three boats. Another really hot day and once again a great journey. The Nene never lets you down from beginning to end in terms of scenery. Some of the mills by the locks are real picture postcard stuff. I would happily move here if I could afford it. Most of the villages have a very affluent look about them. Beautiful stone houses with large immaculate gardens.

Progress has been quick in terms of mph because the river is fairly deep and the boat purrs along easily at over 4 mph. The locks today though have been slow because of all the boats leaving the boating festival here. They were moored half a dozen abreast across the river. We've had to queue on a number of occasions. The current is very gentle at the moment and at lunchtime, having nowhere to pull in, we just tied the boat loosely to some overhanging willow twigs and she stayed put beautifully.

We keep meeting interesting characters, none more so than the old chap moored just along from us tonight. In his rich east Anglian accent we were instructed in what woods to burn, and told about how he nearly started a forest fire by setting light to down from poplar trees. Kath asked if we could stoke his old Jack Russell dog and he said "yes, just give him a stroke and then kick him up the backside to get rid of him!"

Rick and marilyn go home tomorrow and we'll stay on here for 24 hrs to get our breath back before our assult on the Middle Levels.

Dongle reception has been appalling so I'll post this now sans pictures and make an attempt to post a few separately.