Fotheringay to Elton

Up betimes. Wind and rain overnight with warnings of more to come over the weekend. In a sunny spell we make a dash to Elton, the next mooring place known to have a good pub nearby, and despite winds blowing us on to the shore at Warmington lock - which took three of us to push off and work through the lock, we moor at Elton unscathed. It's a rough mooring just up stream from the lock, and we use the gangplank, but the nettles have been cut so it's fine.
The Post Office / Shop is open, The Crown is open too, and with rather slow (at 0.5Mb you could hardly call it broadband) wi-fi it takes all the time of drinking a pint to download my daily newspaper. I was nearly forced to have a second pint!
Unfortunately there are no bar snacks on Saturday or Sunday evenings and with restaurant meals at £25 for 2 courses, £30 for three (compared to the Falcon at Fotheringay, £13.50 for 2) we opt to eat on board.
We note that the Black Horse on the main road is closed (permanently or refurbishment?).
At this point we have the choice of mooring up for the day, going on or going back. The weather is not helping, being increasingly blustery with showers. We nearly opt to walk across the fields to The Kings Head at Wadenhoe but then we discover there is a Loch Fyne restaurant just outside Elton so we choose that for our evening.
In the afternoon John tinkers endlessly with the frustratingly erratic TV (deciding it must be the wind in the trees affecting the signal), the gas fridge (no flame, no spark), the light in the loo (replaced) and some voltage things to do with the boat batteries (about which I know little). Fortunately he enjoys that sort of thing.
We had a good meal at Loch Fyne, 20 minutes walk from our mooring (into the village, up the hill and turn right and keep going just past Elton Hall).

Thorpe Meadows to Elton

Up betimes and the river is blanketed in mist. Two swans drift out from the cloud and glide upstream.

Breakfast over, we set off at 8.45 amid warm sunshine. Another good day lies ahead.
The broad Nene is lined with greenery; on paths alongside I glimpse dog walkers and cyclists who smile and wave. There are no other boats under way, only slow herons, splashing gannets and swallows that skim the calm surface of the water. This is tranquil and blissful.

Through Orton Lock, past the jolly huts and fancy cruisers of the Peterborough Yacht Club, like a 1930's Butlins, and under the triple arches of Milton Ferry Bridge. There's not a cloud in the sky. Then it's Alwalton lock and Water Newton, which is chocolate-box pretty and even had artists with easels painting the scene.

Shortly afterwards we pause for lunch at Wansford Station, home to the Nene Valley Railway and Thomas the Tank Engine.

Duncan poses with Thomas

On past Pat Buckle's boatyard, where Patience was born, through Wansford and Yarwell locks to Elton, where there are rough unmarked moorings just upstream of the lock. Why don't they advertise them better? They should take every opportunity to promote The Black Horse or The Crown, or Loch Fyne, but there isn't even a sign saying mooring is possible. FYI The Crown is nearest: from the moorings take the track to the village and bear left to the village green. For the others walk up Middle Street and turn right at the end of the road.
For us, The Crown provides a tasty meal and a good variety of beers before we stroll back for a brief taste of the Olympics and a well earned night's sleep. That was 7.5 hours for 15 miles and 6 locks, a tranquil journey through the best of English countryside on a calm, gentle and meandering river. The sun has shone as rarely before in this wettest of summers and we are happy with our lot.