Mooring at Kings Head
Yesterday morning, Wednesday, we left the boat on our mooring at Wadenhoe and took a stroll around the delightful and picturesque village. We also walked along a section of the Lyvden Way and visited the church.
Wadenhoe High Street.
Wadenhoe Post and Telegraph Office
The Post Office in Wadenhoe claims to be the first village in England to have a telegraph because it was the country seat of the Ward Hunt family. George Ward Hunt, when First Lord of the Admiralty, needed to be in touch with government business and had it installed.
Interior of Wadenhoe Church
A rural churchyard
The church sits on top of a small hill overlooking the river and is connected to the Kings Head and the village hall by a path. Part way along the path is a large sundial on a stone plinth that records the directions to four neighbouring churches. Not for nothing is Northamptonshire known as a county of "spires and squires".
We left our Wadenhoe mooring around lunchtime and headed upstream towards home. Along the stretch to Titchmarch Lock we had a series of wildlife encounters. Unfortunately, none recorded on camera. It started with two kingfishers flying in front of the boat. Despite seeing kingfishers often when boating,this is the first time we had seen this. Judging by their subsequent flights, and the time of the year, it was an attempt to define territories. This was closely followed by the ubiquitous heron getting airborne and a red kite circling overhead. Moments later a grass snake left the bank and swam towards the bows of Albert. It then wiggled its way along the hull.
Our overnight mooring was at Islip alongside the Middle Nene Sailing Club. The wind was, in the words we have heard forecasters use, "noticeable". These meant our time at Islip was accompanied by the rhythmic rattling of sailing dinghy halyards
Islip (Thrapston) Visitor Moorings
We spent part of the afternoon wandering around Thrapston which is close to the moorings. This market town still has a agricultural focus and as a result it boasts a good ironmonger (Farm & Garden) which was able to supply a handy tube of Araldite for a running repair.
