After a quiet night above Earls Barton Lock we moved on to Wellingborough and stopped on the moorings opposite the Whitworth's flour mill.
This was the destination of the last commercial carrying on the river, as late as 1969 wheat was still being boated up from the London docks. The moorings seemed pleasant enough apart from the noise from the mill but they have earned a reputation as not a good place to stop overnight because of anti-social behaviour by the local yobs. We only stopped long enough to top up at the nearby Tescos and fill the water tank and then we were off again.
Just beyond Wellingborough the old Midland Railway strides across the valley on a rather imposing fourteen arch viaduct, we were treated to the sight of a train of stone hoppers crossing.
It's a bit of a contrast with the 14thC. bridge at Irthlingborough, tight squeeze under this one.
We were approaching the moorings at what was the Rushden and Diamonds football stadium when we picked up a hitch hiker.
I think it's a young grey wagtail, still not in adult plumage, he didn't stay long, just used us as a convenient stepping stone across the river.
This morning we had fun clearing out the front well, a winters accumulation of grunge was removed and the usual quota of arachnids were rehoused in the nearby hedge. Next job is sweeping the chimney and blacking the stove but that will have to wait until it stops raining every time I poke my head outside.
Watch this space........
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