Bridges, birds and blood pumps.

After a lovely peaceful night on another FOTRN mooring we were off further down the Nene.

 The first lock of the day was Ditchford Lock that is in a very nice setting.

There are plenty of places on the Nene where the tight bends of the river are exacerbated by growth of the trees from the bank. It doesn't look  like EA have done anything at all. It makes C&RT seem very saintly in their pruning regime on the canal system.

. There is just

I know there has been much comment about the new logo etc for the C&RT but I think that overall they have a much better way of 'engaging' the public and users this big list of DON'T's at each lock along with many saying that the lifesaving equipment has been removed due to repeated vandalism!! It may be true but it is hardly the way to endear the river to people.

The A6 bridge is much more ornate than would be built today and that is perhaps because it was erected in 1936 with embellishments that would not be considered today.

The reason it was required was that the old bridge was just too small for the level of traffic, even in the 1930's!!! The old bridge had been built in Medieval times and obviously been altered periodically through the ages, 1668, 1754 and 1922 to name just a few. It would be interesting with any current running and it must be 'interesting' for a wide beam at any time. As you run down stream you can not see approaching traffic and it would be a tight turn to line up to the navigable arch coming up stream.

The Nene valley seems to be a haven for dragon fly, lacewings and the like. There seem to be lots of different types. Bird life is also a plenty and I was pleased to get this shot of an egret that are getting much more numerous these days.

Lower Ringstead lock had the water flowing over the upper gates. We had encountered 'normal' mitred gates, a manually operated guillotine gate as well as the electrically driven type.

Yet again we utilised a Friends of the River Nene mooring at Woodford. I lovely spot with in easy walking of the village and a great view. We were joined later by two other boats.

We passed the church of St. Mary the Virgin and so we had a look inside. These tomb memorials are made of wood, that I don't think I have seen before, and date from around the early 1300's when Sir Walter Trailli and his wife Eleanor died. This was Edward I time and the craftsman showed great skill for the time. They were originally brightly painted. It is unusual that he is in full armour but has no spurs on his feet!

Another relic of the church is found high up in a pillar of the north aisle. In 1866, during restoration of the church a box was dislodged when a beam and a broken stone were disturbed. It turned out to be a box containing a human heart!! Subsequent research has found that a certain Roger de Kirketon had died in 1280 whilst on a visit to Norfolk. His body was buried in there but his heart was buried in the Wodeford church. The vicar in 1866 had it placed in this recess and hermetically sealed to preserve it.

The view from the graveyard across the river and the valley of the Nene is quite stunning and must be a comforting place for the relatives of the departed to leave their loved ones.

On the large village green in the village was a pair of benches with the WWI theme. I think they are very fetching and a lasting memorial that gave their lives in that conflict.

Fortunately just by the green was the Dukes pub that beckoned us in on this very warm and close evening for a couple of pints. It is well worth the walk up as the food looked well priced and award winning too.