Messing about on boats

Each year, around this time, I look out for a small sign that goes up outside a local boat club, advertising its open day. It's such a lovely event, with a swing band, and a few stalls and games, all set beside the River Nene. The great draw for me, though, is the boat trips, where members of the club make their craft available to take visitors on short voyages. I've said before that the area we live in has very gentle, pastoral scenery, and the best way to see it is most definitely from the water.

Here we go:

Our turnaround point was the village of Fotheringhay. It is a beautiful place, and famous for its castle ruin, where Mary Queen of Scots lost her head. The remains are really just a mound, but the village church is still very much intact.

As I am still feeling very delicate at the moment, with a powerful cocktail of medication whizzing round my body, chugging along the river at 4mph felt just about right, especially with the late summer sun shining on my face. I'll be back next year for another trip. And as for this old lady (below), we were told that she was at Dunkirk. Never underestimate an old crock!