Sponsored Walk for All Saints Church Choir in Northampton: The penultimate stage

It was one of the flatter stages but there were one or two places where the way marking was confusing and there was a section very close to Wansford where the official route of the Nene Way was blocked by nettles brambles bushes and trees and so on, so much so that there was a Nene Walk sign pointing down a permissive rather than a public footpath. Blockages, however were absent for the rest of the route.

Michael had seen more rabbits on this section than any other. He met a man who had come to the vicinity to see butterflies but feared that because of the dull weather he wouldn’t see any. He said the next field was called Normangate Field. It was the site of a Roman pottery kiln and even now pieces of Roman pot came to the surface. Michael didn’t see any. That conversation was next to a level crossing over the Nene Valley Railway and a train came past going from Peterborough towards Wansford. On a day of train strikes this was one train that was running. It was headed by a Polish steam locomotive (painted green) and consisted of a blue and cream Wagon Lit coach and some other continental coaches. Later on, from a distance he saw and heard the train come back.

Near Castor Michael saw a cricket match for the first time this year (apart from visits to the County Ground that is.)

After that there were the ruins of a mill by the river. This was not as one might expect, a a water mill but a windmill, but the top was missing, let alone the sails.

Then there was a prolonged walk by the river before a stone bridge led into the Ferry Meadows Country Park and the end of today’s walk. One feature of the whole walk has been people taking their dogs for a walk and there were plenty of these. Even without dogs there were plenty of people out for a walk despite the dull weather

Michael's walk is from All Saints Church, Northampton to Peterborough Cathedral. He left on Sunday 7th May and will arrive at Peterborough on Sunday 14th May. He is raising money for the Choir of All Saints Church, Northampton who are singing in Zaragoza Spain in July. If you would like to sponsor Michael,cheques can be sent to Michael Waterfield c/o All Saints Church, George Row, Northampton NN1 1DF. Please write "Michael's walk" on the back of the cheque. Alternatively use the "Just Giving" link https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/Zaragoza2023 . Most of the members of the choir are under 18.