Morning view from the tent

The night was calm and clear causing the temperature to drop to 2degC. Last night there was a lot shooting going on in the surrounding fields, presumably for game birds of which there are plenty. It didn’t stop till after dark. Somebody must be keen because the shooting started again just as it came light about 5:45am. The cold night caused a lot of condensation on the tent and it was saturated as I packed it away. I was on the road by 7:10 and followed narrow lanes to the village of Whissendine where I made a short detour off the road to look at a magnificent windmill.

Windmill in Whissendine

There was no good vantage point to photograph it so I took a couple near the base. I passed through Oakham then as I passed an Army base, just north of North Luffenham, of the 16th Regiment Royal Artillery I stopped to photograph a couple of field guns at either side of the entrance. Within a couple of minutes a couple of soldiers came out to question my motives. When I told them and showed the pictures I’d taken they seemed satisfied.

In 2007 the 16th Regiment Royal Artillery
relocated to St George's Barracks in Rutland

Field gun by the entrance

In 2007 the 16th Regiment Royal Artillery
relocated to St George's Barracks in Rutland

Further along in North Luffenham a group of fully kitted soldiers were out training including rifles, though probably not loaded.

Training march through
North Luffenham

In Ketton I came to a church with an interesting row of gravestones by the entrance. An inscribed stone said 13 square yards of the graveyard were given to widen the road in 1909. Presumably the neat row of headstones was on the line of the present road prior to then. The lanes were reasonably quiet all the way to Fotheringhay, which was my next objective.

Relocated headstones
that were removed from 13 square yards

The Parish Church had an interesting information board outside so I stopped to have a look then went inside the church where much more information was available.

The Parish Church at Fotheringhay

The private track to the site of Fotheringhay Castle doesn’t allow vehicles so I was glad I was on the bike. The site of the castle was cleared around 1687 and now only the ground undulations can be seen. The reason I was here is that it was the site of the execution of Mary Stuart, Mary Queen of Scots in 1587. Prior to that one of the places she was imprisoned was Chatsworth House.

Inside Fotheringhay Parish Church

Mary Stuart, Mary, Queen of Scots (1542 – 1587)
a portrait around 1559

What Fotheringhay Castle may have looked like

Wide view of the site of the (Motte and Bailey) of Fotheringhay Castle
the Motte (mound) is on the right

To the right is the Motte of Fotheringhay seen from across the River Nene

No problems taking photos at RAF Wyton
the aircraft is a Canberra PR9 built in 1960

I continued south through Oundle where I made another stop at the interesting looking Barnwell Mill on the banks of the River Nene. The weather continued settled and I was making good time so decided to press on to get nearer my next objective which was Canterbury. I’d passed to the north of Huntingdon and on the way had a look at a Canberra jet which was displayed at the entrance to RAF Wyton. I didn’t have any problems taking the picture.

Canberra PR9

I decided to ride through St Ives to look for a shop where I could buy some water. I had to ask a local before I found a shop but with 4 litres strapped to my rear panniers I continued to Earith where another information board explained the way the fens area had been drained and managed over the centuries. Approaching Willingham I noticed a rough track off to the left. I investigated and was pleased to see that further up it widened to a wonderful green lane, a perfect place to pitch my tent.

Green lane near Willingham