To Wisbech from Guyhirn

We walked this leg out of order because we were en route from Denver (West Norfolk) to Simpson (Milton Keynes) and didn't want to go massively out of our way, which it would have felt we were doing if we'd walked from the Port of Sutton Bridge to Wisbech. Similarly, we walked from Guyhirn to Wisbech rather than the reverse route because that meant we had two cars together at the beginning of the walk in Wisbech (nearer to Denver) and the two cars together at the end of the walk near to Guyhirn (nearer to Simpson) and this avoided one unnecessary car journey in each direction between the two.

The weather was somewhat murky and it wasn't the most exciting of walks, along or close to the bank of a canalised river. However it didn't rain, and there was somewhat less road walking than we'd expected - and where we were on roads, they were mostly very minor. The River Nene is tidal in this section and the situation was improved by the fact that it was close to high tide whilst we were walking; mud might be good for wading birds etc., but the river is much more attractive with water in it! We parked one car at the Chapel Road Car Park in Wisbech (TF458097 - free, massive, and virtually empty when we arrived) and then drove together to Guyhirn Bridge on the A47. In the direction we were travelling (from Wisbech towards Peterborough) there is a roundabout just before the bridge over the River Nene where the road to March (the A141) heads left whilst the A47 heads slightly to the right. If you take the A141 here then almost immediately left again onto a small slip road, you find yourself on a dead end road with plenty of parking. We drove back towards the roundabout and parked there, somewhere near TF397029, and - on foot - headed through the undergrowth to the A47 just before the roundabout. After some difficulty crossing the road we took the A47 towards Peterborough, crossing a misty, atmospheric River Nene.

Much to our delight, we encountered a Nene Way sign (plus a sign for the Greenwich Meridian Trail) leading not onto the road through Guyhirn, which we had expected to be following, but instead onto the flood defence bank by the river. We followed this route, which gave us both good views to the river and to the village, past the Oliver Twist Country Inn and a former church that is now for sale. Further on, an independent church of some sort was preparing for business. At the end of the village, the road headed away from the river, but we remained on the river bank. However, soon after the road returned to the river, the signs directed us down to the road and we followed that. It was a very minor road and quite attractive, so not a problem. We passed a pumping station with a chimney.

The road took us past Cold Harbour Corner and Bevis Hall and the road from Wisbech St Mary joined us. We were hoping to get onto the river bank again, but sadly this didn't seem to be possible; we managed a brief section but it was rather overgrown and we reverted to the road when me encountered a tethered horse on the bank. Soon afterwards a green flood defence barrier appeared between us and the river. Sometimes we could see over if but sometimes we couldn't, and the barrier (later becoming a wall) accompanied us all the way to Wisbech. As a result our attention was drawn to the attractive lanes, farms and orchards to our left.

We approached Wisbech town centre along the North Brink, past Elgood's Brewery, part of Wisbech Grammar School and then the Georgian Peckover House, one of our local National Trust properties (which we have visited many times so no need to do so today). We continued on the Town Bridge and then back to the car and so on to Guyhirn and MIlton Keynes.

Following leg