tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12656062161778628012024-03-16T18:52:15.590+00:00Becoming ListlessDave & Ann-Marie's life aboard NB Legend.Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.comBlogger372125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-70629881930808100702024-03-05T17:46:00.002+00:002024-03-05T20:04:14.942+00:00Hemel Hempstead to Nash Mills. Grand Union Canal. <p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Shortly after we got back from France, Ann-Marie went off for the final five days of her clinical trial, leaving Dave to his own devices aboard Legend. Before she went, we moved the boat down the next two locks to Apsley visitor moorings, which are in a Quiet Zone.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8eFdqtTPgwjor1RU2JSfQFyRwf_wMT7xRBZHUdhFN40stlFRAQiES5YRxjpB72WAYVLCks8NBJ1YQuE-rLUT87HXYT9ct3pZsUL8Z4diNsG4bfSkFFRA2j79cc4GjbG7MlDjUnoTUZ9Wmud2_WSsP5SrjpNqe-sui2NFz34-616TZML_juskbxvuFeEkT/s4040/240127%2004%20Boxmoor%20to%20Apsley.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1929" data-original-width="4040" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8eFdqtTPgwjor1RU2JSfQFyRwf_wMT7xRBZHUdhFN40stlFRAQiES5YRxjpB72WAYVLCks8NBJ1YQuE-rLUT87HXYT9ct3pZsUL8Z4diNsG4bfSkFFRA2j79cc4GjbG7MlDjUnoTUZ9Wmud2_WSsP5SrjpNqe-sui2NFz34-616TZML_juskbxvuFeEkT/w400-h191/240127%2004%20Boxmoor%20to%20Apsley.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />The restrictions on the board limit the running of engines or generators to an hour at a time which, in the middle of February, would have made life difficult if we hadn’t got a Lithium battery. Happily, the almost non-existent internal resistance of LiFePo4 means it can soak up charge as fast as the solar/genny/alternator can supply it. The majority of boats have water cooled engines which also heat their domestic hot water. Our Lister is air cooled so we have an instant gas hot water boiler and use a generator to charge our batteries, which is far more efficient. We normally run it every other day in the depths of winter, but we found that an hour every morning , along with whatever piddly bit of solar the panels managed to capture, was more than enough to keep our fridge, lights and pumps going, and even allowed Dave to run the washing machine when it looked like a decent drying day. Fast charging was the main attraction of Lithium; the money we save on petrol will go a long way towards covering the initial cost, add to that the benefit of a much, much longer lifespan than lead-acid and we should see a long term financial gain. It’s one of the best things we’ve ever done to the boat.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Dave spent most of the time Ann-Marie was away prepping and painting the tool cupboard door and the control panel in the engine room, matching them with the rest of the wood work in there.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjY_SkmLoVh7IHjSX2kw9yRfNPe0oMvbN29zoNLUMT9Gm_yMGrMrtoTfjfG5MQ59gUKzXJeWQrd8_2xQS1Kiw74Wui0WAFaJMgj7F6VDB9JkMlHyqXDUxEL2-B_kogJjT9Fa15HHB6E896ICKRsNKuSU2785CkNOEAGnaK6DIJ9AUumuewXHrbNJzrUJ68/s1970/IMG_20240130_171525.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="1970" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjY_SkmLoVh7IHjSX2kw9yRfNPe0oMvbN29zoNLUMT9Gm_yMGrMrtoTfjfG5MQ59gUKzXJeWQrd8_2xQS1Kiw74Wui0WAFaJMgj7F6VDB9JkMlHyqXDUxEL2-B_kogJjT9Fa15HHB6E896ICKRsNKuSU2785CkNOEAGnaK6DIJ9AUumuewXHrbNJzrUJ68/w400-h238/IMG_20240130_171525.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />He also walked up to Old Hemel (a complete contrast to the town centre) to have another go at Gadebridge Park parkrun, which we did on Christmas day. It was a lot less muddy and he got a much better time, and although it was still fun, he missed the Santa hats.</span><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiUH-YkrMklMaK2ZObkPQSe8zLc16a1nEzXqA6_B8bsyaPAPZkAYoHcCAqwr7gKXEPNVrFRwpWqBGvJLURLHobFmp3pTSLc4eDUiZy8Df7k0dCYgKrAvhagM-TzNe9zfcZTwMap9F7SMD6Uc5cxUnCji7sJ_gNPUPb7AcYr6YTIz586BuKUEuCJj_lmCz/s2948/IMG_20240203_084542.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="2948" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiUH-YkrMklMaK2ZObkPQSe8zLc16a1nEzXqA6_B8bsyaPAPZkAYoHcCAqwr7gKXEPNVrFRwpWqBGvJLURLHobFmp3pTSLc4eDUiZy8Df7k0dCYgKrAvhagM-TzNe9zfcZTwMap9F7SMD6Uc5cxUnCji7sJ_gNPUPb7AcYr6YTIz586BuKUEuCJj_lmCz/w400-h198/IMG_20240203_084542.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />On the 1</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes'; vertical-align: super;">st</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> of February he had a big day out with his new bus pass, and went to Amersham and High Wycombe. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0CCKzKf-VueNfk2IVWQtpBa2hr2Miy9VyYgCUfSz2vPtSnY6OS_2oPOxo3Lcxqv8fo-qY-jBKt1snldJHxEAoK87XlDYYRWoFYj-1qEIDZgQy5-5nKGvGogx8CCM33aQ-ccBpci3BeykuM2ZE4XQThnNWbnwpgOP-rCSe7dJg_qPVobtZgWppcmu1MmB/s3041/IMG_20240201_100601.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="3041" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0CCKzKf-VueNfk2IVWQtpBa2hr2Miy9VyYgCUfSz2vPtSnY6OS_2oPOxo3Lcxqv8fo-qY-jBKt1snldJHxEAoK87XlDYYRWoFYj-1qEIDZgQy5-5nKGvGogx8CCM33aQ-ccBpci3BeykuM2ZE4XQThnNWbnwpgOP-rCSe7dJg_qPVobtZgWppcmu1MmB/w400-h191/IMG_20240201_100601.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />He took a Bill Bryson book to read on the bus, had a really good time and came home with some new rubber mats for the back deck.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">As we got further into <a href="https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/stories/transport/metro-land" target="_blank">Metroland</a>, decent moorings were becoming rarer. In the morning before Ann-Marie came home, Dave noticed that someone was setting off from a good spot opposite Sainsbury’s, just below Apsley lock, so he hurried back, pulled the pins an moved down to the water point, before dropping down the lock and slipping into the newly vacated gap. We needed to move because we were off gallivanting around the country for the next ten days or so and didn't want to overstay where we were. Of course Legend not being where she’d left it meant that when Ann-Marie got back, she didn’t know where she lived, and Dave had to go and meet her in Sainsbury’s car park. Such is boat life.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">About a year previously Bob & Mandy had invited us to share a week in Turkiye with them. Initially we’d looked at flights and decided it was going to be too expensive, however while she was incarcerated in the clinic Ann-Marie had had another look, and found that Easyjet from Bristol was approaching affordable, so we booked. As it turned out the return flight would be after Bob & Mandy came back so we also booked two nights in an AirB&B in Marmaris. We’re now very excited about that.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">The towpath changed sides at Apsley lock, so Dave took advantage of the port side being accessible and gave it a good scrub, especially the gunnels which were looking very grubby. The paintwork is looking rather tired; this summer is going involve a lot of rubbing down and the smell of white spirit.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">A couple of days later we were in the car and heading for northern parts. Our final destination was Carlisle for Dave’s Auntie Margot’s funeral. Obviously a sad occasion, but we used the trip to see as many people as we could.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">David & Kate’s was our first stop for four nights. We were there to celebrate David’s birthday, which was lovely, they’re really good company, and although we were snowbound for a couple of days...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreJKumcKRodmtcX7sUDflxeZ_2RhwX45FehtV-Wt7jmCHkQPnopS17dOgYQTP_LmuptOIYSjNtHMpf1yHwYPpkdly1pS-urtEgWe9xGqH1vXZgTEA9sufntZmNxlFhPOfaLiwoVrU3RgvPFHFqG0DhmO2Poj0s22N2hoglJN1DbR4WQPCEevAYgKW7iL8/s4080/IMG_20240208_124159.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1964" data-original-width="4080" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjreJKumcKRodmtcX7sUDflxeZ_2RhwX45FehtV-Wt7jmCHkQPnopS17dOgYQTP_LmuptOIYSjNtHMpf1yHwYPpkdly1pS-urtEgWe9xGqH1vXZgTEA9sufntZmNxlFhPOfaLiwoVrU3RgvPFHFqG0DhmO2Poj0s22N2hoglJN1DbR4WQPCEevAYgKW7iL8/w400-h193/IMG_20240208_124159.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><i>When it's snowing,</i></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9P_mrRpR1D9_1ZSXBzZ_3mMRif__DVi0aHP0dH5eeGcLExgN_Z9a8m1-uiwx5Q2xTLUsTKV0y1stsgzFHLPantgsEJzH4m4TPfkD2BXWEs-Jf-qlWw4sadUXsxBS0LbrTNd58WkI31lrAvrD5sWr_NfOg4A6rToXubtQncXpE4mH6fVLLuq6NAjJk5Yaz/s3676/IMG_20240209_173631.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3676" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9P_mrRpR1D9_1ZSXBzZ_3mMRif__DVi0aHP0dH5eeGcLExgN_Z9a8m1-uiwx5Q2xTLUsTKV0y1stsgzFHLPantgsEJzH4m4TPfkD2BXWEs-Jf-qlWw4sadUXsxBS0LbrTNd58WkI31lrAvrD5sWr_NfOg4A6rToXubtQncXpE4mH6fVLLuq6NAjJk5Yaz/w250-h400/IMG_20240209_173631.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Make cocktails.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK5wjIP1CQw5Sb7orxWPBNcuCgNa0oVbNBWE_41Hff8KUQdOhdVcQfDSOy2s68FsZ5BtQG9B67e-n97IIygHw2bmNA08aSFxFhSUunLHP5hmaIemHMWCc8QiG0oa6LCiMsyiQFtFlGD-a73yUXRelOY7bllgdFSgvu2o4e127TOCA_2YcpiXgWA8UU4YHJ/s2872/IMG_20240209_173928.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2872" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK5wjIP1CQw5Sb7orxWPBNcuCgNa0oVbNBWE_41Hff8KUQdOhdVcQfDSOy2s68FsZ5BtQG9B67e-n97IIygHw2bmNA08aSFxFhSUunLHP5hmaIemHMWCc8QiG0oa6LCiMsyiQFtFlGD-a73yUXRelOY7bllgdFSgvu2o4e127TOCA_2YcpiXgWA8UU4YHJ/w320-h400/IMG_20240209_173928.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Golden Dram. Yummy</i></div><br />...we did managed to get out for a walk along the canal, reminiscing about our time up there last year. We had a coffee in the five rise café and the boys took Dylan for a walk round Myrtle Park; the scene of several parkruns when we were up there.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3li0j0ri6bTxSaiy_8B96TOGrwcbsboefBzrOiqEKFxosfseVF2rUdgGVfmArZ2Z-Zg3gV7gDmDjnWor9SSA-JDZSqU9quLsLpUtoWE152jDAQOz9GII58YyDhMF9MIRpzGczsGE7guqeDF8UPynM2gjYYnWxEYMTtCAhVsINoaw38FtXWB1pzvKARUDX/s3034/IMG_20240209_141407.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3034" data-original-width="1840" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3li0j0ri6bTxSaiy_8B96TOGrwcbsboefBzrOiqEKFxosfseVF2rUdgGVfmArZ2Z-Zg3gV7gDmDjnWor9SSA-JDZSqU9quLsLpUtoWE152jDAQOz9GII58YyDhMF9MIRpzGczsGE7guqeDF8UPynM2gjYYnWxEYMTtCAhVsINoaw38FtXWB1pzvKARUDX/w242-h400/IMG_20240209_141407.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The fairy tree in Myrtle park. Oddly we never noticed it when we were parkrunning!</i></div><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">On the day we left, we spent the morning in Skipton with David & Kate and more fond memories, before saying goodbye and going just a bit further north to Long Preston, near Settle, for a lovely afternoon and evening with John & Maggie in their beautiful serene house, before heading to Carlisle in the morning.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpDLT7VQ7tT95oNkje2ef13UzDG0ybM80GXtP3iPLXKwWb12g4HsrfMpzV7BU6Jx6RsiFNMHFaiNpemC8z0NZY0Zy3Y48-PovIotfUfdLApBrNe7uqqgK_L5Jbxu7IL3YOFzXLxLSyxuthY-yNQ9igJeJswBWV6raAd3o3qtVk8jyqsaHY2u-iMhyphenhyphengjUSv/s1600/240212%2001%20Margot's%20Funeral.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1600" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpDLT7VQ7tT95oNkje2ef13UzDG0ybM80GXtP3iPLXKwWb12g4HsrfMpzV7BU6Jx6RsiFNMHFaiNpemC8z0NZY0Zy3Y48-PovIotfUfdLApBrNe7uqqgK_L5Jbxu7IL3YOFzXLxLSyxuthY-yNQ9igJeJswBWV6raAd3o3qtVk8jyqsaHY2u-iMhyphenhyphengjUSv/w400-h285/240212%2001%20Margot's%20Funeral.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />Although the occasion was sad, the mood was one of celebration. Auntie Margot had lived a long and amazing life, and having all her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and even great, great grandchildren all together was never going to be a reason to feel sad.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">One of her many talents was making Yorkshire puddings, something she did in profusion at any given opportunity. Any meal, from smoked haddock to cottage pie, got a Yorkshire pud stuck on top. All the family members at the crematorium had Yorkshire puds as buttonholes as a fitting tribute.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZUQBrwOHslMFnqXwBNEpCf-dAfj9L_zAnKu5Wa43Xpk3LlTY9DiYuQ6Cxb_lZrxMKUh8jfQ1os6bR0VH4y2zuoQhoQ7ioqs-S2NZEgjIrPVMtmaGB-yxXbljYYXgMCqpbJ3X6SXoILnqM7qAINTB5VV8om46HUtb9LlcQ-M7NVjOjIDS71br9aOrI36x/s2782/IMG_20240212_145759.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2782" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZUQBrwOHslMFnqXwBNEpCf-dAfj9L_zAnKu5Wa43Xpk3LlTY9DiYuQ6Cxb_lZrxMKUh8jfQ1os6bR0VH4y2zuoQhoQ7ioqs-S2NZEgjIrPVMtmaGB-yxXbljYYXgMCqpbJ3X6SXoILnqM7qAINTB5VV8om46HUtb9LlcQ-M7NVjOjIDS71br9aOrI36x/w330-h400/IMG_20240212_145759.jpg" width="330" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />Auntie Margot would have been thrilled.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Unfortunately, even though she tried really hard and spent the whole day travelling, Dave’s sister Judith never got to the funeral. She came up from Derby on the train, changed at Leeds and got as far as Appleby - about 20 miles from Carlisle - before her journey was halted due to signal failure. At that point we could have gone and got her, but she declined the offer, putting her faith in a replacement bus service. By the time it became apparent that public transport in any form wasn’t going to work, it was too late, so she sadly had to retrace her steps while it was still possible to get home that day. On the upside, we did all agree that a Wood Cousins Gathering was well over-due and we should get something organized for the summer.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">That night we were back at John & Maggie’s, then in the morning drove down to Hesketh Bank to see Ann-Marie’s cousin Sue. She was doing remarkably well after a hip replacement, and it was really good to see her.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Back on board, we got Legend warmed up and aired while we got dinner ready; chilli pancakes, well it was pancake day…</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">…followed by Valentine’s Day! Dave surprised Ann-Marie with cinema tickets to go and see Wonka, (Valentine’s Day = Chocolate = Willy Wonka. See?) then we set off in the car again, this time to Mytchett for Ann-Marie’s heart health check/medical MOT, which she passed with no advisories.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We had lunch with Mum and Dad, then spent the afternoon looking round the bike shops in North Camp with Karen and River, who needs a new 125cc Scooter. It’s been yonks since we browsed a bike shop and everything seemed to be so much bigger. We used to have - in a former lifetime - a 900cc Triumph Thunderbird, but that wasn’t a patch on some of the stuff you can buy now. 1400cc? I don’t think so! Dave got a bit nostalgic and - if he’s honest - a little bit tempted by some stuff, but we really were only fair-weather bikers; all that cold and wet malarky when there’s a perfectly good car just sitting there, with a heater and a nice stereo - well why would you?</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Karen did us a lovely roast chicken dinner, then we set off back up the motorways. (Well mostly motorways. Night time closures on the M3 gave us a not very scenic tour of some B roads in the dark.) Cold boat, fire, electric blanket etc. You know the score by now.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">A couple of days later we pulled the pins and left Apsley, dropping down the next two locks with Nb Bashfool and moored up at Nash Mills opposite the Waterways Experience hire base.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguuy0qLCi_rH62P2pIEZqcDIYCff8SYVoRlYPWkmxoDQKR9qJzohvU4b6SDZWy08PFRNvs7-0dQxAhp_-PkkESDgct7GgzBhAE-fWaix8sCJx37GwQy48-HKWolhnIHsL1377yWiokO-dlhoUrv8Rb28CRauFyXdi-wzJu-7e0-0Z_F0aSFxBmY7nzQG1i/s3560/IMG_20240216_105250.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1617" data-original-width="3560" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguuy0qLCi_rH62P2pIEZqcDIYCff8SYVoRlYPWkmxoDQKR9qJzohvU4b6SDZWy08PFRNvs7-0dQxAhp_-PkkESDgct7GgzBhAE-fWaix8sCJx37GwQy48-HKWolhnIHsL1377yWiokO-dlhoUrv8Rb28CRauFyXdi-wzJu-7e0-0Z_F0aSFxBmY7nzQG1i/w400-h181/IMG_20240216_105250.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJcuxtRrJraO8pQE7CJ0U4GBHvG4lprE_tPqbIMX9J4n_G3dvilG1eXQSE3UDO0ZSzGj0-sryDyAIYfbcsmqD5F0SfQnD40aGMqpvDxUYN02ZeK3JpFdaQFtBf8WjoYrV76lzjF8BFh5QUg1ClMapJGZ7bFNcJnP1uWK1EMeB0XtQJEDinRvAbQseQA87/s4012/IMG_20240216_110929.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1561" data-original-width="4012" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJcuxtRrJraO8pQE7CJ0U4GBHvG4lprE_tPqbIMX9J4n_G3dvilG1eXQSE3UDO0ZSzGj0-sryDyAIYfbcsmqD5F0SfQnD40aGMqpvDxUYN02ZeK3JpFdaQFtBf8WjoYrV76lzjF8BFh5QUg1ClMapJGZ7bFNcJnP1uWK1EMeB0XtQJEDinRvAbQseQA87/w400-h156/IMG_20240216_110929.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />It was only when had a good look at the hire base that we realised it was also the HQ of the <a href="https://www.hhcanoeclub.org.uk/" target="_blank">Hemel Hempstead Canoe Club</a> and where we came to do a paddle board taster session with WRG a couple of years ago and where Ann-Marie lost her glasses after falling in. There's a link to the blog entry for that couple of weeks <a href="https://becominglistless.blogspot.com/2022/09/wigan-to-burscough-leeds-and-liverpool.html" target="_blank">here.</a></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We spent the afternoon packing our bags for another fortnight away, and in the morning had an early start, setting off for Birmingham airport via Buckingham for parkrun. We did our usual skinflint airport parking, on the road near the airport, and got the train into the terminal which, as well as saving £50, is a shorter wait and a quicker transfer than the Airpark bus. It’s only a short hop over the Irish sea to Belfast International; the cabin crew have to literally run up and down the aisle with the snack truck before it’s time to sit down again. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Chloe brought the kids to the airport to pick us up. What a gorgeous reception! When we got to Number Six they gave us a very excited guided tour of their new house and their bedrooms, and it was so amazing to see how much Chloe & Shandy had got done since we were last there. It’s nowhere near finished; there’s still a lot to do before they get it signed off by Building Control, never mind all the skirting, decorating and garden work that needs finishing, but it’s warm, it’s dry and it’s already a fabulous home. When it’s all done it will be truly stunning. Shandy had already tiled the bit of the kitchen under the units, and over the fortnight that we were there, he and Dave got the rest of the kitchen/dinner and the sunroom floors tiled and grouted, giving them a dust free, clean space to escape to. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What will be the living room is - for the time being - full of materials and tools and will be the last room to get finished. Dave also built some stud walling in the en-suite and the “wee loo” (which, if it wasn’t a bungalow would be the downstairs toilet) to support the toilet bowls and house the cisterns. Both toilet bowls are wall hung with no pedestal, so the supporting structure has to be really solid, perfectly suiting Dave’s penchant for over-engineering.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">While all that was going on Ann-Marie and Chloe, in no way conforming to stereo-type, set about cleaning the Bailey Unicorn touring caravan which they needed to sell to pay for the house to be rendered. It sold quite quickly with very little bartering, and was gone by the following weekend. They still need to sell the static caravan that they lived in for a year while they were house building, but that isn’t so urgent.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We helped out with the school runs, Ann-Marie spent lots of time looking after Matilda, playing games, baking and jumping on the trampoline, and we went to gymnastics class and climbing club class as well. So much grandchildren time! We loved it, and although Shandy was off work for most of our time there and Chloe was working from home, having Ann-Marie providing child care while the rest of us could get on was priceless.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">On the Saturday in the middle of our stay we did parkrun at Mid Ulster Sports Arena in Cookstown, which was all tarmac and quite hilly. It was small and friendly and there was a distinct lack of mud, so that was nice, but we really prefer the trail paths through the woods, or round a lake kind of thing. However, it was a gorgeous sunny morning to be outside and running.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Home for brunch then we had a fabulous afternoon at <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/northern-ireland/mussenden-temple-and-downhill-demesne" target="_blank">Downhill Demense </a>and <a href="https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/benone-strand-p675611" target="_blank">Benone Beach </a>on the north coast. It’s so good to have beaches within an hour’s drive, we were quite jealous.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Here's the fortnight in pictures</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_ycOflAp8DNyD9UBd1Z1tcyjXxizV2I472BclaYC7TGXS41eyC7kKOPo8mgMoZKfxXRqK3Xpn81LBevfkmdWAu3BrAn5PDpNn7UfGsoJ8ypfD5Z0Cn8pt656qJAj16iITZKOmPgFKOsawBkGZeVNrxcK8Sd6ia7M95mRW4ISNGYfciiRH118ORZsVOhZ/s4096/IMG_20240219_104526.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1709" data-original-width="4096" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_ycOflAp8DNyD9UBd1Z1tcyjXxizV2I472BclaYC7TGXS41eyC7kKOPo8mgMoZKfxXRqK3Xpn81LBevfkmdWAu3BrAn5PDpNn7UfGsoJ8ypfD5Z0Cn8pt656qJAj16iITZKOmPgFKOsawBkGZeVNrxcK8Sd6ia7M95mRW4ISNGYfciiRH118ORZsVOhZ/w400-h168/IMG_20240219_104526.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Building the cistern support wall 1.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCxVEe8Cb2HL3t-ifY3NG4Bvc6TFDTKzhdAEobxDnKThyphenhyphenXMXTwFqnPD6CpR6CFo_b1aSFfW8FztkZ95oEdhvTzzSH4fuhl10grP8TY2UABJP7WsbWz3KvQ9i0qnKR2tcgq-g0wZs7QEdC-cynjxAHi4HpZJlyTPdx4pkMSiNVb-ab3sZjUd1mqgZqi3KeQ/s1775/IMG_20240219_114711.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="1775" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCxVEe8Cb2HL3t-ifY3NG4Bvc6TFDTKzhdAEobxDnKThyphenhyphenXMXTwFqnPD6CpR6CFo_b1aSFfW8FztkZ95oEdhvTzzSH4fuhl10grP8TY2UABJP7WsbWz3KvQ9i0qnKR2tcgq-g0wZs7QEdC-cynjxAHi4HpZJlyTPdx4pkMSiNVb-ab3sZjUd1mqgZqi3KeQ/w400-h190/IMG_20240219_114711.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>2.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtzghGSMaDEMfqqYpm0HipsM7KF5YGuYFkLRV1YCBaWLR6IvxI_oEcEUg1hb4E23yuUzWszcx_ipD9CLkSPUakaC6qpaiKlA5p9JZump8swcZduYmYAhOovfIjHXj2YOdvm0pqRJ3NS6WxgLuqyRbD7bih9E-Pt-MaayQ1H2uzmC97LvEDFx7_5PGiTFK/s1845/IMG_20240219_160500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1845" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtzghGSMaDEMfqqYpm0HipsM7KF5YGuYFkLRV1YCBaWLR6IvxI_oEcEUg1hb4E23yuUzWszcx_ipD9CLkSPUakaC6qpaiKlA5p9JZump8swcZduYmYAhOovfIjHXj2YOdvm0pqRJ3NS6WxgLuqyRbD7bih9E-Pt-MaayQ1H2uzmC97LvEDFx7_5PGiTFK/w400-h233/IMG_20240219_160500.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>3.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsFqRRyFEJyCuh2BY-luffQ8J5IMsAGs_liTKmwFu4n5EtA1O2W5Gg3fepq-lvcLqPc1l91R5_SNwpP52ObwOy-pfRM3YA0RfFCpjHRcgJwiWBXZPsnJbRq3Ub18hgiiBYzKXZ0qK4xOuO69X6BQTXYQavCogi1TLfdJXfrrriflXkNuLGEM7aM1aqM2l/s3770/IMG_20240220_145325.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="3770" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsFqRRyFEJyCuh2BY-luffQ8J5IMsAGs_liTKmwFu4n5EtA1O2W5Gg3fepq-lvcLqPc1l91R5_SNwpP52ObwOy-pfRM3YA0RfFCpjHRcgJwiWBXZPsnJbRq3Ub18hgiiBYzKXZ0qK4xOuO69X6BQTXYQavCogi1TLfdJXfrrriflXkNuLGEM7aM1aqM2l/w400-h209/IMG_20240220_145325.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Tiling the middle of the kitchen.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAvQeyAAehrS81hoHRmS9nhQ3wg1BJkesWTl8btRO_GH6VaYcF85Zw4B0qDJKLxZavGliRBRiPdr1g3aED99xrgYvhC8JTbd2jOagxEx5MKTe4Zp_eteIueBkaiZ64UGSrYscAf2t4ldC2CYT4S-V_gFWmJAsxQvS7oiKMmjjooiVygFCEYmc_4Jg13Tq/s3628/IMG_20240221_111621.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1702" data-original-width="3628" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAvQeyAAehrS81hoHRmS9nhQ3wg1BJkesWTl8btRO_GH6VaYcF85Zw4B0qDJKLxZavGliRBRiPdr1g3aED99xrgYvhC8JTbd2jOagxEx5MKTe4Zp_eteIueBkaiZ64UGSrYscAf2t4ldC2CYT4S-V_gFWmJAsxQvS7oiKMmjjooiVygFCEYmc_4Jg13Tq/w400-h188/IMG_20240221_111621.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Followed by the edges.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1flelNECc1fmrWygPZcTg07i5BYpNzHywtdmhZgmYvC6O_GSH66HfNo5J7nHApngKdDtpB92uWp_SWlKUzRfZGuD3dG7V1ukAF7oI9wFxq01XqEqDTj7m31pnKeMqMmCX5F19piMRqwpEpyOsepgdoOhLidHPHvXK4JCRoGGHnnp_SO76L5DGpH6bjYD/s2004/IMG_20240222_123637.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2004" data-original-width="1168" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1flelNECc1fmrWygPZcTg07i5BYpNzHywtdmhZgmYvC6O_GSH66HfNo5J7nHApngKdDtpB92uWp_SWlKUzRfZGuD3dG7V1ukAF7oI9wFxq01XqEqDTj7m31pnKeMqMmCX5F19piMRqwpEpyOsepgdoOhLidHPHvXK4JCRoGGHnnp_SO76L5DGpH6bjYD/w234-h400/IMG_20240222_123637.jpg" width="234" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPXZVzM_lY2Ye8OA581bey34QT5kSVv0C8aU77V00gKZEh1jeYDJ2VAH_0vF9zFmRG_sDIUKuPwqndMgHGJ_dKZWqpRjNpc0jcnuHW-xR-JOydE6H13eZIRa7BDCXs0W5rqb7_IylvRigJ70-qqvAZ5vr4gNtVViziedrWfHovUiqFh6vlY8dYKTKsOUG/s4080/IMG_20240225_115940.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPXZVzM_lY2Ye8OA581bey34QT5kSVv0C8aU77V00gKZEh1jeYDJ2VAH_0vF9zFmRG_sDIUKuPwqndMgHGJ_dKZWqpRjNpc0jcnuHW-xR-JOydE6H13eZIRa7BDCXs0W5rqb7_IylvRigJ70-qqvAZ5vr4gNtVViziedrWfHovUiqFh6vlY8dYKTKsOUG/w400-h225/IMG_20240225_115940.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Starting the sunroom</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeSB04mlTRVmRIRVf3XsKGd-F4H98vCrcZExEhdx27X6tu6ljuBcot90JuxEM9XSIReu1q_4yZaFOfFwHl3rLcA3yh1MFuZWAXKIba-sr1zhmwfiSDxZ4EQzEbHZ4RTuri5PIQ7aPI2OE8TdGlLIetl__ly-A7v9naY6KOKyjLhkoE4HSj3D2yAysXf1hR/s3331/IMG_20240227_101051.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1672" data-original-width="3331" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeSB04mlTRVmRIRVf3XsKGd-F4H98vCrcZExEhdx27X6tu6ljuBcot90JuxEM9XSIReu1q_4yZaFOfFwHl3rLcA3yh1MFuZWAXKIba-sr1zhmwfiSDxZ4EQzEbHZ4RTuri5PIQ7aPI2OE8TdGlLIetl__ly-A7v9naY6KOKyjLhkoE4HSj3D2yAysXf1hR/w400-h201/IMG_20240227_101051.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Second day in the sunroom</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbxVN4VM40Du1IFEi_AuSuzpDlHJ3yuCc3GZLJZ71oHnOhi0eRxK_A19-_zhI-oFIMu0l4kvESN5-LxtXW88qKnyHNKNx0hLOppvPogwFVUUai2i-GJTYHcfXY-tUyDiMYTo0kbOfDGekPyOKrb51OH0nh5vawGEl8KdI3_LUtKKaP56DRBJj1ZtNP-pVH/s2098/IMG_20240227_170714.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="2098" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbxVN4VM40Du1IFEi_AuSuzpDlHJ3yuCc3GZLJZ71oHnOhi0eRxK_A19-_zhI-oFIMu0l4kvESN5-LxtXW88qKnyHNKNx0hLOppvPogwFVUUai2i-GJTYHcfXY-tUyDiMYTo0kbOfDGekPyOKrb51OH0nh5vawGEl8KdI3_LUtKKaP56DRBJj1ZtNP-pVH/w400-h203/IMG_20240227_170714.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>And it's finished</i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHSX-Naius-61gry8TMxCVWsb7QHyGeJYBDTFjr-Mb8XWYz5kHn022l4Nsmv8ziXpJZtHr0r1ycQ8AqYPJD2B06qfsa_rk70aWC_lPecLz1Jhjfs7UNz5tAveCUeAkubf4z-xM3NeoSokE9LnThs5xVAcrkdpp3LkOg3D4Y5-i_544jEVMIjh_LXGJljq/s4096/IMG_20240301_175758.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1786" data-original-width="4096" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHSX-Naius-61gry8TMxCVWsb7QHyGeJYBDTFjr-Mb8XWYz5kHn022l4Nsmv8ziXpJZtHr0r1ycQ8AqYPJD2B06qfsa_rk70aWC_lPecLz1Jhjfs7UNz5tAveCUeAkubf4z-xM3NeoSokE9LnThs5xVAcrkdpp3LkOg3D4Y5-i_544jEVMIjh_LXGJljq/w400-h175/IMG_20240301_175758.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Everything grouted.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzWy0c1ZbT_P6VTGjxu4CwhBaHCqFT_JfrXnlqUucxYg2tKtL7pt1NfcEMERjw6tprjLvxvBHHZKfET5cxXLQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Caleb demonstrating the pro method of removing the spacers</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5G7MW7IvDr1TDNoqZ-CS_3WhOtlFAGj4EI5XodBLXe84lxeRQ_sTS_SkvPXM4iVAB54D7uZnRb_NOVV6A_TkmP9z97DNB2IJ5Une5s2ZFpdAKhUMo6LtEYqJ6pl0YiPGCGQLRstDxdHEe8Nmbz7fGLSZbMFrVDbe70O9KGRcl4uRTOAhylYtGT5Di086C/s2296/IMG_20240224_142630.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2095" data-original-width="2296" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5G7MW7IvDr1TDNoqZ-CS_3WhOtlFAGj4EI5XodBLXe84lxeRQ_sTS_SkvPXM4iVAB54D7uZnRb_NOVV6A_TkmP9z97DNB2IJ5Une5s2ZFpdAKhUMo6LtEYqJ6pl0YiPGCGQLRstDxdHEe8Nmbz7fGLSZbMFrVDbe70O9KGRcl4uRTOAhylYtGT5Di086C/s320/IMG_20240224_142630.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>A day out at Downhill Demense.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhla6raInuMxtYqNTXXtIkmZ5dvyt_Q8j2NAzX0WgDiuVdae2g_Nmj7We5F1t1rd1jMRwqnryatDQ8M8hn7-4c_Np5J1XAhzeh0xb9JnshBuaVGM9KFnUy2pNwBq6L7ieYCKC7uvaoL9aVgKftghPzgfwJOwik84ZYfz6-gz8KoCg6OofJgTMYNpvEkn9xL/s2500/IMG_20240224_143428.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1327" data-original-width="2500" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhla6raInuMxtYqNTXXtIkmZ5dvyt_Q8j2NAzX0WgDiuVdae2g_Nmj7We5F1t1rd1jMRwqnryatDQ8M8hn7-4c_Np5J1XAhzeh0xb9JnshBuaVGM9KFnUy2pNwBq6L7ieYCKC7uvaoL9aVgKftghPzgfwJOwik84ZYfz6-gz8KoCg6OofJgTMYNpvEkn9xL/s320/IMG_20240224_143428.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsYhEYRhcFr8BEF2bvcOX8uAvAayGD4pgbkr-Gkekh4wtl7U00qrfVnOLETVQyIIyNSqgmEjimcqXh5rLE4kSMxkw8tLRKYFgtpBHz7KtSertxJuVwH-CZ2oYhGOW-haPU9tR72EAk3ffTzoCFP6PnsBqrHD4CCdxuz65Xqg_9nyx55zRdalfzawM0jkZ/s3465/IMG_20240224_144041.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1915" data-original-width="3465" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsYhEYRhcFr8BEF2bvcOX8uAvAayGD4pgbkr-Gkekh4wtl7U00qrfVnOLETVQyIIyNSqgmEjimcqXh5rLE4kSMxkw8tLRKYFgtpBHz7KtSertxJuVwH-CZ2oYhGOW-haPU9tR72EAk3ffTzoCFP6PnsBqrHD4CCdxuz65Xqg_9nyx55zRdalfzawM0jkZ/s320/IMG_20240224_144041.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4cPDrTpDChpAauCDI_NVndU0bNE2oRgBud1L1LFQFNJRObXFCIkROqeAIR_nhsXx6QI3z4atkyCYkoT75nGrM5-7A0QG2YxpAy6bwS2Z0wqjHMU2FaYYCMbl4hMfIDPVAwV6VPB-14Kot3EWG7jw-ujX44iLvuJEzAc4Hcpi-QLRWZ37nFf67gCnTWGA/s1747/IMG_20240224_155127_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="787" data-original-width="1747" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4cPDrTpDChpAauCDI_NVndU0bNE2oRgBud1L1LFQFNJRObXFCIkROqeAIR_nhsXx6QI3z4atkyCYkoT75nGrM5-7A0QG2YxpAy6bwS2Z0wqjHMU2FaYYCMbl4hMfIDPVAwV6VPB-14Kot3EWG7jw-ujX44iLvuJEzAc4Hcpi-QLRWZ37nFf67gCnTWGA/s320/IMG_20240224_155127_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzP5p_lhB39Z-fRdKfdb6fjol2vsyEh2JZqy_Q1jgelTwaTmwexHyMqtYEvKaVp4oiYgFG62QxLjWHuNU1G_6fENDGLUFvYApE02gQ1cbLPtS9ZizMLCd4EQxmZ7ZJA9K9D8bxxwZiFETbH9DHyWQMLaZiJgPXrDAsxzzVsKyBtg1EZg0OTKDRQC5-OKm/s2296/IMG_20240224_155735.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="2296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzP5p_lhB39Z-fRdKfdb6fjol2vsyEh2JZqy_Q1jgelTwaTmwexHyMqtYEvKaVp4oiYgFG62QxLjWHuNU1G_6fENDGLUFvYApE02gQ1cbLPtS9ZizMLCd4EQxmZ7ZJA9K9D8bxxwZiFETbH9DHyWQMLaZiJgPXrDAsxzzVsKyBtg1EZg0OTKDRQC5-OKm/s320/IMG_20240224_155735.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyMcMdGd5WDESVY3t_tpT0kwrPyJLBdGrQk78us-EBNbuB24URVQFQCpk7w0oUF0wWkz-LZIxekOkylDZbgCg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13Tcjyogegw2cr1T91YQmHaC9EGTf3UcHcAoaGIfNy5FtSc64xkjmuPXPg48FUU-Ghf7cLdrDRJ7gMlnb75jrnPjHki2vxnkUOvslD-kWH-28lxj3d92ICtCKwZkguLXP-60BEFKCSvp9bUbIs0plXEjNOh7sgrGjhSzyHqPm0nQ59KNNrwXFR2IUQmQn/s2834/IMG_20240224_161937.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2834" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13Tcjyogegw2cr1T91YQmHaC9EGTf3UcHcAoaGIfNy5FtSc64xkjmuPXPg48FUU-Ghf7cLdrDRJ7gMlnb75jrnPjHki2vxnkUOvslD-kWH-28lxj3d92ICtCKwZkguLXP-60BEFKCSvp9bUbIs0plXEjNOh7sgrGjhSzyHqPm0nQ59KNNrwXFR2IUQmQn/w324-h400/IMG_20240224_161937.jpg" width="324" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjpDb_F8plj7WDXYYk55oBFLyw6vbEcA7HSoqI36dkFhqarnUw-Z7E0de6PZ4W_o9EvuuH5vUgUTUK0yWd9d6SDaJibPSBt4VLd1WE0RswoRxgmKPLWV9wHMAOviM6l8iVcIkOOPBQjRIQVrS5IN2M5fIcQU89-jFX7CxQ8jXiX0wQzNbOKYbr_xJe5TW/s4080/IMG_20240224_162326.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1758" data-original-width="4080" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjpDb_F8plj7WDXYYk55oBFLyw6vbEcA7HSoqI36dkFhqarnUw-Z7E0de6PZ4W_o9EvuuH5vUgUTUK0yWd9d6SDaJibPSBt4VLd1WE0RswoRxgmKPLWV9wHMAOviM6l8iVcIkOOPBQjRIQVrS5IN2M5fIcQU89-jFX7CxQ8jXiX0wQzNbOKYbr_xJe5TW/w400-h173/IMG_20240224_162326.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>And Benone Beach</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dztjZt8gSnq74f-Wzw0NoXo0quC6wg4FhT113GgoeBaVuDsqqwc-QSYmQduel0bVWLN81_Kny0X5wtXU0gXHA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpSRTeQmN4L6xW77gKcpVxu_bXFST_MF1WvsKfY-A81Nr6u621ZC4BZQipORgNBwYtANw4XX22pULZNpr5T6dMXEkeejDc2wl5zqHORiGpLJzOB-Mbhtk77JoQw6Iq_cm9W9o0_c3EbnRJUjWJP4BG3snwPEpfNeZJv1RIsQ5dH6GFk79YcxOoeZzU2rl/s2849/IMG_20240226_100157.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2849" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpSRTeQmN4L6xW77gKcpVxu_bXFST_MF1WvsKfY-A81Nr6u621ZC4BZQipORgNBwYtANw4XX22pULZNpr5T6dMXEkeejDc2wl5zqHORiGpLJzOB-Mbhtk77JoQw6Iq_cm9W9o0_c3EbnRJUjWJP4BG3snwPEpfNeZJv1RIsQ5dH6GFk79YcxOoeZzU2rl/w400-h193/IMG_20240226_100157.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Nana and Matilda getting sticky with cake mix.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx1y7SiFf4gT4lMniJQU1bnMam47Ue9gzmH_3l7v-3LG32qZ1NWDcdpgTVcXuKxp4tzlg3hhJhumy1_qFkP_Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Caleb on the climbing wall.</i></div><i><br /></i></div></div></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">It seemed like no time at all before our second week was over and we packing to go home. We all went out for a meal the night before we left, and did parkrun in Antrim Castle Gardens in the morning before our flight. The kids came to the airport with us, and there were big emotional hugs when we left them. Smooth flight, undisturbed car, easy drive, fire, blanket, bed. Is there an echo in here? </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> </span></p></div>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-64064769036267442482024-02-06T09:58:00.003+00:002024-03-05T07:19:30.030+00:00Marsworth to Hemel Hempstead. Grand Union Canal<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Well, Dear Reader, here we are in 2024. A very happy new year to you, may all your hopes and wishes be granted.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98HwwVCmobbD6mWDImhBuAPYVD42F_fBSolNB0cc_hFGtvY3GAXi8abYDLKO9SrlALmMGeazKzmgRPOSymJg6ccLeFn87_SkOgdd-dS9uMv2xyK5lXtcsF-Cq0hsy3198Esh4Lu1jSy5he-ta2sXaP-Byscdm0Syi0hyw4Nys9Q3g9YNXglHPy5gBRz-s/s338/240101%2000%20New%20%20Year.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="249" data-original-width="338" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98HwwVCmobbD6mWDImhBuAPYVD42F_fBSolNB0cc_hFGtvY3GAXi8abYDLKO9SrlALmMGeazKzmgRPOSymJg6ccLeFn87_SkOgdd-dS9uMv2xyK5lXtcsF-Cq0hsy3198Esh4Lu1jSy5he-ta2sXaP-Byscdm0Syi0hyw4Nys9Q3g9YNXglHPy5gBRz-s/w400-h295/240101%2000%20New%20%20Year.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Christmas was a very merry affair following which we had two weeks in France with our lovely family. More about all that later.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We stayed at Marsworth junction for just short of a fortnight while we recovered from the dreaded lurgy. Dave ordered a new Seebeck unit from Ebay for our stove-top fan which has been inactive for about eighteen months. (These units usually come under the misnomer of "Peltier Units" and are the little laminated electronic plate that sits between the top bit and the bottom bit of the fan, and uses the temperature difference to create electrical current. Interestingly, Peltier and Seebeck were two scientists who, independently, discovered the same phenomena from two different directions. <a href="https://www.scienceabc.com/pure-sciences/what-are-the-seebeck-effect-and-peltier-effect.html" target="_blank">Have a look Here.</a>) When the new one arrived it was about twice the size of the original, and the fan now goes like the clappers; much faster than it used to and for less than a tenner.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglk0AoPFE24qo-Pw5SlqHXCQ-00_ZfBUWX8z-lfegTC4NCa-viN3unN9hV8SEIXwEU06ByZplohHnwiAU-lb6idjYGJNtmOwzdTmKPp2fCZkOxl4UcsMn2mYaM5wJgT4-HKJ_7mGmf1E9OWnfj6KbnOaXgSwUpqbT4lCJr-LJsNRvIDTA0nQOliZW4WXu/s3304/240126%2003%20stove%20fan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3304" data-original-width="1620" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglk0AoPFE24qo-Pw5SlqHXCQ-00_ZfBUWX8z-lfegTC4NCa-viN3unN9hV8SEIXwEU06ByZplohHnwiAU-lb6idjYGJNtmOwzdTmKPp2fCZkOxl4UcsMn2mYaM5wJgT4-HKJ_7mGmf1E9OWnfj6KbnOaXgSwUpqbT4lCJr-LJsNRvIDTA0nQOliZW4WXu/w196-h400/240126%2003%20stove%20fan.jpg" width="196" /></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><i>The Peltier unit is the white sandwich between the top and bottom.</i></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />Result!</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Dave also had a bit of a wake-up call from the doctor about his diabetes. He’s on the maximum dose of all his tablets and the next step, unless he radically changes his diet, will be insulin injections. We’re fully aware that that will happen at some time in the future, but the longer we can postpone it the better. Getting his bread addiction - and carbs in general - under control would be a good first step, and the doctor advised looking at the Glucose Goddess for some ideas on managing his blood sugar.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">So that’s what we’re doing. So far it seems to be working, he’s got a review in six months and we’ll let you know how he gets on.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Just before Christmas Ann-Marie tested negative for Covid 19. Dave still had a very faint positive line, and no symptoms, so we walked into Tring for a mooch and a coffee, then had a top-up shop in Tesco. (Tesco were giving away free carrots for Santa’s reindeer, so we got eight. One each. Only joking.) Ann-Marie found the walk quite tiring, and was quite apprehensive about doing parkrun at Houghton Hall a couple of days later, but the encouragement from other runners got her to the finish line.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQUSlHm6tAe1a7qb16gBq3L5K6RpKrciC_ZLIC6BBPW5UAYGyzhRVtk6fvxyxghj_fdYMEkpVCmQ_tBGXkDFhD2RIKCyRrmTGQomCH-d4XZlEnTZh13dpp_AQ8oVlgB3VHQB6-usicPiXItZx60Pi9lMujkHE8kb1YPa4T7VVF4ic8qj8Nni-RFuQHMT9/s4208/231223%2001%20Houghton%20Hall%20Parkrun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2708" data-original-width="4208" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQUSlHm6tAe1a7qb16gBq3L5K6RpKrciC_ZLIC6BBPW5UAYGyzhRVtk6fvxyxghj_fdYMEkpVCmQ_tBGXkDFhD2RIKCyRrmTGQomCH-d4XZlEnTZh13dpp_AQ8oVlgB3VHQB6-usicPiXItZx60Pi9lMujkHE8kb1YPa4T7VVF4ic8qj8Nni-RFuQHMT9/w400-h258/231223%2001%20Houghton%20Hall%20Parkrun.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />On Christmas eve we put on our Santa hats and went to volunteer for junior parkrun marshalling in Aylesbury...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4skMRIfiKR7rx5vc_KTKjFmnfduHvHTmTApZLGtAZymbtOJc1XqItE9MWEU7qA_qhhSIHPfJqpbQamG6uR-BMeThKY2TEM7TjXBN1TeDEegrv6JdN6ZnW1AS14HvYWCV7j6AM-4BHGCNKg04-13uYLTG5kTu9WUS1_Ebo-wRnfmDdMPyWw6ByiBeSHIz8/s853/231224%2002%20Aylesbury%20Juniors.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="853" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4skMRIfiKR7rx5vc_KTKjFmnfduHvHTmTApZLGtAZymbtOJc1XqItE9MWEU7qA_qhhSIHPfJqpbQamG6uR-BMeThKY2TEM7TjXBN1TeDEegrv6JdN6ZnW1AS14HvYWCV7j6AM-4BHGCNKg04-13uYLTG5kTu9WUS1_Ebo-wRnfmDdMPyWw6ByiBeSHIz8/w400-h254/231224%2002%20Aylesbury%20Juniors.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...then Ann-Marie was in full-on Christmas baking mode with mince pies, sausage rolls and oatcake crackers.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">On Christmas day, like the kids that we are, we were wide awake at five-thirty with Santa’s deliveries strewn across the bed. With all the excitement dealt with, we managed to get another half hour’s kip before getting up to pack for five days away. On the way to Karen’s we stopped in Hemel Hempstead for a Christmas day parkrun. We came away with mixed feelings about that, it was fabulous to be part of it, wearing Santa hats and T-shirts along with all the other mad people...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYp30I1Ubpu15nW42JUFabzEcz3Ti-AkYIe2NfjN9FTT6x09947_MlHxdpVWZ0eUk-ps1jkHXbdjcyZvryIeCNV-bDR2v0iL9arkuVfgTTJJMsY12tSqOXhW1Ca8ecFwimZvxghipBxylovhhneooTWJTYOoMt5TfD_fs-hpB0tDSE9iz6D0kjhZi8uU0_/s4080/231225%2005%20Christmas%20Day.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2073" data-original-width="4080" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYp30I1Ubpu15nW42JUFabzEcz3Ti-AkYIe2NfjN9FTT6x09947_MlHxdpVWZ0eUk-ps1jkHXbdjcyZvryIeCNV-bDR2v0iL9arkuVfgTTJJMsY12tSqOXhW1Ca8ecFwimZvxghipBxylovhhneooTWJTYOoMt5TfD_fs-hpB0tDSE9iz6D0kjhZi8uU0_/w400-h204/231225%2005%20Christmas%20Day.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh023XxayqLxqX6w6ogAxNU2StLeokZcLlHZuZl3-6DrlDfjFFkLs1OJyJJ3ERFCuTr6UQseZkTJUyZk5oe7wPKJ_jvH0sNBfA7hlwP00ErQhnU23z0OjkrPAoE8prw_QIV5IlimmFEytWuOiU9nwRd3OTdgUJTPd_eVZkBXFl2PuOsMOCfQq-RznyCu7cm/s3060/231225%2003%20Christmas%20Day.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh023XxayqLxqX6w6ogAxNU2StLeokZcLlHZuZl3-6DrlDfjFFkLs1OJyJJ3ERFCuTr6UQseZkTJUyZk5oe7wPKJ_jvH0sNBfA7hlwP00ErQhnU23z0OjkrPAoE8prw_QIV5IlimmFEytWuOiU9nwRd3OTdgUJTPd_eVZkBXFl2PuOsMOCfQq-RznyCu7cm/w300-h400/231225%2003%20Christmas%20Day.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Ho Ho Ho!</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">...but the course in Gadebridge park was really muddy and everyone was slip-sliding up the hilly bits. However, pastries and cheesecake in the car afterwards made us feel a lot better. And it was Ann-Marie’s fiftieth parkrun, so that was really good.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv72D0Ax_0zWuA3RS5L-GMzoRgDq8Jy745jy6nUqbGKUTsDV16eOCB_KcPCvwr91YDs6WJICkOeIaR5Zp-SSqiQCYcrz-52u_r9_18RV8C0QR57gghtZrCjt510mwn2Q7Dq21DELz0uFcZ13uhYPUMoH2qC9N6bFFh4DfLsBxBMd439t3k0XDQMdZbAri1/s3078/231225%2007%20Christmas%20Day%2050th%20Parkrun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1744" data-original-width="3078" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv72D0Ax_0zWuA3RS5L-GMzoRgDq8Jy745jy6nUqbGKUTsDV16eOCB_KcPCvwr91YDs6WJICkOeIaR5Zp-SSqiQCYcrz-52u_r9_18RV8C0QR57gghtZrCjt510mwn2Q7Dq21DELz0uFcZ13uhYPUMoH2qC9N6bFFh4DfLsBxBMd439t3k0XDQMdZbAri1/w400-h226/231225%2007%20Christmas%20Day%2050th%20Parkrun.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><p class="MsoNormal">We arrived at Karen’s shortly before River and Nick, and started on the dinner preparations. Before long Mum and Dad turned up with the turkey, and we were all set. Dinner was a great success and went on for ages...</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncpfb7G18E0kQR_jCn1ND9DKx6GBB0JAe1wtE5LPgUs-YnCbyOfDyX01oZbzi9nm5-eBijim-Vt_HO3anRaVHhyphenhyphenD1FqY9mMCOZUm3sOXmhUQIuSXOFSWKbVddajaYnA6aTLanfay_wmGqwc-dhINak_sJ9jCH2eeWuwMHonRF9pqFbMzflSgDaXJ12n5t/s4080/231225%2009%20Christmas%20Day.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2091" data-original-width="4080" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncpfb7G18E0kQR_jCn1ND9DKx6GBB0JAe1wtE5LPgUs-YnCbyOfDyX01oZbzi9nm5-eBijim-Vt_HO3anRaVHhyphenhyphenD1FqY9mMCOZUm3sOXmhUQIuSXOFSWKbVddajaYnA6aTLanfay_wmGqwc-dhINak_sJ9jCH2eeWuwMHonRF9pqFbMzflSgDaXJ12n5t/w400-h205/231225%2009%20Christmas%20Day.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />...followed by presents, a huge cheese-board...<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEEy41xClVnbiqEwgRYAPNa_hFEDeanXfaNmc21vjUgb9rJzYEyP_a2fE3Mjg4wspc9YBEruA90yIwAtf1KVZJKGZiTaynup7c6EFnlelcAyVOobz5mKFOgVlrkB5ydwtBtwjE985C3Q45faiwSMjtS8Re6C6h9p1KGbge8NeOXDr8vhC64AlCRzDN58Je/s4080/231225%2014%20Christmas%20Day.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2140" data-original-width="4080" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEEy41xClVnbiqEwgRYAPNa_hFEDeanXfaNmc21vjUgb9rJzYEyP_a2fE3Mjg4wspc9YBEruA90yIwAtf1KVZJKGZiTaynup7c6EFnlelcAyVOobz5mKFOgVlrkB5ydwtBtwjE985C3Q45faiwSMjtS8Re6C6h9p1KGbge8NeOXDr8vhC64AlCRzDN58Je/w400-h210/231225%2014%20Christmas%20Day.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> ...and a game of Mexican Train that we didn't finish till midnight. When Mum and Dad went to leave, their car wouldn’t start, so they borrowed ours to get them home. We had witching hour turkey sandwiches and carried on chatting for a bit before bed. What a brilliant Christmas day!<p></p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Dad brought our car back in the morning, at which point theirs decided to miraculously behave itself, pointing to a failing starter motor. He’s got it booked in with their pet mechanic in a few days, so it’ll get sorted. He also brought his Nespresso coffee maker that he'd got from Santa and we had great fun trying it out.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyM21M3OVMvLCNq4YzMH_aaNUrMvHzGFziWb_B77ib73nU9jBttv_49ojXem5yTVMrj1HWi4jb8I86VsDnkXQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />For the rest of Boxing Day we lazed around with Karen and Andrew in our pyjamas, (no, they weren’t in our pyjamas, silly!) ate lots of turkey and cheese, and watched Strictly and the Lion King.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizICsEhUGQsvxpSumm89Hq0qoXTYCk-5Qwi0sNS-LblNMMbNLthpqpWm7KnVTH4v7dDQkjsm4Hg7yhPqhGa6UarmYF_3CJ0GitxDYPzUJOdsz2pzvQ7G_TjyLNS8tcfgcwswEzTNXiclExusMp5lPmM7fSlD9QqtPZum-iS6elCBC39G4ENDnX2fpxP7d3/s2396/231226%2012%20Boxing%20Day.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2396" data-original-width="1840" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizICsEhUGQsvxpSumm89Hq0qoXTYCk-5Qwi0sNS-LblNMMbNLthpqpWm7KnVTH4v7dDQkjsm4Hg7yhPqhGa6UarmYF_3CJ0GitxDYPzUJOdsz2pzvQ7G_TjyLNS8tcfgcwswEzTNXiclExusMp5lPmM7fSlD9QqtPZum-iS6elCBC39G4ENDnX2fpxP7d3/w308-h400/231226%2012%20Boxing%20Day.jpg" width="308" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">In the morning we were back in the car and off up the M1 to Keighley to spend a few days with Kate and David. While we were there we had a drive up Ilkley Moor (it’s OK, we wore hats) and walked out to East Buck Stones, giving Ann-Marie a chance to test her new scarf in a proper Yorkshire gale.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqWmnJbXiVEvV8oWC1XPMhqc1kT2f5zwSF4fMmAC7mEvAe3XYS66-GAx-Lpg97J3bHtG0fPzIGp7D0KhbHZZZjHcwB_tDABiE06SiTJ9v38Jz3Jiat6HFaYk4W1qwJNCj6T3uWT3oY4AQHABnPcHV4OYq1DHBMKeWLqnXzMK7OeT0wHYXLpS-ACRuE5fC/s3248/231228%2001%20East%20BUck%20Stones%20Walk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="3248" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqWmnJbXiVEvV8oWC1XPMhqc1kT2f5zwSF4fMmAC7mEvAe3XYS66-GAx-Lpg97J3bHtG0fPzIGp7D0KhbHZZZjHcwB_tDABiE06SiTJ9v38Jz3Jiat6HFaYk4W1qwJNCj6T3uWT3oY4AQHABnPcHV4OYq1DHBMKeWLqnXzMK7OeT0wHYXLpS-ACRuE5fC/w400-h179/231228%2001%20East%20BUck%20Stones%20Walk.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnq71v9nxhiw5N4Wc9YxaMdIJrEoqKrdLo6a6C66pqvrot5WG_yMVaoZErKvPVRjfDInWcqaEFCcY3gemzfr-IBdK_zklOsi7nm8NC8l2hAJGPGDr09UO1ieUtotOX8GEXx9JTKNlqPMwPLwhcJ5NIpCmNHm20guYQWE39H2dKQHaQeSlzN55H3Dm4hVE5/s3514/231228%2002%20East%20Buck%20Stones%20Walk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1729" data-original-width="3514" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnq71v9nxhiw5N4Wc9YxaMdIJrEoqKrdLo6a6C66pqvrot5WG_yMVaoZErKvPVRjfDInWcqaEFCcY3gemzfr-IBdK_zklOsi7nm8NC8l2hAJGPGDr09UO1ieUtotOX8GEXx9JTKNlqPMwPLwhcJ5NIpCmNHm20guYQWE39H2dKQHaQeSlzN55H3Dm4hVE5/w400-h196/231228%2002%20East%20Buck%20Stones%20Walk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6WdKkxqEiP0OAUWEEI2fGa5Ge_OOtaXT6aW0GjUe65YfmHn44GV0QWxmsBRhqwde6JpRWfKnKvppNd9N0yxPDYZdUOcujFmUXbqQqI13vJlVlZTuRLSQsRPZ6zfro_QlhvlEVnnKJihk3kSDKz7agpF3tDJEqGhXvWRfFfBZqMlP68yRTBUVNE4265qI/s2686/231228%2003%20East%20Buck%20Stones%20Walk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1369" data-original-width="2686" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6WdKkxqEiP0OAUWEEI2fGa5Ge_OOtaXT6aW0GjUe65YfmHn44GV0QWxmsBRhqwde6JpRWfKnKvppNd9N0yxPDYZdUOcujFmUXbqQqI13vJlVlZTuRLSQsRPZ6zfro_QlhvlEVnnKJihk3kSDKz7agpF3tDJEqGhXvWRfFfBZqMlP68yRTBUVNE4265qI/w400-h204/231228%2003%20East%20Buck%20Stones%20Walk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiGiXeTVnwYPKEY0CFQbdlsRC6E5mkjDXvzixMklyXJBbOIRzvLH1dDZeTzjt0AxI_FmT9LNFq9cpClYiwgLTLr8uPZEUgztkQPyKzHxA_v_Loup7UkqMmXWze7ALv162SbIGImoiD9_E049V3m9D_ne13quoN6fBei3cwpURsdjn_mPHJJ7YbQwAAqDLb/s3224/231228%2005%20East%20Buck%20Stones%20Walk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1965" data-original-width="3224" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiGiXeTVnwYPKEY0CFQbdlsRC6E5mkjDXvzixMklyXJBbOIRzvLH1dDZeTzjt0AxI_FmT9LNFq9cpClYiwgLTLr8uPZEUgztkQPyKzHxA_v_Loup7UkqMmXWze7ALv162SbIGImoiD9_E049V3m9D_ne13quoN6fBei3cwpURsdjn_mPHJJ7YbQwAAqDLb/w400-h244/231228%2005%20East%20Buck%20Stones%20Walk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The next day Emma joined us and we all went for lunch at the Joyful Deli in Ilkley; a really quirky restaurant in a big</span> old barn with a huge fire place. It was a bit draughty, but there were blankest and hot water bottles available and the food was excellent.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the morning we were up and out with lots of hugs and goodbyes, and over to Lister Park in Bradford for our last parkrun of 2023. Our friend Dalvinder was there too, which was lovely, and great to see her again.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUKjxbqzyfI_l9iiSVsflkS_x5LFpoYxfmivKivUuO-3Vb_aXUsZXFbo-2OEyBCiZOspAiyUnyVz5O_bUDXDef1P8HfIRIbN-EsCcF1Jneh_TGyYXyNal2zzDrpfnW2uRZPrnqW_MLSYUBIEYSytYHCR_bylDBdV2zmxNIGO11Kcg7pviXuKYaavBSAmY/s1227/231230%2006%20Lister%20Parkrun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1227" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUKjxbqzyfI_l9iiSVsflkS_x5LFpoYxfmivKivUuO-3Vb_aXUsZXFbo-2OEyBCiZOspAiyUnyVz5O_bUDXDef1P8HfIRIbN-EsCcF1Jneh_TGyYXyNal2zzDrpfnW2uRZPrnqW_MLSYUBIEYSytYHCR_bylDBdV2zmxNIGO11Kcg7pviXuKYaavBSAmY/w353-h400/231230%2006%20Lister%20Parkrun.jpg" width="353" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /> After that we had a quick costume change and a coffee in Morrison’s, then drove back down the M1 to Worksop to Richard & Kathryn’s for a family gathering along with Ben & Megan, Alan & Vicky and Rachael & Mark. It was a really good afternoon with lots of happy news and positivity. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Later that evening, after all the goodbyes, we had we had a long, dark drive back to Marsworth, and a short, but equally dark walk, along the towpath to a cold boat. We got the fire lit and were soon warmed up and snuggled into bed with the electric blanket on. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">On New Year’s Eve morning we moved Legend up Marsworth locks to Bulbourne wharf.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0gIDdxMc6DkpjRAptL8XsgUj2WDzT18q7z6XrQg3YTrFNk4f-jTKmsec9i4vFiWt59-5v4yUtrNmrRRs6MXsFWX4MVwysezDvU2n3q7wM7_yVADO9WgzFx_iSrLeNRIgiJ5c-rBh8LvWWWBtejjJPoHoEpAcR_lTRXiVSWyjZfXQyRB24tKexPAynE084/s2218/231231%2002%20Marsworth%20to%20Bulborne%20Wharf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1476" data-original-width="2218" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0gIDdxMc6DkpjRAptL8XsgUj2WDzT18q7z6XrQg3YTrFNk4f-jTKmsec9i4vFiWt59-5v4yUtrNmrRRs6MXsFWX4MVwysezDvU2n3q7wM7_yVADO9WgzFx_iSrLeNRIgiJ5c-rBh8LvWWWBtejjJPoHoEpAcR_lTRXiVSWyjZfXQyRB24tKexPAynE084/w400-h266/231231%2002%20Marsworth%20to%20Bulborne%20Wharf.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0maqsLJkkfFOBQUMkADrV4B-koQyJ-_WE0_w5rjr2wjhiO3WqGlcxfAzTJlgXf35OIOWLg0Ap1jIvGo05ds_P_tZXRTuqNlclxOERkZiA3eFsWWUnP-nEd0CiW2zlzNkeTi8ZcLSuDEi_nGIp4yN6rrQa2Rkks7Wnde2x9bIQl_BvGBUPFBOpTvsB6WR/s4080/231231%2003%20Marsworth%20to%20Bulborne%20Wharf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0maqsLJkkfFOBQUMkADrV4B-koQyJ-_WE0_w5rjr2wjhiO3WqGlcxfAzTJlgXf35OIOWLg0Ap1jIvGo05ds_P_tZXRTuqNlclxOERkZiA3eFsWWUnP-nEd0CiW2zlzNkeTi8ZcLSuDEi_nGIp4yN6rrQa2Rkks7Wnde2x9bIQl_BvGBUPFBOpTvsB6WR/w225-h400/231231%2003%20Marsworth%20to%20Bulborne%20Wharf.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /> There were lots of walkers out, so it was a lovely social morning. We were going to go further, but it started to rain just as we came out of the top lock, so we stopped by the pub. In the afternoon we had a wet welly walk back to the car and drove into Aylesbury for a mooch and a Waitrose coffee, then over to Tring for the Pantomime. As you know Dear Reader, we love an am-dram panto, and this Jack and the Beanstalk was the best ever, full of gags and innuendos with loads of song and dance, and the funniest Dame imaginable. We were side-achingly laughing for the whole performance. Oh, and they had Tring Brewery’s “Side Pocket for a Toad” on tap in the bar. Fabulous!</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFJpBY3FXZZ6BikaliUVoHlXiHj0P87stqZc_382Zx629JyZpcLiw8w0sO53cgdNhKBYXcRjBi8lSbA0HdY0RyJiqThPCNbEPYKTee0YKZJuNcDvYALjfImBX3_2ZqAkiXKL2876GkTPshwBNyRIufKBScEG5kygzGKbO2xwn9VjXG06zfe1uqoQrvmXX/s2774/231231%2006%20Tring%20Panto.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2774" data-original-width="1456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFJpBY3FXZZ6BikaliUVoHlXiHj0P87stqZc_382Zx629JyZpcLiw8w0sO53cgdNhKBYXcRjBi8lSbA0HdY0RyJiqThPCNbEPYKTee0YKZJuNcDvYALjfImBX3_2ZqAkiXKL2876GkTPshwBNyRIufKBScEG5kygzGKbO2xwn9VjXG06zfe1uqoQrvmXX/w210-h400/231231%2006%20Tring%20Panto.jpg" width="210" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />After a full day we felt we could justifiably skip the NYE midnight celebrations, and were in bed before ten. In the morning we were up and out early doors to drive to Slough for a New Year’s Day parkrun through Black Park woods, which was really lovely.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0D6Vph2BrlztrdnCtcP21Q8MTSXg6i0zCEXbkmRpr5S9XoRDCNYjn0SKM0O0KREj35SlOgG7awgFiMbKRlZPUdTbdrIl3QVlWQWICPvzIP9dFCXuTgtTFRAA_SZaywxH1s8fjQNBKlhNM9QH_bfmCifk9p2r0Z6qZxurWAv6G5UqGq6vWqtgVifQr78C/s1080/240101%2001%20Black%20Park%20Parkrun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="1080" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0D6Vph2BrlztrdnCtcP21Q8MTSXg6i0zCEXbkmRpr5S9XoRDCNYjn0SKM0O0KREj35SlOgG7awgFiMbKRlZPUdTbdrIl3QVlWQWICPvzIP9dFCXuTgtTFRAA_SZaywxH1s8fjQNBKlhNM9QH_bfmCifk9p2r0Z6qZxurWAv6G5UqGq6vWqtgVifQr78C/w400-h211/240101%2001%20Black%20Park%20Parkrun.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgumC-Arw_Q2Zv1oPlP9JIKRSF9ueoXU_a6u1r_yGIJWZmiicaYMzmDfZr0vBETKPvUbiIxJIKaNTq0l5x0AuaV9V5bqTsoVo7aHjxof_4recnwor5BQbYNWcWt8Z6FlSABklsmXA4MoVm0kqjGvk2HXi1YadzVziLyjXdaPx41dLQaTDJnquMFTnAlZunn/s799/240101%2004%20Black%20Park%20Parkrun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="799" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgumC-Arw_Q2Zv1oPlP9JIKRSF9ueoXU_a6u1r_yGIJWZmiicaYMzmDfZr0vBETKPvUbiIxJIKaNTq0l5x0AuaV9V5bqTsoVo7aHjxof_4recnwor5BQbYNWcWt8Z6FlSABklsmXA4MoVm0kqjGvk2HXi1YadzVziLyjXdaPx41dLQaTDJnquMFTnAlZunn/w400-h268/240101%2004%20Black%20Park%20Parkrun.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGs32tZLV8hho0qaBhafna3KRKjiI0x89cR0qH1aZvLXAx3RgzPtoGELPadfrJfH-hKVTQ2zpHZsne4pZ1I86MTUU1b034Xd8fagfxULWsE0JLgXveC62d_Hrzb1NHyj-AvofZ5pyQvs_Wnf8CwiY2T_F4GkNQDq5b1VOagV5XwtoBEgihdJ9VQ9fxvw8/s3067/240101%2008%20Black%20Park%20Parkrun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="3067" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGs32tZLV8hho0qaBhafna3KRKjiI0x89cR0qH1aZvLXAx3RgzPtoGELPadfrJfH-hKVTQ2zpHZsne4pZ1I86MTUU1b034Xd8fagfxULWsE0JLgXveC62d_Hrzb1NHyj-AvofZ5pyQvs_Wnf8CwiY2T_F4GkNQDq5b1VOagV5XwtoBEgihdJ9VQ9fxvw8/w400-h161/240101%2008%20Black%20Park%20Parkrun.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> Ann-Marie was still suffering from Covid after-effects and struggled, but persevered to the end. After that we carried on down to<a href="https://www.hollycombe.co.uk/" target="_blank"> Hollycombe Steam in the Country</a> for the Pompey Puddleducks Citroén 2cv Club annual barbecue and a brilliant afternoon with so many old friends from our car club days.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiRut1O6OAp4Svipknc9TgidkgD_Y3hOyfJ6KGjsk4WVdyJlmwPcI6MKez0IWFOY_02Rxpqe_D9UiRAvjPL9w0WOA2MbDPSJV-eFZ3SnaHM-FTgRw9wh_QJOwGX2ZnBOqW53SqU1itMFld30nV7Y9Gknv67u-rmd_AOPBjokl2RptccN3T8oA8zEvrzCL/s2302/240101%2010%20Puddleducks%20BBQ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="2302" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiRut1O6OAp4Svipknc9TgidkgD_Y3hOyfJ6KGjsk4WVdyJlmwPcI6MKez0IWFOY_02Rxpqe_D9UiRAvjPL9w0WOA2MbDPSJV-eFZ3SnaHM-FTgRw9wh_QJOwGX2ZnBOqW53SqU1itMFld30nV7Y9Gknv67u-rmd_AOPBjokl2RptccN3T8oA8zEvrzCL/w400-h191/240101%2010%20Puddleducks%20BBQ.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0bT6U0XIKhTuuKwjeMuMTa40yDamq4fmHWNQiHklKKpiyHSGIkpK8MOnEMaxz5kS21Bd9A4Nr6GdQJvbQpZjXDpImrMCApVUKvU4tdMpB7NrZaIjzcWHoCRiR4mPdcc27mwbC0dvccZz3nLMqIzjYCebXPJ_hMFn2ty08nNInl3Lad2TVzeYt0ByX6ev/s1366/240101%2011%20Puddleducks%20BBQ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="1366" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0bT6U0XIKhTuuKwjeMuMTa40yDamq4fmHWNQiHklKKpiyHSGIkpK8MOnEMaxz5kS21Bd9A4Nr6GdQJvbQpZjXDpImrMCApVUKvU4tdMpB7NrZaIjzcWHoCRiR4mPdcc27mwbC0dvccZz3nLMqIzjYCebXPJ_hMFn2ty08nNInl3Lad2TVzeYt0ByX6ev/w400-h228/240101%2011%20Puddleducks%20BBQ.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdtrvtE7foMfMbeG1k8VaKrGSlCWhSL7HKh7IOQBD79G9nn641SuQ0TKlRPJA0D5qofhaLakgZnkCyQu2URVypNpTigOR_o1J8loBqi-x4teSxtV5cs5hazaw7hQvKyAABJNjI9zP_TAyuF-pv5aBVXzPqDWkIepYyLgXJ0w3Ia5bo9cc6cAWBJ3SbGBWH/s1080/240101%2013%20Puddleducks%20BBQ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="1080" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdtrvtE7foMfMbeG1k8VaKrGSlCWhSL7HKh7IOQBD79G9nn641SuQ0TKlRPJA0D5qofhaLakgZnkCyQu2URVypNpTigOR_o1J8loBqi-x4teSxtV5cs5hazaw7hQvKyAABJNjI9zP_TAyuF-pv5aBVXzPqDWkIepYyLgXJ0w3Ia5bo9cc6cAWBJ3SbGBWH/w400-h235/240101%2013%20Puddleducks%20BBQ.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />From Bullbourne - once the sun made an appearance - we moved across the Tring Summit, past Cowroast, (where we bought Legend nearly thirteen years previously) down the first few locks on the other side into lovely Berkhampstead, and found a perfect mooring just by Waitrose.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJRcnL90Gorl60IIdmwki2sT7Hlbu-OJo8i00WJgyQMk9PCO4UyixYgmnP4rn-vr_40eoQQDWSesAh6c4MFIpWMkSnnUOrr3ADSf9kYLKh0FK_P43T4pDdhmJfC_FMXj_0JJ4_HBNHZVbhZyAgf4tDvOZBJoMZeglz7kaUXMMVMnykUWFFU4FlRVLUM0k/s3338/240103%2004%20Bulbourne%20to%20Berko.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1559" data-original-width="3338" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJRcnL90Gorl60IIdmwki2sT7Hlbu-OJo8i00WJgyQMk9PCO4UyixYgmnP4rn-vr_40eoQQDWSesAh6c4MFIpWMkSnnUOrr3ADSf9kYLKh0FK_P43T4pDdhmJfC_FMXj_0JJ4_HBNHZVbhZyAgf4tDvOZBJoMZeglz7kaUXMMVMnykUWFFU4FlRVLUM0k/w400-h186/240103%2004%20Bulbourne%20to%20Berko.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEUn5P_u4PdKriPS1-vP_hnWX-SjfEjtov9v8K584wN7F_WmItalPm7huEsVKODtb7Ia7hQjbNv-BhadQOUPUIWG9fRZTyebz14XPrBjf8ppvooTfgHvuJCCaOgclKxUsJ0u4ViKDNVJBH2hMvkIOYUI05jz7Tb59_iH_IL7L0jvOwCnujhikVmaaP9nn/s2572/240103%2003%20Bulbourne%20to%20Berko.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1394" data-original-width="2572" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEUn5P_u4PdKriPS1-vP_hnWX-SjfEjtov9v8K584wN7F_WmItalPm7huEsVKODtb7Ia7hQjbNv-BhadQOUPUIWG9fRZTyebz14XPrBjf8ppvooTfgHvuJCCaOgclKxUsJ0u4ViKDNVJBH2hMvkIOYUI05jz7Tb59_iH_IL7L0jvOwCnujhikVmaaP9nn/w400-h216/240103%2003%20Bulbourne%20to%20Berko.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We stayed at Berko for three nights. While we were there the Christmas decorations came down, putting Legend back to it’s normal, not-quite-so-cluttered state. We had a walk round<a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/berkhamsted-castle/" target="_blank"> Berkhampstead Castle</a>, (where we met Anna from Nb Wandering Willow on the bailey)...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXjGeOXoxWIPD-7E-UdKziXq94u7aj79ibqQLOe4J_9lxcroGRtVCF4xbPbP9pjpFbNsq3B1S-wwk6lF9HI4Af6zEx5yp_4JqvdrY6TMYPfc89HqbBpr6mVjIYYte5ia2llXYi6S7mpKYqAPtwvjO5y4_tGiuGUKUrflEZNw03i7VWex1ZMeMZMe8-qfa/s2135/240105%2002%20Berko%20Castle%20&%20Common%20Walk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1009" data-original-width="2135" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXjGeOXoxWIPD-7E-UdKziXq94u7aj79ibqQLOe4J_9lxcroGRtVCF4xbPbP9pjpFbNsq3B1S-wwk6lF9HI4Af6zEx5yp_4JqvdrY6TMYPfc89HqbBpr6mVjIYYte5ia2llXYi6S7mpKYqAPtwvjO5y4_tGiuGUKUrflEZNw03i7VWex1ZMeMZMe8-qfa/w400-h189/240105%2002%20Berko%20Castle%20&%20Common%20Walk.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Lt3CcVmet1WZyaHWlcR6bi7SlSpQzgSE01a2OX4OsezN05k88gExJYcU41EDTYAYxgUBlFbLt_gdKSGZo8ArggO819fpxyyGX0-GhWyZQ4FVauexbaJbGhuie9dkJcs1m55maXHTvC2jSWXAKsGWdvlfvfYav6k7IEkGff3sChCLccaGuZ0XUe2IO-1d/s3264/240105%2004%20Berko%20Castle%20&%20Common%20Walk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1676" data-original-width="3264" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Lt3CcVmet1WZyaHWlcR6bi7SlSpQzgSE01a2OX4OsezN05k88gExJYcU41EDTYAYxgUBlFbLt_gdKSGZo8ArggO819fpxyyGX0-GhWyZQ4FVauexbaJbGhuie9dkJcs1m55maXHTvC2jSWXAKsGWdvlfvfYav6k7IEkGff3sChCLccaGuZ0XUe2IO-1d/w400-h205/240105%2004%20Berko%20Castle%20&%20Common%20Walk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />...then carried on through the woods to do a circular walk over the hills and back to town. A bit muddy but not bad for January.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSbKxsKlEv47XX_myoYg6zYTS1GjNTvpcf8VuYzL2UTQWpTkZ0z0lRl-IVJJdwWpiAgMKbvs39GtBVkiEIwbZaISvERWmxfNLO4DH4AvgdNjohqylKnWQYdE0B6QQDVWsPjUeNM0RNPNOgOl4jhqql96nWYCLUjBkW_fB6cETCkYHTfM0zNJBP-FPsYal/s3541/240105%2007%20Berko%20Castle%20&%20Common%20Walk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1647" data-original-width="3541" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSbKxsKlEv47XX_myoYg6zYTS1GjNTvpcf8VuYzL2UTQWpTkZ0z0lRl-IVJJdwWpiAgMKbvs39GtBVkiEIwbZaISvERWmxfNLO4DH4AvgdNjohqylKnWQYdE0B6QQDVWsPjUeNM0RNPNOgOl4jhqql96nWYCLUjBkW_fB6cETCkYHTfM0zNJBP-FPsYal/w400-h186/240105%2007%20Berko%20Castle%20&%20Common%20Walk.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_L6t-BI0ozSc-WVwDiI0V95_bQVvk0Ue2d1zeNbRLpIXkpvMFGtf8PTfBz6qP9S04_robaJFRXO1owqswNnxzX_cy5pCJeJ0o1YMReaW0_4QQHym9dLe3Rs7scNxADLcbwi0pPkoO1eq1O0JfToI0uYrIAZ-TVP8O5tO9a62srXRU4Kt0XKGm88N1mZjd/s2974/240105%2020%20Berko%20Castle%20&%20Common%20Walk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2974" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_L6t-BI0ozSc-WVwDiI0V95_bQVvk0Ue2d1zeNbRLpIXkpvMFGtf8PTfBz6qP9S04_robaJFRXO1owqswNnxzX_cy5pCJeJ0o1YMReaW0_4QQHym9dLe3Rs7scNxADLcbwi0pPkoO1eq1O0JfToI0uYrIAZ-TVP8O5tO9a62srXRU4Kt0XKGm88N1mZjd/w309-h400/240105%2020%20Berko%20Castle%20&%20Common%20Walk.jpg" width="309" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Our next move was down nine locks from Berko and through Winkwell swing-bridge. </span>The swing-bridge was due to close for repairs, so we needed to get below it. It was a Saturday, so before we kicked off we drove over to Saint Alban’s for parkrun at Jersey Farm, and after we’d moored up we walked back to Berko for the car. A good run, good boating and a nice walk, but it was a very busy and knackering day.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx78eZlI3nM8GiY5BGNHhvZD37c6tozlKmteLCkdKoJr8K7zzbnl0JVwnXJw5qOXDN0IfL3-DW8qZx7-3gqDnU70XWC1sIjB5BbVMRz24DkzXkhq7_IQb3Mq02QbjLPorKqEnac04gGiL8kmio9YAVUhnKPfEqX47PVkpCTE60gjX-gRxXgJWARPlqCsZL/s2541/240106%2003%20Jersey%20Farm%20Parkrun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2541" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx78eZlI3nM8GiY5BGNHhvZD37c6tozlKmteLCkdKoJr8K7zzbnl0JVwnXJw5qOXDN0IfL3-DW8qZx7-3gqDnU70XWC1sIjB5BbVMRz24DkzXkhq7_IQb3Mq02QbjLPorKqEnac04gGiL8kmio9YAVUhnKPfEqX47PVkpCTE60gjX-gRxXgJWARPlqCsZL/w361-h400/240106%2003%20Jersey%20Farm%20Parkrun.jpg" width="361" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2v3wRQ8Gab6Z2A60-J8wHCEgtpDVaz344Wq053PU46GKPiIdj6m7X1SyrYIPGKnV_gd25gqN4tR3t4OFJTGP-b0aDkFBbU9wXjlrt3DU4aVlsEO5q9OK3okTV50Aa4KewX4Og_FEBU_fDnlTCPszfjpQ0GkVyTRwalQKpd_zwmrSyWb0HvXv-8Yer16h/s1646/240106%2004%20Jersey%20Farm%20Parkrun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1646" data-original-width="1539" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2v3wRQ8Gab6Z2A60-J8wHCEgtpDVaz344Wq053PU46GKPiIdj6m7X1SyrYIPGKnV_gd25gqN4tR3t4OFJTGP-b0aDkFBbU9wXjlrt3DU4aVlsEO5q9OK3okTV50Aa4KewX4Og_FEBU_fDnlTCPszfjpQ0GkVyTRwalQKpd_zwmrSyWb0HvXv-8Yer16h/w374-h400/240106%2004%20Jersey%20Farm%20Parkrun.jpg" width="374" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhazYsPOfkzstt-sHukmb8SNI7GFWr02kmcO9maWSLE-af_7O_o04unKnimfptinPwOB-Eb7PRCh1zPJwtxaqaVuORWAMaTaicUi_MMwVBQYN726ykQtSSfGMjm5IxwlVLmgpoKTY5mEHIgmBfY3zs9O2lUo9J1Nqk0LhLyO7UtWgD_PIn9uBld9vsmxv/s3986/240106%2005%20Berko%20to%20Winkwell.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2229" data-original-width="3986" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhazYsPOfkzstt-sHukmb8SNI7GFWr02kmcO9maWSLE-af_7O_o04unKnimfptinPwOB-Eb7PRCh1zPJwtxaqaVuORWAMaTaicUi_MMwVBQYN726ykQtSSfGMjm5IxwlVLmgpoKTY5mEHIgmBfY3zs9O2lUo9J1Nqk0LhLyO7UtWgD_PIn9uBld9vsmxv/w400-h224/240106%2005%20Berko%20to%20Winkwell.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAg4Ola2O5JYruQqA9SwXK2c6rgzFgfzLx_6BN3ffLQDYwNvsp4pHVq46HmIEIWUJVg1b8TQ69ZNu7eLSCLqlKYXm-O87c_QgtQ-F7JOOXxZ2ylhuUBF41e5HH7s4b39X90lotnKoDwuaTbmsIPO20sUWD7a1aguRRCxnHWG6VIo0FaZhSJ1Ka3tq0ic7/s3960/240106%2006%20Berko%20to%20Winkwell.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1890" data-original-width="3960" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAg4Ola2O5JYruQqA9SwXK2c6rgzFgfzLx_6BN3ffLQDYwNvsp4pHVq46HmIEIWUJVg1b8TQ69ZNu7eLSCLqlKYXm-O87c_QgtQ-F7JOOXxZ2ylhuUBF41e5HH7s4b39X90lotnKoDwuaTbmsIPO20sUWD7a1aguRRCxnHWG6VIo0FaZhSJ1Ka3tq0ic7/w400-h191/240106%2006%20Berko%20to%20Winkwell.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NYi9G45bNkPXZRRBiXDe8wv52hBLif0QlPd_DZO7KIB3Gfu1t8ICmmyKwUiNfTWGbAlPNH5YCC-2_mibaPPYCB9IjF71Qawv42fnm0H4cw4SYG14TbE3uySh6zSbjyBztlMQsybUJG_7fqVaWM-xk_nuwqrXR1g3g3DJ2krN5LeCsxtb51WcDyyTdnX2/s3870/240106%2008%20Berko%20to%20Winkwell.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1988" data-original-width="3870" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NYi9G45bNkPXZRRBiXDe8wv52hBLif0QlPd_DZO7KIB3Gfu1t8ICmmyKwUiNfTWGbAlPNH5YCC-2_mibaPPYCB9IjF71Qawv42fnm0H4cw4SYG14TbE3uySh6zSbjyBztlMQsybUJG_7fqVaWM-xk_nuwqrXR1g3g3DJ2krN5LeCsxtb51WcDyyTdnX2/w400-h205/240106%2008%20Berko%20to%20Winkwell.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Now we were through Winkwell we could slow down a bit. Ahead of us was Springwell lock, which was closed for maintenance till March, so we were kicking our heels between closures. After volunteering for the junior parkrun at Berkhampstead we took the car into Hemel Hempstead and walked back along the towpath, checking availability of mooring spaces, water depth and solar strength on the way. With our preferred spot chosen, we dropped down one more lock to Boxmoor and moored up for a fortnight.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg8NNcyCIwyH4K4eLhPxMk5d6j1OlW_FWdB6YU_SDQceRJTRl4NJCiJ_PiSTzGQbxFcqHxDgKprdwTt-g8NQq8_HOdMsDp_i905LXq8po501U8ddb_9pWEQ7vKMYdrCuobipiMe2_PZeeDz38C_t2GE5Gx48SUk8NRVLOfmlGXOWjBSk7LSlNPIfCxgoV5/s2000/240107%2001%20Winkwell%20to%20Boxmoor.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="861" data-original-width="2000" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg8NNcyCIwyH4K4eLhPxMk5d6j1OlW_FWdB6YU_SDQceRJTRl4NJCiJ_PiSTzGQbxFcqHxDgKprdwTt-g8NQq8_HOdMsDp_i905LXq8po501U8ddb_9pWEQ7vKMYdrCuobipiMe2_PZeeDz38C_t2GE5Gx48SUk8NRVLOfmlGXOWjBSk7LSlNPIfCxgoV5/w400-h173/240107%2001%20Winkwell%20to%20Boxmoor.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Heading for a mooring on the right, so we can get that side clean!</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We hardly spent any time on board while we were there. First we went down to Farnborough for a couple of routine screening appointments, followed by a quick whiz in for lunch with Mum & Dad, then over to Karen and Andrew's for their joint birthday tea. Curry and birthday cake; great combo! </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_iWYdrGgY3xmQ3Th5DTDhqwV9KTYI8C5e00z77PhWzJVnaoKaKZUVRMYTbt-sxCWAmb25Ek85G6u7HWsk_h8ff_V0mZ7Vrl-tbRJSS9ZyiW37pItfo86N2ixI8y4NjKZr7tlnY7qFUsTueAFSeIk01mbQ5z7YRqHMqH7WY3UnO717Xs1U9QUjDuPWMFp/s2789/240109%2003%20K&A%20Birthday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2789" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_iWYdrGgY3xmQ3Th5DTDhqwV9KTYI8C5e00z77PhWzJVnaoKaKZUVRMYTbt-sxCWAmb25Ek85G6u7HWsk_h8ff_V0mZ7Vrl-tbRJSS9ZyiW37pItfo86N2ixI8y4NjKZr7tlnY7qFUsTueAFSeIk01mbQ5z7YRqHMqH7WY3UnO717Xs1U9QUjDuPWMFp/w329-h400/240109%2003%20K&A%20Birthday.jpg" width="329" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />After a lovely evening we had another late night back to the boat, put the electric blanket on, lit the fire and warmed up in bed. There's a theme developing here isn't there?</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVf0heOFGUc6gSTaWWvv47y7ojKYYEPta1eDzRBO1NYbm6GtZWEi8i7lpAww7h3KU-dkbP5B8LMU87Ihd4w7KURlUQ_016tHYYMqO44ba9Y782OU6Si6YX7L33vruyn7ua1_3W4R1Z3QsFdFHKhnIwQTJrJoGTDvucKpCe8KRDVB9urAiBiqZ-XrapYf8/s3235/240109%2005%20Chilly%20Night.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3235" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVf0heOFGUc6gSTaWWvv47y7ojKYYEPta1eDzRBO1NYbm6GtZWEi8i7lpAww7h3KU-dkbP5B8LMU87Ihd4w7KURlUQ_016tHYYMqO44ba9Y782OU6Si6YX7L33vruyn7ua1_3W4R1Z3QsFdFHKhnIwQTJrJoGTDvucKpCe8KRDVB9urAiBiqZ-XrapYf8/w386-h400/240109%2005%20Chilly%20Night.jpg" width="386" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />The next morning to Martin & Yvonne’s for a couple of days in their beautiful house in Ardleigh. They took us for a lovely long walk past all the beach huts and along the coastal path at <a href="http://www.walton-on-the-naze.com/" target="_blank">Walton-on-the-Naze</a> with a picnic at the end of the sand bar.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1OJxy8o5x4iQpSdXhA4MBz94asNUnkC8q4P5hPVZJIt3NeXwNVPr3XqIzREyUmMczK-c1jKrvRFRyrd1GuyepLP2NaJBSx1J8ZHGV4HuvH-F6c3J53IYz7ZoxwTkfNI7ZsixfmRgRSC_bOBqIgEf5oDywaW4-PIi5NH2XqzKDh3eeuL-6NNA6snOe946/s3938/240111%2006%20Walton%20on%20the%20Naze%20Walk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1954" data-original-width="3938" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1OJxy8o5x4iQpSdXhA4MBz94asNUnkC8q4P5hPVZJIt3NeXwNVPr3XqIzREyUmMczK-c1jKrvRFRyrd1GuyepLP2NaJBSx1J8ZHGV4HuvH-F6c3J53IYz7ZoxwTkfNI7ZsixfmRgRSC_bOBqIgEf5oDywaW4-PIi5NH2XqzKDh3eeuL-6NNA6snOe946/w400-h199/240111%2006%20Walton%20on%20the%20Naze%20Walk.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmET8JELWwo9hkXrKHs8k6T3hIm_lFqdy7TrSPlXgvL3iiZvHmWD74PizipyHR-PrpH4MoQmVRBbsO6naEW0d2tl9bDd2BFqdW06XL7k7VUbGAHwOxcKB_urwZBrWAXIdxD-wfS0yBaiqqN8GkZXtQxKkpFulw41QwsVjb_HkTBBntI7p9Supj-qBqpJq/s4096/240111%2008%20Walton%20on%20the%20Naze%20Walk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="4096" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmET8JELWwo9hkXrKHs8k6T3hIm_lFqdy7TrSPlXgvL3iiZvHmWD74PizipyHR-PrpH4MoQmVRBbsO6naEW0d2tl9bDd2BFqdW06XL7k7VUbGAHwOxcKB_urwZBrWAXIdxD-wfS0yBaiqqN8GkZXtQxKkpFulw41QwsVjb_HkTBBntI7p9Supj-qBqpJq/w400-h180/240111%2008%20Walton%20on%20the%20Naze%20Walk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91tSjNuLBi7m30tZqLjJ1VgVIV34SNDpWaliGavsXy7ZHMPzYkoucE5YLlkZbjJH6HwnwT-O5sRRjl5dgINvLVZGEV7YrlyuVP2CB9yV3fYEl6EA_otN2pYJWaKBZhhaUl4q-OCF99nl1SBUK6UoDb3v0AFUvq5HVF9RnW0WRiFhrrqUbuFZcovk9pFiV/s2388/240111%2009%20Walton%20on%20the%20Naze%20Walk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2388" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91tSjNuLBi7m30tZqLjJ1VgVIV34SNDpWaliGavsXy7ZHMPzYkoucE5YLlkZbjJH6HwnwT-O5sRRjl5dgINvLVZGEV7YrlyuVP2CB9yV3fYEl6EA_otN2pYJWaKBZhhaUl4q-OCF99nl1SBUK6UoDb3v0AFUvq5HVF9RnW0WRiFhrrqUbuFZcovk9pFiV/w385-h400/240111%2009%20Walton%20on%20the%20Naze%20Walk.jpg" width="385" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_ab4_VXcDrwsOqMw0rmPnNFpSfKgVfyFJ_wzwXDEy4Y93JXvkp8-AHiaIpmEzYuJKNObU5WEzO4HetuHAUsp2FwirxuwKv66c1gsTi5DmPzUcK-mNeh-JpEWipRkIYHusWUp-WYGEW46EoniBvKyD5jh1RZjmezw9XChXzXk3zhVgtt0O4J45TTjQ7fX/s3019/240111%2010%20Walton%20on%20the%20Naze%20Walk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3019" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_ab4_VXcDrwsOqMw0rmPnNFpSfKgVfyFJ_wzwXDEy4Y93JXvkp8-AHiaIpmEzYuJKNObU5WEzO4HetuHAUsp2FwirxuwKv66c1gsTi5DmPzUcK-mNeh-JpEWipRkIYHusWUp-WYGEW46EoniBvKyD5jh1RZjmezw9XChXzXk3zhVgtt0O4J45TTjQ7fX/w304-h400/240111%2010%20Walton%20on%20the%20Naze%20Walk.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4OQtwbGuWt-55IH40BQTjX8dNAJOx28h2VjhSzM4O_nZW55TjX9tHW3Q9N2eqErrRxTGBMRFuIbAdrb8CBp0ShhRkWIg_CNKKxmKrzxwsxV1sII2L6NP_L57ABVRtL0nwizUdcfxmA_TRgv9prk5IC_ksWiwZYT_bwDy678tMMNxHtIF550eAIHzU_CdO/s3264/240111%2015%20Walton%20on%20the%20Naze%20Walk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1453" data-original-width="3264" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4OQtwbGuWt-55IH40BQTjX8dNAJOx28h2VjhSzM4O_nZW55TjX9tHW3Q9N2eqErrRxTGBMRFuIbAdrb8CBp0ShhRkWIg_CNKKxmKrzxwsxV1sII2L6NP_L57ABVRtL0nwizUdcfxmA_TRgv9prk5IC_ksWiwZYT_bwDy678tMMNxHtIF550eAIHzU_CdO/w400-h178/240111%2015%20Walton%20on%20the%20Naze%20Walk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwD7yjJ_HwMzlQOpdmyo1zpO6MGXacdNOSvijevYM8P8LoQ-xFUo-9olXMtgr0DOpOjZ4vpLHec-eTZYaT4oRZVxr4KtOuubDLpI6BjwyaOIvwDRcfXEvrJIsmGeJvuYb6XaiMv4-_7_OZ5tjO803Flt6fcutmrx4kreYVdjyeO9G0oX1hDM_9hNshCKX1/s4096/240111%2017%20Walton%20on%20the%20Naze%20Walk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="4096" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwD7yjJ_HwMzlQOpdmyo1zpO6MGXacdNOSvijevYM8P8LoQ-xFUo-9olXMtgr0DOpOjZ4vpLHec-eTZYaT4oRZVxr4KtOuubDLpI6BjwyaOIvwDRcfXEvrJIsmGeJvuYb6XaiMv4-_7_OZ5tjO803Flt6fcutmrx4kreYVdjyeO9G0oX1hDM_9hNshCKX1/w400-h180/240111%2017%20Walton%20on%20the%20Naze%20Walk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMt2RsoGkQCPFNWSKmf1bQ54gedBus-az0uaLlWB47CB_tUhKM5ihivU_8OhrwDN6PKv45Eb8wF82dRmVYaePWt4JGBGJAShQ4-bJ3OWd6jQhqAIBolP1m6SMNYYbxvjBW3qiBHa77zSEKeZtcmFJfHeXviMr6e9u2jzA9Uljs4a74_cKkjykAiQpxhlS/s2510/240111%2021%20Walton%20on%20the%20Naze%20Walk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1287" data-original-width="2510" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMt2RsoGkQCPFNWSKmf1bQ54gedBus-az0uaLlWB47CB_tUhKM5ihivU_8OhrwDN6PKv45Eb8wF82dRmVYaePWt4JGBGJAShQ4-bJ3OWd6jQhqAIBolP1m6SMNYYbxvjBW3qiBHa77zSEKeZtcmFJfHeXviMr6e9u2jzA9Uljs4a74_cKkjykAiQpxhlS/w400-h205/240111%2021%20Walton%20on%20the%20Naze%20Walk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Before we came home we had another walk through the woods behind their house followed by some of Yvonne’s delicious home made soup.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Another Saturday dawned, so another parkrun, this one was in Verulum park in St Alban’s.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXiV4kUqFlcGsxb7hLDJEeByH2CY9fMALwKq8YaxLPiZrDcAYWWS0DQi9g8HTARDd_N-MlB1oO9_9SG-LMK7qj5lBBwgcb0ybgnbqjLgLDAGVNRgj0Uzy6KvGvK2GuKRwXnBV5a45JNq9_jQNMMs5eKLYi6MSC5n5f3olX_4VV2T7SK943Zhyphenhyphen-AmpHq7sK/s3338/240113%2004%20St%20Albans%20Parkrun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3338" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXiV4kUqFlcGsxb7hLDJEeByH2CY9fMALwKq8YaxLPiZrDcAYWWS0DQi9g8HTARDd_N-MlB1oO9_9SG-LMK7qj5lBBwgcb0ybgnbqjLgLDAGVNRgj0Uzy6KvGvK2GuKRwXnBV5a45JNq9_jQNMMs5eKLYi6MSC5n5f3olX_4VV2T7SK943Zhyphenhyphen-AmpHq7sK/w275-h400/240113%2004%20St%20Albans%20Parkrun.jpg" width="275" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />Ann-Marie had her new Fitbit so she could keep tabs on her heart rate. In the afternoon we went into Hemel for last minute holiday shopping for us and a to tick all the unavailable-in-France stuff off Frankie’s list. That evening Ann-Marie filled the cool-bag with travelling pack-up stuff, then we drained Legend’s water system down in case of frost, turned the gas off, double checked our mooring ropes and had an early night in preparation for a long haul trip to the south of France.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">As dawn was breaking the next morning we were already </span>at the ferry port in Newhaven doing the car checks and putting the headlight deflectors on - after leaving the boat in the early hours - and docked in Dieppe by the afternoon.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxedgyoAbOjoIcw2iRvsACUCsx_EAByR97I0o1X4VV1kTn9s9LJPYcjS2hpEk4ky97Lzq5O7nLPAe7jsPWkog' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The drive down through the frosty French countryside was beautiful, with shiny white fields and lines of sparkly trees on the roadside.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikVDf0YbZvZRrenFPS8xSuuCdhCftCkqmLfHRWBAQGfBe931kTv64SUjqnqQ310oK1m8siMJZogIUmGcTnLmsG4wvAx41K5PcUTM2VrLmXBIUeKET1roYXinnyTNtxjqe16BWkUqVSg5vwSWSEP5cJWYcZbiYsrraq3syeRL2NzI2DC3eAoRbXBFH69Kd/s4080/240114%2004%20Drive%20to%20Jussas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikVDf0YbZvZRrenFPS8xSuuCdhCftCkqmLfHRWBAQGfBe931kTv64SUjqnqQ310oK1m8siMJZogIUmGcTnLmsG4wvAx41K5PcUTM2VrLmXBIUeKET1roYXinnyTNtxjqe16BWkUqVSg5vwSWSEP5cJWYcZbiYsrraq3syeRL2NzI2DC3eAoRbXBFH69Kd/w400-h225/240114%2004%20Drive%20to%20Jussas.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxfJfqdIR7k7056MjF6dYpnAOaii9SyiQXLhfYPTSwcLvi5cphd9r6kSJ6XH7BNC-9kjcil4PEmPK9esDWZww' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />As part of Dave’s new regime of taking his diabetes seriously, although our meals for the day were all pack-ups, we managed to refrain from our usual constant browsing while travelling, and ate them at appropriate intervals.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We arrived at Jussas about ten-thirty that evening after a tiring but fairly stress-free trip. Because we hadn’t been in any particular rush, we’d had the sat-nav set to avoid tolls, which had given us enough interesting places to look at, while putting us on a plenty of dual carriageway RN roads. We had a quick chat and a catch-up with Frankie, Harry, Jan & Paul, then happily into bed, glad to be not moving and really happy to be with our family again.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We were down there for ten days. There were lots of cuddles with the kids...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFPCvI07YwK3V1RPoQjSvNgpnSKJ1f5Vs6qnePjKkjR_Ru5VhYuilfT3lo0sJx8h-7BnDv0gyt2lzURgdAJxxvjH24m6oj2sHdcPWDoNHO706sGQ7cwtlqbpJr9zGWZA-ShOYNK_6b9CYTbEWFStas8_1CgIZ518smySHsjQX-SYp0ESa8gpqEGW8yv9S/s2411/240117%2034%20La%20Rochelle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1179" data-original-width="2411" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFPCvI07YwK3V1RPoQjSvNgpnSKJ1f5Vs6qnePjKkjR_Ru5VhYuilfT3lo0sJx8h-7BnDv0gyt2lzURgdAJxxvjH24m6oj2sHdcPWDoNHO706sGQ7cwtlqbpJr9zGWZA-ShOYNK_6b9CYTbEWFStas8_1CgIZ518smySHsjQX-SYp0ESa8gpqEGW8yv9S/w400-h195/240117%2034%20La%20Rochelle.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYSPrHeaCA5i9vM9f1pV3D_vKvnm_zs-5stTKy-m1cLlsm8m3Shvc2XzBHYvvR5rIo8KfXzh5GL_m050qFB2oBEAdxINpTS-1UXyw32-qTG0_hA8B-aWDy9j4Opsw05loS0LszRHMnGTEbGUZbZ-oNs9uL07Zh-BWa_dH_LNosRE4BgCuCoRB_rfKpkPo/s2687/240117%2038%20La%20Rochelle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="2687" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYSPrHeaCA5i9vM9f1pV3D_vKvnm_zs-5stTKy-m1cLlsm8m3Shvc2XzBHYvvR5rIo8KfXzh5GL_m050qFB2oBEAdxINpTS-1UXyw32-qTG0_hA8B-aWDy9j4Opsw05loS0LszRHMnGTEbGUZbZ-oNs9uL07Zh-BWa_dH_LNosRE4BgCuCoRB_rfKpkPo/w400-h209/240117%2038%20La%20Rochelle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> ...a day out to the amazing aquarium at La Rochelle...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGp0Sd755HxRL9EqolZHqIsmCrR3L4KvyHLTGsYAf73WX_BnDO5tedFGrLf0DxvhyphenhyphenMWjIhFucrQ_G3bdW_rHtQvsBj_EgGGZ1sjxKJY3x5Mu2FHImz8qxsO67kBjfCAxzmbB_b9uPMatTSx5EnPjwoyQA23Ch8PdhnjoKSpsQU7KoVkfcpVhVfjdRyS0P/s2707/240117%20%2005%20Aquarium.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2707" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGp0Sd755HxRL9EqolZHqIsmCrR3L4KvyHLTGsYAf73WX_BnDO5tedFGrLf0DxvhyphenhyphenMWjIhFucrQ_G3bdW_rHtQvsBj_EgGGZ1sjxKJY3x5Mu2FHImz8qxsO67kBjfCAxzmbB_b9uPMatTSx5EnPjwoyQA23Ch8PdhnjoKSpsQU7KoVkfcpVhVfjdRyS0P/w339-h400/240117%20%2005%20Aquarium.jpg" width="339" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1na3JY00-4X-HgBU6kvZkH_XuDfU5vPB0Uhkr4C3UQTgE7Vli0rf6kPsadwp-Sa6a4sZOYmq6fV6a_4Lfiyh3BoDw3ZuwC9IzM61AqOFrU2t_lSjWvABWbMWhhUK0bUQplODpcC0ybsarhYWDttLhYGlv5dqVCrXVrREtxeV8zlORLjWCps41WmHewYz8/s2878/240117%20%2008%20Aquarium.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1761" data-original-width="2878" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1na3JY00-4X-HgBU6kvZkH_XuDfU5vPB0Uhkr4C3UQTgE7Vli0rf6kPsadwp-Sa6a4sZOYmq6fV6a_4Lfiyh3BoDw3ZuwC9IzM61AqOFrU2t_lSjWvABWbMWhhUK0bUQplODpcC0ybsarhYWDttLhYGlv5dqVCrXVrREtxeV8zlORLjWCps41WmHewYz8/w400-h245/240117%20%2008%20Aquarium.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItCiVQfRV1IUYz_2yOM_f8zugIs0atNclXybUjo3fbCpeQ5Ai5yb0vR8UCkELWH8oDVoJqa71cfkSxm_0Tj5dLGxk3kKmv7DDgdOYh6T7Apj6KgIVqTa-thZopd8YrWB7o6L-wozfjcpoQ0hwN1mHnpi9NezYymgkLfwyE31Q0SWA4rQhnU2IlJ8LSefb/s3224/240117%20%2017%20Aquarium.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3224" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItCiVQfRV1IUYz_2yOM_f8zugIs0atNclXybUjo3fbCpeQ5Ai5yb0vR8UCkELWH8oDVoJqa71cfkSxm_0Tj5dLGxk3kKmv7DDgdOYh6T7Apj6KgIVqTa-thZopd8YrWB7o6L-wozfjcpoQ0hwN1mHnpi9NezYymgkLfwyE31Q0SWA4rQhnU2IlJ8LSefb/w285-h400/240117%20%2017%20Aquarium.jpg" width="285" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihwEPElEecT2jQ756FIiTCdWwxuE0ZZvMHQJndavUHJ9am1Up0OpG9K6HKcIx1Nv-aTlGt-4v96V1C3393Wc23JHThCtqsfKzRjbeI3extpTwV6A6ZawNiFnQNzY1nfhGd7jupYV1WTqJviSZNK9-8Wl7OAOl7y0BVF8jtfBCkx014KMxycmcX_oYqBpnX/s3183/240117%20%2024%20Aquarium.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3183" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihwEPElEecT2jQ756FIiTCdWwxuE0ZZvMHQJndavUHJ9am1Up0OpG9K6HKcIx1Nv-aTlGt-4v96V1C3393Wc23JHThCtqsfKzRjbeI3extpTwV6A6ZawNiFnQNzY1nfhGd7jupYV1WTqJviSZNK9-8Wl7OAOl7y0BVF8jtfBCkx014KMxycmcX_oYqBpnX/w289-h400/240117%20%2024%20Aquarium.jpg" width="289" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy8OPqTmhXPv7NpOfIdX_aemAe6J5-lH1CxW5uRmaMfXYc6Ehfb209vMTkSOLwcY4MBbvhVGZIfeLpW_-zPZA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...plenty of picking a very excited little boy up from school, a day out to the arcades and crazy golf at an indoor play center...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyvfe5H6u6MpM9wC9DeVD79zceBfUgs9nLFPVfDwJGzFLbGGtitLNwkouLgwusODuM_YA8rTyg0CtZlY_xY4g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyEJ_eIIRVK6BgFx6Dh137xQwPXVRpVDkQ_3_RT3wqtZa14WeJzCsi-2zSFk0tANhREzf8RGhRL_uAr_4Wx2w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />... an afternoon helping to prune their little vineyard...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tlVCgZD9UE5qN3IkuskCsUOPFa8_kS5QgXyLqkMIWkErkRrk6yxFeGn0P9vEEpE2g_KW8pWN103DkHx8_1zTWXLpvWANkEttv24QruZc991mfYa2CnbVgow5oukImD13TVcH8DeQW_fbCcRcL9T_SC5ymWbmInjxe2ginTo3WmPjuordnO8l1e5VAlEM/s2314/240121%2003%20Jussas%20Vines.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2314" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tlVCgZD9UE5qN3IkuskCsUOPFa8_kS5QgXyLqkMIWkErkRrk6yxFeGn0P9vEEpE2g_KW8pWN103DkHx8_1zTWXLpvWANkEttv24QruZc991mfYa2CnbVgow5oukImD13TVcH8DeQW_fbCcRcL9T_SC5ymWbmInjxe2ginTo3WmPjuordnO8l1e5VAlEM/w398-h400/240121%2003%20Jussas%20Vines.jpg" width="398" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...and Dave had a few days in the garage with Harry working on a real nuts and bolts 2cv restoration that needed every panel replacing.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPGoiQwfoYX6wvDWlAoWst7pmFPGKgdQWLfW2nKkJH_9cTFk7OTifOMJf75n5BwT6DabutAeLpbaHDfCb7MRuhAqU2Ja1LzhUhbz5PUoeFKlZoMPoZDYj0j7mSE7sMHoEV1-bFW9E40tsd3h_NXl0-9pFrVHmD9dy3ilFksqxSf5G2540BDozMoOCxJ66/s2438/240119%2001%20Jussas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1145" data-original-width="2438" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPGoiQwfoYX6wvDWlAoWst7pmFPGKgdQWLfW2nKkJH_9cTFk7OTifOMJf75n5BwT6DabutAeLpbaHDfCb7MRuhAqU2Ja1LzhUhbz5PUoeFKlZoMPoZDYj0j7mSE7sMHoEV1-bFW9E40tsd3h_NXl0-9pFrVHmD9dy3ilFksqxSf5G2540BDozMoOCxJ66/w400-h188/240119%2001%20Jussas.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>There's not much left of the original.</i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHC4guZfa373BDhJSNovKjt1kEcN-HA0T3rC9b6-1krps2S7ugpG5yLvPeLzgWO3LpexMgOJhjH_5yIADwO8TwgT1E5RbDsY1YnUTwbwtt0kGAH26sWXLp4Fl845IPEefTIyBcVpU7CNVepKFDItVkmQQha5vIGblI3TGPYT3uxiOTWDQ3z1ubZmq2JOX/s3251/240123%2009%20Jussas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1543" data-original-width="3251" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuHC4guZfa373BDhJSNovKjt1kEcN-HA0T3rC9b6-1krps2S7ugpG5yLvPeLzgWO3LpexMgOJhjH_5yIADwO8TwgT1E5RbDsY1YnUTwbwtt0kGAH26sWXLp4Fl845IPEefTIyBcVpU7CNVepKFDItVkmQQha5vIGblI3TGPYT3uxiOTWDQ3z1ubZmq2JOX/w400-h190/240123%2009%20Jussas.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PMojDfysdMWESr6N9xhJ6JPMNXs-nvds3u4e5sLGQLj3iPdlnkkoSCUPOFg4IP9JwrTxhzWl5WUvI4Emk8HsOL-_cCbdafvBRATgOmupXKuHInEGGAPsbcghvOvEtktVzHxv2YDW_hQ3Q1EbuGu7iuiS3KuW0mAdlV7JPRCnHqSJIyMdpNjw_9R32_rE/s3478/240123%2010%20Jussas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1683" data-original-width="3478" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PMojDfysdMWESr6N9xhJ6JPMNXs-nvds3u4e5sLGQLj3iPdlnkkoSCUPOFg4IP9JwrTxhzWl5WUvI4Emk8HsOL-_cCbdafvBRATgOmupXKuHInEGGAPsbcghvOvEtktVzHxv2YDW_hQ3Q1EbuGu7iuiS3KuW0mAdlV7JPRCnHqSJIyMdpNjw_9R32_rE/w400-h194/240123%2010%20Jussas.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>There's even less now, but at least Harry has a good rust-free starting point.</i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Dave and Harry also put new injector seals in our car which cured the smell of fumes that has been inside when we’re stopped in traffic and has been gradually getting worse.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-TFM9lkaeNaBfslGgxwimUkbY50sJef1EU00GOd1rQRI-Vpmpav5gloGtgqdIUt8cduwIqmHV-kflHckX1_wVgqVcO3SEu8YWjQ7V9UvO3tvrClqTA8YWdH4-axF49d2F3VWpAKIKnvEs4G5xHCRW1DM6YyUfC0x8KFMJYZQ8sskOq55TOTgW5pX_9buZ/s4017/240123%2005%20Jussas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1590" data-original-width="4017" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-TFM9lkaeNaBfslGgxwimUkbY50sJef1EU00GOd1rQRI-Vpmpav5gloGtgqdIUt8cduwIqmHV-kflHckX1_wVgqVcO3SEu8YWjQ7V9UvO3tvrClqTA8YWdH4-axF49d2F3VWpAKIKnvEs4G5xHCRW1DM6YyUfC0x8KFMJYZQ8sskOq55TOTgW5pX_9buZ/w400-h159/240123%2005%20Jussas.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">What a mess!</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />They also got a new oil filler cap and pressure washed the engine bay after discovering that Dave had forgotten to replace it at Newhaven when he topped the oil up. Doh!</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We had a whole day looking after the kids while Frankie went for a spa day. We took them to the lake and they were really well behaved, walking and cycling all the way round.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MiEn1g7VlDpq5d3_VK7mbHQV-32ZeDMC93lBmCZ1bnrbgEwQczGKuwzUYSSbbAtGRu3mASNfPMB-m4PxKOakWam91qcDCzP-jxKfeW_jiQjl3GYupAQ58sTsqnwM8iWl19kIMXyjonO0UY11JAcF71Vw6uqe6Vrm8oYgbVf0d_8gDRgVihlAS62q_rCU/s3879/240124%2002%20Montendre%20Lac.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1634" data-original-width="3879" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MiEn1g7VlDpq5d3_VK7mbHQV-32ZeDMC93lBmCZ1bnrbgEwQczGKuwzUYSSbbAtGRu3mASNfPMB-m4PxKOakWam91qcDCzP-jxKfeW_jiQjl3GYupAQ58sTsqnwM8iWl19kIMXyjonO0UY11JAcF71Vw6uqe6Vrm8oYgbVf0d_8gDRgVihlAS62q_rCU/w400-h169/240124%2002%20Montendre%20Lac.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizxbc0nbVM-5O-Rdt_IE2PG8bMTr5cNKr3ybHM4DCrqgOVpo_i5VooZ_KtCWUo947gxlKow3roqXAzSAoIMTdD2l889NX5JZ0JWRi71r3XBMFHHvQdhRAcwWs_nACHk5DmPd7bnl8y_P7SCA2FaJctAgp-4ne6VdPIn7UBxuIMllnUKJAOLDzGx4Kg9uf/s2296/240124%2005%20Montendre%20Lac.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1609" data-original-width="2296" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizxbc0nbVM-5O-Rdt_IE2PG8bMTr5cNKr3ybHM4DCrqgOVpo_i5VooZ_KtCWUo947gxlKow3roqXAzSAoIMTdD2l889NX5JZ0JWRi71r3XBMFHHvQdhRAcwWs_nACHk5DmPd7bnl8y_P7SCA2FaJctAgp-4ne6VdPIn7UBxuIMllnUKJAOLDzGx4Kg9uf/w400-h280/240124%2005%20Montendre%20Lac.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The day before we left we went to the market in Montendre with Jan & Paul and Frankie. Although we seldom buy anything, we love walking round French markets, and we all ended up in their usual café for a chat and a spot of people watching before heading back to the house for lunch.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">In the afternoon we did our last school pick-up, then loaded up the car ready for an early start the next morning.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">The French road network was in turmoil that week because of the farmer’s protests, so we gave ourselves plenty of time and were on our way well before dawn. We came across a couple of blockades on our way north...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4w9Az1uenKUnf8qW61ZyJYyr-y3oIWycKPMHesivsyeFFfhqrAlIJ4tr9p4nNHMPCDZ_KE2Z8-OQDblRIWhlR4F0M7RYKv6rR7oQElUHDzzYKNnrEhXyCZR56mInGEpGdQHVtRKb6IWZqCjzBGgOQTlm3p0iEOItS1Qnp5WHpAqIJHq-s5r1RKWRKAiYy/s2043/240126%2001%20Poitiers%20Farmers%20Strike.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="2043" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4w9Az1uenKUnf8qW61ZyJYyr-y3oIWycKPMHesivsyeFFfhqrAlIJ4tr9p4nNHMPCDZ_KE2Z8-OQDblRIWhlR4F0M7RYKv6rR7oQElUHDzzYKNnrEhXyCZR56mInGEpGdQHVtRKb6IWZqCjzBGgOQTlm3p0iEOItS1Qnp5WHpAqIJHq-s5r1RKWRKAiYy/w400-h168/240126%2001%20Poitiers%20Farmers%20Strike.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span>...but Google maps gave us alternative routes, even taking us into the back entrance of a motorway services to get round at one point. Our early start paid off and we eventually got to Dieppe with perfect timing.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOjF1cDaCw3dDWo7sQzAuWwniRZV1UwVgeWhwm-o1nK1kQyKSYCkXRs9WS3e6W9GXaVrqPhE1UoNLpwl0kG53-NytnybD-gcfw8H1yrWvJqDeTJwXJbPeAonXrynIOFf-Y5QfNXQDydV9xKrhMk4aM3Tt_ofHBnHQpTa11qngB2UUjNTftLS5p-mU1r6F/s4080/240126%2003%20Dieppe%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1872" data-original-width="4080" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOjF1cDaCw3dDWo7sQzAuWwniRZV1UwVgeWhwm-o1nK1kQyKSYCkXRs9WS3e6W9GXaVrqPhE1UoNLpwl0kG53-NytnybD-gcfw8H1yrWvJqDeTJwXJbPeAonXrynIOFf-Y5QfNXQDydV9xKrhMk4aM3Tt_ofHBnHQpTa11qngB2UUjNTftLS5p-mU1r6F/w400-h184/240126%2003%20Dieppe%20.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />A week previously the forecast had been dire, but the crossing turned out to be much calmer than we’d feared, and we were home and warming the boat up (again!) well before midnight.</span><p></p>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-32705875483426551902023-12-22T09:06:00.000+00:002023-12-22T09:06:01.575+00:00Leighton Buzzard to Marsworth. Grand Union Canal. <p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Having decided to slow our boat moves down gave us the chance to start looking at our plans for next year. We booked the Newhaven - Dieppe ferry in January to go and see Frankie and Harry for a fortnight, and a flight to Belfast in February for another couple of weeks with Chloe and Shandy. We would have preferred to go to Ireland on the P&O Liverpool to Dublin freight ferry - we’ve done it before and it’s a really nice crossing - but for some reason, although the website is up and running, it wasn’t taking bookings. :-(</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Being moored within walking distance of Leighton meant we could easily get all our last minute present shopping done, so we had a couple of days <i>not</i> joined at the hip getting ready for our respective birthdays in December, and the Big Day at the end.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">After four days at the lock, the sun came out and we discovered that despite them not having any leaves left, the big whomping willows between the canal and the river were really overshadowing our mooring. Just round the bend there were far fewer trees and a gap had opened up, so we did a little hop out into the sunshine. Wow, what a difference that made! In the short December days every second of sunlight on the solar panels is precious, but more than that, being out of the shade and having the sun streaming through the windows - even for just a few hours a day - really lifted our mood.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Getting to Leighton crossed the imaginary “one-and-a-half hours to Fleet” line, and driving down to see the folks for the day was now a possibility, so that’s just what we did. We had lunch in Mum and Dad’s new </span>favourite<span style="font-family: inherit;"> café and swapped presents and cards, then later on did the same with a chippy tea at Karen’s. Of course it was dark when we got back, which was when we realised that - once again - we’d not brought torches with us. It’s not difficult is it? We’ve got two really nice chargeable head torches that Ann Marie and Brian gave us when we were at the Bollington Wharf last year, yet we continually seem to find ourselves walking back to the boat with the pathetic little light from a phone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Dave’s sixty-sixth birthday was something we’d both been especially looking forward to. Not only was it the day he qualified for his state pension, but also the day he got his bus pass. Also - the icing on the cake - it was a Saturday, so we got to do a birthday parkrun as well! We’d chosen Dunstable Downs for its amazing views, however the dawn temperature was minus three and didn’t get much above that all day. At the top of the Downs it was foggy and icy, visibility was about ten meters and everything was covered in frost.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9z6GaifBrbbNHvIdwub7slyv0WeyufxCRTicnvnMaLsseSkM8AjmJ4KQY0JFoSLQ-TfoQphOjUxrVV3AiIrRrQOeTZblukinRGLwg23hbf86SueH6nVixany0lNrH6YOTEcyE80cLhBXN8YPdRwvZv3IabMknXrvcqEoJjUJdDanHIjWSIhtOGn7ghBMS/s1855/IMG_20231202_095632.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1855" data-original-width="1840" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9z6GaifBrbbNHvIdwub7slyv0WeyufxCRTicnvnMaLsseSkM8AjmJ4KQY0JFoSLQ-TfoQphOjUxrVV3AiIrRrQOeTZblukinRGLwg23hbf86SueH6nVixany0lNrH6YOTEcyE80cLhBXN8YPdRwvZv3IabMknXrvcqEoJjUJdDanHIjWSIhtOGn7ghBMS/w396-h400/IMG_20231202_095632.jpg" width="396" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /> We put it off for as long as possible, but finally had to get out of the car and join the other nutters, jigging up and down before the start in an effort to keep some blood circulating to our extremities.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The run director’s briefing was funny; “You run down there towards that… well you can’t see it, but there’s a bush… then turn left to the….. well….um, just follow the person in front!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">We had a good time though, in the café afterwards, while we hugged our hot chocolates and Ann-Marie’s pigtails defrosted, there was a really great atmosphere and a wonderful feeling of comradeship with all the other lunatics that had got up that morning and braved the weather.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfY6HzAygYCOCe5ongifSOWse4FOSS2uVLNdDgGJyubpXM83Y-ymk2S1hAELeriGsmSUV3eScTjWolaGwKzZ84wwTSsr1w7-ubDwDwEIVpMcjN-dfLqiIQsbBTIuF4M6ZK54OPYilvLaog8mC69emZOwLQULwHhtSMvNaz8DjZSFTW7hUUENSyoC9M25OM/s3129/IMG_20231202_095125.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1498" data-original-width="3129" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfY6HzAygYCOCe5ongifSOWse4FOSS2uVLNdDgGJyubpXM83Y-ymk2S1hAELeriGsmSUV3eScTjWolaGwKzZ84wwTSsr1w7-ubDwDwEIVpMcjN-dfLqiIQsbBTIuF4M6ZK54OPYilvLaog8mC69emZOwLQULwHhtSMvNaz8DjZSFTW7hUUENSyoC9M25OM/w400-h191/IMG_20231202_095125.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83RVBufYBcs4992NIb2p8Go1i3bYw7sBeY3m_1Ryr4ZPCMlvipFzV64O1TUZDihgizTxp5WjBjMNGT-2sfqMZGmuLExGGuz9h72GP1CDLRivdPyC50yqnjZdWhFabCys_NN5BEiHxrKODzLvXVut7eViL6L5Ey8KWf_lFBbCpyNpHJBJEwHXCwOQUhCz-/s2296/IMG_20231202_095841.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="2296" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83RVBufYBcs4992NIb2p8Go1i3bYw7sBeY3m_1Ryr4ZPCMlvipFzV64O1TUZDihgizTxp5WjBjMNGT-2sfqMZGmuLExGGuz9h72GP1CDLRivdPyC50yqnjZdWhFabCys_NN5BEiHxrKODzLvXVut7eViL6L5Ey8KWf_lFBbCpyNpHJBJEwHXCwOQUhCz-/w400-h233/IMG_20231202_095841.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Ann-Marie had brought breakfast with us in the form of beans and sausages in the big flask, so we had that in the car and were treated to a special birthday moment when the fog cleared momentarily, the sun came out and we could see right across to the woods on the other side. Seconds later it was foggy again. Spooky, but so, so beautiful.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq71iD3-NFeLqBUhoaQpB5U0s7qOKsPURMbg3ytF9c6SnoLlQKHurU0Kb0hUZy4yo1tJuK5s1s3WXmFTIUiEFEkwn7ocIRCRYNw1HMqXN6K3YG3DAjA2Xz84ISbsN4JnhU_p1gHuaQMSZyJMGvP053syumRyCBu7owkynZhJJ7riYmio1s9COt8tv5RXST/s3807/IMG_20231202_103929.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3807" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq71iD3-NFeLqBUhoaQpB5U0s7qOKsPURMbg3ytF9c6SnoLlQKHurU0Kb0hUZy4yo1tJuK5s1s3WXmFTIUiEFEkwn7ocIRCRYNw1HMqXN6K3YG3DAjA2Xz84ISbsN4JnhU_p1gHuaQMSZyJMGvP053syumRyCBu7owkynZhJJ7riYmio1s9COt8tv5RXST/w241-h400/IMG_20231202_103929.jpg" width="241" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdFf71zCK_pXwW_n2eu0658RSDQ01RXanrAxL3fOL7lJfEJkfX0lcqPVtiyqc-pB6iX-0S1yZWHb9Vd8sgI7dSUmiIDM-yPR6JNuODDVIU7CII4p_aNdFhOSwmj8gCUr1K1ii9KV1wTabqt8zTBa9K_4d8jQJkppd6chM_TgwR4bA_627N6I35lZl932Y/s1840/IMG_20231202_102859.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1392" data-original-width="1840" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdFf71zCK_pXwW_n2eu0658RSDQ01RXanrAxL3fOL7lJfEJkfX0lcqPVtiyqc-pB6iX-0S1yZWHb9Vd8sgI7dSUmiIDM-yPR6JNuODDVIU7CII4p_aNdFhOSwmj8gCUr1K1ii9KV1wTabqt8zTBa9K_4d8jQJkppd6chM_TgwR4bA_627N6I35lZl932Y/w400-h303/IMG_20231202_102859.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-GQ_8uwJgO4dc_h40akbJ7aySe-Dp0UE_ed0JCg5GQY5uIg1BxwINBc8jq7D97yF98isLjuOnF3c9ctHDmEFgYKT6wZV-2K8p5wf2S37S6rIjgqTuKBtqpE2AMbjm_UCYC7Psm1MShwtVm7TaMb_ysW50-ktS71dzaN2n_hyphenhyphensLLm8t54NeKhYJ0eZcPu/s3874/IMG_20231202_105643.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3874" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-GQ_8uwJgO4dc_h40akbJ7aySe-Dp0UE_ed0JCg5GQY5uIg1BxwINBc8jq7D97yF98isLjuOnF3c9ctHDmEFgYKT6wZV-2K8p5wf2S37S6rIjgqTuKBtqpE2AMbjm_UCYC7Psm1MShwtVm7TaMb_ysW50-ktS71dzaN2n_hyphenhyphensLLm8t54NeKhYJ0eZcPu/w238-h400/IMG_20231202_105643.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><br />There was a Christmas festivally type of thing in Bletchley that day, including a “Santa Dash”. We first thought it might be a 5k run, but upon reading the small print found out that it was a sprint up the high street. About two dozen people turned up, mostly kids, but with a good few supposedly grown-ups, all wearing something Christmassy. It was a shame it was so cold, there were three sheets of A4 of people who’d signed up, and if it had been a week earlier it would have been ten degrees warmer and amazing. The race was started by Bletchley’s Santa, who was the closest to the real thing that we’d ever seen. No false beard or Nike trainers for this Saint Nick, he was truly splendid.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXDy-KcTtsz0M8l2kRs6Z4N5vSJrxXFChX8CJYatEwRsriZcFpyg02Hn_iWo2K0mFHstclJ2TmptsNNiCQ86i-z1q7q9KsomFIQ-jOsGkzDEacQvk_UqNGqyN1NzEEnj2HTUoB8l9BZYvLwq0tWhJxIdJPk6qp6_KwVUldkz8J_L5r76wZoxbzo4G6B7S/s3653/IMG_20231202_121944.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2256" data-original-width="3653" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXDy-KcTtsz0M8l2kRs6Z4N5vSJrxXFChX8CJYatEwRsriZcFpyg02Hn_iWo2K0mFHstclJ2TmptsNNiCQ86i-z1q7q9KsomFIQ-jOsGkzDEacQvk_UqNGqyN1NzEEnj2HTUoB8l9BZYvLwq0tWhJxIdJPk6qp6_KwVUldkz8J_L5r76wZoxbzo4G6B7S/w400-h248/IMG_20231202_121944.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br />The older kids were off like greasy whippets from the go with Dave in hot pursuit, but they don’t make teenagers like they used to - they all began flagging after half way - and despite telling them he was older than their grandad and other encouraging stuff, Dave had to hang back at the end to let a few of them get there first.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Everyone got a Santa Dash Medal,...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJs6jxrQCETXvZIlq3_QLbuO2v68AKQCcJoOBA2ehkdNgr_Ls3qlJllhvKu_Jg5uqu9z7bTaArW_CHuPv-ZA9gFFvV9Xq0U8sKFkikJsrq_TmtqwQw0ZVXQz8KLye7FlW3axB4yFYv_vUr1fps_rBkrkpXhyphenhyphenZCgqjkw0uKQKl9un1cN9bKah1EIw89K2Cs/s3519/IMG_20231202_122954.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3519" data-original-width="3120" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJs6jxrQCETXvZIlq3_QLbuO2v68AKQCcJoOBA2ehkdNgr_Ls3qlJllhvKu_Jg5uqu9z7bTaArW_CHuPv-ZA9gFFvV9Xq0U8sKFkikJsrq_TmtqwQw0ZVXQz8KLye7FlW3axB4yFYv_vUr1fps_rBkrkpXhyphenhyphenZCgqjkw0uKQKl9un1cN9bKah1EIw89K2Cs/w355-h400/IMG_20231202_122954.jpg" width="355" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br />...and we hung around for the Children’s choir and about five freezing minutes of the outdoor panto before we dived into the warmth of the Italian café for lunch.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuE6UM5149htcB1PLMNfDXto-SfwXTE9wA2sRBsTCvL747bSBvbtqy_L5x3hNVE143rSFeWVpUknmwmoUhnedy3ZMHX8C8I1SAbG7VYftHG9yTdWduq2udbtj-GIQs8rzdiwl1Ce1jswT3BpcOP31w_SwS3bL4RQ5oKQjQAt4S3Apum5m7A23hgJb-UJtD/s2941/IMG_20231202_125131.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1385" data-original-width="2941" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuE6UM5149htcB1PLMNfDXto-SfwXTE9wA2sRBsTCvL747bSBvbtqy_L5x3hNVE143rSFeWVpUknmwmoUhnedy3ZMHX8C8I1SAbG7VYftHG9yTdWduq2udbtj-GIQs8rzdiwl1Ce1jswT3BpcOP31w_SwS3bL4RQ5oKQjQAt4S3Apum5m7A23hgJb-UJtD/w400-h189/IMG_20231202_125131.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUU8_L4ZSMWKIemw7oiEDlA6WDnid4UPVtwYJ0VMzHDS0wi-IHPXbxKwsHwpxHGO_w_eE4z3IDIomxBCF7XT03nWD48L8DXU5NVKSIlc_NXp6HZcm2DUJTz5du8ixZDwKfhoPGfVyBm96STyVNmuieHdSdzdG_GEjhDxXImpaI4jpQMurUgmQ55IpyAZz/s3039/IMG_20231202_133848.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3039" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUU8_L4ZSMWKIemw7oiEDlA6WDnid4UPVtwYJ0VMzHDS0wi-IHPXbxKwsHwpxHGO_w_eE4z3IDIomxBCF7XT03nWD48L8DXU5NVKSIlc_NXp6HZcm2DUJTz5du8ixZDwKfhoPGfVyBm96STyVNmuieHdSdzdG_GEjhDxXImpaI4jpQMurUgmQ55IpyAZz/w303-h400/IMG_20231202_133848.jpg" width="303" /></a></div><br />We topped Dave’s retirement birthday off with pizza for dinner and afterwards got a call from Chloe and Shandy to say not only happy birthday, but also to tell us that they’d moved out of the caravan and were living in the house. It wasn’t finished by any means, but it was weather tight, warm, and the power was on. They were still using the caravan for washing and the loo, but that was only till the septic tank got connected in a couple of days time. They’d been aiming to be in by Christmas since they started building in February, and considering how much of the build has been “direct labour” (in other words - them) their progress and what they’ve achieved is astounding. We're so proud of them. A perfect end to a great day.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">In the morning there was a smattering of ice on the canal, but it was slightly warmer. After volunteering for Junior parkrun in Leighton, we had a good clean round in the boat, packed up all the ornaments and whatnot that adorn (clutter up?) our boat for the rest of the year, relished the clear spaciousness for ten minutes or so, then filled it all up again with Christmas decorations.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">As well as being really cold at Leighton, it was also very wet and there was a couple of days when it rained non-stop. With the river and the canal right next to each other this made things a bit interesting, with the canal overflow sending a deluge into the river, which promptly burst it’s banks and flooding the riverside path. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzYFa3bneTGmvWLm-IqCZseaQ7H_RWghf3SrCtGKk1kmYQhwxfSELEtDl63s8JYRjpx9CRe1uOdQgz3OlJ1-Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br />Over the next few days we had one of our Grand Tours. First we went over to Wenlock Edge to Alison and Laura’s, for house sitting duties and to look after Jaffa and the chickens while they went to a wedding (Alison and Laura, not the chickens.)</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06bVTDu-QR1jUpae4OhyphenhyphennbG3sbQ_Mot6RX3AzvZOO2jBlPcHffAMhKrUT83PJkefz_4CPpyV14f2dx30gVY2NwmOsCqfyP1HHGAmuNTA6FvY5F_qri7Czd3OPrnKF40FFzMD_ZhVk3VYXBzgjgTL8S2otGaf8Mg-ZkPN1Cs8-6OYuhN6W-YQNz3dicy1K/s3722/IMG_20231208_074240.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2071" data-original-width="3722" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06bVTDu-QR1jUpae4OhyphenhyphennbG3sbQ_Mot6RX3AzvZOO2jBlPcHffAMhKrUT83PJkefz_4CPpyV14f2dx30gVY2NwmOsCqfyP1HHGAmuNTA6FvY5F_qri7Czd3OPrnKF40FFzMD_ZhVk3VYXBzgjgTL8S2otGaf8Mg-ZkPN1Cs8-6OYuhN6W-YQNz3dicy1K/w400-h223/IMG_20231208_074240.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><i>House sitting is such hard work.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br />Before they left we had a day with them and went to the newly reopened pub down the road for dinner.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">On the Saturday we did parkrun in Telford. On the way there in the car it was raining and we very nearly turned back, but thankfully we carried on and had a really good time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyBxJgogthHmDDx5yeq_pcWAnnBfrhckbxORxbphiFUjJGBRYMS6IzrZshDtE84g5kuIGP3IMCYD1oCcJX-liPF1MosKIwrzCw0GESiexrZB9OFjoOagsWBe7IQ0wgkUzRMzyNfR3JUkY2ATwItSE0bEICjSbkQxxfJDDSBDm8m6jP_0cuCwww3bSu4XZS/s3240/IMG_20231209_084036.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1405" data-original-width="3240" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyBxJgogthHmDDx5yeq_pcWAnnBfrhckbxORxbphiFUjJGBRYMS6IzrZshDtE84g5kuIGP3IMCYD1oCcJX-liPF1MosKIwrzCw0GESiexrZB9OFjoOagsWBe7IQ0wgkUzRMzyNfR3JUkY2ATwItSE0bEICjSbkQxxfJDDSBDm8m6jP_0cuCwww3bSu4XZS/w400-h174/IMG_20231209_084036.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br />After L&A got back we said our goodbyes and drove across the country to Ilkeston where we were staying with Angie and Dave for the night. After a quick catch up and a brew, we all got changed into our glad rags and headed off into Nottingham for Paul and Steve’s second 70<sup><span style="vertical-align: super;">th</span></sup> birthday party. It was brilliant to see so many of our family and friends. Chloe, Shandy and the kids were there, as well as our nieces and nephews and all their families which was a lovely surprise. The pub was quite crowded and very noisy, so it wasn’t that easy to chat to people, but we managed, and it was worth everything to have a hug from the grandkids.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqO4L5frz_mtYzSulTB2MSJmLIMyBX92W3b-AcZwK03vEd0N6ZjHVR296bnme6QLb2pHuDAb1ms6qrolGGHWGJpVOK_dhIyhYQdRlctAUywqNNjVNb32vUq7dKYdvRF2iYaeEcDD_06ZJT1Z5Hk5Y01ZHtFhQy_kySA08tUxMDmTXqiCK7pvCyqttWu0p/s3270/IMG_20231209_213452.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3270" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqO4L5frz_mtYzSulTB2MSJmLIMyBX92W3b-AcZwK03vEd0N6ZjHVR296bnme6QLb2pHuDAb1ms6qrolGGHWGJpVOK_dhIyhYQdRlctAUywqNNjVNb32vUq7dKYdvRF2iYaeEcDD_06ZJT1Z5Hk5Y01ZHtFhQy_kySA08tUxMDmTXqiCK7pvCyqttWu0p/w281-h400/IMG_20231209_213452.jpg" width="281" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br />After breakfast with Dave & Angie the next morning we headed back southwards, stopping in on Diane and Richard in Peterborough for dinner and a hand of cribbage before going home. Back at the boat we got the fire going and the electric blanket on and were toasty in no time. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">While we were at A&L’s, Mum and Dad phoned to say that Dad had been admitted to hospital and they were concerned about his heart, so the whole time away was a bit of a worry and Ann-Marie was constantly in touch with Mum and Karen to check on how he was. By the time we got home the news was better but he was still in hospital.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">In the morning we moved Legend - you remember Legend? - to Grove Church, about two miles further on. We’d moored there a couple of times before and hadn’t remembered it being muddy, but then we realised that it hadn’t been December then. That night it rained even more, so the tow path was a real swamp in the morning. We deployed the wellies and squelched our way to the car, then drove over to Nottingham for Ann-Marie’s final five nights on her clinical trial. While she was in, Dave had arranged to go down and help Steve and Annmarie, (our friends on the River Thames with the glamping site and the hire boat) with a boat move. They’d bought an ex Black Prince sixty-two footer and needed to bring it back from its base in Bath. Ann-Marie’s intake was at 6pm so after he’d dropped her off, Dave was going to go straight down to the Kennet and Avon to be assistant crew. In the meantime we’d arranged to meet up with Steve and Les for the afternoon. Les couldn’t make it, but Steve brought Tony and Colleen (more boat dwellers) with him and we had a very pleasant time in the Portobello Lounge chatting about batteries, toilets and gongoozlers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">After that we drove round to Quotient which is where it all went as bit pear-shaped.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Ann-Marie tested positive for Covid.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Luckily, Dave hadn’t got far, so we were soon on the road back home. We phoned all the people we’d been in contact with, which after a week travelling round the country was a lot, plus Steve and Annmarie to say that there would be no assistant crew, as Dave would be staying home looking after the poorly lady who, now she thought about it, was feeling rather crap. When we’d left the boat, we’d emptied the fridge, so we had to do a masked-up rush round Tesco to restock before we got back.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Three days later Ann-Marie was feeling worse, no energy, and a wheezy cough. Dave was testing positive as well, but with only minor symptoms, probably because he's had a relatively recent over 65's vaccine.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jules Fuels came past Grove lock on their fortnightly run up the GU aboard fuel boat Bletchley and butty boat Bideford, so we stocked up with diesel, coal and a bottle of gas.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnau6xJouARo2WpfBMuporFTZEz13W4ZBd096hC85e8lw4SFND2dkw_vXOQ1aApi537jygOyapCA_iCmZDUBCijR5sSYdsJQq-zYz2mUhXAD8jQbFsQuSlqgUUUHmE6swuJUxBfjUEFN6xXkc2zqNoxv7GolHuJUrFFc58kEQspmFxsAKWh-PewPUsrdKJ/s720/Screenshot_20231222_075426.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="720" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnau6xJouARo2WpfBMuporFTZEz13W4ZBd096hC85e8lw4SFND2dkw_vXOQ1aApi537jygOyapCA_iCmZDUBCijR5sSYdsJQq-zYz2mUhXAD8jQbFsQuSlqgUUUHmE6swuJUxBfjUEFN6xXkc2zqNoxv7GolHuJUrFFc58kEQspmFxsAKWh-PewPUsrdKJ/w400-h324/Screenshot_20231222_075426.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />To ensure that the delivery was contact free, before they arrived Dave unlocked the filler cap, put the empty gas bottle on the back deck and left them to it, then put it all away after they gone. Just not having to think about supplies made us feel better.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the plus side of things, instead of being on the trial, Ann-Marie was at home for her birthday, so we celebrated with a boat move to Slapton lock (two miles away and less muddy) and an invigorating walk back to the car. It was fabulous being outside, but </span>physically<span style="font-family: inherit;"> draining and we couldn't believe how little energy we had. Despite all that we still felt quite fortunate; it was the first time we'd had Covid, and compared to the severity of the virus in it's early stages and the absolute terror we all felt, what we were going through was peanuts.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We were on the phone to Frankie a bit later on that day when there was a tremendous kerfuffle outside, which turned out to be a Muntjac deer that had trapped itself between the boat and the Armco and couldn’t turn round. The poor thing was panicking and looked close to drowning. We let the front rope off and it swam out and over to the far bank where it climbed out, apparently non-the-worse for the experience.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Over the following days we just felt like curling up, but mustered ourselves each day and did little hops to Seabrook bottom lock, a nameless bit of tow path just after Cooks Wharf, and finally to Marsworth, where we moored up opposite the Aylesbury arm junction.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzMM_L3apHJ4cSC0f0nC6S9lQ40raE99wHvGSUgGWeN-MVofEkR_GHJZr_KnnOwaUavXnHEQReE4eYwZZs41EXHREtjpkVTFujb7tRGuPpzt5sBKh0ILiOWehS7nB3htI1ahzAXOfSDZI8hDpxERFsxQrvKDruMZI0d6pEFkdaLfS_I9dei303NNv2NKU/s3897/IMG_20231216_115837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2069" data-original-width="3897" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzMM_L3apHJ4cSC0f0nC6S9lQ40raE99wHvGSUgGWeN-MVofEkR_GHJZr_KnnOwaUavXnHEQReE4eYwZZs41EXHREtjpkVTFujb7tRGuPpzt5sBKh0ILiOWehS7nB3htI1ahzAXOfSDZI8hDpxERFsxQrvKDruMZI0d6pEFkdaLfS_I9dei303NNv2NKU/w400-h213/IMG_20231216_115837.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><i>Plenty of winter fu-oo-el </i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMr3K9Gp1YUKPcPMVyi7m9Bpry4W917af_OVCSGPh4uowxDbSbu64ZdsYD6tfH1J5p2LCqyVsuTKhpz_jNoxD0M5V6ZL-1Xk9b4XkGcGrJUhiM_RcbxwfrBYavKB2yJPXBj_8QOxpE4m-bsDC-Dv-zlU_dO-rHxSI3x8eXRe5LOTJyf-9z78hnFz4CCwKe/s3339/IMG_20231216_115941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3339" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMr3K9Gp1YUKPcPMVyi7m9Bpry4W917af_OVCSGPh4uowxDbSbu64ZdsYD6tfH1J5p2LCqyVsuTKhpz_jNoxD0M5V6ZL-1Xk9b4XkGcGrJUhiM_RcbxwfrBYavKB2yJPXBj_8QOxpE4m-bsDC-Dv-zlU_dO-rHxSI3x8eXRe5LOTJyf-9z78hnFz4CCwKe/w275-h400/IMG_20231216_115941.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBlhKQOy26zQ75nBrGeU0fWD9gLdFQzODacjXIKS1CRxRUFYYtoLc5vQD2M1Pm-qjuVbSvjZgY91LIfGG2e_0rXYXkaDllZFmdPLb6Ok4VK2_fMi0xF5OQOdz8WXaQz1O22mEzAc8m9ZTWR4lbIcDzAIl0L3XwJya7cq6MQJ9KomkXvH-cr61wM5GqYl4/s3844/IMG_20231218_135348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1872" data-original-width="3844" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBlhKQOy26zQ75nBrGeU0fWD9gLdFQzODacjXIKS1CRxRUFYYtoLc5vQD2M1Pm-qjuVbSvjZgY91LIfGG2e_0rXYXkaDllZFmdPLb6Ok4VK2_fMi0xF5OQOdz8WXaQz1O22mEzAc8m9ZTWR4lbIcDzAIl0L3XwJya7cq6MQJ9KomkXvH-cr61wM5GqYl4/w400-h195/IMG_20231218_135348.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Working up Seabrook locks on the way to Marsworth.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw_VxGQ9O6EOZ5qYJIkXbPGUphgvmtGh99OpQhKfPZ_wGdvlGpgrLhUVaU9a-6odJsEhE-3_ki-VM0Au7S_Nw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The wing-wall steps on GU locks make life a lot easier for single handers.</i></div></div><br />It's relatively easy to isolate yourself on a boat, especially in winter. In fact if you don't make a positive effort you can go for weeks without seeing or talking to anyone, so we're quite sure we can get through this without passing it on, and with any luck we'll have the all-clear in time for Christmas.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Merry Christmas Dear Reader, thank you for joining us this year. We'll be on Southern Waters again next year, hopefully we'll get all the way to the most southerly navigation limit at Godalming this time, and we'd love you to come with us.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Have a fabulous 2024, lots of love, D&AMxx <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-17098528678958286592023-12-19T08:14:00.000+00:002023-12-19T08:14:48.266+00:00Milton Keynes to Leighton Buzzard. Grand Union Canal.<p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4R9VRgead_NfyFyQZjmGPqBydCqp-LFiXzbaZubrL-6cEzLlL1rNCbVEwSj-QTnU2sjBMH2de905gHlo78Ep9yy72S5KIOQR_7VqsQs_ZkkQwTjz4DdiRFS7AGR_xf2nYLeLLCMx_1c_zJ8k7qCXeAC_SAMHffXWId5blszy9Sp-xm7A9ngNL29OxDTTB/s2718/IMG_20231124_104218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1358" data-original-width="2718" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4R9VRgead_NfyFyQZjmGPqBydCqp-LFiXzbaZubrL-6cEzLlL1rNCbVEwSj-QTnU2sjBMH2de905gHlo78Ep9yy72S5KIOQR_7VqsQs_ZkkQwTjz4DdiRFS7AGR_xf2nYLeLLCMx_1c_zJ8k7qCXeAC_SAMHffXWId5blszy9Sp-xm7A9ngNL29OxDTTB/w400-h200/IMG_20231124_104218.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><i>Late Autumn on the Grand Union.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br />Another Saturday dawned, so we left Legend at Bolbeck park and wound our way through the Milton Keynes maze of footpaths to Linford Wood for parkrun - followed by a very nice coffee - and managed to get back without getting rained on, despite the uninspiring weather forecast.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Back at legend we phoned No.1 grandchild to say happy 7</span><sup style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> birthday (where does it go?) then in the evening made a big bowl of popcorn ready for watching Strictly in Blackpool.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The next morning we walked down to Campbell park where we’d left the car and drove to Emerson Valley - near Milton Keynes football club - to help marshal the junior parkrun. After that we moved Legend on a bit to Campbell Park, putting car and boat together again. The local wildlife were clearly used to boats and bird tables.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzacoHvCt5GtOnkLFw70WxbpuKqEPQsFcYo8Q_Dz_OBPubVzBANi1fxlACqPVLdZDo9I9a8683-xK08VT7IUw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyu_y5OVURyF2dewLDmLrI6xEQZko3z8hKbarcuq44dYmbDs5vXem24Mho8W_WjHVrbECi0XHrN8EZ8MLmgfg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxCpp_UnmGQskWA1Tkw6qaJsRPo_k3W2RCatvMK8muzREGA7UokN0oquvQsyfo22iKdjPkqvah2dAOxabKaRA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />Diane and Richard came for a visit the next day. It was the first time Richard had been on our boat - or anyone else’s for that matter - so there was the usual period of tottering about and unsteadiness that narrowboat virgins go through, which Ann-Marie cunningly cured by distracting everyone with lashings of tea and her wonderful scones. We had a very pleasant walk around Willen Lake before lunch, then a cozy afternoon chatting and catching up. A perfect day with good friends, and it was especially good to see Diane looking so much better.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">This close to Christmas, we felt that we couldn’t leave MK without visiting the bright lights of the shopping centre, so the next morning we walked over there and immersed ourselves in retail extravagance.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPma-1divVHjaTkV-CV86KTwMdhpJoWutbNqQeHwQjepthZmjx3C2kXZgyW5gHSijGxke-0_s-1_LxIdwVwPCWFI7w3Nz5u_oh2AbqWIf2yl5FPMhiU5H5gmTbKCP5orJpxfWRE8DLwoyyrjDc4r9-kf155ZntHB3Hl1wmpJ3wpSFd9SDEjQbx4wd9d-QX/s1993/IMG_20231121_124401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="1993" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPma-1divVHjaTkV-CV86KTwMdhpJoWutbNqQeHwQjepthZmjx3C2kXZgyW5gHSijGxke-0_s-1_LxIdwVwPCWFI7w3Nz5u_oh2AbqWIf2yl5FPMhiU5H5gmTbKCP5orJpxfWRE8DLwoyyrjDc4r9-kf155ZntHB3Hl1wmpJ3wpSFd9SDEjQbx4wd9d-QX/w400-h235/IMG_20231121_124401.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br />A couple of hours was more than enough though, so laden with no shopping whatsoever, we grabbed a couple of coffees from Pret and walked back to the boat via the Light Pyramid and the Circle Dance on the MK Art Trail.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDSWozgJAjLlpVuaMT0Hjd3VaEBPFQNW_U26fkwJjueRUdrLQUGoxMiTQiqKXu_Zw6KqDvyZ2FqAe1tizR2iNf1_IjErSDCcY4WTQxa6izO0DghdCjtDikvcziYbBvxZLs90boT4II4BwabH-kUQV5DPeKRi9oagwjl9DM602FZGFEfJMdv3FoBgGTRIjQ/s3732/IMG_20231121_145812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2055" data-original-width="3732" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDSWozgJAjLlpVuaMT0Hjd3VaEBPFQNW_U26fkwJjueRUdrLQUGoxMiTQiqKXu_Zw6KqDvyZ2FqAe1tizR2iNf1_IjErSDCcY4WTQxa6izO0DghdCjtDikvcziYbBvxZLs90boT4II4BwabH-kUQV5DPeKRi9oagwjl9DM602FZGFEfJMdv3FoBgGTRIjQ/w400-h220/IMG_20231121_145812.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8sMBkWTgO3-ux4zD7gPRqQEFny2YyldNW0CKxwuiK7fPSL5FIeWVM8A9vrBNBqb_T-9ihezIAicVKToHNa6AFfIxb8iKSudXW9y-Y5CDcjpIRolgG-fwKZlRKVlclcNxZyemambhW1C2n2ttYXbaqvrhXmsoDAY28-q35_QyM_Rh8PAqKUtCc3YuV-Sqi/s3507/IMG_20231121_151625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="3507" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8sMBkWTgO3-ux4zD7gPRqQEFny2YyldNW0CKxwuiK7fPSL5FIeWVM8A9vrBNBqb_T-9ihezIAicVKToHNa6AFfIxb8iKSudXW9y-Y5CDcjpIRolgG-fwKZlRKVlclcNxZyemambhW1C2n2ttYXbaqvrhXmsoDAY28-q35_QyM_Rh8PAqKUtCc3YuV-Sqi/w400-h210/IMG_20231121_151625.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Ann-Marie was up early the next morning, and out for a run round Willen Lake before we moved in the chilly sunshine to Fenny Stratford where we moored just before the stop lock for a couple of nights. Fenny Stratford is conveniently close to Ikea and there were a few things we needed (isn’t there always?), so we went for breakfast the next morning. For a while now we’ve been on the lookout for some artificial flowers to add a bit of colour to Legend’s roof in the winter, Ikea had a good selection and we came home with a rucksack full of plastic busy lizzies. They are very obviously artificial, but they really brighten it up, and we’re hoping they’ll provide a modicum of shelter for the poor, brave little cyclamen that we’ve abandoned to their fate up there.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_YthmGt3Qq1FTXzeJB0aiptVagCQS1o30TEZr1poaYvLO1IPqxSouMIlOaY0-87pIK5y_v-JouBhVGsfIGO59alP7i-aWb8u-e_bWxt8T90qJPWiQ7vjBIy1uVUzcvCBK4doXg4xd8yts5HtsXjqgIgufETpgJ3G-LVhPOfzv0IoXahPcJomYdnlnDZS/s1168/IMG_20231218_133326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="1168" height="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_YthmGt3Qq1FTXzeJB0aiptVagCQS1o30TEZr1poaYvLO1IPqxSouMIlOaY0-87pIK5y_v-JouBhVGsfIGO59alP7i-aWb8u-e_bWxt8T90qJPWiQ7vjBIy1uVUzcvCBK4doXg4xd8yts5HtsXjqgIgufETpgJ3G-LVhPOfzv0IoXahPcJomYdnlnDZS/w400-h389/IMG_20231218_133326.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />On the way home we had a wander round Bletchley...<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrDvcygbRFtPMRMSnhlipPkoqi3Xt26_fASM8DtEzWDLSEoryojB_TcQfBBVvtVfnD-5_RrxC5GkFPuMOqglIqZWmQ7Rz66rLs3gsOmcimjHmSZZ_Y_Lwf3JTQyDZF9-qgI4RI85itHLuXrawRPt6xnIpmkr7aPqd7LaXWE7fYidl3WXPGsYCalqXAOPqN/s3925/IMG_20231123_164218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1822" data-original-width="3925" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrDvcygbRFtPMRMSnhlipPkoqi3Xt26_fASM8DtEzWDLSEoryojB_TcQfBBVvtVfnD-5_RrxC5GkFPuMOqglIqZWmQ7Rz66rLs3gsOmcimjHmSZZ_Y_Lwf3JTQyDZF9-qgI4RI85itHLuXrawRPt6xnIpmkr7aPqd7LaXWE7fYidl3WXPGsYCalqXAOPqN/w400-h186/IMG_20231123_164218.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />...had coffee and cake in the Italian cake, and picked up a couple of charity shop jigsaw puzzles. (More about them later.)<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The next day we took the car down to Soulbury three locks and although it was sunny walking back, we had a freezing northerly headwind. Brrr. When we got home, while we were adding more layers and more coffee, Nb Wandering Willow came past us on its way to the lock, and we quickly got ourselves sorted so that we could share. Ann-Marie walked down to the lock just in time to find Anna in a muddle because, with the winter sun in her eyes, she hadn’t seen that there was a bridge across the open lock that you need to swing before you go in, (well who would?) and was in the process of pulling her boat back to make room for the bridge swing. Dave hovered while they sorted it out then pulled in alongside. Anna told us she hadn’t had the boat for long, she’d bought it in Skipton and after living on it up there for a while was now heading for Aylesbury for Christmas.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxO9vHdewbpihvr4PDAdQ9APlF8qYFtvKQmFK0f6C-FS7-aBHxGyHmKfGafSMP8kRuij4P_bunKsDKK-HWVdWqZyFaBskfsdcIrOllaVcnxW1KduulUnJCRT2pw9Tfy0yFOKzOLYvEWzYAsD8kruyo-GFE3ouoBRL7AciIz8423CwU2raMFJvGqAQQd3Y/s2011/IMG_20231124_142839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="2011" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxO9vHdewbpihvr4PDAdQ9APlF8qYFtvKQmFK0f6C-FS7-aBHxGyHmKfGafSMP8kRuij4P_bunKsDKK-HWVdWqZyFaBskfsdcIrOllaVcnxW1KduulUnJCRT2pw9Tfy0yFOKzOLYvEWzYAsD8kruyo-GFE3ouoBRL7AciIz8423CwU2raMFJvGqAQQd3Y/w400-h178/IMG_20231124_142839.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><i>Anna on Wandering Willow leading Legend into Soulbury bottom lock.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br />We shared Stoke Hammond and the Soulbury three locks and by the time we got to the top we were firm friends. We moored both boats at the top of Soulbury Three and Anna joined us for dinner, during which we discovered that while she was in Skipton she’d become really good friends with Anita, who we’d helped down the locks from Standedge in the summer. They’d been moored near each other and boated together till going their separate ways at Coopers Bridge. It’s been so quiet on the northern waterways this year that with one hand we can count the number of people we’ve met that we’ve felt inclined to exchange details with. (What is it that tells you you’re going to be friends with someone as soon as you meet them? Whatever it is, when you know, you know.) What a small world it is that we should have met, and really got on well with both of them.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Another Saturday arrived - the coldest one so far at -3.5°C. We got the bikes out and cycled to parkrun at Rushmere Country Park. Google described the route as “mostly flat”, and was clearly lying through it’s googling teeth. We had to get off and walk three googling times and got there just as the first timers briefing finished, so as soon as we’d gone through transition from cyclists to runners we were off. Now we know what triathletes feel like. (No, we really don’t).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlmepnfrrHIFaFH7YY1xoNuPZ2a-_A-ZUgidVnQPy-yNFLBFPRq8nbWARcFWoWfwnJY2WJx4MNZOszwSG7zCI_fLur-Wmbzse3THY04BiXrfvyAj22JEmZSLt4d-8GBrkE8WyTxOwhx09ZPf9zsovzEjf48PyCY1RtXDSU_e2gaznonOrscFLdIoTl2bh/s3715/IMG_20231125_085736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3715" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlmepnfrrHIFaFH7YY1xoNuPZ2a-_A-ZUgidVnQPy-yNFLBFPRq8nbWARcFWoWfwnJY2WJx4MNZOszwSG7zCI_fLur-Wmbzse3THY04BiXrfvyAj22JEmZSLt4d-8GBrkE8WyTxOwhx09ZPf9zsovzEjf48PyCY1RtXDSU_e2gaznonOrscFLdIoTl2bh/w248-h400/IMG_20231125_085736.jpg" width="248" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><i>Rushmere's Mudometer in action!</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8i3sPq966LVurt4LOE1tUuI35K3B2B1gclsrhSax1Hspd8n0kuvqZOj6yPmuJqijwqAZBDv_rWDbuAR7qk0DmVIlFENxOy4x62MosAfgFGZwQ_3qKR-OYdNXoVjJEG-T52tqHjvoz13RNN1r-CButpRxMlVx9XN06W1RuRRFAPaLjzqiu5YPXgcb79-i/s2948/IMG_20231125_094302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="2948" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8i3sPq966LVurt4LOE1tUuI35K3B2B1gclsrhSax1Hspd8n0kuvqZOj6yPmuJqijwqAZBDv_rWDbuAR7qk0DmVIlFENxOy4x62MosAfgFGZwQ_3qKR-OYdNXoVjJEG-T52tqHjvoz13RNN1r-CButpRxMlVx9XN06W1RuRRFAPaLjzqiu5YPXgcb79-i/w400-h198/IMG_20231125_094302.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />It was a tough run as well; two trail laps with hills, woods, mud and tree roots; the total antithesis of the flat, paved runs we’ve recently had in and around MK. We both enjoyed it but we were totally knackered by the end.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UQesZg1JlkAr2cq8yU7VMCVqzvSXt_7Y6pDayN0j_qFxCQo37CwIISyvn1pC1FF_IpzS3AI8iYnQCMkzc-kcJF5Uziv2yWYCGnVyVCydAVo4mLcWbkDKokwT-p8kv-h5WoG71DDRLHhmghrCXXFNcXYmd2cZafQv44k3NW31dCPcHCkaOj0JRPHhnNX5/s3073/IMG_20231125_094336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3073" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UQesZg1JlkAr2cq8yU7VMCVqzvSXt_7Y6pDayN0j_qFxCQo37CwIISyvn1pC1FF_IpzS3AI8iYnQCMkzc-kcJF5Uziv2yWYCGnVyVCydAVo4mLcWbkDKokwT-p8kv-h5WoG71DDRLHhmghrCXXFNcXYmd2cZafQv44k3NW31dCPcHCkaOj0JRPHhnNX5/w299-h400/IMG_20231125_094336.jpg" width="299" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br />We got chatting to some local runners in the café afterwards and learned that there was a much flatter - if slightly longer - way back to the canal, which was a great relief because we were seriously contemplating abandoning the bikes and phoning for an Uber. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">So, the jigsaw puzzles. Although we love doing jigsaws, there really isn’t enough room in our little boat to indulge in them. However we had the idea of making Advent jigsaws as Christmas presents for Anne & Andy and Karen & Andrew this year and we’d convinced ourselves it was just a matter of discipline and logistics. Step 1 - do the puzzles. A 1000 piece jigsaw only just fits on our dining table, with room for about twenty bits round the edge, all of which seem desperate to throw themselves to the floor at any given opportunity. Add to that, Dear Reader, the fact that the table, being one of the few horizontal surface</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">s we own, performs a myriad of vital functions, and you can imagine how much stress this little endeavour introduced into our lives. Oh, and advent was only a week away when we started. Instead of being a calm, relaxing, genteel pastime, completing these two jigsaws suddenly became a mammoth military exercise and very nearly ended with both of them in the at the bottom of the canal.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYK73BNrHQC8I52XENSOtT71wVuiMhmPvA9X0UjTtSAlIaYnLU9zaGHP8TDzotMSVJlq2Skacn4Yx7NjIAVnebipKC9GLiQl6wbhZN8koS0IEFXeZE7jmSD3qWSkKsJmaERnuaTMObMars2TL6sXC9fD-yDiKxC26roEkQ1izWRRyyDpLVPYU3apdAtfl-/s3608/IMG_20231127_111404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1994" data-original-width="3608" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYK73BNrHQC8I52XENSOtT71wVuiMhmPvA9X0UjTtSAlIaYnLU9zaGHP8TDzotMSVJlq2Skacn4Yx7NjIAVnebipKC9GLiQl6wbhZN8koS0IEFXeZE7jmSD3qWSkKsJmaERnuaTMObMars2TL6sXC9fD-yDiKxC26roEkQ1izWRRyyDpLVPYU3apdAtfl-/w400-h221/IMG_20231127_111404.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br />Unless they read this, the respective recipients will never know how close they came to getting a box of biscuits each instead. However, over the next four days we gritted our teeth, girded our loins, withered our shins and knuckled down. Once they were complete, we took them apart systematically and put 41 pieces into each of the little numbered boxes that we’d made...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZiKs6Vlf50tR7nDvNlHLA2FqaRxloZ87q9vwCHfMPcaLTHJatYsaJkmQs9FgSgtnAWoWQqvB7e0QsFj3FZ-snfQIXy_2o2Ewuqy1ix8iOEpMdBXzVDcqk9JeUwMTlqIJ_qv_umXX8eznX78A0vX0TbNmNaGQCN_BlGykKgAeumMH64Z4JdQ1gX5ez2mKV/s3335/IMG_20231125_164756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1710" data-original-width="3335" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZiKs6Vlf50tR7nDvNlHLA2FqaRxloZ87q9vwCHfMPcaLTHJatYsaJkmQs9FgSgtnAWoWQqvB7e0QsFj3FZ-snfQIXy_2o2Ewuqy1ix8iOEpMdBXzVDcqk9JeUwMTlqIJ_qv_umXX8eznX78A0vX0TbNmNaGQCN_BlGykKgAeumMH64Z4JdQ1gX5ez2mKV/w400-h205/IMG_20231125_164756.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br />...put the little boxes into each if the big boxes and wrapped them up. Despite it being - or maybe because it was - <i>almost</i> impossible, we actually did have a lot of fun doing it, and the little boxes really made it come together.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbESDB3yWfapgnE7KpUiN5H784kB1fZWR2Q_1nTV8kA0xidRndxfR2JEqACT48P2sXbWoHSB6b8WSuXgA7PR1lLmEdgMhNw3UoDfHElBzsRLGv2xy_SdeAKjK_-7O6tBe0zy2sZ4ACjMsnjIX93HZeee_0eaKMyYnISKT8PatjVPrbgA-kLLJcBn3NQdq/s4080/IMG_20231128_150304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbESDB3yWfapgnE7KpUiN5H784kB1fZWR2Q_1nTV8kA0xidRndxfR2JEqACT48P2sXbWoHSB6b8WSuXgA7PR1lLmEdgMhNw3UoDfHElBzsRLGv2xy_SdeAKjK_-7O6tBe0zy2sZ4ACjMsnjIX93HZeee_0eaKMyYnISKT8PatjVPrbgA-kLLJcBn3NQdq/w400-h225/IMG_20231128_150304.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br />During all that we managed to fit in marshalling at Leighton Buzzard junior parkrun, and a boat move to Leighton Lock where we stayed for a fortnight. We hadn’t meant to stay that long, but it’ll come as no surprise, Dear Reader, to learn that our plans have changed once more. Instead of charging ahead to get below Rickmansworth before January, we’ve decided to slow things down and stay above there till March when the winter closures should all be finished. Smell the roses, watch the world go by, mess about in the river, that sort of thing. Much more our style. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-36452775689205395922023-11-21T10:37:00.000+00:002023-11-21T10:37:27.671+00:00Buckby to Milton Keynes. Grand Union Canal.<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our new plan meant that instead of hectically moving the boat every other day for two months in order to get below the stoppages, we could slow down and smell the clichés. We started with a visit to Linzi and Paul who live on Nb Happy Daze near Rugby. Linzi showed us her new collection of water-colour cards that she’d painted and printed for an up-coming craft fair. She is so talented and so prolific, and her paining skills have transformed their boat. Every time we go there there’s something new and beautiful, and their mooring - which started off as a muddy bank when they first took it over seven years ago - just keeps getting better and better. We came home with a lovely kingfisher card...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEJUcgBdFpnH98oC6KBZJ5-aFXLGZvhGkfrnehl71JHKlHdT2qQRE29wsyBLmhD1Dp5c1Go1UQQub2heFRYetc6XdqFSwnI4avXB-JDqjrIosehth1hnv_CwO6VWhnzyV5W1IYysZkQTUQn0xEa8HUErODhEYYwlchrX7mRPNSGDv5IQi4PXjsgb0txmI/s2217/Linzi-kingfisher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2217" data-original-width="1645" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEJUcgBdFpnH98oC6KBZJ5-aFXLGZvhGkfrnehl71JHKlHdT2qQRE29wsyBLmhD1Dp5c1Go1UQQub2heFRYetc6XdqFSwnI4avXB-JDqjrIosehth1hnv_CwO6VWhnzyV5W1IYysZkQTUQn0xEa8HUErODhEYYwlchrX7mRPNSGDv5IQi4PXjsgb0txmI/w296-h400/Linzi-kingfisher.jpg" width="296" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...and the feeling of being a little bit tempted to put Legend on the waiting list for a mooring there, but only a little bit, we’re not ready to stop quite yet.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Back at Legend, we replaced the tomatoes and courgettes in the big round tubs with daffodil and tulip bulbs in new compost, and re-potted all the strawberries, again in new compost ready for the spring. Along with the cyclamen in the flower troughs the roof garden was looking quite respectable.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUzEhtKXcE3272Y5PWctW7RS7USAfVhHmkxhnxI4DBO3H4JOvvl-2TQHhoqeonaxXoQt66XTezL-kC88rk9vkDmdjk2n8qpY097NPjvJAt55a4AQ7xdsfrnnhsPj6ne5O-8Z07th0_Cy_EZEPKnoMIQrNhZm75KJu-K9yRUlx73TdpkAm0809ne7JtRmN/s2148/IMG_20231116_100755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2148" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUzEhtKXcE3272Y5PWctW7RS7USAfVhHmkxhnxI4DBO3H4JOvvl-2TQHhoqeonaxXoQt66XTezL-kC88rk9vkDmdjk2n8qpY097NPjvJAt55a4AQ7xdsfrnnhsPj6ne5O-8Z07th0_Cy_EZEPKnoMIQrNhZm75KJu-K9yRUlx73TdpkAm0809ne7JtRmN/w400-h215/IMG_20231116_100755.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0v_-2GyYeN8FKyuGpv_VE0xjKj-meSM98QT8fVPT0l-zwh0lCcHcAQekeE4c3H05s98KQ7BTYCVuh4Mo7KqU0_CEVQC_SlAS55ErQPbRR8hs2lsTHD6pmjQ5yuLKUa72wEeiPeXLLC3_ZkvV03Lvph5Mddy50MGsuje77dAbrXxEHUaGWE7OoNKBwe9E2/s1614/IMG_20231116_100841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1614" data-original-width="1168" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0v_-2GyYeN8FKyuGpv_VE0xjKj-meSM98QT8fVPT0l-zwh0lCcHcAQekeE4c3H05s98KQ7BTYCVuh4Mo7KqU0_CEVQC_SlAS55ErQPbRR8hs2lsTHD6pmjQ5yuLKUa72wEeiPeXLLC3_ZkvV03Lvph5Mddy50MGsuje77dAbrXxEHUaGWE7OoNKBwe9E2/w290-h400/IMG_20231116_100841.jpg" width="290" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Some of the left over strawberries ended up in the hanging basket.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We had a day snuggled by the fire with the hatches battened down, then the next morning packed up and set off for Bristol for a couple of days with Anne and Andy. After the stormy weather the day before we were treated to a lovely sunny day driving down, but the M5 reminded us just how awful UK traffic can be.</span></p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anne and Andy had just got back from a holiday in Madeira. Sadly all the cake had gone, but there was still some rum left, which was delicious. With some of that inside us, we decided that the skyline parkrun in Bath the following morning would be a good idea, but our resolve rapidly faded in the morning when we woke up to heavy rain, and we were far too easily swayed by a lie-in instead. After breakfast we drove into the city and spent a bit of time looking round the M-Shed, before going up to Cabot Circus to meet Sam off a Megabus. Sam is the Australian we met on a WRG camp five years ago when she was doing five weeks of canal camps back to back. We introduced her to Anne when she was looking for somewhere to live in Bristol and, despite her moving back home in 2019, we’ve all kept in touch ever since. We all get on like a house on fire, and it was fabulous to catch up after so long. We had an amazing Lebanese meze lunch, then went back to A&A’s for a happy afternoon chatting. After dinner we went out onto their balcony with it’s city-wide view, to watch the Guy Fawkes night fireworks and wave some sparklers around.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQtehkNjbjUZHwwPLyuRhckosiHWhvcHxfvFdNSPA1pXyr2-hdgnCUsjdgNH0cmMVq2qflb-Zh9tEocMXs5NmrLGCvFizLsfvuWMikUxALIgfmzaySKlTlqTH4Ql3-oVQHNkFQ4M-x5H_GNtyrVyWNs57WT7G21S-WM21d5353bCQwGXApPTNvMDd6EyN/s4208/IMG_20231104_194900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2641" data-original-width="4208" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQtehkNjbjUZHwwPLyuRhckosiHWhvcHxfvFdNSPA1pXyr2-hdgnCUsjdgNH0cmMVq2qflb-Zh9tEocMXs5NmrLGCvFizLsfvuWMikUxALIgfmzaySKlTlqTH4Ql3-oVQHNkFQ4M-x5H_GNtyrVyWNs57WT7G21S-WM21d5353bCQwGXApPTNvMDd6EyN/w400-h251/IMG_20231104_194900.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />In our serendipitous style, despite not even knowing they were a thing, the fireworks in the grounds of their flat started off just as we went out. It all got a bit dramatic when one of the big rockets fell over and shot across the shrubbery before exploding...<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsKFy4v72B7IuEVm8KpVWzabPMHihI0xq8ofjsIiugxya7aOOlqSWi36eAx57eWZanettHln6vIpu-lg-1yAI39mbw8tqKzIxnQLVNWIRY2fSnzzRr1ZR5dqvdqbsDi4s3FfW5aC2-fzzy-Hfl0OUEReJevN-vfQ4zw1HGcyD0u1H7B9FG8zIWlmGgwDr/s2915/IMG_20231104_194808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2915" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsKFy4v72B7IuEVm8KpVWzabPMHihI0xq8ofjsIiugxya7aOOlqSWi36eAx57eWZanettHln6vIpu-lg-1yAI39mbw8tqKzIxnQLVNWIRY2fSnzzRr1ZR5dqvdqbsDi4s3FfW5aC2-fzzy-Hfl0OUEReJevN-vfQ4zw1HGcyD0u1H7B9FG8zIWlmGgwDr/w315-h400/IMG_20231104_194808.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">...but thankfully no-one got hurt, and no shrubs were harmed. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Sunday was a beautiful clear sunny day so we drove over to Leigh woods for a walk up to the viewpoint looking out over the Clifton suspension bridge.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg871pCvemGDvDX-76t3iY9WQnCfiPqI47BZVrzy8q28xwccRO6H9LXy4zfHMAzXUmZ5RQ5OL70CrDRuwFAmSzk0CMMh-zn_DHidst4nA2sVDA2iRetqa5TsAPba55D1WEo1BHQ3HqBLqNqqVOUFIChM2e2_jU1nu-v0on9kBavpNRlNpQ45SeiDlS4bX2I/s3199/IMG_20231105_114825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1651" data-original-width="3199" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg871pCvemGDvDX-76t3iY9WQnCfiPqI47BZVrzy8q28xwccRO6H9LXy4zfHMAzXUmZ5RQ5OL70CrDRuwFAmSzk0CMMh-zn_DHidst4nA2sVDA2iRetqa5TsAPba55D1WEo1BHQ3HqBLqNqqVOUFIChM2e2_jU1nu-v0on9kBavpNRlNpQ45SeiDlS4bX2I/w400-h206/IMG_20231105_114825.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> Anne’s son Alex came along for the walk, then we were joined by her other son Ben for lunch on Gloucester road. After that there were fond farewells, lots of hugs and promises to visit Melbourne when we go back to Oz, and we set off back across the country. When we got back - after a few hours in a warm car and giving us a stark reminder of things to come - Legend felt freezing, but with the Squirrel stoked up and the electric blanket* on, it wasn’t long before we were toasty and tucked up in bed with Strictly on catch-up.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From Buckby we moved on to Stowe Hill for a couple of nights and then Gayton Junction.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQf9I6Okp7TD09mAzAVnEWX7tRedzgRhF5uI4nRuzROnATRQz5BAd0UnXMGlTr1Hf4dYLdO_Xzf6_DJKcPKBVQTN7opc2fi_lNDoPGkW7vtIrQwt9vUoIjqSXUoFvlNLC_WLsve9-YiaHzaqEED3JcBKle2w41ScecIsx6IghR7GyHgPVyFnIoFc5vNw2/s2364/IMG_20231109_102848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1021" data-original-width="2364" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQf9I6Okp7TD09mAzAVnEWX7tRedzgRhF5uI4nRuzROnATRQz5BAd0UnXMGlTr1Hf4dYLdO_Xzf6_DJKcPKBVQTN7opc2fi_lNDoPGkW7vtIrQwt9vUoIjqSXUoFvlNLC_WLsve9-YiaHzaqEED3JcBKle2w41ScecIsx6IghR7GyHgPVyFnIoFc5vNw2/w400-h173/IMG_20231109_102848.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Dave did a couple of wood wombles on the way, but since the price of fuel has gone through the roof more boaters are collecting wood and it’s becoming harder to find stuff. He’s pretty resourceful though, and at that point, although it had come close, we’d not actually run out.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ann-Marie has restarted midweek runs; the cold grey mornings and the muddy GU towpath have sometimes tested her resolve, but she’s stuck at it and faster parkrun times are proof that she’s getting fitter.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When we set off from Stowe Hill, Dave pressed the started button and the Mighty Lister just gave a click and a grunt. That’ll be a dead starter battery then. It’s about ten years old, so no surprise really. We jumped it with the leisure bank, which is OK to do on occasion, but short, high current loads aren’t something leisure batteries are designed for, so getting a new starter battery is top of the list. Also on that list are oil changes for the boat and the car, which means finding somewhere where that’s possible. For the boat we need a wide enough towpath so we can make a pile of the engine covers without tripping people up, and for the car we need somewhere that’s close to the boat and Dave’s tools, and with hard standing so he can jack the front up. We also need to find somewhere that sells SAE 30 mineral oil for an 1970’s Lister, without paying through the nose for something in a “retro” metal can at a chandlery. This nomadic boating malarkey isn’t all swanning about in the sunshine you know.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With the boat tucked up safely at Gayton we drove down to Mytchett for a couple of days so that we, along with Karen, Andrew, Mum and Dad could go down to Chichester<span style="color: red;"> </span>for Bob and Carol’s party. We know Bob and Carol from our 2cv club days donkey’s years ago and it was a combination of Bob’s 80<sup><span style="vertical-align: super;">th</span></sup>, Carol’s 75<sup><span style="vertical-align: super;">th</span></sup> and their 20<sup><span style="vertical-align: super;">th</span></sup> wedding anniversary all rolled into one. It really was a fantastic do with loads of our old mates that we hadn’t seen for ages. Carol had organised it all and managed to keep Bob from finding out about it till they turned up on the day. That girl really knows how to make a party; she’d not only put a buffet spread on, but arranged a wood fired pizza truck and an ice-cream van as well. And because it was a sports club the bar prices were rock bottom, and there was endless free tea and coffee.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We spent the night in Karen’s spare room, then in the morning we went with Dad to the <a href="https://airsciences.org.uk/" target="_blank">Farnborough Air Sciences Trust (FAST) museum</a>, which was really interesting but flippin' freezing. There was so much to see there we could easily have stayed longer - the volunteers were extremely knowledgeable and very chatty - but the shivering was becoming a distraction and we had a table booked in the Admiral for Sunday lunch celebrating Dad’s birthday. After that, (well after that and after pudding at Karen’s) we had another long drive home and an other evening warming the boat up again.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From Gayton junction we carried on along the long summit, through Blisworth tunnel, and moored up in Stoke Bruerne just before the<a href="https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/things-to-do/museums-and-attractions/the-canal-museum-stoke-bruerne" target="_blank"> canal museum.</a> Kathryn, another of our old 2cv friends, lives there, so we popped along for a chat. Kathryn used to have a narrowboat and her aunt was one of the “<a href="https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/things-to-do/canal-history/history-features-and-articles/war-on-the-waterways/idle-women-the-land-girls-of-the-waterways" target="_blank">Idle Women</a>”, so there’s always plenty of common ground for interesting discussions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The following day Dave was head down in the engine room fitting a relay on the inverter and a remote illuminated switch for it in the bedroom. Because our inverter uses a small amount of our precious electricity just by being powered up, we only switch it on when we need it. Having a little glowing light switch in the bedroom to remind us will firstly save it being left on unnecessarily, and secondly mean we can switch it on and off without going into the engine room.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The next day we were up early and off down the Stoke Buerne lock flight. These locks were all built with side ponds; the really useful water saving reservoirs alongside each lock chamber, but unfortunately they are all silted up and none of them actually work any more. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPd7n6hCxxU" target="_blank">Click Here </a>for a youtube explanation of how side ponds work</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyTpyplYeluNeubZjulc6JgDuhg43Ej9dAsKsVNrw5qegfRSa07Fe0tb6vTNHp5AhwQwLES8xEesu0-nrv52V0G9pwMrqFWY-8xvimiHGvUUtjmwTREWP5CpqfnhQ4KTJ2IzCPbhKv8f5fvl2q7hszfqAcEm8XoNWSMPiL6GQceBKEQNUZem6M7Mge18DT" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="560" data-original-width="947" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyTpyplYeluNeubZjulc6JgDuhg43Ej9dAsKsVNrw5qegfRSa07Fe0tb6vTNHp5AhwQwLES8xEesu0-nrv52V0G9pwMrqFWY-8xvimiHGvUUtjmwTREWP5CpqfnhQ4KTJ2IzCPbhKv8f5fvl2q7hszfqAcEm8XoNWSMPiL6GQceBKEQNUZem6M7Mge18DT=w400-h236" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>One of the Stoke Bruerne flight's silted up side ponds.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />These days they’re all pretty little nature reserves and dipping ponds - which is nice. However, because the side ponds included the lock bypass weirs in their construction , now that they don’t work any more, any excess water - with nowhere to go - overfills the lock till it runs over the bottom gates.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFA3KbAmlBgospao0AoE1sYKI_1U_q24PXS7QylbDXjaqDMTlCs0u96R0tFsGcGlN5PZHFlXX8IxfuTDRa2zp5eP8ZaWFI-OdFdi2XpgV4vdPuiBlxTzy00pSt-nPWIC3G3PJX-X5JqiRUxuCOa1-hflT2E902izIRd7tYm3zT97IlfP5lDseICfKWOWO0/s4080/IMG_20231107_123327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFA3KbAmlBgospao0AoE1sYKI_1U_q24PXS7QylbDXjaqDMTlCs0u96R0tFsGcGlN5PZHFlXX8IxfuTDRa2zp5eP8ZaWFI-OdFdi2XpgV4vdPuiBlxTzy00pSt-nPWIC3G3PJX-X5JqiRUxuCOa1-hflT2E902izIRd7tYm3zT97IlfP5lDseICfKWOWO0/w225-h400/IMG_20231107_123327.jpg" width="225" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />That’s all very pretty, but without bypass weirs, when a boat is going down the flight, it can raise the water level in each lock - and the pound above it - by a good six inches. And when the crew of said boat are as slick and efficient as we have become over the years, unless we purposefully slow things down, the towpath below us can, to say the least, become a bit swampy. Local dog walkers in soggy casual shoes have been known to complain. It all sorts itself out at the bottom though as the little River Tove crosses the canal, taking any excess water with it down the overflow sluices. We stopped in the last but one lock while it settled down and while Dave transhipped some tools from the engine room to the car which we’d put in the very nice car park, then moored up at the bottom while he went back and did an oil change. After lunch we carried on to Cosgrove and moored up just after the Gothic bridge.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwk_3C0D0TWp0OwlWZEBL0Rnn1gyny2nacYRAqoY09DJIndNnCEPMXAACICHSsEGR0D2if0EjMOw8MK3v7A4dZNa7uP6Zy0XYw75tD3GyCB-d2EO7wW4SxP_L7xI2U2AbFABoJ6kfEYB8lvqGv2igmftuoXOiXXehs7moUPaLMVRt_AdRI4gxdLd8HkAEM/s667/cosgrove%20bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="667" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwk_3C0D0TWp0OwlWZEBL0Rnn1gyny2nacYRAqoY09DJIndNnCEPMXAACICHSsEGR0D2if0EjMOw8MK3v7A4dZNa7uP6Zy0XYw75tD3GyCB-d2EO7wW4SxP_L7xI2U2AbFABoJ6kfEYB8lvqGv2igmftuoXOiXXehs7moUPaLMVRt_AdRI4gxdLd8HkAEM/w400-h231/cosgrove%20bridge.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Strangely<span style="font-family: inherit;">, no-one quite knows why such an ornate and clearly expensive bridge was built here. This, from the </span><a href="https://www.cosgrovehistory.co.uk/doc/bridge/br.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Cosgrove History website</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> appears to be</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> the closest anyone has got;</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">In 1800 the two halves of the Grand</span></i><i><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">Junction Canal met here. Construction began at Brentford in Middlesex and</span></i><i><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">Braunston, Northamptonshire. It is said that a certain Colonel Solmons, 'Lord of</span></i><i><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">the Manor', agreed to the cutting of the canal on condition that he was allowed</span></i><i><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">to erect the necessary bridge. However the Lord of the Manor at this time was</span></i><i><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">George Biggin Esq., whose residence, Cosgrove Priory, is in sight of the bridge.</span></i><i><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">The proximity may explain the bridge's unusually ornamental appearance.</span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">Whatever the reason, it’s a lovely unique thing, and has survived a long and arduous life.</span><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">We took the car to Campbell Park in Milton Keynes the next morning and cycled back across the city to Cosgrove, using the <a href="https://www.cyclestreets.net/mobile/android/" target="_blank">CycleStreets </a>app to navigate our way along the <a href="https://getaroundmk.org.uk/cycling/where-to-ride/redways" target="_blank">Redways </a>and underpasses. Dave got a bit stressed because he hadn’t charged his phone, and he had visions of us of getting lost for weeks in the MK concrete jungle, but it was fine and we got back to Legend without once touching a road. MK gets an unfair bad press sometimes. Yes it’s all artificial, with it’s road grid and roundabouts and man-made parks, but what is natural about the countryside that we all know and love? </span><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">I</span><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">t might look pretty with it’s fields and sheep and cattle, but when all's said and done, it’s just a great big man made food factory. </span><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">A</span><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">t least Milton Keynes is honest about it.</span><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">Back at Legend we pulled the pins and had a chilly afternoon chugging our way down across the Great Ouse aqueduct, through Wolverton and following the canal on it’s course along the northern edge of Milton Keynes. We were heading for Campbell park, but after lots of tick over cruising past all the moored boats we ran out of enthusiasm and daylight at Bolbeck park and moored up opposite the iron Shire Horse statue on the <a href="https://www.theparkstrust.com/our-work/public-art-in-our-parks/gyosei-art-trail/" target="_blank">Gyosei Art Trail</a>.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-uZQDUfLQoX2oKK3ndO-84si8jVP4BYkf5XUn1no14NCjoQ_dUK8_mrMX0nbmhjVyMUQBcn6gMo5zE2iqUPV1iuFarwF0_QRvx3ZjzctEKIleyHNHReumzCaGtJWzwGBFNr90vS1jbv_tooDUxWmIqMTDfmUTF9_bjlvuULW-1NpXDzd4tGXs2q0rJd1/s3708/IMG_20231118_105138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1695" data-original-width="3708" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-uZQDUfLQoX2oKK3ndO-84si8jVP4BYkf5XUn1no14NCjoQ_dUK8_mrMX0nbmhjVyMUQBcn6gMo5zE2iqUPV1iuFarwF0_QRvx3ZjzctEKIleyHNHReumzCaGtJWzwGBFNr90vS1jbv_tooDUxWmIqMTDfmUTF9_bjlvuULW-1NpXDzd4tGXs2q0rJd1/w400-h183/IMG_20231118_105138.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />A<span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">ll the way through the city there’s no shortage of places to moor and the canal is always just a step away from MK’s huge network of cycle-ways and footpaths, quite literally on the other side of the hedge. Because of that the actual towpath sees very little footfall. </span><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">Y</span><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); letter-spacing: 0pt;">ou are aware that you’re moored in a city; outside the boat there is all the usual road noise and hubub of urban sprawl, but the only people to walk past your window are the occupants of the nearby boats, making it feel very quiet and safe. This was the fourth time we’d visited Milton Keynes and we’ve always felt happy here.</span></span><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; letter-spacing: 0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-14740375491842382642023-11-08T10:08:00.000+00:002023-11-08T10:08:11.040+00:00King’s lock to Buckby. Grand Union Canal (Leicester Section).<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">While Ann-Marie was still in Nottingham, Dave had another day single handing up the 18 locks to Newton Harcourt.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2WISzaJlvNNoTkUW_Z3vXTwEU_mDB7g42CcugQ68eywXzpJB1MSToFrEKKauRlZTBkQ-Q12p14ebKM5eZa3Qm6YNHs8NR8snq_yVN_EYOHrSWCK_LxL3_9octSkLUA_fqABKSAkCeGGP98kEFMpDAMmwXOMTW8TfUQf2iAVZSNaS88OIhVg-MEXKcff3/s2757/231018%2002%20King's%20Lock%20to%20Newton%20Harcourt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1669" data-original-width="2757" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2WISzaJlvNNoTkUW_Z3vXTwEU_mDB7g42CcugQ68eywXzpJB1MSToFrEKKauRlZTBkQ-Q12p14ebKM5eZa3Qm6YNHs8NR8snq_yVN_EYOHrSWCK_LxL3_9octSkLUA_fqABKSAkCeGGP98kEFMpDAMmwXOMTW8TfUQf2iAVZSNaS88OIhVg-MEXKcff3/w400-h243/231018%2002%20King's%20Lock%20to%20Newton%20Harcourt.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_am4oB2XSQgKlgxznRyRJKd6DyUh5prkhRYrU7dX08pskiha8YKmmXUoeCe4ja920YURchtXqGKTPEmo6hBr4GHerxS3l4TMlDEWWt8DgWd-q00AM0gMC-ATyoUPN6t1ga9LpiykFUqXnCHNGpCsWNs9mnN4Ki0PrWL2SXUchNzgbHAZsA-N3mpLGcSOZ/s3312/231018%2003%20King's%20Lock%20to%20Newton%20Harcourt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1636" data-original-width="3312" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_am4oB2XSQgKlgxznRyRJKd6DyUh5prkhRYrU7dX08pskiha8YKmmXUoeCe4ja920YURchtXqGKTPEmo6hBr4GHerxS3l4TMlDEWWt8DgWd-q00AM0gMC-ATyoUPN6t1ga9LpiykFUqXnCHNGpCsWNs9mnN4Ki0PrWL2SXUchNzgbHAZsA-N3mpLGcSOZ/w400-h198/231018%2003%20King's%20Lock%20to%20Newton%20Harcourt.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />For a few of them he was joined by Pam and Keith, a Kiwi couple on Nb Kune Kune, so that made things easier. They tied up at Kilby Bridge but fortunately after the next couple of locks, a local chap called Vinny gave Dave a hand, which he very much appreciated. Some of the bottom gates were inclined to swing back open after he’d shut them; the way to stop that happening is to hold the gate shut and slightly open a top paddle till the water keeps it shut, and obviously that’s a lot easier with two people. You can do it on your own by opening the top paddle then running back to shut the gate, but it doesn’t do the lock any good and it looks like panic.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dave tied Legend up overlooking Wistow church and the rural centre,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHotrBKiw823dFn1EPg1lBidpaTpcNuy0R4sZOf6eD24EIhiy6kFgqeKHCWSNE1t7sNxxihmi07L7asKPXjEd9LkO_LZo-0fn5TXTyydxfroATw5ZQJ-AzZrg7cJqDAjfEKxaZ483EJ5vFCXLJc794FD01JeCYDg4wxb6ujs40svSPKUhfvPLBXw54iAK/s1840/231019%2001%20Newton%20Harcourt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1840" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHotrBKiw823dFn1EPg1lBidpaTpcNuy0R4sZOf6eD24EIhiy6kFgqeKHCWSNE1t7sNxxihmi07L7asKPXjEd9LkO_LZo-0fn5TXTyydxfroATw5ZQJ-AzZrg7cJqDAjfEKxaZ483EJ5vFCXLJc794FD01JeCYDg4wxb6ujs40svSPKUhfvPLBXw54iAK/w400-h195/231019%2001%20Newton%20Harcourt.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />exactly where we’d been with Nb Matilda Blue when we‘d come up here a couple of years ago. It had been the beginning of summer then, with the little River Sence gently meandering between the sheep on the flood plain below the canal. This time the flood plain was rapidly turning into a very wide fast flowing river as Storm Babet drenched the country from top to bottom, and the bedraggled looking sheep were huddled in a bunch by the fence.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivd5LYsCMOeuR_cNc_ws9gkhTZMqbqzL1NmGHu2U4hCwWUp-v85PGZ_-X-usAOC2LqdApEy57gJcGG9e24u2BFZlmmUUG272ojec6SjidZ2VsVy1PdgRw4RF6FAFhrme6AR6oNUOxZYQRGBlRfy2kEuacYHRanz2E4JqJ_436cxHxDhU61PZQ7_wNFVdZs/s4096/231021%2003%20Newton%20Harcourt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="4096" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivd5LYsCMOeuR_cNc_ws9gkhTZMqbqzL1NmGHu2U4hCwWUp-v85PGZ_-X-usAOC2LqdApEy57gJcGG9e24u2BFZlmmUUG272ojec6SjidZ2VsVy1PdgRw4RF6FAFhrme6AR6oNUOxZYQRGBlRfy2kEuacYHRanz2E4JqJ_436cxHxDhU61PZQ7_wNFVdZs/w400-h180/231021%2003%20Newton%20Harcourt.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />While the weather was rubbish, Dave took the engine-room door off, planed it, straightened the hinges and re-fitted it with longer screws so that it shuts without us having to kick it, which is nice.</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">After two days of heavy rain Ann-Marie came home. The journey back from Nottingham was pretty horrific with lots of abandoned vehicles and flooded roads. Some of the water was so deep that one of the plastic inner wings got bent backwards and Ann-Marie was mortified because she’d broken the car, but it was quickly fixed with a cable tie and Dave was just grateful that she got back safely.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04H9xZABanBhLIi64adbUzIt-_FxPSdkcvSf9z_fD4xGK8vDdMvfGMT_D2NO33kbe2o61YXFgCE7uqMfJBnzjt5QfQp4vmVytQso7XNSUA3y0KcFNXd-Kv4y0tIvfVrffgFm3hZPPixva-Zm41aoYP20462CUQMVyM0smC5COHiyIKQ0aJLdPoJRMgNGn/s3828/231021%2001%20Flood%20Damage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1647" data-original-width="3828" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04H9xZABanBhLIi64adbUzIt-_FxPSdkcvSf9z_fD4xGK8vDdMvfGMT_D2NO33kbe2o61YXFgCE7uqMfJBnzjt5QfQp4vmVytQso7XNSUA3y0KcFNXd-Kv4y0tIvfVrffgFm3hZPPixva-Zm41aoYP20462CUQMVyM0smC5COHiyIKQ0aJLdPoJRMgNGn/w400-h173/231021%2001%20Flood%20Damage.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Ann-Marie accumulated a fair bit of foliage in the floods!</i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Our social media was full of stuff about flooding. Everywhere behind us there was devastation; the moorings at Birstall were under water, there was flooding all through Leicester, and at King’s lock, where Dave had been a few days previously, the River Soar had risen so high that it was over the top of the lock gates.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUUJJvPbxbNhjKjWC9pLU69J-SClQuqRpmRdjDt7kXzNIwbSG21ZkTCXjB14VV0hA0Y6HkjCOEIZkhNUFkVDiuhVZefZ29FGuKrDcpyFxBUvBjmreJkgu2eKCR7JdYrCGCz5LPJaWFaVJtAiBTuAdQOkECCPklqIq71ppFgGz_ukkfqxvK-xHiw6SpEcx/s1080/231020%2001%20Flooded%20Soar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1080" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUUJJvPbxbNhjKjWC9pLU69J-SClQuqRpmRdjDt7kXzNIwbSG21ZkTCXjB14VV0hA0Y6HkjCOEIZkhNUFkVDiuhVZefZ29FGuKrDcpyFxBUvBjmreJkgu2eKCR7JdYrCGCz5LPJaWFaVJtAiBTuAdQOkECCPklqIq71ppFgGz_ukkfqxvK-xHiw6SpEcx/w400-h315/231020%2001%20Flooded%20Soar.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">This isn't our photo, but it could have been if Dave hadn't moved when he did.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Getting moved was a really good call, and we felt very fortunate that we’d been able to do it.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Predictably, most parkruns were cancelled, but we’d got a busy Saturday anyway. First we went to Peterborough for lunch with Diane which was lovely; it had been far too long since we’d seen her and she’d not been well, but it was good to see that she was on the mend and looking good.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After that we went over to Bourne, where Bob and Mandy were staying at their old house - now Mandy’s mum’s - for dinner, then out to a Black Dog Ceilidh.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcuYptvDNV5xIEkjFoN65b99Hzv62TUPVbsHzA8fgNbyDSaj7hKgDOFSZ5_m_xYRRjxm0o_3mzQzJi2WDgw82sdO3Ww7xqjMCUUzdONdS6wLYu8Yk-ogjjA3_ay-hFmTkfRXVRB6GuNMFk4dUXVW5EZB0WmbMXiBxtLlWujxNgi5f1VawwQRy9Fl2_q23/s1532/231021%2004%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1532" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcuYptvDNV5xIEkjFoN65b99Hzv62TUPVbsHzA8fgNbyDSaj7hKgDOFSZ5_m_xYRRjxm0o_3mzQzJi2WDgw82sdO3Ww7xqjMCUUzdONdS6wLYu8Yk-ogjjA3_ay-hFmTkfRXVRB6GuNMFk4dUXVW5EZB0WmbMXiBxtLlWujxNgi5f1VawwQRy9Fl2_q23/w283-h400/231021%2004%20.jpg" width="283" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We were really looking forward to it because Glen and Holly were also going to be there...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZy_7pezf-ygwd9vdTuhOr_8NyRzqA1gx64wPgrKDyOk379K_0vQGP11p6mgktKd4aQJ44h5Udd_zDyDkqisWTG67Dfb3aJdSD37sXUFT8CMuwmVW1770rPuKEWqaFS4wzhydGtYOlB_SmidOxIn__HD6JPWy0y5mm6aEweoSoKeT_pYbZ4PrNTza78ak/s3198/231021%2007%20Black%20Dog%20Ceilidh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1383" data-original-width="3198" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZy_7pezf-ygwd9vdTuhOr_8NyRzqA1gx64wPgrKDyOk379K_0vQGP11p6mgktKd4aQJ44h5Udd_zDyDkqisWTG67Dfb3aJdSD37sXUFT8CMuwmVW1770rPuKEWqaFS4wzhydGtYOlB_SmidOxIn__HD6JPWy0y5mm6aEweoSoKeT_pYbZ4PrNTza78ak/w400-h173/231021%2007%20Black%20Dog%20Ceilidh.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...as well as our old Morris dancing side, Bourne Borderers. They opened the evening with a dance set and dragged us up to join in. Considering it had been 13 years since we’d danced and waved big sticks around, we didn’t make too much of a hash of it. The Ceilidh was really good fun and we were up and dancing for most of it, then back to the house for a brew and bed.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the morning, after Bob’s bacon bagels and lots of hugs and goodbyes, we set off for Smeaton Westerby, where we left the car and walked back to the boat. On the way we met Pam and Keith, who were working Kune Kune through Crane’s lock, at the bottom of the Kibworth flight. It would have been nice to share the flight with them, they seemed like a great couple, but they were too far ahead of us to catch up. Hopefully our paths will cross again sometime. Back at Legend we set off with lunch on the back deck and the washing on the go. We had a lovely sunny autumnal afternoon working up the locks and through Saddington tunnel, before mooring up just before the footbridge at the bottom of the Foxton flight.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Two days later, assisted by the very friendly lock keepers, we set off up the flight...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRYmFlfSS3QTvZQCAi2puo_5EJSJc7E5O_EZXNgbyQFzLk9foflNjKknDbJugDacRfXgAuQWRET-i7ceTxOH-fkzBZLmUn8WC4C85QRmzkHhOAf1yl2azwLgqn6REvWjhd3lLszm4bHdAmjr1FlJpPQ-SHm3uZe0l8vYlVDgcYX3tS-B7yvAKdVpwlrE7/s2902/231024%2001%20Foxton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="2902" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRYmFlfSS3QTvZQCAi2puo_5EJSJc7E5O_EZXNgbyQFzLk9foflNjKknDbJugDacRfXgAuQWRET-i7ceTxOH-fkzBZLmUn8WC4C85QRmzkHhOAf1yl2azwLgqn6REvWjhd3lLszm4bHdAmjr1FlJpPQ-SHm3uZe0l8vYlVDgcYX3tS-B7yvAKdVpwlrE7/w400-h194/231024%2001%20Foxton.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguqy6hPZBFnD8jBN5P5mtNqbRA_WoIuycR57QG40ydoGD9eMHKKzSzLeowHLHEOyd_lbzGSYs0AZn5tJfJpMizy58gzwN2dB9xYLULP5jsTnhYddB3ZFuh384EfCMoFWswQPyLPQgmd4LsUHKilmyc6yntWRQ_v0qSP4uiL495G3CaaweWdh-EyHTn2BsX/s3159/231024%2002%20Foxton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3159" data-original-width="1699" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguqy6hPZBFnD8jBN5P5mtNqbRA_WoIuycR57QG40ydoGD9eMHKKzSzLeowHLHEOyd_lbzGSYs0AZn5tJfJpMizy58gzwN2dB9xYLULP5jsTnhYddB3ZFuh384EfCMoFWswQPyLPQgmd4LsUHKilmyc6yntWRQ_v0qSP4uiL495G3CaaweWdh-EyHTn2BsX/w215-h400/231024%2002%20Foxton.jpg" width="215" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5_l9nP6y-nR2w2QsQkg8YV6EbD3GNtqhG5ov_bXAaHSaIn47Yi6EIVIS3jD1WPVfCJJmfh7GLRu8maKbFGFF9yNQgvH0rouDLAEd0hvyAEvKWuncpckCv4y2LQ4-TXo07kdjM9O2HDaoPsDCsXAAJl4GCbvQVx512Ue8Tc8YsqIiNfuYvwr5vswdw52E/s2419/231024%2004%20Foxton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2419" data-original-width="1316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5_l9nP6y-nR2w2QsQkg8YV6EbD3GNtqhG5ov_bXAaHSaIn47Yi6EIVIS3jD1WPVfCJJmfh7GLRu8maKbFGFF9yNQgvH0rouDLAEd0hvyAEvKWuncpckCv4y2LQ4-TXo07kdjM9O2HDaoPsDCsXAAJl4GCbvQVx512Ue8Tc8YsqIiNfuYvwr5vswdw52E/w217-h400/231024%2004%20Foxton.jpg" width="217" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5Es3UKMx8-A0ZqODpKy-ZRGeCXdSKV8DAs5RtrcUnRmithwv1R4wCpJvdrymNE3dAm4L6_N_SvdF0FUU8VKDlMEJFReZHdE3hG0ME2Zry4l83rkKIzQWCVqAts-6HRKf4TYQXFJSJTfhbUHqJlaXBGtiCXm8FLVHJXT1iOPG9cxzZhbw99DrU_ewyBU7/s1880/231024%2008%20Foxton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1880" data-original-width="1840" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5Es3UKMx8-A0ZqODpKy-ZRGeCXdSKV8DAs5RtrcUnRmithwv1R4wCpJvdrymNE3dAm4L6_N_SvdF0FUU8VKDlMEJFReZHdE3hG0ME2Zry4l83rkKIzQWCVqAts-6HRKf4TYQXFJSJTfhbUHqJlaXBGtiCXm8FLVHJXT1iOPG9cxzZhbw99DrU_ewyBU7/w391-h400/231024%2008%20Foxton.jpg" width="391" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFP5wKZJFLvvF_W4ioSmfeged4Uqhe-9hKI45ZBH__c_YEd9s3DiNKxb9RZTt9KlxQptnFtG-AaviseC1KkAxaHHvPYkiUVdLrLQDuInRJ9Qp3BQIsMQo5Kwr0aRfONUDg8hhaNg-NyY3DTYVL_n8cMLSU-s_6O-WW_uMCBXkFKTiappWi4IEByBLYgmRZ/s3965/231024%2010%20Foxton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1981" data-original-width="3965" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFP5wKZJFLvvF_W4ioSmfeged4Uqhe-9hKI45ZBH__c_YEd9s3DiNKxb9RZTt9KlxQptnFtG-AaviseC1KkAxaHHvPYkiUVdLrLQDuInRJ9Qp3BQIsMQo5Kwr0aRfONUDg8hhaNg-NyY3DTYVL_n8cMLSU-s_6O-WW_uMCBXkFKTiappWi4IEByBLYgmRZ/w400-h200/231024%2010%20Foxton.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZjth0eNeY1ZkkHhFIgCRcT8Ac83A5Fx2dSYpT-PzeblxGLSdGP7j2pJOVFePvGJhsf1TtaAOLtX0i4s6GcZ_iRCE0jtXocq0iJuclRn-bZdDNyT8tbPqA_XTvg2EiJ_gxIZ32lML4O8RFfnjO7QJ9rjCkG8UNA3EzDVUuXBRODB8q-nxFGKiKNUhz0sb/s3266/231024%2011%20Foxton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1757" data-original-width="3266" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZjth0eNeY1ZkkHhFIgCRcT8Ac83A5Fx2dSYpT-PzeblxGLSdGP7j2pJOVFePvGJhsf1TtaAOLtX0i4s6GcZ_iRCE0jtXocq0iJuclRn-bZdDNyT8tbPqA_XTvg2EiJ_gxIZ32lML4O8RFfnjO7QJ9rjCkG8UNA3EzDVUuXBRODB8q-nxFGKiKNUhz0sb/w400-h215/231024%2011%20Foxton.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...and moored just after the visitor car-park bridge, nose to nose with Matilda Blue.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OHwNqc-vDeWhQNjSpSiimW8zcapApvlwxLkft4c_B68WawcHbdrmQW0e0dRjzTiZ6pu_uiLjbCSoAQiAFGOenGuq1i0wSWv2-fcHvMefoBUCjoOGcLHGiWizrCAP_1vvKhTXYrR4ehZcLuiw1HW-wJl_bCVteozIIrpfTjBXY3HB3odrOXu9sEZ3rsx7/s2752/231024%2013%20Foxton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1745" data-original-width="2752" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OHwNqc-vDeWhQNjSpSiimW8zcapApvlwxLkft4c_B68WawcHbdrmQW0e0dRjzTiZ6pu_uiLjbCSoAQiAFGOenGuq1i0wSWv2-fcHvMefoBUCjoOGcLHGiWizrCAP_1vvKhTXYrR4ehZcLuiw1HW-wJl_bCVteozIIrpfTjBXY3HB3odrOXu9sEZ3rsx7/w400-h254/231024%2013%20Foxton.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Bob and Mandy returned just in time for lunch on board Legend while their heating kicked in, then we helped them down the flight.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BfHKo6GFzhiWYrcNFftn50etfTy88nKGe8xRgiogIKLaypMJxv3m_mtBfeYN6AsXGiXxy26lweV8HKN_YMr36omrRxZj_uZtzaMkFCfV2toVlvpxmV5a5M3igck1I065JnKAABIusUgDj_REzb9TWwXjXG2v8rUm_ZT5HG0eHvMKvNgjYX9-BDD5F5AL/s768/231024%2017%20Foxton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="768" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BfHKo6GFzhiWYrcNFftn50etfTy88nKGe8xRgiogIKLaypMJxv3m_mtBfeYN6AsXGiXxy26lweV8HKN_YMr36omrRxZj_uZtzaMkFCfV2toVlvpxmV5a5M3igck1I065JnKAABIusUgDj_REzb9TWwXjXG2v8rUm_ZT5HG0eHvMKvNgjYX9-BDD5F5AL/w400-h353/231024%2017%20Foxton.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the bottom we waved them off on their way to their winter mooring at Market Harborough...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYXff-m5M3AADOtf25jxXoFRbZ2reDO-lcjJ-SOHn_ph9MYi9264p2FkfrXTcyRv-fkDiBkruStG5RaNezDoAkiI-gwfN9g_CF5Cvw8hxdcYVhpRs3n-iWAkJZkMBS13VOK5dnGpS72qv1IJ0WjF8z7DRKccPasmFSav0A-fwzHzwyNnTlKfyYS12Jsks/s3185/IMG_20231024_152210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1322" data-original-width="3185" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYXff-m5M3AADOtf25jxXoFRbZ2reDO-lcjJ-SOHn_ph9MYi9264p2FkfrXTcyRv-fkDiBkruStG5RaNezDoAkiI-gwfN9g_CF5Cvw8hxdcYVhpRs3n-iWAkJZkMBS13VOK5dnGpS72qv1IJ0WjF8z7DRKccPasmFSav0A-fwzHzwyNnTlKfyYS12Jsks/w400-h166/IMG_20231024_152210.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, We know that's not the way to Market Harborough, but they went to get some diesel first.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...then with a celebratory ice cream we walked back up to Legend via the observation platform at the top of the inclined plane.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgW4n8hKqlNv6Ts5fzzdAjXRI4fGV2_lwb-Hf_41B_Wv1PXhacm2qb2xxzvkYv1SNWtAIyOrAZFEK5eBuRd5CUw8M7VXiJqH4hp7Mkn-mj5gBPythNzyJ3hQ32EYK_7sYKGB3hJ5YXhSJYEZWz2cqcLkheZioyhK06Xh__nto8MyOxtT5wbY1z71tp7bk9/s2513/IMG_20231024_153232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="2513" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgW4n8hKqlNv6Ts5fzzdAjXRI4fGV2_lwb-Hf_41B_Wv1PXhacm2qb2xxzvkYv1SNWtAIyOrAZFEK5eBuRd5CUw8M7VXiJqH4hp7Mkn-mj5gBPythNzyJ3hQ32EYK_7sYKGB3hJ5YXhSJYEZWz2cqcLkheZioyhK06Xh__nto8MyOxtT5wbY1z71tp7bk9/w400-h175/IMG_20231024_153232.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />All too soon it was time for Ann-Marie to put her bags in the car and set off back to Nottingham for the third session of her trial, leaving Dave to fend for himself for another five days. He didn’t have chance to get lonely though, that evening he re-united Bob and Mandy’s car with them and stayed for an evening of Bake Off and left over Ceilidh nibbles...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6XRTa8dkBBfGnhwexYaU8WNX9Ui0DQNPVztAlUrYF5QDSSAOZfooRV-jFsPKTcZyz90Mpt6XSz0BupmZ5edXEYwGtzdY2vAsg66NLtgDQH-BXMdwb3itzXZAF0PgG1iqBPLnhUaLylKbRmHrOpAF2Qu9jrzge5OI5JWIP5_Mp7Kc2cp699Up0vee0YSV/s1043/231024%2018%20Foxton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6XRTa8dkBBfGnhwexYaU8WNX9Ui0DQNPVztAlUrYF5QDSSAOZfooRV-jFsPKTcZyz90Mpt6XSz0BupmZ5edXEYwGtzdY2vAsg66NLtgDQH-BXMdwb3itzXZAF0PgG1iqBPLnhUaLylKbRmHrOpAF2Qu9jrzge5OI5JWIP5_Mp7Kc2cp699Up0vee0YSV/w345-h400/231024%2018%20Foxton.jpg" width="345" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...before wobbling home in the dark. Over the following three days he took Legend across the summit to the top of Watford locks...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9Ijmt07Am0WOBs4TnhI4eQl1Flh_BRrKZM_YGTCpgT43vnOVa99JYhma52tiW7qOKfO-MeIK-6m2CTs-iEIo4qCPywBie34SteRM2Tfs1bVHGPB0XSV3zElk7EYPBtBmnC8QcnZZMIDRsJKvoU1-fW7vRlMJh5POQ5BGG75h1vuEKL2_lJZFql8Y9vP_/s1285/IMG_20231025_081206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="1285" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9Ijmt07Am0WOBs4TnhI4eQl1Flh_BRrKZM_YGTCpgT43vnOVa99JYhma52tiW7qOKfO-MeIK-6m2CTs-iEIo4qCPywBie34SteRM2Tfs1bVHGPB0XSV3zElk7EYPBtBmnC8QcnZZMIDRsJKvoU1-fW7vRlMJh5POQ5BGG75h1vuEKL2_lJZFql8Y9vP_/w400-h189/IMG_20231025_081206.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Misty morning boating on the summit.</i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /> ...first stopping just after Welford Junction...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsGmf8EZ_0Vo4eVWlhXWdZg3UyTJi6Para3JTNBkCnyiDWpVOC36ar46gmzwuuZ4rOc4LEuv2q-3TmHZzGp_OiuwLNbbXNxBWT3DNTdLao7zybLLGdq6pEY-Y52f7Ow7i8irEYNkMb1gbZxYJY_MI3SwZxYLc8UQ610hIP8sYMQkFZpM28qsF7ESKzdkT/s2752/IMG_20231025_153404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1437" data-original-width="2752" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsGmf8EZ_0Vo4eVWlhXWdZg3UyTJi6Para3JTNBkCnyiDWpVOC36ar46gmzwuuZ4rOc4LEuv2q-3TmHZzGp_OiuwLNbbXNxBWT3DNTdLao7zybLLGdq6pEY-Y52f7Ow7i8irEYNkMb1gbZxYJY_MI3SwZxYLc8UQ610hIP8sYMQkFZpM28qsF7ESKzdkT/w400-h209/IMG_20231025_153404.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Legend hiding in the reeds.</i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...then again at Crick Wharf.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqQ8Gdrxym_Vyn4Izf_dkf6IGspcJXquxso2P9ZeA0-9wnQGuYaCaW9p5lWU8ZdH5pCnHlF6NrYizUFCj4NMGc9iLm-qIbSmLXXCqm76Ci419jRN3QxplHYUiGHfxkNvDBIMhVoBm3yyMkVx7q0PhogxMYXO6ojTJ71lguFFtjCF2UjUL27UERRbDMaX6/s2175/IMG_20231026_125409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="2175" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqQ8Gdrxym_Vyn4Izf_dkf6IGspcJXquxso2P9ZeA0-9wnQGuYaCaW9p5lWU8ZdH5pCnHlF6NrYizUFCj4NMGc9iLm-qIbSmLXXCqm76Ci419jRN3QxplHYUiGHfxkNvDBIMhVoBm3yyMkVx7q0PhogxMYXO6ojTJ71lguFFtjCF2UjUL27UERRbDMaX6/w400-h199/IMG_20231026_125409.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Mooring on the Leicester Section summit is really easy; there’s no shortage of lovely, south facing stretches with yards of Armco, the towpath isn’t too bad and there’s services at Crick (where there’s also a Co-op), Welford and Yelvertoft. If you were looking for somewhere to spend the winter tootling back and forth, it ticks most boxes. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Martin and Yvonne dropped in for a cuppa while Dave was at Crick, on their way to see their son Max in Manchester, so he made some scones...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXzwJPowiJIVWLx-FOTZoRTfGbpJFR9OOuGoU0REPDWlx0sieO_VxJqxoKxZBuOWPTnQARh1KSwi87Vhh_10a0SAfTeRuk_31KfLbZL0d7ck3-BHeT0iucunFb57756ldF1m2jrQbz4M6YwTvqNg9sF0Yo9-V1vASHQ2Gwnhjo6F7bzhGEW4xdFkanOfD/s3635/IMG_20231026_184333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1752" data-original-width="3635" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXzwJPowiJIVWLx-FOTZoRTfGbpJFR9OOuGoU0REPDWlx0sieO_VxJqxoKxZBuOWPTnQARh1KSwi87Vhh_10a0SAfTeRuk_31KfLbZL0d7ck3-BHeT0iucunFb57756ldF1m2jrQbz4M6YwTvqNg9sF0Yo9-V1vASHQ2Gwnhjo6F7bzhGEW4xdFkanOfD/w400-h193/IMG_20231026_184333.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Not a patch on Ann-Marie’s of course</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">...and had a lovely catch up with them. The pair of them were looking well, despite Martin’s recent spell in hospital. Recovery had been difficult, but thankfully he seemed to be over the worst.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The mooring at Watford is one of our favourites...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6s-8Mk9N1nWSmXXFdTSnwt_WPdNMsUSAQaO2QKKDcEXFJn31eL4i3NxKHO6bplcwXZQ__8y0HlNfjwzcIlQNQpLu6tX3jFMvLPJhXNMgmnUggX0laoeKprtEvI15OoI2l-m4a1pq57nyAeVUxWyOjBVd_EgN3L70svsmi85Us7y-w0uBmzzNMhZEIx8h/s3645/IMG_20231030_093101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1837" data-original-width="3645" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6s-8Mk9N1nWSmXXFdTSnwt_WPdNMsUSAQaO2QKKDcEXFJn31eL4i3NxKHO6bplcwXZQ__8y0HlNfjwzcIlQNQpLu6tX3jFMvLPJhXNMgmnUggX0laoeKprtEvI15OoI2l-m4a1pq57nyAeVUxWyOjBVd_EgN3L70svsmi85Us7y-w0uBmzzNMhZEIx8h/w400-h201/IMG_20231030_093101.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...there’s a lovely view out over Watford Park on one side, with a gentle hill up a sheep field on the other and despite the proximity of the M1 it is very peaceful. Dave was there for two days before Ann-Marie came home, he filled his time with putting a couple of coats of gloss on the side hatch lid, re-hanging the fridge door and cutting up kindling. He also had a rather hairy cycle ride into Daventry for supplies. He’d forgotten how narrow and muddy the towpath was between Watford locks and Norton junction, and had to get off and push it a few times to avoid falling in the cut.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ann-Marie came home and after an afternoon spent moving the car to </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Norton Junction and walking back,</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Dave set to work on our </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">pumpkin ready for Halloween in a couple of days time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyVwq35SqgN1-f6S96EPRzfkyJS0RF6e6uolpTxwf07JfLKQNdR4SLFb5GznbqQZBILlq5c6riy3m7-9yFPaC89bOgQlBY8zgdjyzkJU2WZojokw68zzgL-Lo3Kxk6i_t7D3w5Mya6yG1bMwozjiZd9rBdRiuAuCfPvCBgFCrSzNRMGjfcqakRZWi2mqL/s3425/IMG_20231029_193833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2080" data-original-width="3425" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyVwq35SqgN1-f6S96EPRzfkyJS0RF6e6uolpTxwf07JfLKQNdR4SLFb5GznbqQZBILlq5c6riy3m7-9yFPaC89bOgQlBY8zgdjyzkJU2WZojokw68zzgL-Lo3Kxk6i_t7D3w5Mya6yG1bMwozjiZd9rBdRiuAuCfPvCBgFCrSzNRMGjfcqakRZWi2mqL/w400-h243/IMG_20231029_193833.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAzhySCBkaPesKI5fllpKDSIsVM6lwKtJRYYRgddVPvoo3E9eR1SCkbZrdFyFbf5Zi-UEU3feiZNC9V-hQmKy3D_M9ckhIF_YHG2EaOI7EaGsCtUlSCP5Mn6isM-dQYU_GDclKr0kZPRUGITm-huunl125gWy3typCwyg6iZ4ha6PENmOW3dA0f4PdvaP/s2615/IMG_20231029_201750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1449" data-original-width="2615" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAzhySCBkaPesKI5fllpKDSIsVM6lwKtJRYYRgddVPvoo3E9eR1SCkbZrdFyFbf5Zi-UEU3feiZNC9V-hQmKy3D_M9ckhIF_YHG2EaOI7EaGsCtUlSCP5Mn6isM-dQYU_GDclKr0kZPRUGITm-huunl125gWy3typCwyg6iZ4ha6PENmOW3dA0f4PdvaP/w400-h221/IMG_20231029_201750.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The next morning we cast off, following Karma and Chalkhill Blue down the locks with our pumpkin on the roof and all the Halloween bunting in the windows.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx08MnglIMV157O-JHTGM6PS1QwFycNdNsAYnmjjGOHRhw3J3YsPEL4ZZqcMP5TstQi-K_6Uuqzc0O6I54Ew_xxLxDj29ui645nUcIA8_6GEvSr_dYKkHmI5nOqJXo7Bt8LzH1xYlCV74TCDUse2CtB3nOj8D5_um7mO4fxGPx5t5DIu1mqJLDvw8N0BZr/s3830/IMG_20231030_102806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2216" data-original-width="3830" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx08MnglIMV157O-JHTGM6PS1QwFycNdNsAYnmjjGOHRhw3J3YsPEL4ZZqcMP5TstQi-K_6Uuqzc0O6I54Ew_xxLxDj29ui645nUcIA8_6GEvSr_dYKkHmI5nOqJXo7Bt8LzH1xYlCV74TCDUse2CtB3nOj8D5_um7mO4fxGPx5t5DIu1mqJLDvw8N0BZr/w400-h231/IMG_20231030_102806.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmb99YULd0p53aXeAEg6OV5DBmG6y9lDAjkXJP5STNhHBIUzmUh2DgkSqKnxU_fnHsnxEHQ2WmQVWBECLm9bb-AqV0YDjUF3RALEZHH_cg29bTawExgCExyYdEfW6hEFawYgRhitJs6fGaTJbeFaP3HOC-V1nYb_R6JYn4USGe3IoG0k4WZfgiYvRgqiyH/s2296/IMG_20231030_113512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2257" data-original-width="2296" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmb99YULd0p53aXeAEg6OV5DBmG6y9lDAjkXJP5STNhHBIUzmUh2DgkSqKnxU_fnHsnxEHQ2WmQVWBECLm9bb-AqV0YDjUF3RALEZHH_cg29bTawExgCExyYdEfW6hEFawYgRhitJs6fGaTJbeFaP3HOC-V1nYb_R6JYn4USGe3IoG0k4WZfgiYvRgqiyH/w400-h394/IMG_20231030_113512.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0M4SQrgbP8OUPhD-KPohMBLYJyhQLLYhdqEfFe8SyeP_a6Bc3v4BqyHgzaGWu_ioo1dns7B19oiWFVJXV674-ScnDJfO-YYrK2TnnKxMu5acbzkCudZJ_j5L87cQM52TjNreJ8iOLzpd9wwIsxKL7PZENM7tT0DqfhN84n8HDmZgWG8v6v0ezPNjXQ3d/s3442/IMG_20231030_114520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1917" data-original-width="3442" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0M4SQrgbP8OUPhD-KPohMBLYJyhQLLYhdqEfFe8SyeP_a6Bc3v4BqyHgzaGWu_ioo1dns7B19oiWFVJXV674-ScnDJfO-YYrK2TnnKxMu5acbzkCudZJ_j5L87cQM52TjNreJ8iOLzpd9wwIsxKL7PZENM7tT0DqfhN84n8HDmZgWG8v6v0ezPNjXQ3d/w400-h223/IMG_20231030_114520.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">As we expected, there was no room to moor at the junction, nor between there and the New Inn, so we shared Buckby top lock with a little boat called Compass Rose and moored just below it.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That turned out to be a better place to be than up at the top - being closer to the car park and quieter - and although it was signed as a 48hr visitor mooring, we got there on the 30<sup><span style="vertical-align: super;">th</span></sup> of October and, unless there is signage to the contrary, from the 1<sup><span style="vertical-align: super;">st</span></sup> of November, all short term moorings revert to 14 days. That evening we sat down and re-considered our current plan. We’d been on a dash to get down to the bottom of the GU before the winter maintenance closures at the beginning of January, but it meant we weren’t seeing any of it and boating was becoming a chore that we had to fit in between trips away from home. Also the new ULEZ - which we have to pay a daily rate to take our car into - was now in force and extended out over the GU below Rickmansworth. So, even though being down below there would put us closer to Mum and Dad, if we had to get public transport for all or even part of the journey to see them, it would take longer than driving down from anywhere further north. It didn’t take long for us to scrap plan A and slow things down. We still want to go down and onto the Thames and the Wey in the spring, but we’re now going to do the bottom of the GU after the closures in March, giving us more time to enjoy the journey. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With that decision made we put the bird table up and settled in for a week. We needed to leave Legend while we went off for a visit with Anne and Andy in Bristol, and we needed a day to plant the spring bulbs and re-pot the strawberries, so Buckby Top lock was perfect.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As we’ve said many times, the only reliable thing about our cruising plans is their unreliability. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-71559936529292636722023-10-20T01:18:00.002+01:002023-10-20T14:31:03.167+01:00Trent Lock to Leicester. River Soar.<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">We had a lovely Autumnal morning saying goodbye to the Mighty Trent...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWt6fNhH_ospK3Xf9PvZ1EUEymW6g6w5lZ5WX5CCFD7fI1zApZRQQeeEeaX18m_2hq1TCYkGTIvHlFyQWYZ4x5HsEX0uzzojyn-LZqN4rSHbMGIsA3jWV_hAVwCoJ5D44OV4nizRU3TO3F18tliNUo7BDOVnBi9zGteWqnSETnK0qrpe4OqdjVqlwAcuak/s4080/230929%2007%20Trent%20Lock%20to%20Kegworth.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1935" data-original-width="4080" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWt6fNhH_ospK3Xf9PvZ1EUEymW6g6w5lZ5WX5CCFD7fI1zApZRQQeeEeaX18m_2hq1TCYkGTIvHlFyQWYZ4x5HsEX0uzzojyn-LZqN4rSHbMGIsA3jWV_hAVwCoJ5D44OV4nizRU3TO3F18tliNUo7BDOVnBi9zGteWqnSETnK0qrpe4OqdjVqlwAcuak/w400-h190/230929%2007%20Trent%20Lock%20to%20Kegworth.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...and boating up the pretty little River Soar to Kegworth...</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_by0SCTj_ICobzuqFQ6CIYuQx6UpASifUD-E5v05YAP8mZ_TqLhx1T-jcy5-nCEnE1ELeDiEC5OkzlJNY4rW3Q537I08rSa5mwFJPdga4tlLXfs2MVrmBalDv7i0SYQpYLAqQmIwKryYMlHdFIVyuBak6jMhLozFG0_jY6_-VLG8WLmVZfLUVwyEjvYb/s3189/230929%2009%20Trent%20Lock%20to%20Kegworth.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1388" data-original-width="3189" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_by0SCTj_ICobzuqFQ6CIYuQx6UpASifUD-E5v05YAP8mZ_TqLhx1T-jcy5-nCEnE1ELeDiEC5OkzlJNY4rW3Q537I08rSa5mwFJPdga4tlLXfs2MVrmBalDv7i0SYQpYLAqQmIwKryYMlHdFIVyuBak6jMhLozFG0_jY6_-VLG8WLmVZfLUVwyEjvYb/w400-h174/230929%2009%20Trent%20Lock%20to%20Kegworth.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCkOijG0v5LXNBEPTfCURApcUPgRVLG12YyCbZ5K1Zk2vvJexf9sSDEh6UQ2uXwgbWYUs_X-8a-zhMJKdtvyg9IJn9wUHFwmq5VOsjmhvCpA0aejOCcSVS4_QLaW5Vu7KsdJczDkLE2C7KnqkTNpi-rKSJSR3aRA4jG2DIMg5yI4KTIvY75KQTWOKJ9fCY/s3275/230929%2012%20Trent%20Lock%20to%20Kegworth.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1485" data-original-width="3275" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCkOijG0v5LXNBEPTfCURApcUPgRVLG12YyCbZ5K1Zk2vvJexf9sSDEh6UQ2uXwgbWYUs_X-8a-zhMJKdtvyg9IJn9wUHFwmq5VOsjmhvCpA0aejOCcSVS4_QLaW5Vu7KsdJczDkLE2C7KnqkTNpi-rKSJSR3aRA4jG2DIMg5yI4KTIvY75KQTWOKJ9fCY/w400-h181/230929%2012%20Trent%20Lock%20to%20Kegworth.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeSksdIX_z-maCkMOQ0gfdbVwY2O85cwBMaI_KVBy8am6p-46OyqqrAPYuUH6Z0kikceXtI5O2BvryKnYkUNyZBZWKf1zEIKqGIk918eru0FbVw9e47ALaUAqb4-e-zbp65RBWMrmNU0brSi0e9m4ox8mZdXsRxsoK3R80GItqv9aWUw6tDfG9NdxLo1Wm/s2961/230929%2013%20Trent%20Lock%20to%20Kegworth.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1404" data-original-width="2961" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeSksdIX_z-maCkMOQ0gfdbVwY2O85cwBMaI_KVBy8am6p-46OyqqrAPYuUH6Z0kikceXtI5O2BvryKnYkUNyZBZWKf1zEIKqGIk918eru0FbVw9e47ALaUAqb4-e-zbp65RBWMrmNU0brSi0e9m4ox8mZdXsRxsoK3R80GItqv9aWUw6tDfG9NdxLo1Wm/w400-h190/230929%2013%20Trent%20Lock%20to%20Kegworth.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>...where we moored up at the deep lock,,,</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTFtxgCtHGqm9g9bAOwdDdmmCfJ4SwWHSMbSDOGjuwDuJmPeuy82P5yXpxNoN-smaH_uURCpKsED0jmz4QWMBD9KVsJMmDUoV2vHiEsxPp8JUN5UnxvcPfw3B-5rrIaaKYT1EsEfEXrIhWwnrRVsEHP6zJR1L2ITNYaFvvAxYBXi_3R0pi7Y6oDZq50wZ/s3190/230929%2016%20Trent%20Lock%20to%20Kegworth.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1592" data-original-width="3190" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTFtxgCtHGqm9g9bAOwdDdmmCfJ4SwWHSMbSDOGjuwDuJmPeuy82P5yXpxNoN-smaH_uURCpKsED0jmz4QWMBD9KVsJMmDUoV2vHiEsxPp8JUN5UnxvcPfw3B-5rrIaaKYT1EsEfEXrIhWwnrRVsEHP6zJR1L2ITNYaFvvAxYBXi_3R0pi7Y6oDZq50wZ/w400-h200/230929%2016%20Trent%20Lock%20to%20Kegworth.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...then sat outside in the sun for brunch.</span><div><br /><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWH8TE4shYFmH0VMTCpaUvyIAufWMr3-YWEriEolldOLt2z-HgfgWCopYsl-bFN_zG3S_9YAlBWLZkadoVvpfBPnYelfC1HdsTezYOPWhtzEQRNve_qurGmXtVyXtChwjZwZW2-O4hf7wA3owPdheC__aVjOhsUSgXl2OmGKFwDe-Yfy36kEY_j1pi9G39/s2785/230929%2015%20Trent%20Lock%20to%20Kegworth.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1326" data-original-width="2785" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWH8TE4shYFmH0VMTCpaUvyIAufWMr3-YWEriEolldOLt2z-HgfgWCopYsl-bFN_zG3S_9YAlBWLZkadoVvpfBPnYelfC1HdsTezYOPWhtzEQRNve_qurGmXtVyXtChwjZwZW2-O4hf7wA3owPdheC__aVjOhsUSgXl2OmGKFwDe-Yfy36kEY_j1pi9G39/w400-h190/230929%2015%20Trent%20Lock%20to%20Kegworth.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>It's a hard life sometimes!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until the end of September, unless the river is in flood, Kegworth Deep flood lock is left open, so it makes a handy mooring.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From there we took Legend to Zouch, but not before we’d done a muddy parkrun at Dishley and cycled back.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Khzvw34NunnYbBhpZrlf5s5bj0JUmzOKUacSWj0Pb6mfH1YeOY7LA5nShp9dwCaLQOehI1i0dKj0St77kOQbqwGxmHxWspQ6TRSrHIXyJeD5ei8y8PJZ-mFLA-hcihevlMvtCt-9hGsCzE5rB9hVERjpppRguOU73lmJwhoggimIjH-9NQIRBQoK-YB9/s2129/230930%2003%20Dishley%20Parkrun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2129" data-original-width="1840" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Khzvw34NunnYbBhpZrlf5s5bj0JUmzOKUacSWj0Pb6mfH1YeOY7LA5nShp9dwCaLQOehI1i0dKj0St77kOQbqwGxmHxWspQ6TRSrHIXyJeD5ei8y8PJZ-mFLA-hcihevlMvtCt-9hGsCzE5rB9hVERjpppRguOU73lmJwhoggimIjH-9NQIRBQoK-YB9/w346-h400/230930%2003%20Dishley%20Parkrun.jpg" width="346" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Dishley parkrun was a little muddy</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSnVN6oSxJf4O7lDDbUIPbNmWpgvoevhIOboSjfkxwi2mErLpF0PfkeP86DEtCWuh_D8PMe6r8XDEzHwzjTbZjpDquUPn8x5_cSgX9HBOu7umDQHajDA3qaQMtWCz0GuzT1EY47NEeSWPyuCZ2f3ATzJOiNMO9TSjB5X5OF8t-gQ6_NeLWEBvZNAVn_P8/s3945/230930%2009%20%20Kegworth%20to%20Zouch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1937" data-original-width="3945" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSnVN6oSxJf4O7lDDbUIPbNmWpgvoevhIOboSjfkxwi2mErLpF0PfkeP86DEtCWuh_D8PMe6r8XDEzHwzjTbZjpDquUPn8x5_cSgX9HBOu7umDQHajDA3qaQMtWCz0GuzT1EY47NEeSWPyuCZ2f3ATzJOiNMO9TSjB5X5OF8t-gQ6_NeLWEBvZNAVn_P8/w400-h196/230930%2009%20%20Kegworth%20to%20Zouch.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>On the way to Loughborough. The Floating Pennywort is encroaching in from the banks.</i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>We had the feeling that Autumn was definitely beginning; mud was re-appearing in our lives and we had the first fire of the season that evening, although ten minutes after we’d lit it we were stripping off and had all the windows open. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The next day was the 1st of October ‘23 and the beginning of what turned out to be a two week Indian Summer. We took the boat to Loughborough (which we feel compelled to pronounce “Looger-borooger”) and made good use of the keb on the way, clearing the floating Pennywort out from behind the lock gates. Pennywort looks pretty, but it was beginning to threaten navigation on the narrower parts of the Soar.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJzxvdNjPj1CrNNEsKuBsjr6GVVi4Sl_IV85i2Wxhcx0le_0AHywRLcxzZ_Z-vwWwel_MGCZb9ySiqsmRf16P2T7ZHYbHIzKX_Ssxdny-rG7WZCpylycP2oqBGbE12EoiHWoRISSi4sBnvbhMNzN7HvvxQg_fx30Dvu1750DP9WGVeKmxxeQ7p__DPuLp/s3205/230930%2012%20%20Kegworth%20to%20Zouch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3205" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJzxvdNjPj1CrNNEsKuBsjr6GVVi4Sl_IV85i2Wxhcx0le_0AHywRLcxzZ_Z-vwWwel_MGCZb9ySiqsmRf16P2T7ZHYbHIzKX_Ssxdny-rG7WZCpylycP2oqBGbE12EoiHWoRISSi4sBnvbhMNzN7HvvxQg_fx30Dvu1750DP9WGVeKmxxeQ7p__DPuLp/w286-h400/230930%2012%20%20Kegworth%20to%20Zouch.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Legend trying to eat some of the Floating Pennywort.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWwgdEcFva1ZciuirIfqDnnAJUr4_eNQsL62ZnG9TXSdb3DRvj5ZNcu_XVAV8RXmQ9lSJo0VakDfzSmtsAVpfx40xV4QTPcIUtgccmLuP5Z6r0hOGUwuKr0EQyBzWhTwLgypW7z3EJSUCS12cLh7oHUKfGFVjK5EmVf29KTLzScP2F0CMRB4Nd8RZ6zJJ/s3150/231001%2004%20Zouch%20to%20Loughborough.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3150" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWwgdEcFva1ZciuirIfqDnnAJUr4_eNQsL62ZnG9TXSdb3DRvj5ZNcu_XVAV8RXmQ9lSJo0VakDfzSmtsAVpfx40xV4QTPcIUtgccmLuP5Z6r0hOGUwuKr0EQyBzWhTwLgypW7z3EJSUCS12cLh7oHUKfGFVjK5EmVf29KTLzScP2F0CMRB4Nd8RZ6zJJ/w291-h400/231001%2004%20Zouch%20to%20Loughborough.jpg" width="291" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>It's really heavy when it's wet, but we got a fair amount out..</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>This was in Loughborough, but it's all along the river.</i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We moored on the new bollards alongside the recently resurfaced tow path in Loughborough. In fact while Legend was there the top dressing got applied to the path and it now looks really good. That bit of towpath has constant footfall, there's always other boats moored there and it's overlooked by the houses opposite, so we knew Legend would be OK while we were away.</span></p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After a couple of days catching up with little jobs Dave packed a case and we drove the 13 miles to East Midlands Airport where Ann-Marie dropped him off for a flight to Belfast and another week helping Chloe and Sandy with the house build. Ann-Marie couldn’t go this time as she was in for a clinical trial, so we had a week in different countries mostly missing each other’s calls on Whats App.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The majority of Dave and Shandy’s week was spent up step-ladders making the ceilings airtight before the plaster boarders turned up the week after.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBH1MtqcLfSojm9JWD01XSbZhLWzrl56CxIZMWPlnvqf9cAHFk0tGRUWOIPFTHD03sykBGfhfGfQE6rWnhNIR0t4QRYnOtX2UrFyLii48mR4s06FQ2W-n206mgQwlztoZAicMFhqWfTr8Ch4t7G562JD_FZrh90L1_Yb-0e2qzgYbhYLF0WXhQEhXDMF_2/s2416/IMG_20231006_154643.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="2416" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBH1MtqcLfSojm9JWD01XSbZhLWzrl56CxIZMWPlnvqf9cAHFk0tGRUWOIPFTHD03sykBGfhfGfQE6rWnhNIR0t4QRYnOtX2UrFyLii48mR4s06FQ2W-n206mgQwlztoZAicMFhqWfTr8Ch4t7G562JD_FZrh90L1_Yb-0e2qzgYbhYLF0WXhQEhXDMF_2/w400-h173/IMG_20231006_154643.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">This meant firstly installing noggins and false rafters in all the edges where the internal walls and the real rafters didn’t line up closely enough, then stapling, taping and gluing an airtight membrane across the underside of the rafters and 100mm down the walls. The false rafters' main job is to give the edge of the plasterboard something to fix to, creating a solid corner.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2J8vkrM8Ptl93yS235Vp0yWRNwcNAup8z_UVBgpcx_HMW4GfWM7Hav2L5Wlbc5nZyWcGSAQl7BB4A_5gxREuYeK_9ubg9GgeNwrKwohKLn9ifi6p9ranJRc4W_tIzrse-WfG1uO44ww1zboB82py7xZ7ExtPWK5CRiMXThH32Rbo1nKRARWOq8-YSu8J/s2062/IMG_20231019_072206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2062" data-original-width="1715" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2J8vkrM8Ptl93yS235Vp0yWRNwcNAup8z_UVBgpcx_HMW4GfWM7Hav2L5Wlbc5nZyWcGSAQl7BB4A_5gxREuYeK_9ubg9GgeNwrKwohKLn9ifi6p9ranJRc4W_tIzrse-WfG1uO44ww1zboB82py7xZ7ExtPWK5CRiMXThH32Rbo1nKRARWOq8-YSu8J/w333-h400/IMG_20231019_072206.jpg" width="333" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Shandy also had the unenviable job of putting insulation above the membrane in the roof crawl-spaces that won't be accessible once the ceilings are plasterboarded.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoi3QQsEPLUBV114M18yKGTUiEOgj8itm6fGYVLpHX57d4oUu8ApON7VR2EAx8tobEh8zRUY2eVcJ2bVenJY0vB7B3r72Us3wqMKKFpGwibq0Ubde3fbAOvxiC066vIjUa2GjAithX7vV2yqOdw_c6DFnk6HXMzqhecw9IkX9tNTfZTDmyUAMQhoM7oAOO/s2290/IMG_20231009_104233.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2290" data-original-width="1840" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoi3QQsEPLUBV114M18yKGTUiEOgj8itm6fGYVLpHX57d4oUu8ApON7VR2EAx8tobEh8zRUY2eVcJ2bVenJY0vB7B3r72Us3wqMKKFpGwibq0Ubde3fbAOvxiC066vIjUa2GjAithX7vV2yqOdw_c6DFnk6HXMzqhecw9IkX9tNTfZTDmyUAMQhoM7oAOO/w321-h400/IMG_20231009_104233.jpg" width="321" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />When she wasn’t working, Chloe got on with applying airtight tape to all the door and window frames which was quite a mammoth task and had been keeping her busy for a couple of weeks already.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Airtightness is important because they have a <a href="https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Mechanical_ventilation_with_heat_recovery_MVHR" target="_blank">Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery</a> (MVHR) system in the house which, combined with the enhanced insulation qualities of the <a href="https://www.cement.org/cement-concrete/paving/buildings-structures/concrete-homes/building-systems-for-every-need/insulating-concrete-forms-(ICFs)" target="_blank">ICF walls</a>, the <a href="https://mixamate.co.uk/eps-epsinsulation/" target="_blank">Thermal Bead Screed </a>and the under floor heating from the solar powered air-source heat pumps, will make it a very efficient and comfortable house indeed. The final two-man job the boys had to do before Dave went back home was to put insulation up in the roof of what they are now calling "The Gym". Shandy came up with the brilliant idea of using long wooden sticks with a flat bit on the end. It sounds primitive, but it worked perfectly.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4Y4Z4lZCzbm0NvXaG3-PnfrM_vrF18aEEndYLfD7sBCBOgcO0HpEnd4ZsLI78pytmDNjrzDDsfbVMGNGH8-8MjgGGZAe91FaLuTVsJOcfSdKnIxJ85P7NExjZlC6FU1avSK1hsEHkBWavXzUQtMZ8yAX4ABtCwX5ddwDRHtlacnAsoQDI7xg1RuqIc5o/s2179/IMG_20231011_083439.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2179" data-original-width="1168" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4Y4Z4lZCzbm0NvXaG3-PnfrM_vrF18aEEndYLfD7sBCBOgcO0HpEnd4ZsLI78pytmDNjrzDDsfbVMGNGH8-8MjgGGZAe91FaLuTVsJOcfSdKnIxJ85P7NExjZlC6FU1avSK1hsEHkBWavXzUQtMZ8yAX4ABtCwX5ddwDRHtlacnAsoQDI7xg1RuqIc5o/w215-h400/IMG_20231011_083439.jpg" width="215" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /> There's an Instagram time lapse video of them doing it<a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyOhrLPrlc9/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==" target="_blank"> here.</a> <o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ann-Marie’s week consisted of packaging up some stuff that she’d sold on Vinted and taking it to various post lockers in town, then either consuming or binning the contents of the fridge, before packing her own stuff up and driving off for a four day trial. It was all a bit up in the air to start with because she was down as a reserve, and didn’t find out whether she was actually going to be on the trial until day two. She’d resigned herself to going home and was looking at flights to go and join Dave in Ireland, when she got told that one of the other volunteers had been rejected because his heart-rate was too low, so she was staying. The rest of her week consisted of the usual occupation of trial volunteers; watching telly and trying to sleep. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ann-Marie got back on Tuesday then picked Dave up from the airport on Wednesday. The pick-up would have been a perfectly co-ordinated slick operation if Dave hadn’t left his case on the shuttle bus, and had to wait for fifteen minutes in the rain till it came back round. Doh!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> As soon as we got back to Legend we cast off and began our trek up the Soar towards Leicester. It was still raining when we set off but we had a schedule to keep to, so Dave armed himself with the big brolly and some waterproof trousers and ploughed on up to river. He didn’t need the wet gear for long though, the rain eased off and we had a lovely afternoon making our way to Barrow on Soar where we moored up just above the lock.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8cUNTHo_SOdUp6ik2D-p1DRGX7xLfUAOsvCjADbRu0UdJWICEPoHXog0Dhchw1Bdf6WQipV_w-HTGP6x_aptawxt74P9Jo1JyHQxhRnRRiehUEgk7-xQiDPjp92lSnFXbGQMiuCTtr-yrsiLyAMK9fvzqA7JLteZar8-Cs5ck6cGpbTHvzsoukKN6daV/s1923/IMG_20231012_111206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1923" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8cUNTHo_SOdUp6ik2D-p1DRGX7xLfUAOsvCjADbRu0UdJWICEPoHXog0Dhchw1Bdf6WQipV_w-HTGP6x_aptawxt74P9Jo1JyHQxhRnRRiehUEgk7-xQiDPjp92lSnFXbGQMiuCTtr-yrsiLyAMK9fvzqA7JLteZar8-Cs5ck6cGpbTHvzsoukKN6daV/w400-h190/IMG_20231012_111206.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Approaching</i></span><i> Mount Sorrell.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFbWozKPhLTWPb6E1RN-RbsjZaJYDY1ChpKunTuD-ug8wN52bPY0vv35aqnQq1pYZqKkMmQEc5ePrjQGfqDx03mC7BaqTT-y4M-Wf9UsKF9nu517oDS6fApgXzuBG_gQl8zXQVs6c3IQfg8wrKaHoX14P5YvJAkgTiBcUbZ-Z1zkljlnsX2DzAS02cUIC/s3567/IMG_20231012_114644.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1668" data-original-width="3567" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFbWozKPhLTWPb6E1RN-RbsjZaJYDY1ChpKunTuD-ug8wN52bPY0vv35aqnQq1pYZqKkMmQEc5ePrjQGfqDx03mC7BaqTT-y4M-Wf9UsKF9nu517oDS6fApgXzuBG_gQl8zXQVs6c3IQfg8wrKaHoX14P5YvJAkgTiBcUbZ-Z1zkljlnsX2DzAS02cUIC/w400-h188/IMG_20231012_114644.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTyepJombgIr4bm0Qmdy7KH3JE6oC8bhxLHyW5nDbLxbnV2rNRRTNL_kYQ7W5lREE9wyAaXi_LyZUkHq0BgI4jXo2vuHd88A6kroFhekklZLV5D7vnBkflKM7DIwcAdm3zomG3vUVC7GzJtalvULLmdYKV1Ze87XpBrdmu-dfoS-4K2LubVUxRftbOxmo/s2062/IMG_20231012_135413.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="973" data-original-width="2062" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTyepJombgIr4bm0Qmdy7KH3JE6oC8bhxLHyW5nDbLxbnV2rNRRTNL_kYQ7W5lREE9wyAaXi_LyZUkHq0BgI4jXo2vuHd88A6kroFhekklZLV5D7vnBkflKM7DIwcAdm3zomG3vUVC7GzJtalvULLmdYKV1Ze87XpBrdmu-dfoS-4K2LubVUxRftbOxmo/w400-h189/IMG_20231012_135413.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The next day we carried on to Birstall via the services at Barrow. We didn’t see another moving boat all day apart from a trip boat that we met on a blind bend and only managed to avoid hitting by some hasty reversing by both skippers. Why is it always blind bends or bridge ‘oles?</span></p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The was only one other boat moored at Birstall so we got the perfect spot and went for a walk round the lovely Watermead Country Park.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje9t6LEz_3oeW672jr8KpZnMUonQL2zxDqG9ovVFLf7bHItyGEDsemPJseoQIz-vLz2QvuyW8h4Vu70v62_c7llZDMLWwy37Zv7viWSrqoWL6RimKXF_d1oNY_TZNNdzIppFleUNDQ1LHUiN-MtsSO0x7LjDU-JYAnGy0IdNlldH-Ow9_HsryRf1_i1N3v/s2685/IMG_20231012_162210.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1142" data-original-width="2685" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje9t6LEz_3oeW672jr8KpZnMUonQL2zxDqG9ovVFLf7bHItyGEDsemPJseoQIz-vLz2QvuyW8h4Vu70v62_c7llZDMLWwy37Zv7viWSrqoWL6RimKXF_d1oNY_TZNNdzIppFleUNDQ1LHUiN-MtsSO0x7LjDU-JYAnGy0IdNlldH-Ow9_HsryRf1_i1N3v/w400-h170/IMG_20231012_162210.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Birstall moorings. Notice how the bank comes about half way up the boat.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /> In the evening it began raining and didn’t stop till the morning, by which time the river had gone up a foot and was in the red on the marker on the lock wall, so no boating for us. The Soar is notorious for these almost instantaneous fluctuations in flow. It has a very narrow catchment area, so heavy rainfall in one area can cause a lump of water which quickly travels down the valley raising the level, then dropping it just as fast. 72 hours seemed to be the usual interval, which would be too late for us to get anywhere before Ann-Marie had to go back into the clinic. We’d had plans to get to the other side of Leicester in the next couple of days, but that plan got scuppered and we hastily hatched a new one. We decided it would be ok to stay in Birstall till Ann-Marie came out again then catch up with some big moves after that.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We slackened the ropes off allowing for a further rise, then caught a bus back to Looger Borooger. We treated ourselves to a conciliatory (and delicious) lunch in Olivia’s café then recovered the car and drove to Go Outdoors where we got Ann-Marie a much needed new coat. While we were there we got some Nikwax Techwash and TX waterproofer to treat Dave’s coat that he loves, but which lets the rain in. If the weather carries on in the same vein we’ll soon be able to let you know how well the Nikwax works. We then drove to Zouch and recovered our bird table, which we'd forgotten to pick up when we left, and then went back to Birstall. By the time we got there it was still raining, the river had gone up another foot and was only an inch or two off flooding the towpath.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSATof1qbdTkkls1WN_Q-7LfcT5ZfMefsPo5yTfJzJpp_pccNV54JJXvpoa8XTZwXpMOm8I4yQX33woirlI__2GO_0xSA38w9rUwg4z_sYJ0sd5tj2dRANFICWb8DIkdDaD0Y2EwBDbGC5qTcV_yTzNGciWJUyd4FiBCLefUaOOb5sNybj2XXrv-f2rVT/s2617/IMG_20231013_184227.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1547" data-original-width="2617" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSATof1qbdTkkls1WN_Q-7LfcT5ZfMefsPo5yTfJzJpp_pccNV54JJXvpoa8XTZwXpMOm8I4yQX33woirlI__2GO_0xSA38w9rUwg4z_sYJ0sd5tj2dRANFICWb8DIkdDaD0Y2EwBDbGC5qTcV_yTzNGciWJUyd4FiBCLefUaOOb5sNybj2XXrv-f2rVT/w400-h236/IMG_20231013_184227.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Birstall moorings 24 hours later.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /> CRT had issued a closure notice on the entire river from King’s lock to the Trent, so we knew it would be a few days before we could go anywhere. Through the evening, the rain eased off and we kept our eye on the river level. It began to fall before bed time, and by the morning it was back down to the Armco, but still a foot in the red. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Staying at Birstall for the weekend meant we could walk into Watermead Country Park on Saturday morning for parkrun, and then again on Sunday to volunteer for the junior run. We had the first frost of the season on Sunday, so we were wrapped up like Nanook of the North while the kids ran around the park, then back home for lunch with a fire and an afternoon game of Rummikub till dusk, when Ann-Marie had to go back for her second week on the trial.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the morning Dave kept himself busy with some boat jobs, including repainting the shelf/cup holder/box thing that sits on top of the rear hatch while we’re bobbin’ along...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8tHNc3-kfPEh8_wDlrEWY9jxY7QKoQPNIUmaVA2fOrQL0WIKgnYz77T48uBNsNmY0grRzKfh5qMkB67Ye-K3yy5XIR8MKwinxczyrk3COHczgyVmEfOY9M49hcB-uTIcMUGlrmBvR3Ezp-8-WKxFj0x-nEk-zMgP-qZN1KgBc_-_u0woMZpK0cZpghGp/s1421/IMG_20231016_092043.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1421" data-original-width="1168" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8tHNc3-kfPEh8_wDlrEWY9jxY7QKoQPNIUmaVA2fOrQL0WIKgnYz77T48uBNsNmY0grRzKfh5qMkB67Ye-K3yy5XIR8MKwinxczyrk3COHczgyVmEfOY9M49hcB-uTIcMUGlrmBvR3Ezp-8-WKxFj0x-nEk-zMgP-qZN1KgBc_-_u0woMZpK0cZpghGp/w329-h400/IMG_20231016_092043.jpg" width="329" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...and sewing up the top of one of the cratch cover zips that was letting the zipper come off, and had been bodged with a safety-pin for a month. He also did his first wood womble for a couple of years; last year we were moored in the wharf at Bollington and were using coal, so he had a year off wood collection and cutting. It was a bit of a shock to be at it again, but he soon had a little haul of hawthorn and ash under the tarp on the log pallet. Meanwhile the river was back down in the green and the rain had stopped.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In our Whats App chat that evening we decided that as Storm Babbet was on the verge of sweeping across the country and bringing more rain, it would be a good idea for Dave - while he had a window of opportunity - to set off and single-hand the boat through Leicester and get above the river section at King’s Lock. So at 7:30 the next morning Dave set off. It wasn’t a promising start; ten minutes after casting off, he managed to drop his aluminium windlass in Birstall lock. He had however, had the foresight to allow for this eventually and had put three jubilee clips on the handle so that it could be recovered with a magnet. Unfortunately he hadn’t considered the possibility of the magnet falling apart and losing it’s string, but luckily it got stuck to the hull so he was able to get it all back. By this time another boat had turned up to use the lock so he had to leave it. We have other windlii so he could carry on. Single handing was relatively easy going up the river through Leicester, the double locks all have very nice boaters steps up the bottom wing walls, so it’s very easy to hop off with the rope as you go in, then tie the boat up and work the lock without having to climb up a slippy ladder. The locks themselves are quite gentle, mainly because the baffles on the top gate paddles are mostly bunged up with stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_gqgRupmp5Ntj1JEkNyLZICrVzH6HMnt0bI1Mn7MBENHzVYkgkxhTwzLXBAWHb7NnmJ0VLpg7ghPsgxmvU04XDASrsl-ZqSRDlHzX7EKy1cNZSWYRToua-CYkDzqQhLuK4r4wWoUwuGjv-8XNifCIAyCxgXWlA-JBeLMGfuyBKBGB3U4kY2rPlc0H5ex/s3564/IMG_20231017_102624.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1629" data-original-width="3564" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_gqgRupmp5Ntj1JEkNyLZICrVzH6HMnt0bI1Mn7MBENHzVYkgkxhTwzLXBAWHb7NnmJ0VLpg7ghPsgxmvU04XDASrsl-ZqSRDlHzX7EKy1cNZSWYRToua-CYkDzqQhLuK4r4wWoUwuGjv-8XNifCIAyCxgXWlA-JBeLMGfuyBKBGB3U4kY2rPlc0H5ex/w400-h183/IMG_20231017_102624.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i> Passing the Castle Gardens mooring in Leicester.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekdXBnyapdh3gac3aQnZJqA-joyW8kTH8yJL7N8a39C4ObEAs2rbtx0WhxJ8aOWPrklRUEIsZBviTm9aL2Hq8x73ij2rIqhDxoh4Te_T6qni-WLPe2p-9qf70zsG-u6NNOIHfyj__Nx2PyYJxoy9rbEERBPuCHeLx2i9I7tRZEyZRVmKqPVq8c2Jnviuq/s2610/IMG_20231017_115056.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1209" data-original-width="2610" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekdXBnyapdh3gac3aQnZJqA-joyW8kTH8yJL7N8a39C4ObEAs2rbtx0WhxJ8aOWPrklRUEIsZBviTm9aL2Hq8x73ij2rIqhDxoh4Te_T6qni-WLPe2p-9qf70zsG-u6NNOIHfyj__Nx2PyYJxoy9rbEERBPuCHeLx2i9I7tRZEyZRVmKqPVq8c2Jnviuq/w400-h185/IMG_20231017_115056.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>A sad sight on the outskirts. This was someone's pride and joy once, and probably their home too.</i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dave had Legend up through King’s Lock by 12:30 and stopped for lunch.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH00KCXQHAptpyEjf1qwbPPsWe1lXQNrBOzCdwjuShIRbvA7sLV-MYO9uTE6y-k70dyhV3wyhc8yAM1S8p_C-MZNXBas2oEuTcxorbkm7a710piDQOYMjFkV5GAB2Arp6fR1_ReDwH6EP3__wHk6G8APYqLhLPniT77JVFC48IZ49B0ug61IQQOhTPIGpX/s3242/IMG_20231017_131340.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1628" data-original-width="3242" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH00KCXQHAptpyEjf1qwbPPsWe1lXQNrBOzCdwjuShIRbvA7sLV-MYO9uTE6y-k70dyhV3wyhc8yAM1S8p_C-MZNXBas2oEuTcxorbkm7a710piDQOYMjFkV5GAB2Arp6fR1_ReDwH6EP3__wHk6G8APYqLhLPniT77JVFC48IZ49B0ug61IQQOhTPIGpX/w400-h201/IMG_20231017_131340.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />After lunch he cycled back through Leicester to once more recover the bird table, and by the time he got back it was nearly tea time.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjm9DkPn9uqjLaQsyeThKxuTlRvXzlsm4PbThq7WbXaqJhHyKrfHFYIVFjIx5uCFwVWW2CWdJP07xSpaFl0y_3K2sGDHCkKsMl2l2C1q87pdv-OiA5UyuNvVb17pwF9B4yXjv8YDbRopew0R9z_UxLWbOW6YFe3Zy3rVe4D4CBA3qji9Zxd08-1LMca2pE/s2261/IMG_20231017_170513.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2261" data-original-width="1840" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjm9DkPn9uqjLaQsyeThKxuTlRvXzlsm4PbThq7WbXaqJhHyKrfHFYIVFjIx5uCFwVWW2CWdJP07xSpaFl0y_3K2sGDHCkKsMl2l2C1q87pdv-OiA5UyuNvVb17pwF9B4yXjv8YDbRopew0R9z_UxLWbOW6YFe3Zy3rVe4D4CBA3qji9Zxd08-1LMca2pE/w325-h400/IMG_20231017_170513.jpg" width="325" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>We call this one "Bike with Bird Table"</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We’re going to have find a fool-proof <i>aide memoir</i> to stop that happening.</span><p></p></div></div>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-52946098623773791322023-10-03T13:06:00.003+01:002023-10-03T13:14:14.589+01:00Fradley to Trent Lock. Trent and Mersey Canal. River Trent.<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Saturday morning at Fradley was really busy, and a taste of things to come. We’d looked at CRT’s program of winter maintenance closures and worked out that if we wanted to be on the river Wey next spring, we had to be south of Denham Deep lock on the GU before January, when it shut till March, effectively cutting off our journey south. So we really had to get some serious boating in over the next three months. Of course in the working days, Mr and Mrs Boatman, along with their eight year old son and a horse, could have done that journey in a week. However they weren’t well known for having much of a social life, nor were they uncontrollably addicted to flying off to other countries at the drop of a hat to see their grandchildren.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We were up early, up Fradley Junction lock, winded in the junction (trying not to squash the yoghurt pot that was moored there...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyJpWv7r-0z82xfudEoCPqlhApE6clnnCL_mQl33OZmFTUoyOqYP9MGI7jZgW59xoznC-38woviQAeN9wcK6Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...and back down to our mooring before eight, then cycled into Lichfield for parkrun.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2XPkHQ8e2LCSNQhogJFNgUulMv-gT6ead7nv5-TZmG4rs1XmIvMMkjTTw1ia51doandbKxFnUHWVjEu9V6dfHGbuWJrbDTiYS_8FSbnND-1WwlUcYCYIArFYkMDJQryaWy6jCNSXms2eQdGzxWXBFQooq187JkhcbggA33aXe-LLwOuRZpnGDS2xkfsd/s3769/230902%2005%20Fradley%20Turnaround.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3769" data-original-width="1840" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2XPkHQ8e2LCSNQhogJFNgUulMv-gT6ead7nv5-TZmG4rs1XmIvMMkjTTw1ia51doandbKxFnUHWVjEu9V6dfHGbuWJrbDTiYS_8FSbnND-1WwlUcYCYIArFYkMDJQryaWy6jCNSXms2eQdGzxWXBFQooq187JkhcbggA33aXe-LLwOuRZpnGDS2xkfsd/w195-h400/230902%2005%20Fradley%20Turnaround.jpg" width="195" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />As soon as we got back, we were off down the locks to Alrewas where we moored just above Bagnal lock, a couple of boats ahead of Dire Straits.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcEtBSp01SeB2t4uRJV6hf4_iVIHgiWf1gqX_C0mubFSYr3HFd327Hxf1pA7R-wu4eVg1cEkQZXn-m0ex9fLAsLnw8DF33tb2fIGJ89zgzJR7MgbmZJKf35iyItWPhTlxmrcHI3Qui0AD2dkx1QE9uHCY3y_kFWlLiqziE7m4PJEM4x-5WTLoEQM3Jnu0/s2733/230902%2008%20Alrewas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1273" data-original-width="2733" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcEtBSp01SeB2t4uRJV6hf4_iVIHgiWf1gqX_C0mubFSYr3HFd327Hxf1pA7R-wu4eVg1cEkQZXn-m0ex9fLAsLnw8DF33tb2fIGJ89zgzJR7MgbmZJKf35iyItWPhTlxmrcHI3Qui0AD2dkx1QE9uHCY3y_kFWlLiqziE7m4PJEM4x-5WTLoEQM3Jnu0/w400-h186/230902%2008%20Alrewas.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7QbMp6za2dt2NFpo6zudx6KmPqVr5tH5FiBL732Pogua-ia2iNglSweITK6vIVCdFqOWyYO5dUiSxhV0XkCRT9Mk9PvN0W2Ia0feSPsM6DFh7NWQB_F8LwM-OPIP33PN3CNWXJ9Lh3fffutebOVEHHNpflVHkKz1T-JHIa4c5SlTMIGkEqsPrOmVcPxN/s1189/230915%2001%20Alrewas%20to%20Shobnall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="1189" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7QbMp6za2dt2NFpo6zudx6KmPqVr5tH5FiBL732Pogua-ia2iNglSweITK6vIVCdFqOWyYO5dUiSxhV0XkCRT9Mk9PvN0W2Ia0feSPsM6DFh7NWQB_F8LwM-OPIP33PN3CNWXJ9Lh3fffutebOVEHHNpflVHkKz1T-JHIa4c5SlTMIGkEqsPrOmVcPxN/w400-h204/230915%2001%20Alrewas%20to%20Shobnall.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRKZAqvqcHvsz7zDB8G5Kx9mfaQlmXwiySU0pcQODNGIgjPqSZxkrVuc-IkL8t_FzS5PVg7caHU1bPoL6zJJrvfQqdqHU1-c9NH7p2d5rp25NCvvpf2xTmPDlPhHrtJVrt3pCr_aNEIiL0FjNibWxeSYOyN9tIVglzi6UuG-MvDsu9n1aEiFesle7avblf/s4080/230902%2010%20Alrewas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2127" data-original-width="4080" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRKZAqvqcHvsz7zDB8G5Kx9mfaQlmXwiySU0pcQODNGIgjPqSZxkrVuc-IkL8t_FzS5PVg7caHU1bPoL6zJJrvfQqdqHU1-c9NH7p2d5rp25NCvvpf2xTmPDlPhHrtJVrt3pCr_aNEIiL0FjNibWxeSYOyN9tIVglzi6UuG-MvDsu9n1aEiFesle7avblf/w400-h209/230902%2010%20Alrewas.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />We fitted some bacon butties in-between showering, hanging out the washing and sorting the plant watering gizmo out, then went over for a goodbye chat with Jim & Jenn. Hopefully we won’t have to wait another six years before we catch up with them again. The afternoon was spent packing for ten days in Ireland on the building site.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The next day Ken was having his 70<sup><span style="vertical-align: super;">th</span></sup> birthday Sunday Lunch Party in a pub in Fleet, which was conveniently on our way to the airport, so we locked Legend up, put our luggage in the car and headed south. On the way we stopped in Solihull to volunteer for junior parkrun, and Karen’s to say hello and pick up our post. Ken’s party was a hoot.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-84CX54xzs3zzOIPnZBPbUTWLRl3sSpNwBzkkHFUZ8RKDASU6TlrM2ztA1H2q9_T3_rMXPK3xrWlPcAg7oLj8YOyvC2pF_t3Q6zMTbeBs_OPolkOs9xJeeQq5BDlwZktoPSRYctciTuZgrExHn9L_yYazKxCYpZ-DZLcdH8A4IDZrFzwXGm8wggWmPIi/s2296/230903%2002%20Ken's%2070th.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2170" data-original-width="2296" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-84CX54xzs3zzOIPnZBPbUTWLRl3sSpNwBzkkHFUZ8RKDASU6TlrM2ztA1H2q9_T3_rMXPK3xrWlPcAg7oLj8YOyvC2pF_t3Q6zMTbeBs_OPolkOs9xJeeQq5BDlwZktoPSRYctciTuZgrExHn9L_yYazKxCYpZ-DZLcdH8A4IDZrFzwXGm8wggWmPIi/w400-h378/230903%2002%20Ken's%2070th.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGtyi_Chh_Wrlel-hRF9jDmho-NDvZjNI9dOtEIe7uIlVMa4hSy3QMPcdzjI8SHaepOWoraRNlIJnS6bhvqwrsHnPDUdm1cXKb18V-ujhbWOF2eEbPjz-DTmltXTsfEHWWxBV6Af3YbH60IxCCbWcp1qItxPDwAGgRo5He8K2WdICD90miw6rjvuqsvdMm/s3630/230903%2006%20Ken's%2070th.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2150" data-original-width="3630" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGtyi_Chh_Wrlel-hRF9jDmho-NDvZjNI9dOtEIe7uIlVMa4hSy3QMPcdzjI8SHaepOWoraRNlIJnS6bhvqwrsHnPDUdm1cXKb18V-ujhbWOF2eEbPjz-DTmltXTsfEHWWxBV6Af3YbH60IxCCbWcp1qItxPDwAGgRo5He8K2WdICD90miw6rjvuqsvdMm/w400-h238/230903%2006%20Ken's%2070th.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />We were on the boater’s table which was fun, and it was really good to see Ken and Annie with all their friends and family around them. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>We went from there to North Camp train station, where we found a very convenient parking spot right next to the platform, and caught the train to Gatwick. Chloe and Matilda had been in the UK and had managed to get on the same flight as us so we had a lovely meet up in the airport. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT75Ha6-ANS3Y2JiQrriJbNE9cV1FTjdMvfj95_CzzWXshmK119sGpFplo4CWjuFHP5Gx9-Eyg9Qi8J3py0Wxl2CT2_-lFVFkT11dtgQzWKXb_cJxQY_jUc-fd-Ec_BJe2aK-hZrC-y9QH0qtcsnWHOxyK798Ibgmd1jOpxJ2u7S-hv0-VvkhA0oLidpAK/s3804/230903%2007%20Gatwick%20Airport.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2645" data-original-width="3804" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT75Ha6-ANS3Y2JiQrriJbNE9cV1FTjdMvfj95_CzzWXshmK119sGpFplo4CWjuFHP5Gx9-Eyg9Qi8J3py0Wxl2CT2_-lFVFkT11dtgQzWKXb_cJxQY_jUc-fd-Ec_BJe2aK-hZrC-y9QH0qtcsnWHOxyK798Ibgmd1jOpxJ2u7S-hv0-VvkhA0oLidpAK/w400-h279/230903%2007%20Gatwick%20Airport.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><br /></span>The flight was delayed, but otherwise uneventful, and we were tucked up in the caravan in Randalstown in no time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The house had come on in leaps and bounds since we were last there with the roof and solar panels finished, the first fix plumbing and electrics done and the heat recovery system installed, plus, in the previous couple of days, the insulated concrete sub-floor had been poured.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKJDInO_uaoRQ4v-Imc2r8OD45NjXOIFlGFzdtAxcMKhFeBIYeYxuvGEDQ51PiswqEbOqyXvizFAEXX3lHBtaXlzmM4DSHENHi9Li4HcRbhWl7luhcsZdG4hEnEz1b35B5HNS4CcHrM6c9aXQABFxA-ij7-9nh5f3fTgHigN6Fndt9Q0rboxJIoiE2DyH/s3059/230904%2006%20Randalstown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3059" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKJDInO_uaoRQ4v-Imc2r8OD45NjXOIFlGFzdtAxcMKhFeBIYeYxuvGEDQ51PiswqEbOqyXvizFAEXX3lHBtaXlzmM4DSHENHi9Li4HcRbhWl7luhcsZdG4hEnEz1b35B5HNS4CcHrM6c9aXQABFxA-ij7-9nh5f3fTgHigN6Fndt9Q0rboxJIoiE2DyH/w300-h400/230904%2006%20Randalstown.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxErUO7MERjZ0ubrNjIR9LxYYDynt5T1NPcN1MO8WL1JcTW6WLzWr4Wv0qKaIGO2B2nF_v9BtbxpyzQThJdbupALY2d8mGUE0Ycd0gLOUybHLpP5g2Fz7CaUQz_5QyNlHvizSATM8qNmm2yPSEsrmL6iJyeZ0Qu15akD_sLpn0qqPXUQ6SE8EWHIQwqDX/s3778/230904%2007%20Randalstown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2008" data-original-width="3778" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxErUO7MERjZ0ubrNjIR9LxYYDynt5T1NPcN1MO8WL1JcTW6WLzWr4Wv0qKaIGO2B2nF_v9BtbxpyzQThJdbupALY2d8mGUE0Ycd0gLOUybHLpP5g2Fz7CaUQz_5QyNlHvizSATM8qNmm2yPSEsrmL6iJyeZ0Qu15akD_sLpn0qqPXUQ6SE8EWHIQwqDX/w400-h213/230904%2007%20Randalstown.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZFRCDwdXm9RKy6VgJFEq7hmIeeNUEkbukfKbjfFkif307eEN1y5w9i_sr7j7quqgtToberu1T_qI2R-_keEbhME9TJg6vMVTqQd2kboga88yMD4_UVypukh5mz3Nb1qhLw9ROk3mM-m6hov3DQfg9YgNP55s1bkQF4eXeTNvjWrWsIG2Ko4ReLijthaz/s1080/230904%2011%20Randalstown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1080" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZFRCDwdXm9RKy6VgJFEq7hmIeeNUEkbukfKbjfFkif307eEN1y5w9i_sr7j7quqgtToberu1T_qI2R-_keEbhME9TJg6vMVTqQd2kboga88yMD4_UVypukh5mz3Nb1qhLw9ROk3mM-m6hov3DQfg9YgNP55s1bkQF4eXeTNvjWrWsIG2Ko4ReLijthaz/w400-h233/230904%2011%20Randalstown.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />We’d seen all the photos and stuff on Instagram and such, but walking round inside it was a whole different thing. Chloe and Shandy have worked so hard to get to where they are and they’re doing it all with two full time jobs, two small kids, two rabbits and a dog in a static caravan. We’re incredibly proud of them. During the ten days that we were there there was another giant leap forward with the windows, the sub-floor vapour barrier, the under floor heating pipes, and the screed going in.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qSAREJpJWlewY7Xc7l94qLXzLbguOwvQI8gQlamAYjN5Q88wD8y9fDx24OFFmUVvrfU8vvtr4w0OP3oj78ziCMOFOXa_YnuOdfM9JFqLNp8gftlsVtXZl1vwk9A0hB9_O-Y8GhEuCBya5iq0shOK1N4svD5icNqemn8IUoBSQu-j0tONLMalmiRxbbqO/s4096/230905%2003%20Randalstown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="4096" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qSAREJpJWlewY7Xc7l94qLXzLbguOwvQI8gQlamAYjN5Q88wD8y9fDx24OFFmUVvrfU8vvtr4w0OP3oj78ziCMOFOXa_YnuOdfM9JFqLNp8gftlsVtXZl1vwk9A0hB9_O-Y8GhEuCBya5iq0shOK1N4svD5icNqemn8IUoBSQu-j0tONLMalmiRxbbqO/w400-h180/230905%2003%20Randalstown.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8zqdMC877_fMRyjBQmVUuzsXvu28LRkzXaToCQyApRhE-ithGkwdrOw2MIWMyuE-XemkrNryIFfdv7zpql7TXcsz5b-1xFLQU_Fd8EjAjaKYPF9-2sUQR-bfJw8djYyVOtX5KCFPh50CiDxoCwg96o6McOirENfHIvcBMs0SvGwLA5RFsviiD0XeKo7Q/s2094/230907%2011%20Randalstown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2094" data-original-width="1168" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8zqdMC877_fMRyjBQmVUuzsXvu28LRkzXaToCQyApRhE-ithGkwdrOw2MIWMyuE-XemkrNryIFfdv7zpql7TXcsz5b-1xFLQU_Fd8EjAjaKYPF9-2sUQR-bfJw8djYyVOtX5KCFPh50CiDxoCwg96o6McOirENfHIvcBMs0SvGwLA5RFsviiD0XeKo7Q/w223-h400/230907%2011%20Randalstown.jpg" width="223" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECrKyAWFz6RSq5POSXJDX5RUI7YZ6QUrPoSAtFBnHxbJLlOh4I_udBAigk6xb8nMkTkB3dNLzPEMzM6UlY9CC09YwLsJcLPLgoGv8oOtXXkIaeoBR9ZKxXBbBKsMfjpi7iwE67iSgGqQIIFGWWzlq99i5FjRYTGNrdT4kdcdkgktDxFQPQ4oc9-d85vRp/s2592/230910%2020%20Randalstown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="2592" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECrKyAWFz6RSq5POSXJDX5RUI7YZ6QUrPoSAtFBnHxbJLlOh4I_udBAigk6xb8nMkTkB3dNLzPEMzM6UlY9CC09YwLsJcLPLgoGv8oOtXXkIaeoBR9ZKxXBbBKsMfjpi7iwE67iSgGqQIIFGWWzlq99i5FjRYTGNrdT4kdcdkgktDxFQPQ4oc9-d85vRp/w400-h180/230910%2020%20Randalstown.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjVf5oNrnMM-sCEv8PRoD29axa4SsGCYq46yj9za6h1RdWM_WS7IsAkg_FVhpKoaShmI6yNwb3zGcLBNehEg1GO1y7uEiQiud3F_mQbdK6R5kkPMuWJiXzRyxe3YAYETvbMsAf58bZ1C34JycPgOvHhFnDni2M5-ABLdSXtHOBdf3LjprZPYgpTqCKD31h/s2251/230910%2022%20Randalstown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2251" data-original-width="1168" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjVf5oNrnMM-sCEv8PRoD29axa4SsGCYq46yj9za6h1RdWM_WS7IsAkg_FVhpKoaShmI6yNwb3zGcLBNehEg1GO1y7uEiQiud3F_mQbdK6R5kkPMuWJiXzRyxe3YAYETvbMsAf58bZ1C34JycPgOvHhFnDni2M5-ABLdSXtHOBdf3LjprZPYgpTqCKD31h/w208-h400/230910%2022%20Randalstown.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwYdlHEAwQFNt3sdwA7ss3T5uwzF9TDNRVva5MnBBuaLzLopyq2pXuXaJRo_mM2TWMXUiy-2QXDCTv_XPa9mQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />Despite meticulous planning on Chloe’s behalf, there was one morning when the window fitters - who had to come back with some re-sized panes - arrived two hours after the concrete mixer full of screed, by which time the pour was well underway. So we had the bizarre situation of the mixer lorry driver helping the window fitters lift the last big double glazed unit into the sun room, while the flooring guys waited patiently to fill it with the custard-like screed, which wasn’t exactly the plan. (They’re decidedly un-impressed with the window fitters, but everything will get sorted in the end.)</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>While Dave was busy building stud walls and laying DPM in the house,</span> Ann-Marie was busy having fun, fun, fun with Matilda (who was only at pre-school for a couple of hours a day) and Caleb when they came home from school.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvA3UPb0ipauhsnqAXQcix8JUOkvVh6Y_mpbppzajn9ANYmcCrkK4XtLOmT0IBnxq47QRN4GfRDdiw4EMA0jGF4XlqHBwezV43wAQUlDPzTJvwAOqED_qttFmd57QnuZM7Ny6JJs9pLljLGNCiERH2vcnmreUb0C66-HpSlysYX6wtwYla5-SUUDqMrGXL/s2027/230907%2009%20Randalstown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2027" data-original-width="1168" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvA3UPb0ipauhsnqAXQcix8JUOkvVh6Y_mpbppzajn9ANYmcCrkK4XtLOmT0IBnxq47QRN4GfRDdiw4EMA0jGF4XlqHBwezV43wAQUlDPzTJvwAOqED_qttFmd57QnuZM7Ny6JJs9pLljLGNCiERH2vcnmreUb0C66-HpSlysYX6wtwYla5-SUUDqMrGXL/w230-h400/230907%2009%20Randalstown.jpg" width="230" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_54W7du7DRc-513SPudWq4wBwhHdm9Q5IyTSvMTvX4L7rGrNWF3ffkV_hUhUJL-A-dFt2XtQjwN4Yeg41fTWqAi1k9cTjGxeQCPam0s-l8EEwHzmnxSF5bntbemA2JBFXJ5MICWtN1RlGm1JrS3ZsHl_yymX9KwYGWl3ygxUvryfr298PIKXsZUOfjP89/s3536/230910%2017%20Randalstown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3536" data-original-width="1840" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_54W7du7DRc-513SPudWq4wBwhHdm9Q5IyTSvMTvX4L7rGrNWF3ffkV_hUhUJL-A-dFt2XtQjwN4Yeg41fTWqAi1k9cTjGxeQCPam0s-l8EEwHzmnxSF5bntbemA2JBFXJ5MICWtN1RlGm1JrS3ZsHl_yymX9KwYGWl3ygxUvryfr298PIKXsZUOfjP89/w209-h400/230910%2017%20Randalstown.jpg" width="209" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNjawKQwTjAUOiTN3lFMN6B0pJYpHlwlIUe2IlO2UHd0u6HNl8t76oH2KhzUKkvQQ7XbhiFompRhCB3jSzIlWn0ARpwlXAKIiBQfzmSKiM-J9hYc6x0R_XISVSCA9yK2-nA4Y01CJEumBMdMRfh8_zUs-jIAlxLSHFPcgIj-PwWie41GOpc-5QfwrkzXuu/s3210/230905%2001%20Randalstown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="3210" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNjawKQwTjAUOiTN3lFMN6B0pJYpHlwlIUe2IlO2UHd0u6HNl8t76oH2KhzUKkvQQ7XbhiFompRhCB3jSzIlWn0ARpwlXAKIiBQfzmSKiM-J9hYc6x0R_XISVSCA9yK2-nA4Y01CJEumBMdMRfh8_zUs-jIAlxLSHFPcgIj-PwWie41GOpc-5QfwrkzXuu/w400-h229/230905%2001%20Randalstown.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGq7A6o5qzCv6qFseheD0e6UOQxyvT3GZg2zwQqczjm6D-o880co_mie6V96-fOYdgq4s7D0uKpvkiKV-gvWBnNC7sA1_W8Wmvkx2xrDVppVGKozfwCafu94N3laGmQNtVV9DUdETD5yuAZWVNARe-RdUjDnSV3stSptQKchMSUztqWOn71zDoaJikAXFa/s3898/230909%2011%20Randalstown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2745" data-original-width="3898" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGq7A6o5qzCv6qFseheD0e6UOQxyvT3GZg2zwQqczjm6D-o880co_mie6V96-fOYdgq4s7D0uKpvkiKV-gvWBnNC7sA1_W8Wmvkx2xrDVppVGKozfwCafu94N3laGmQNtVV9DUdETD5yuAZWVNARe-RdUjDnSV3stSptQKchMSUztqWOn71zDoaJikAXFa/w400-h281/230909%2011%20Randalstown.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimygTEjMjiaWse_ZT5eSbWvRFg70wg98r2ndWVORMeRJk_253jzMS_enrbn0Tbph_nmL6CTfBgw00H-bDSKHf8pqaY3STUKy-xUyt07zVc-P0Prk0yUvdgsTdkV0jAYwjPeqFAvS0_MHlTNvzvRabUXlEUKhUp6fuRKL5-GKdIY_UvNugCC5zc8VbcLyf1/s3208/230912%2023%20Randalstown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2075" data-original-width="3208" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimygTEjMjiaWse_ZT5eSbWvRFg70wg98r2ndWVORMeRJk_253jzMS_enrbn0Tbph_nmL6CTfBgw00H-bDSKHf8pqaY3STUKy-xUyt07zVc-P0Prk0yUvdgsTdkV0jAYwjPeqFAvS0_MHlTNvzvRabUXlEUKhUp6fuRKL5-GKdIY_UvNugCC5zc8VbcLyf1/w400-h259/230912%2023%20Randalstown.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyXm2aL0Yc1g8xMoQ-CJw7umpecIc1YzNstQPLQCtqGpIyJDvy49moNmpckzl2AuuQRBvZ4oAlHmfzAhnk3vw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />And, although there wasn’t much time for social stuff we did get a bit of time out with Chloe...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxCJONUJuCFMy6Ue62sYsLbDcp49iCkxassga0HgCKRGjvKWRCf4CUzxRZ8EEUhqYxwzoqFMpYxsJdPHOqBFw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUuj06allQyXEISsEoCt9M62_mpxPCSD0xczfjR1rMKtHoPQehFP34V_K8kRqiXEe5etHTpzQYzxbhUnRCvPLatR0vQNZ1zzrUCUojw5PogMmgxnKVY0iV8g87zxRSB9BHmxQt2T3_rQN3ksAvbEqV64aNZx4gfQzKK1GANlRskIWn5g3i03qBlG-xGP-V/s4080/230912%2016%20Kells%20Park.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1939" data-original-width="4080" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUuj06allQyXEISsEoCt9M62_mpxPCSD0xczfjR1rMKtHoPQehFP34V_K8kRqiXEe5etHTpzQYzxbhUnRCvPLatR0vQNZ1zzrUCUojw5PogMmgxnKVY0iV8g87zxRSB9BHmxQt2T3_rQN3ksAvbEqV64aNZx4gfQzKK1GANlRskIWn5g3i03qBlG-xGP-V/s320/230912%2016%20Kells%20Park.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIfYrhSLZ8aeslVf21jfVxWgu_R1TDtBUD_LQRfMXwSiWUEzW9EqNHSabn0CLncrKPzvyEKISTbh7hoiUTMAxG_lxpc5CNPW5isG5EMnURzco0vn0VOlLJhVNCJONTM2XfXmy1d1CAbnbLU41tyvi1uTL5zBIKnSULGAYpK36jjDxT4OZpMcCyr1cc3PqT/s3254/230912%2019%20Kells%20Park.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2107" data-original-width="3254" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIfYrhSLZ8aeslVf21jfVxWgu_R1TDtBUD_LQRfMXwSiWUEzW9EqNHSabn0CLncrKPzvyEKISTbh7hoiUTMAxG_lxpc5CNPW5isG5EMnURzco0vn0VOlLJhVNCJONTM2XfXmy1d1CAbnbLU41tyvi1uTL5zBIKnSULGAYpK36jjDxT4OZpMcCyr1cc3PqT/s320/230912%2019%20Kells%20Park.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />... and she joined us for a parkrun...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0KozHC4Nz-doeIcYAkvk5I1JinUbdP63ihlHnDr5Nl9kHJCKzbAI35mQVJVt3THVjAyIWfJqoi9E0yJYikGgUDO5BS4au7Yu19MU_15cEvq_55fr-_z0y5VGZuf03dt5eHu3-37vDChV213SGuNxt-ksiLD7EmDR_4jAJvgrOPQW8g7HAeaPRUTTPDEKW/s659/230909%2001%20Ecos%20Parkrun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="659" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0KozHC4Nz-doeIcYAkvk5I1JinUbdP63ihlHnDr5Nl9kHJCKzbAI35mQVJVt3THVjAyIWfJqoi9E0yJYikGgUDO5BS4au7Yu19MU_15cEvq_55fr-_z0y5VGZuf03dt5eHu3-37vDChV213SGuNxt-ksiLD7EmDR_4jAJvgrOPQW8g7HAeaPRUTTPDEKW/w400-h195/230909%2001%20Ecos%20Parkrun.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwWl0hLUGXzf7_Xs-8Z0ALYhDQLet6xxZcVMbVpZc_U2l5uGUtACiSJ2hOkM6itKo8TGfuDiOq8Nkcj3o_Zwt9_dHb6b9gv7z_ZMhZGgGj7lL-bl63iWS761-BYoz5myu6rkolIHoFJy0fQtNxVeVz9QmH1jhbfONlAY9Orz1GD2ms9dGvCbSk7Id1mkTy/s866/230909%2005%20Ecos%20Parkrun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="866" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwWl0hLUGXzf7_Xs-8Z0ALYhDQLet6xxZcVMbVpZc_U2l5uGUtACiSJ2hOkM6itKo8TGfuDiOq8Nkcj3o_Zwt9_dHb6b9gv7z_ZMhZGgGj7lL-bl63iWS761-BYoz5myu6rkolIHoFJy0fQtNxVeVz9QmH1jhbfONlAY9Orz1GD2ms9dGvCbSk7Id1mkTy/w400-h201/230909%2005%20Ecos%20Parkrun.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">...Caleb ran his first junior parkrun....</span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0qbRsPfxnoQE0X5kziEhKYN-FkJDdT5lCvE1mN07xAy_vBiS1cFRE-doMi58rpu4UBo-59SormvipAWGnv9MoSs7yv2c9UaVULmirAT7FI2MMv5T7fIy1bDyGBeBU-Qmnjz6gTYjX4Rv17wU4vQRRCaguXmBcS6c_iC7LJNYc0qXPv5DkFgyZDnHZb8c/s1222/230910%2008%20Magherafelt%20Junior%20Parkrun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1222" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0qbRsPfxnoQE0X5kziEhKYN-FkJDdT5lCvE1mN07xAy_vBiS1cFRE-doMi58rpu4UBo-59SormvipAWGnv9MoSs7yv2c9UaVULmirAT7FI2MMv5T7fIy1bDyGBeBU-Qmnjz6gTYjX4Rv17wU4vQRRCaguXmBcS6c_iC7LJNYc0qXPv5DkFgyZDnHZb8c/w354-h400/230910%2008%20Magherafelt%20Junior%20Parkrun.jpg" width="354" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...and we all went out for a meal one evening with Deccy and Katie and their kids to an Indian/Italian restaurant where the kids had pizza and the grown-ups had curry.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYiAcDrmkCbuGEsc_JjIzCU1Fz1vMyePlto3vdfkJPbLBedYFDxnlJ7Mz2WSDN-rkFkIzDIwzbwarBsPF2_T07ZH9kWD-m-yquVfnyVPryhEa3F1vkYjckLXCYbKtEzi7Mc1ZUNoV_ngzJTsg7Rapkpq8Z9CFwELLrziz96Y0utupERChqESZ-cFYVjnX/s3248/230909%2016%20Randalstown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="3248" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYiAcDrmkCbuGEsc_JjIzCU1Fz1vMyePlto3vdfkJPbLBedYFDxnlJ7Mz2WSDN-rkFkIzDIwzbwarBsPF2_T07ZH9kWD-m-yquVfnyVPryhEa3F1vkYjckLXCYbKtEzi7Mc1ZUNoV_ngzJTsg7Rapkpq8Z9CFwELLrziz96Y0utupERChqESZ-cFYVjnX/w400-h179/230909%2016%20Randalstown.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />What a great idea.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The screed had dried enough to walk on the day we flew home, so before we left we were able to wander around inside the house with the floor at the finished height and the windows in, which was far more exciting than it sounds. The next big job is an air tightness membrane and plaster boarding the ceiling. Although they’d originally thought they’d do the ceiling boarding themselves, they’ve decided that as the ceilings are three meters high, and there are absolutely acre’s of them, they’re going to get professionals in for that. Dave is going to go back in a couple of weeks when Shandy is off work to help with loft insulation and whatever else needs doing before the inside gets plastered and the outside gets its four coats of flexible silicone render. It really is coming on, and if they can keep this pace up then although it might not be all finished, it’s still looking good for them being in by Christmas. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmYT8dpsigrc7UmSa-veV4xlJkSLsHkJ0Mk00NHMiM49xfJDfu630SbG_nbzJYlt6_oYVr_Ck0c8CMHF1UiFDBImI63flFWVb7hk5oIoLEucR0t3qBx8q41-C6ZKsnDzUWUye0i9He2wL2TC4SnE_wQr5_gdpYM-SZv5xIXMRAlaxooKtoLo5Xsq2viUq/s3011/230913%2004%20Randalstown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3011" data-original-width="1840" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmYT8dpsigrc7UmSa-veV4xlJkSLsHkJ0Mk00NHMiM49xfJDfu630SbG_nbzJYlt6_oYVr_Ck0c8CMHF1UiFDBImI63flFWVb7hk5oIoLEucR0t3qBx8q41-C6ZKsnDzUWUye0i9He2wL2TC4SnE_wQr5_gdpYM-SZv5xIXMRAlaxooKtoLo5Xsq2viUq/w245-h400/230913%2004%20Randalstown.jpg" width="245" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We did a last school pick up before Chloe drove us to the airport so we were able to hug Caleb and Matilda one last time, then boarded another delayed plane. We landed back in Gatwick an hour later than planned, but still in time for the last train to North Camp, where we’d left the car, and drove round to Karen’s.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Back at the boat a couple of days later, we moved on to Burton, through the lovely river section...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZD1tK2qMh0qdo2F8zs_TTqokm9JZ7PJMz85gHWoZv6R_0zHm_jh4_iLl4J4WskrEbqUaC2HjeDfGp2Nqnl5pPsr_fXSBXty37RIJDgyslWVWN2OV53mDRuGPVDN7dztWap2GlE5Wgeh5IvXAFeYFkaaZxmZwfRZZwJpfrCrJ5nH-3pFwz-PmNxU4Xlyb6/s3001/230915%2005%20Alrewas%20to%20Shobnall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1408" data-original-width="3001" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZD1tK2qMh0qdo2F8zs_TTqokm9JZ7PJMz85gHWoZv6R_0zHm_jh4_iLl4J4WskrEbqUaC2HjeDfGp2Nqnl5pPsr_fXSBXty37RIJDgyslWVWN2OV53mDRuGPVDN7dztWap2GlE5Wgeh5IvXAFeYFkaaZxmZwfRZZwJpfrCrJ5nH-3pFwz-PmNxU4Xlyb6/w400-h188/230915%2005%20Alrewas%20to%20Shobnall.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...and stopping at the lovely little Shobnall Marina for some of the cheapest diesel and gas we’ve had for ages...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NnwrhL0GxdWhKrO2HMItIl066eOrXF6d8BT4SjyCtIP9NZ79W856rg0I3cwODNcHTZ73dSEsBRkjJXcU89AXmAOtBp2_IuOOcEqzWYLU_iLnuUlbERNohcyXmBTkSgf47KabqEQctKsV9IoFDdgTiFEprrlkB4dUGqEqZbb4McRkSO8faOj9HMMeJN82/s4070/230915%2009%20Alrewas%20to%20Shobnall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2227" data-original-width="4070" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NnwrhL0GxdWhKrO2HMItIl066eOrXF6d8BT4SjyCtIP9NZ79W856rg0I3cwODNcHTZ73dSEsBRkjJXcU89AXmAOtBp2_IuOOcEqzWYLU_iLnuUlbERNohcyXmBTkSgf47KabqEQctKsV9IoFDdgTiFEprrlkB4dUGqEqZbb4McRkSO8faOj9HMMeJN82/w400-h219/230915%2009%20Alrewas%20to%20Shobnall.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Legend in Shobnall Marina service dock for gas and diesel.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...then moored up on Shobnall Fields again, hoping for a quiet night so we could catch up on some sleep.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYSOjyFzcFW7KhjYzSrZwV_e84RYWkRKuI7t0TIonC7epyrxz9K21zqXm9u6pb6IaPdAEQMrGSE_18n34gDZXspqy4kj3_cljV8qNgsG3fAjhL01p10qFKZzHXpyDQdOpxRkHKVTPPUZixuTBx0936dUd9OcyETdmps3jpUEeSFIIjzBC2IDdmfvyTb9g/s3611/230916%2016%20Shobnall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1428" data-original-width="3611" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYSOjyFzcFW7KhjYzSrZwV_e84RYWkRKuI7t0TIonC7epyrxz9K21zqXm9u6pb6IaPdAEQMrGSE_18n34gDZXspqy4kj3_cljV8qNgsG3fAjhL01p10qFKZzHXpyDQdOpxRkHKVTPPUZixuTBx0936dUd9OcyETdmps3jpUEeSFIIjzBC2IDdmfvyTb9g/w400-h159/230916%2016%20Shobnall.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /> At about half past eleven we were woken up by some very loud music right outside the boat, which turned out to be four or five teenage girls sitting round a picnic table with snacks and a big bluetooth speaker. We debated whether to go out and have a word, but concluded that it was Friday night, this was their town, their park and they had every right to be there, and the probability of that ending badly was quite high, so we decided to wait till the batteries ran out. That happened at about twelve-thirty, by which time they were all fairly hammered. (Dave found an empty vodka bottle when he was tidying up in the morning.) After a short session of screaming at each other and falling over, they all thinned out and we got back to sleep. Boat life is many things, but never dull!</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The day after that was the Saturday We Shall Remember.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Because cycling between Alrewas (where we’d left the car) and Burton (where the boat was) either meant going along the muddy, narrow and nettley towpath or along the busy A38 dual carriageway, we devised a cunning plan. First we cycled out to Rosliston for parkrun; the ride was hillier than we’d expected but a very effective warm up for an equally hilly 5K run. Then we were back on the bikes for another hour to the National Memorial Arboretum. By the time we got there we had jelly legs, but we were only a mile or so from the car and had completed two sides of a triangle, avoiding the A38. It was all going perfectly to plan.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Arboretum was beautiful, emotional, inspiring and thought provoking. After breakfast in the very good restaurant we spent a couple of hours walking round less than half of it. You really need a whole day there to take it all in. We found it all deeply moving and would urge anyone to go.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqq756XefJgewIJwMQu_3vhRb_ABMtHbycN8Lp7OPf_OUs1JaFwmdGWh4nD2D-rEyr6pyb6CmEDjgFuKAFUr44KJYRQz6Z9PA8HsTDfVfDI0bckTxwIvl9y53CjLpO57IvKtHsZSZlTEb6AdyPvsVzS6L-_rhYbeWQeCxjG-k53FVEzv0jc79bTPcOfsqe/s3614/230916%2004%20National%20Memorial%20Arboretum.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3614" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqq756XefJgewIJwMQu_3vhRb_ABMtHbycN8Lp7OPf_OUs1JaFwmdGWh4nD2D-rEyr6pyb6CmEDjgFuKAFUr44KJYRQz6Z9PA8HsTDfVfDI0bckTxwIvl9y53CjLpO57IvKtHsZSZlTEb6AdyPvsVzS6L-_rhYbeWQeCxjG-k53FVEzv0jc79bTPcOfsqe/w254-h400/230916%2004%20National%20Memorial%20Arboretum.jpg" width="254" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7UryzwrRnMfkZW22AAqIuD1KhL1EKzblwJJPLzNfHT6VyBob0CAYH7tkTRN-pxGXFaQKmoz2GnaWDe1L_8GWw_N-uDExUfsKNTbSva9j9QI7SP8xoL55pMsWA8NP2WG3-4wH_HGzQW_xlDRe2RzHN8WO8nS4MifClt3hx74SoBlYXHZPsvJjyOTKLQWZS/s3216/230916%2006%20National%20Memorial%20Arboretum.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1483" data-original-width="3216" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7UryzwrRnMfkZW22AAqIuD1KhL1EKzblwJJPLzNfHT6VyBob0CAYH7tkTRN-pxGXFaQKmoz2GnaWDe1L_8GWw_N-uDExUfsKNTbSva9j9QI7SP8xoL55pMsWA8NP2WG3-4wH_HGzQW_xlDRe2RzHN8WO8nS4MifClt3hx74SoBlYXHZPsvJjyOTKLQWZS/w400-h185/230916%2006%20National%20Memorial%20Arboretum.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0x3uDyZ-11_yC3nyTbeJvdLjQKUMV5UPIUNVTxJDnjpZ0fq-eBU2SxPjKnjJJzMsEymxoYmwgNkyt4rv6n1x0H8is2hSPgg8pd5fGxXFzgm28G_hgsdSnJqOVqS_Is2uIwhXPCyusE2esxkL9Nc6fM50aIucPdX22LvBHbWQGIe7fsESLV3YUumJPGTp/s3235/230916%2007%20National%20Memorial%20Arboretum.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3235" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0x3uDyZ-11_yC3nyTbeJvdLjQKUMV5UPIUNVTxJDnjpZ0fq-eBU2SxPjKnjJJzMsEymxoYmwgNkyt4rv6n1x0H8is2hSPgg8pd5fGxXFzgm28G_hgsdSnJqOVqS_Is2uIwhXPCyusE2esxkL9Nc6fM50aIucPdX22LvBHbWQGIe7fsESLV3YUumJPGTp/w284-h400/230916%2007%20National%20Memorial%20Arboretum.jpg" width="284" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb3ZPBDdq7c0NyfvjndrPNdL3_HclGqx_xYD2LjjWakhstR59iKG-FMPXi08rSdj_SxP7eWxPdl-QbhxlvGEOy47dXCtQ7hQcJhUl4tPX3A4Khwbkis17yNlhrIBQ6mWXEEyun-ybpL8FVykqihj7PKfDT8Y4Y46AKRTsi3-5DE-ntGk7xb_JdAu56T_i6/s2958/230916%2011%20National%20Memorial%20Arboretum.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2958" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb3ZPBDdq7c0NyfvjndrPNdL3_HclGqx_xYD2LjjWakhstR59iKG-FMPXi08rSdj_SxP7eWxPdl-QbhxlvGEOy47dXCtQ7hQcJhUl4tPX3A4Khwbkis17yNlhrIBQ6mWXEEyun-ybpL8FVykqihj7PKfDT8Y4Y46AKRTsi3-5DE-ntGk7xb_JdAu56T_i6/w310-h400/230916%2011%20National%20Memorial%20Arboretum.jpg" width="310" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7MOCNdSwCLGbjBpCftg65z_3xcXP12uBsD744SDuCP8HrZP8LQz9RIOIWfN9MWQ5aYNdgZZfETIxLWPf5wlW8ICK-xTtRiAlA5NwGLJmG4NUXlButdZ2IswZ6p0-8dbx0S1IJwrUka2eI8WcoU7lKxzT8qa2OXmUNSmLAIQefkxIf7O4tDCaLduoqK0q/s3243/230916%2012%20National%20Memorial%20Arboretum.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="3243" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7MOCNdSwCLGbjBpCftg65z_3xcXP12uBsD744SDuCP8HrZP8LQz9RIOIWfN9MWQ5aYNdgZZfETIxLWPf5wlW8ICK-xTtRiAlA5NwGLJmG4NUXlButdZ2IswZ6p0-8dbx0S1IJwrUka2eI8WcoU7lKxzT8qa2OXmUNSmLAIQefkxIf7O4tDCaLduoqK0q/w400-h169/230916%2012%20National%20Memorial%20Arboretum.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the early afternoon we walked out to the bikes for the last short leg to the car, which was when Ann-Marie said “Have you got the car keys?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There was a horrible pause as the bottom dropped out of our little world.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In nearly thirteen years of dragging a car around the country this was the first time we’d forgotten the keys and about the worst time it could have happened. We were knackered, and the ride back was what we’d spent the whole day trying to avoid. We carried on into Alrewas to see about bus times and found out that we’d just missed one, the next one would be in half and hour and it took an hour of meandering through villages to get to Burton. Once we got there we’d have a half hour walk to the boat, then of course we’d have to do it all back again with the keys. There was nothing for it, we’d have to cycle back. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was hard, but not as hard as we’d imagined. There was a strip of tarmac along the side of the A38 that, while not being what anyone would describe as pleasant, at least separated us from the traffic while we coaxed our poor little legs ever onward. When we got back, Dave - with the car keys securely embedded in his pocket - walked up into town and caught a bus back to Alrewas. Karma must have felt sorry for us because the card machine on the bus wasn’t working so he got a free ride and a taste of life with a bus pass. (He gets one in December and he’s very excited about it.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While he was out Kim phoned to say that she, John, George and Freddie were nearby and could they come over, so by the time Dave got back to the boat it was full of people. It was great catching up with them, we’ve known Kim and John since they were not much older than George and Freddie, who are two of the coolest kids we know. John is everyone’s idea of a great uncle and his nephews adore him, and Kim is the epitome of a laid back mum.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, the day turned out to be really good. We will remember the Arboretum, but we'll remember the car keys more.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The next day we had another boat move and a cycle back to do, but just as we were about to get the bikes out of the car in Willington, Karma looked kindly upon us again, Paul and Amanda phoned to say they were on their way home to Oxford from Scotland, they’d spent the night in Hilton at Amanda’s parent’s, and could they pop in to see us. Perfect. They took us back to Legend and we all went in for a cuppa and a chat,...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSKYu_qTynFmPnm_EK_-NwTOcOw1sW1j24muWcp6Vw3VSGMdfUiMmZxLzy6cEVnWyIXPCfThdejw8Xszhu-z3C8oFMoKyC3KO7lSt8IgqGWVBiAOCYyTB6idLrJB1A6yRJpUPuTH3-1nok03wCDluL6UiO0TAoqdwhw0T8pHecRwQnuU210Pp8npQAaMQ/s3579/230917%2004%20Shobnall%20Fields.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2157" data-original-width="3579" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSKYu_qTynFmPnm_EK_-NwTOcOw1sW1j24muWcp6Vw3VSGMdfUiMmZxLzy6cEVnWyIXPCfThdejw8Xszhu-z3C8oFMoKyC3KO7lSt8IgqGWVBiAOCYyTB6idLrJB1A6yRJpUPuTH3-1nok03wCDluL6UiO0TAoqdwhw0T8pHecRwQnuU210Pp8npQAaMQ/w400-h241/230917%2004%20Shobnall%20Fields.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><br />...then they set off home and we pulled the pins and moved down the cut to Willington. Later on we drove over to Hilton ourselves to see Rachael and Mark.</span><span> </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">September was turning out to be a real social whirl for us, and there was still more to come. With the boat safely tucked up at Swarkstone, we set off south once more for a weekend camping at West Wittering, near Chichester, with Karen, Andrew and the Pompey Puddleducks, the Citroen 2cv club that Ann-Marie started many years ago. We had a lovely long weekend catching up with all our old 2cv mates, and to top it all we found Rummikub in a charity shop, which we’ve been after ever since we played it in France last Christmas. Winner!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the Saturday we did parkrun at Hotham park in Bognor for the second time, then joined all the other campers at Itchenor for a guided boat trip round the harbour which was really good and interesting.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheh3SmO6p9K-aaycgUkHuHkTR4g6UJEAjtZOWpM5xZ4Qb2rPrRf7TZAqbwAFC9GSndvXBwJlPdtw5LFfvqs7E-QOxoD62QXse3Mzl3YcY97S9DrZCjtFK49qk09mu9-lZl5FnhNc9SKGyyqeEelfCKLeXpHuJzQdjj-TMz_3X_J0e8otRHLbnQhvZ2034b/s3527/230923%2014%20Ichenor%20Harbour%20Cruise.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2618" data-original-width="3527" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheh3SmO6p9K-aaycgUkHuHkTR4g6UJEAjtZOWpM5xZ4Qb2rPrRf7TZAqbwAFC9GSndvXBwJlPdtw5LFfvqs7E-QOxoD62QXse3Mzl3YcY97S9DrZCjtFK49qk09mu9-lZl5FnhNc9SKGyyqeEelfCKLeXpHuJzQdjj-TMz_3X_J0e8otRHLbnQhvZ2034b/w400-h297/230923%2014%20Ichenor%20Harbour%20Cruise.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjxnDBelilEz0bBOMEVF4mIu3-ovOPJxYaku0TW8FXa3PAwAVpmRGrOJ7rtOF36DyMbxHDQodRlZoBu2U6i4acab5BczL8KIoCDLujVVFqzSokOc9jUa-A_bayr0vGq4CdvhkbYLXLxhgzZDwGTH82hsdfceTnQ3vUtdRLp68IrCUzUS-ObvXflPaR3em/s1047/230923%2007%20Ichenor%20Harbour%20Cruise.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="1047" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjxnDBelilEz0bBOMEVF4mIu3-ovOPJxYaku0TW8FXa3PAwAVpmRGrOJ7rtOF36DyMbxHDQodRlZoBu2U6i4acab5BczL8KIoCDLujVVFqzSokOc9jUa-A_bayr0vGq4CdvhkbYLXLxhgzZDwGTH82hsdfceTnQ3vUtdRLp68IrCUzUS-ObvXflPaR3em/w400-h206/230923%2007%20Ichenor%20Harbour%20Cruise.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9mYNyKmgQYM_I1ZVNlAW2_dwyJOs3OMLHc0Bz8iF0VpYVO26y-_yKFN5t_SVdu8fSSrtR9UkjWB_WxOpzmbZ0HSX3JFYvhQ0aKKFw9o6k3QZgw0JBWCnHsp7KlzPcQelu0iVnnG18kVHYVEqgjmxK_D63bp4rwuDDTDEcwtuxivNaXTPBEoLptQA6fL2e/s4080/230923%2006%20Ichenor%20Harbour%20Cruise.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1825" data-original-width="4080" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9mYNyKmgQYM_I1ZVNlAW2_dwyJOs3OMLHc0Bz8iF0VpYVO26y-_yKFN5t_SVdu8fSSrtR9UkjWB_WxOpzmbZ0HSX3JFYvhQ0aKKFw9o6k3QZgw0JBWCnHsp7KlzPcQelu0iVnnG18kVHYVEqgjmxK_D63bp4rwuDDTDEcwtuxivNaXTPBEoLptQA6fL2e/w400-h179/230923%2006%20Ichenor%20Harbour%20Cruise.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the afternoon back at the campsite there were games, a fancy dress competition...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegMkG8P1zErq_oGQGgKysjX3qQ7ZlYFKpT007uF7krbMp40HJOJQSZK2xnZm6vi3aq1GLt1vI3GFuiL5LAauoDnN9nVAXHgmFeJbRjrjq8iGwmLcnD913x4e1vb7SJTawWH7i4mI07TP51Ux9ySjFb0_h3FgyEbFSFdZDT_ziDEhsO2nX1DBEGg33cqNv/s2700/230923%2027%20Puddleduck%20Camp.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1230" data-original-width="2700" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegMkG8P1zErq_oGQGgKysjX3qQ7ZlYFKpT007uF7krbMp40HJOJQSZK2xnZm6vi3aq1GLt1vI3GFuiL5LAauoDnN9nVAXHgmFeJbRjrjq8iGwmLcnD913x4e1vb7SJTawWH7i4mI07TP51Ux9ySjFb0_h3FgyEbFSFdZDT_ziDEhsO2nX1DBEGg33cqNv/w400-h183/230923%2027%20Puddleduck%20Camp.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /> ...(we must try harder next year) followed by a BYO barbecue and a lovely evening with Fran, Sean and Phoebe, some of Ann-Marie’s dearest and bestest friends.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gZM1KfkWQcYlW1gqKnbovY8m97J8vSRLViJ1dju2DQsAZqBpCJ6GERpqzGxYHFAp9ULB1dS5MgHXM6vMv4Z1mJNzlQueN0QQ77lfNDyyhoGgGdM1tE8dk5CbAX7JQFCFZrt6SJrfZ5yORKuZn6TIZ5MYsHRX-W3Tu_5YfVSJE2TAef2ElMnL75GzJrXB/s1080/230923%2004%20Ichenor%20Harbour%20Cruise.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1080" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gZM1KfkWQcYlW1gqKnbovY8m97J8vSRLViJ1dju2DQsAZqBpCJ6GERpqzGxYHFAp9ULB1dS5MgHXM6vMv4Z1mJNzlQueN0QQ77lfNDyyhoGgGdM1tE8dk5CbAX7JQFCFZrt6SJrfZ5yORKuZn6TIZ5MYsHRX-W3Tu_5YfVSJE2TAef2ElMnL75GzJrXB/w400-h250/230923%2004%20Ichenor%20Harbour%20Cruise.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">There was an electric hook up included in the camping fee, so we took out electric blanket and were lovely and cosy while last dregs of Storm Agnes battered our tent. In the morning we packed it all up, said goodbye for another year and went back to Karen’s for lunch, Strictly and a cuppa with Mum and Dad <span>before driving home.</span><span> </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Two more moves got us back to Trent lock where we executed a very neat turn in the wide river and reversed onto the inside of the pontoon.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63cmn977TwB2fcPb-VuiApZdvFldArfGuZoSWAuedACqMXAasGSXwWzzoh4aj7VlUpNtsk34Q25kghnJS5HboGHPANuVZ0JAWS2XcHn7wviVsMGJK-92dLJSigGFcKRr0EgwxDyIDM4LMx455VSqfMU1cDpRMRQYDZ9l2jGid1jfJO4UFY8uFkIz7Poin/s3743/230928%2004%20Shardlow%20to%20Trent%20Lock%20&%20Back.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1850" data-original-width="3743" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63cmn977TwB2fcPb-VuiApZdvFldArfGuZoSWAuedACqMXAasGSXwWzzoh4aj7VlUpNtsk34Q25kghnJS5HboGHPANuVZ0JAWS2XcHn7wviVsMGJK-92dLJSigGFcKRr0EgwxDyIDM4LMx455VSqfMU1cDpRMRQYDZ9l2jGid1jfJO4UFY8uFkIz7Poin/w400-h198/230928%2004%20Shardlow%20to%20Trent%20Lock%20&%20Back.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mYg61iWff3bK8TGR2XUU92E8lF8SU7UoI-Ti7XdvNHYXqP8K1jbTD97JmKRhoiPJPk8s_rGlgE76f4-sk6lx3SJ2-ssv07Yb1UrxQgaGZtWi3yu4hdJ46Lr7RknuOSI5eW-y0XPZcEDan9eM7QURPfPE41uNALqC4rHTUDiOEN9ASXtO1SDkbFGX0A11/s2200/230929%2004%20Trent%20Lock%20to%20Kegworth.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="2200" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mYg61iWff3bK8TGR2XUU92E8lF8SU7UoI-Ti7XdvNHYXqP8K1jbTD97JmKRhoiPJPk8s_rGlgE76f4-sk6lx3SJ2-ssv07Yb1UrxQgaGZtWi3yu4hdJ46Lr7RknuOSI5eW-y0XPZcEDan9eM7QURPfPE41uNALqC4rHTUDiOEN9ASXtO1SDkbFGX0A11/w400-h205/230929%2004%20Trent%20Lock%20to%20Kegworth.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Lyn was there to meet us; she and Nick were just about to set off on Nb Rocyn, along with Nick’s brother Steve and Barbara on Nb Helene, to Sharlow, where we’d just come from, so we hopped on board and got another lift back to our car, working the locks for them on the way.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtum5TKyyRM6FtcdClrrhoEhq5bQFrGjHvK6GaRETqwIQJhHctSeO6BmzVfLGcCc4mNqbV4U5JxZARTqzZJ-RX9-Hl1hYiWiA9GQ6A37MKLBt1RcelEON8OhLbRdCrA1wX6ADOWpXkAg8LH2IkAccDYk6GCKHtOhX4-k85kflDhHDuS8aNZw4eJNmOYMx/s4080/230928%2005%20Shardlow%20to%20Trent%20Lock%20&%20Back.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1959" data-original-width="4080" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtum5TKyyRM6FtcdClrrhoEhq5bQFrGjHvK6GaRETqwIQJhHctSeO6BmzVfLGcCc4mNqbV4U5JxZARTqzZJ-RX9-Hl1hYiWiA9GQ6A37MKLBt1RcelEON8OhLbRdCrA1wX6ADOWpXkAg8LH2IkAccDYk6GCKHtOhX4-k85kflDhHDuS8aNZw4eJNmOYMx/w400-h193/230928%2005%20Shardlow%20to%20Trent%20Lock%20&%20Back.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mi7v30Ijr8kvQxhS53OJt6Ll0y5n1l7HQCyRF02AqYZLyXGpaEiCp5nnvLHtNjHtQNZ6YpsrtAppjP9MAKzIHCUFkFACuyrBQITVYZTdtXaVOxtF_xcQeH242Hhcgdz4I-P7jp5rmfBnnZSgHoZorwYPArzE_vt68cP8zcuALV7BNib6eIUQhPqvt3gt/s3437/230928%2007%20Shardlow%20to%20Trent%20Lock%20&%20Back.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1760" data-original-width="3437" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mi7v30Ijr8kvQxhS53OJt6Ll0y5n1l7HQCyRF02AqYZLyXGpaEiCp5nnvLHtNjHtQNZ6YpsrtAppjP9MAKzIHCUFkFACuyrBQITVYZTdtXaVOxtF_xcQeH242Hhcgdz4I-P7jp5rmfBnnZSgHoZorwYPArzE_vt68cP8zcuALV7BNib6eIUQhPqvt3gt/w400-h205/230928%2007%20Shardlow%20to%20Trent%20Lock%20&%20Back.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />How serendipitous was that? When we got there we all piled into the Malt Shovel for a great pie and chips lunch, after which we left them to carry on with their pub crawl, took our car to Kegworth and walked back to Trent Junction.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>It was the end of September, we’d had a fabulous time with the best weather and such good times with so many of our friends, and we really felt like we’d made the most of it. But there was also a feeling that summer was ending and Autumn was on its way; ahead of us lay the River Soar, Loughborough, Leicester, Foxton locks and the Grand Union. </span>We've turned Legend's flower troughs over to cyclamen and we're looking forward to chilly days on the tiller and toasty evenings in front of the fire.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisN55HR6HqLgoKYE9ZsEsGskczlh5Sy4gfhfZ_jpKYPiaHQYjjel6xZiw1HNY7RWhLrtJv4OmS4zEbbzeu06nroKrOCvnG86bDZUjjjS5crNBraeMJTIzP85oHRyM_5ZzTCh65wOuGfYwrHr3vutYidxwvifc2mTZ5EDJR-bHmBrEbQ5C67C_I-Gh5C3D8/s2938/230926%2001%20Weston%20New%20Plants.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1602" data-original-width="2938" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisN55HR6HqLgoKYE9ZsEsGskczlh5Sy4gfhfZ_jpKYPiaHQYjjel6xZiw1HNY7RWhLrtJv4OmS4zEbbzeu06nroKrOCvnG86bDZUjjjS5crNBraeMJTIzP85oHRyM_5ZzTCh65wOuGfYwrHr3vutYidxwvifc2mTZ5EDJR-bHmBrEbQ5C67C_I-Gh5C3D8/w400-h217/230926%2001%20Weston%20New%20Plants.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdtDJrHt7TBBi3yUZGmhenNMWY8fHojIZFG5iPVYA6jqVyCOabRD_tHjtlfmU0mCN_vtl2d0KzQe8WHm1U_Ks5tRznoFXbrgPsxrBPVYSih7_sYtJLGJWva-lRyR7KKdrNoJGdaO4L_JrNvT9z_9uB10EvwNIrPM6x1fidhqh_6jfq56QJXOfPA2ILF1yc/s3426/230928%2003%20Shardlow%20to%20Trent%20Lock%20&%20Back.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3426" data-original-width="1928" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdtDJrHt7TBBi3yUZGmhenNMWY8fHojIZFG5iPVYA6jqVyCOabRD_tHjtlfmU0mCN_vtl2d0KzQe8WHm1U_Ks5tRznoFXbrgPsxrBPVYSih7_sYtJLGJWva-lRyR7KKdrNoJGdaO4L_JrNvT9z_9uB10EvwNIrPM6x1fidhqh_6jfq56QJXOfPA2ILF1yc/w225-h400/230928%2003%20Shardlow%20to%20Trent%20Lock%20&%20Back.jpg" width="225" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We’ve loved it up here on the northern waters, but we can’t wait to get further south and be nearer to Mum and Dad for a while. </span><p></p></div>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-14027498180035389182023-09-19T08:32:00.002+01:002023-09-19T08:32:42.943+01:00Trent Lock to Fradley. River Trent. Trent and Mersey Canal.<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The last 27 miles of the Trent and Mersey between Sawley and Fradley Junction were new water for us. That stretch was one of the few widely scattered bits of the network that we hadn’t navigated, so we were quite excited when we left the pontoon at Trent Junction and set off westwards. To be perfectly honest, even after all this time, we’re still quite excited every time we set off anywhere. We do remember a lot of what we’ve done, but our second trip in two years up the Chesterfield brought home just how much we don’t (Dave especially. Senile old codger) so every voyage is still one of discovery to some extent.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">In the morning before we set off, we ran into Long Eaton to pick up some painting supplies and discovered that it’s not easy running with a rucksack full of paint and turpentine. Who knew? As soon as we’d got the final coat on the starboard panel we cast off with a big sweeping turn in the river and headed up stream to Sawley. There were two very friendly volunteers on duty at the paired river locks and they were very complimentary about our roof garden, despite it looking a bit raggedy. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We passed the big Sawley marina and carried on to Derwent Mouth lock which marked the beginning of our last bit of new water this year.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCHvsLEEaig6IDaExBfXIY5wA5R4gPjH6dDqeBrNkOIUa4vXONZDgCdtvnuk6ehzzT_38LqR19ZLw4G2IZgy9lbPTE4FF7NnZAh67IH09y0HVa5VHmbmhlFSE5eFIdU3gbcGM7I8rg2RyeF3jpJRWOEaS-XhTvV8FOV1yVulhz410trMe45XbqKHQkS7w/s4013/IMG_20230823_153028.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2015" data-original-width="4013" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCHvsLEEaig6IDaExBfXIY5wA5R4gPjH6dDqeBrNkOIUa4vXONZDgCdtvnuk6ehzzT_38LqR19ZLw4G2IZgy9lbPTE4FF7NnZAh67IH09y0HVa5VHmbmhlFSE5eFIdU3gbcGM7I8rg2RyeF3jpJRWOEaS-XhTvV8FOV1yVulhz410trMe45XbqKHQkS7w/w400-h201/IMG_20230823_153028.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgok-oO1UZYDRnSHsiZj0C4AdI2gwvCuojScD80l0592yW1JR2-a4z7zVWrXtIC8HNVBu6zOGZV2iv3FBOZDvclBvTcSBimY6_gdhKqfBumHvgB-AwcayLmDGNH_l7wvjqE_YQ-e9y_5RNTR-aNXIzQn7uZZZ_rmj6CUD8u4hXYRXfMPDoqDIjbzkmbIZ/s3986/IMG_20230823_154418.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2093" data-original-width="3986" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgok-oO1UZYDRnSHsiZj0C4AdI2gwvCuojScD80l0592yW1JR2-a4z7zVWrXtIC8HNVBu6zOGZV2iv3FBOZDvclBvTcSBimY6_gdhKqfBumHvgB-AwcayLmDGNH_l7wvjqE_YQ-e9y_5RNTR-aNXIzQn7uZZZ_rmj6CUD8u4hXYRXfMPDoqDIjbzkmbIZ/w400-h210/IMG_20230823_154418.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRJQ9WEairxbH2gOQ99S1lal077H_B6CCl7hi0v51b1B7v9tD2D33wXmx4Dwyg7HyB1wM_vzank9MS6UDriycjReyi4nmQMPamzTEk-ydfUouBZq5SbRJxNdNTbUNXC8L8dt32EgHBu0F6z8wRBxREnXoamEjHv2_KOpNO_iQG6Hs9KvqABL5nmnetR3e/s4080/IMG_20230823_160000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1939" data-original-width="4080" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRJQ9WEairxbH2gOQ99S1lal077H_B6CCl7hi0v51b1B7v9tD2D33wXmx4Dwyg7HyB1wM_vzank9MS6UDriycjReyi4nmQMPamzTEk-ydfUouBZq5SbRJxNdNTbUNXC8L8dt32EgHBu0F6z8wRBxREnXoamEjHv2_KOpNO_iQG6Hs9KvqABL5nmnetR3e/w400-h190/IMG_20230823_160000.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />There was a decent looking mooring spot just beyond the lock and we pulled in, but a water treatment plant on the other side of the hedge made it a bit wiffy, so we pulled out again and carried on. Shardlow was as full as we expected it would be, but we found a spot above Shardlow Lock and cycled back for the car.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMa7bn-oMpLoxSrQLdO84vzHfMbYO2vEPrzD_RfS2b9K0IoD8RfVeWOBLXQVFkBlftZOub-mbwdvQC9lR9ynyFNveJNXyOzNYwr1XkkHi2H2GTpKfqDEGiUdBxpnPWG4oDUiYbiz-ONHynbG1ufKplGMb92i9CK0UrxM6WWhoQmvhqwEreyy5qHV9572m/s3606/IMG_20230823_164241.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="3606" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMa7bn-oMpLoxSrQLdO84vzHfMbYO2vEPrzD_RfS2b9K0IoD8RfVeWOBLXQVFkBlftZOub-mbwdvQC9lR9ynyFNveJNXyOzNYwr1XkkHi2H2GTpKfqDEGiUdBxpnPWG4oDUiYbiz-ONHynbG1ufKplGMb92i9CK0UrxM6WWhoQmvhqwEreyy5qHV9572m/w400-h191/IMG_20230823_164241.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />From Shardlow we went to Weston Lock for a couple of days. In the morning, as soon as the mist had cleared, Dave was back out with the paint, this time on the port side. Almost immediately he had to set up a parasol to try and stop the steel getting too hot.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsUHuNGqmyTcpkQfWAS40Jt86TkK8U65qFyE9AjGb_b1qqKe9RraSWX6vYJpeDi8FM2WVWJuO7SwBOU-bgAahaYakLktg5Z_YKPGDJPPgVB_ggr1F_Vy2QlynWyrn02eOgEa8mo3zSwKMAqPoIVFe2xJe4cq46Uc0nhZxmv3FRklSl9JfQLYsz0uJE9Eu/s3626/IMG_20230824_111254.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1813" data-original-width="3626" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsUHuNGqmyTcpkQfWAS40Jt86TkK8U65qFyE9AjGb_b1qqKe9RraSWX6vYJpeDi8FM2WVWJuO7SwBOU-bgAahaYakLktg5Z_YKPGDJPPgVB_ggr1F_Vy2QlynWyrn02eOgEa8mo3zSwKMAqPoIVFe2xJe4cq46Uc0nhZxmv3FRklSl9JfQLYsz0uJE9Eu/w400-h200/IMG_20230824_111254.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />It’s tricky painting outside; it’s either too hot or too cold, if it’s windy you get dust, pollen and bits of foliage stuck to it, and flies, always flies. The poor things not only get stuck, but then proceed to go round in circles till they drown in paint, while drawing annoying swirls in your beautiful shiny finish. The answer of course is to hire a paint dock, but that involves parting with money and we can’t be having that sort of thing.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">On Saturday morning we were up and out early to cycle back to Shardlow for the car, then drove into Long Eaton for Dave’s 50</span><sup><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes'; vertical-align: super;">th</span></sup><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> parkrun.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKU7_b9aVYZO0tG6gw7zb4Men8uRmCMPqatap3DWNo5AGNXHiMU9khijnLQkioGX4kPw7fvowcYn9MluvIhZOg6bChX8Ru9F_F_donwTvKiUfOpxoZcVpOw3JoATrjmEnTagO9_Os_Rzy6c8R-XEVEddxyPD3lM2H2ua1WY7KiA8lIuvZb4QVXwieEeVOf/s3641/IMG_20230826_085511.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2131" data-original-width="3641" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKU7_b9aVYZO0tG6gw7zb4Men8uRmCMPqatap3DWNo5AGNXHiMU9khijnLQkioGX4kPw7fvowcYn9MluvIhZOg6bChX8Ru9F_F_donwTvKiUfOpxoZcVpOw3JoATrjmEnTagO9_Os_Rzy6c8R-XEVEddxyPD3lM2H2ua1WY7KiA8lIuvZb4QVXwieEeVOf/w400-h234/IMG_20230826_085511.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />It was a double whammy because Ann-Marie got a new PB as well, so we had a bacon cob and a coffee to celebrate. While we were in town we popped into a couple of charity shops and came home with a whole pile of lovely Denby crockery which matched some bowls we already had. Real winner! All we have to do now is decide what to get rid of to make room for it all. We also went to Argos to pick up some bicycle mirrors that we’d bought on Ebay. They’re bar-end ones and fold up, so they shouldn’t get in the way when the bikes are folded.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">In the afternoon we pulled the pins and carried on, past the end of the derelict Derby Canal...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdnTUapS60okLoIGJAQhdkj6egi0FKpfvTp6OEURyWm1NaOpQLTAEclFia3yvhQsepgDsqiJwIlM7524OOCYNjY8xS_kdJ5FcA2OstwF8eGFjZtOD0lxXYdUle5qFSQ_IrU-ysluZyU4kXS_40GvxYjM1aOw25VwvS611120NdFNUZOxcLoSg4bUT9J4C/s2928/IMG_20230826_164106.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1523" data-original-width="2928" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdnTUapS60okLoIGJAQhdkj6egi0FKpfvTp6OEURyWm1NaOpQLTAEclFia3yvhQsepgDsqiJwIlM7524OOCYNjY8xS_kdJ5FcA2OstwF8eGFjZtOD0lxXYdUle5qFSQ_IrU-ysluZyU4kXS_40GvxYjM1aOw25VwvS611120NdFNUZOxcLoSg4bUT9J4C/w400-h208/IMG_20230826_164106.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">...then up Swarkstone lock and onto the services before mooring up. We’re quite impressed by how much of this bit of canal is moorable, but that maybe because we’ve recently been on a lots of bits that aren’t. The next day Dave had planned to get the second coat of paint on Legend’s name, but it drizzled all morning so we did some family and friends phone calls instead, then left to join the Mikes, who were moored in Congleton, where there happened to be a Jazz and Blues festival going on. We spent the afternoon in the Town Walk, a Victorian arcade that had been derelict, but has now been bought up restored, and each of the shops is a different food outlet, so it’s a bit like a food court in a shopping centre, but much more diverse and with real atmosphere. </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkLQKI0mP_OQu75BLPVORzOG6h188lj65imMv0J9kS-tyO8ZnhMV6v933qsTXmeQVt8slBUMwmfioSACmwNy8M4N3haQtdj6D3nTeb-N-VOCz0fGCDdtqVlkl9VZN7H_PYCHGDyhJHmGPgBgo2_jisxYhzRc5PxmhBqpNwM-EkyGLewGckghH8kptdoOL/s3987/IMG_20230827_141319.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="3987" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkLQKI0mP_OQu75BLPVORzOG6h188lj65imMv0J9kS-tyO8ZnhMV6v933qsTXmeQVt8slBUMwmfioSACmwNy8M4N3haQtdj6D3nTeb-N-VOCz0fGCDdtqVlkl9VZN7H_PYCHGDyhJHmGPgBgo2_jisxYhzRc5PxmhBqpNwM-EkyGLewGckghH8kptdoOL/w400-h185/IMG_20230827_141319.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />There was an amazing mix of cultures; Asian, Italian, South American, Jamaican, plus cocktail and coffee bars. The beauty of it is that they have a central ordering system, so you can sit inside or outside any of the restaurants, cafés and bars, and order food on line from anywhere and have it brought to your table. There was a blues band making the most of the acoustics on the balcony above us, so by the time we went back to Nb Shanti for more coffee and cocktails, we were hoarse from yelling at each other over the music. It was a really great afternoon though; we hadn’t seen the Mikes since last summer so it was really good to catch up on what they’d been up to, including their train holiday from Norway to Portugal. Wow! The Arctic Circle to the Med by train! We left a lot later than we’d planned, parked at Stenson Lock and walked back to Legend in the dark with head torches. The towpath was bedraggled from the earlier rain, so Ann-Marie, who was in front and a little bit sloshed, had an hour of shouting out “Slug!” “Snail!” “Nettle!” to Dave who was behind her. By the time we got home she could hardly talk. <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">While we were with the Mikes, we got a phone call from Paul and Maxine, telling us they’d just gone past our boat heading the other direction (them, not Legend) and had moored up a couple of hundred yards behind it. So in the morning after Dave had got the 2</span><sup><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes'; vertical-align: super;">nd</span></sup><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> coat on the left side...</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93yanX2DjCvyFbhC5iLu5AgZxiUarnhJl41zC1ExWhukhHiUH5sfKcNTDUxTTaqbhTxWSWIQ8NQiwHx1VkFku7dE4LMGeDhN631OBN76UFr4bauR2E7nQQKKd-vfrCP3r8p8wMfkW1DOBj_AKmHUDwpz3R2q3N8bBL1xwG-4H0e7NEWrwbxRbFpzE6VoW/s3821/IMG_20230825_102615.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2055" data-original-width="3821" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93yanX2DjCvyFbhC5iLu5AgZxiUarnhJl41zC1ExWhukhHiUH5sfKcNTDUxTTaqbhTxWSWIQ8NQiwHx1VkFku7dE4LMGeDhN631OBN76UFr4bauR2E7nQQKKd-vfrCP3r8p8wMfkW1DOBj_AKmHUDwpz3R2q3N8bBL1xwG-4H0e7NEWrwbxRbFpzE6VoW/w400-h215/IMG_20230825_102615.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...we walked back for a coffee and a chat with them. Another lovely catchup; sometimes this boating lark can be so sociable. We said goodbye and set off for Stenson Lock, which is next to a very busy café and pub, so there were lots of Gongoozlers, plus a chap who was very keen to tell us how to operate it, which was fun; “It’s very deep this one, so you need to…Oh, you are doing….Then you need… Yes that’s right…” etc.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We moored up just above the lock and arranged with the Foxes to meet us there. So while Dave went to take the car to Willington, Ann-Marie got busy baking cheese scones, orange & ginger brownies and blackberry buns to keep our visitors happy. Dave got back just before they arrived, so we set off with a well deck full of Foxes on a short by lovely trip to Willington. We had Rachael, with Isaac and Lewis, and Alan & Vicky, who brought news of their new house purchase which should be completed before Christmas! Very exciting.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PWVw9MsmUKjrYmUHJVJhbW_v3L0eLJ8FWuB2TwdrVB5MTXTF3Jf4c89tTEJQfemZXOyUzBVvhMRsgqcET11Z_hSFLLbFmDVIg5wNDfNGKI4c9Ik2bIhf1k1MGz4-1s5TwG3ZJRfrxMqCZPBlEtlb5MKjE89SsiQxgDlYW6WyrTYZQdOf7IZvbp6JPtpn/s3913/IMG_20230828_171048.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="3913" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PWVw9MsmUKjrYmUHJVJhbW_v3L0eLJ8FWuB2TwdrVB5MTXTF3Jf4c89tTEJQfemZXOyUzBVvhMRsgqcET11Z_hSFLLbFmDVIg5wNDfNGKI4c9Ik2bIhf1k1MGz4-1s5TwG3ZJRfrxMqCZPBlEtlb5MKjE89SsiQxgDlYW6WyrTYZQdOf7IZvbp6JPtpn/w400-h188/IMG_20230828_171048.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Dave had another early morning painting the shadow on the sign writing. We were originally going to do it red, but in a last minute change of heart went for grey instead, which we think was good call. As soon as he’d finished we set off through Burton and up the first of the single locks to Shobnall Fields then huddled inside to watch a wet afternoon film. Later on, the cycle back for the car involved a lot of wet nettles and gunnera overhanging the towpath. CRT have adopted a “No Mow” policy which is better for wild life and obviously saves money, and to a point we agree with it; we don’t expect manicured edges everywhere we go and we’ve got a pair of shears to make a mooring better, but we feel that in some places they’ve thrown the cliché out with the bathwater. Bits of the Chesterfield were completely impassable on foot, never mind trying to cycle.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We left the boat early the next day and set off northwards to spend the day with Dave’s Australian cousin Bernadette, who was walking Hadrian’s wall with her husband Pete and their friend Ian. We parked at Corbridge, where they’d planned to spend that night, then walked west along the wall path, met them in Chollerford and walked back with them, chatting non-stop all the way.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-kiGjrGmXzeuKQKnF1PvCTzddRSPcTC-x0PlkJRX_nZKlYqY95pV-XcDPVpvzF04l20xXXWhENjsQdW9GSQH-Z4JOn8_YZG_6jHOUUN4ZOt8MQgmxjLNf74sMVsBQkG8MzwEtd-9a1Cp9BNwmUTxUPxVLvgU5myXEuReWAQOkOuUjcUHIEg6bCDfc9R-Z/s4080/IMG_20230830_124154.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2055" data-original-width="4080" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-kiGjrGmXzeuKQKnF1PvCTzddRSPcTC-x0PlkJRX_nZKlYqY95pV-XcDPVpvzF04l20xXXWhENjsQdW9GSQH-Z4JOn8_YZG_6jHOUUN4ZOt8MQgmxjLNf74sMVsBQkG8MzwEtd-9a1Cp9BNwmUTxUPxVLvgU5myXEuReWAQOkOuUjcUHIEg6bCDfc9R-Z/w400-h201/IMG_20230830_124154.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9uII1CGEMXD87uzVlodqc2nP1CWz83cvuBmdx37M9WODMOpHTg1NdJ-f9g0QyRJtZMWFi0PwYRMIXEkXzw2wPin9llFmIXj-Z2qqw9nVWsW2ki9GUus5T2vv8CBFpoj_wgrrJ0ZZorvUAarYLc9IcMKjnbZMd1v3_za3QwRnbbxm2duN5KK2ojfLKtHF/s2579/IMG_20230830_125211.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2579" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9uII1CGEMXD87uzVlodqc2nP1CWz83cvuBmdx37M9WODMOpHTg1NdJ-f9g0QyRJtZMWFi0PwYRMIXEkXzw2wPin9llFmIXj-Z2qqw9nVWsW2ki9GUus5T2vv8CBFpoj_wgrrJ0ZZorvUAarYLc9IcMKjnbZMd1v3_za3QwRnbbxm2duN5KK2ojfLKtHF/w356-h400/IMG_20230830_125211.jpg" width="356" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Picking bilberries for a quick snack.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMpUqSHJEkpWyJRmD8PQwJL1yPtPugTlJHFBMJQmAJfFPPKoH5hQ5GC_13HUJ_6e0UdC0VINeMMv-gdiX1rLm9V4sPq5GvP6dMm4eEDuV4XQeKOTrYn1mKjSSsl1Xzn5hpkKIOyBnaHb53fk8lUoRD08EKqZbvsj6k0A-W6_7WSLtfJjNa2MH4PSm4DEy/s3598/IMG_20230830_135359.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1720" data-original-width="3598" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMpUqSHJEkpWyJRmD8PQwJL1yPtPugTlJHFBMJQmAJfFPPKoH5hQ5GC_13HUJ_6e0UdC0VINeMMv-gdiX1rLm9V4sPq5GvP6dMm4eEDuV4XQeKOTrYn1mKjSSsl1Xzn5hpkKIOyBnaHb53fk8lUoRD08EKqZbvsj6k0A-W6_7WSLtfJjNa2MH4PSm4DEy/w400-h191/IMG_20230830_135359.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIyAF_KamMhP6_bb63-D-Kz3uoynZgPVQk1kB60rNj7w9IcJclcWXyfXz3VVdzbKtO-fNMwSbi0jsAnvJp1C94UxqUs8JupkeW6EHdjTq8wm-rEP0Uwv2W13p6bM2RTGWIgnXsg54FlCVcC32ibkmJ62yyCtY9BCDCFS2W4Un3ikGWwaPIzU8Se19WUZQ/s4096/IMG_20230830_151154.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2202" data-original-width="4096" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIyAF_KamMhP6_bb63-D-Kz3uoynZgPVQk1kB60rNj7w9IcJclcWXyfXz3VVdzbKtO-fNMwSbi0jsAnvJp1C94UxqUs8JupkeW6EHdjTq8wm-rEP0Uwv2W13p6bM2RTGWIgnXsg54FlCVcC32ibkmJ62yyCtY9BCDCFS2W4Un3ikGWwaPIzU8Se19WUZQ/w400-h215/IMG_20230830_151154.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ0PA4JR-a71XtOqKO2W3NF62-vLVIF-HL-e-4Uch0NyZMfJkrOYAvOVLebb940YLvJ57skWiVzlWcXnA6K_ut-b8ULjnmhH4f_RpLOoD1ABWPvrY9etxFjZwbEzQPxjzoNpq-56CMs2HdhRCDZBKz4ckWBaJBZ0WFcdPUKWgysubwkXnS1DSKPtC1Hh3u/s4080/IMG_20230830_164633.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ0PA4JR-a71XtOqKO2W3NF62-vLVIF-HL-e-4Uch0NyZMfJkrOYAvOVLebb940YLvJ57skWiVzlWcXnA6K_ut-b8ULjnmhH4f_RpLOoD1ABWPvrY9etxFjZwbEzQPxjzoNpq-56CMs2HdhRCDZBKz4ckWBaJBZ0WFcdPUKWgysubwkXnS1DSKPtC1Hh3u/w400-h225/IMG_20230830_164633.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">A little fairy glen</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8mL57Iq6zze6LGdzKXTDPksn6t_p0UxksJL_UCkj_RjcPiXyctfelVuOEuvRbKndjfnnB3uDpadtGt91tPbsEICSh7r1oq38Phqadq11NUK5iRhDp2M4eCg6lxSkZkAJGz4uM-RPA-CW_0_Xo5et9yfGr_iMBR_9upnCpYGns70GQnnJHPDhOsvXQXbb/s3371/IMG_20230830_172115.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="3371" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8mL57Iq6zze6LGdzKXTDPksn6t_p0UxksJL_UCkj_RjcPiXyctfelVuOEuvRbKndjfnnB3uDpadtGt91tPbsEICSh7r1oq38Phqadq11NUK5iRhDp2M4eCg6lxSkZkAJGz4uM-RPA-CW_0_Xo5et9yfGr_iMBR_9upnCpYGns70GQnnJHPDhOsvXQXbb/w400-h219/IMG_20230830_172115.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bilberry picking fingers!</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The weather was glorious and the scenery was unbelievable. We’d never been on the wall path before and it inspired us to put it on our bucket list. Back at the car squeezed everyone and their backpacks into the back and took them down into Corbridge to their accommodation, then back into the town for dinner in the Black Bull.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAW6G8IuFrbkF6jlTWtMB7H-vpE4weMCCT9SdAvPoq98EWfRH9KdELRMV_BxMzsU57GfJILMBk_s0DDLVX3ARTazqVcjRFVG-RwbSzosEwd2mDmC7PLi_QUPsYwg2vum97oMbZexvzuUOTbbEgT-H7UhrHLC5wyZLqb_uANduatDsn7VSly4pkdM9s9MR7/s3248/IMG_20230830_184503.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="3248" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAW6G8IuFrbkF6jlTWtMB7H-vpE4weMCCT9SdAvPoq98EWfRH9KdELRMV_BxMzsU57GfJILMBk_s0DDLVX3ARTazqVcjRFVG-RwbSzosEwd2mDmC7PLi_QUPsYwg2vum97oMbZexvzuUOTbbEgT-H7UhrHLC5wyZLqb_uANduatDsn7VSly4pkdM9s9MR7/w400-h179/IMG_20230830_184503.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUg4kOEIlTVNUFjyV_jwxN_yGrp5eBSjRBTT7Mbdb0gtt8IblxjHzkHMWvL590-UCfZSI9DeVFsDkmWdiSmLTN5uU2BH0CWF7Av4Tyq5dX8ie7Fslm_Fyy4A3Jh5dhtiQaoA129jpkxC-Dk9v4bZB66t6c_Rj1-x66me9Ms5b2P28ix8W6tyH1Og-6OmK/s3212/IMG_20230830_194828.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3212" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUg4kOEIlTVNUFjyV_jwxN_yGrp5eBSjRBTT7Mbdb0gtt8IblxjHzkHMWvL590-UCfZSI9DeVFsDkmWdiSmLTN5uU2BH0CWF7Av4Tyq5dX8ie7Fslm_Fyy4A3Jh5dhtiQaoA129jpkxC-Dk9v4bZB66t6c_Rj1-x66me9Ms5b2P28ix8W6tyH1Og-6OmK/w286-h400/IMG_20230830_194828.jpg" width="286" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />A lovely meal in a lovely town with lovely people and, to top it all, half way through the evening we got an invite to Ben and Megan’s wedding next year! We drove home under a huge, bright perigean full moon; a fitting end to a perfect day.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">As our mooring at Shobnall was on the off-side Dave was able to get the 2</span><sup><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes'; vertical-align: super;">nd</span></sup><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> coat on the right hand name.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbnbZ4QCf5K_3dAW11fzuK7tDo7wCxH33GzdUvXIy3GVvi7dYFk4xRHvyGTFfGpW6mXFbP5yfdfpcsm3qOAq-H1OCUoIg0oyMW4QszGY6sTKWQrBWKLWQZOOtF9_m4nj7sTWRNSFzpTHQRgBHIE42earf0IiDQw4DYnHaCtkxpRd1uby5TLhugpZJwrRF/s3506/IMG_20230831_103713.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1965" data-original-width="3506" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbnbZ4QCf5K_3dAW11fzuK7tDo7wCxH33GzdUvXIy3GVvi7dYFk4xRHvyGTFfGpW6mXFbP5yfdfpcsm3qOAq-H1OCUoIg0oyMW4QszGY6sTKWQrBWKLWQZOOtF9_m4nj7sTWRNSFzpTHQRgBHIE42earf0IiDQw4DYnHaCtkxpRd1uby5TLhugpZJwrRF/w400-h224/IMG_20230831_103713.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />As soon as it was done we set off through Burton...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJ7GUYadDw30lUUVb6hK4OyK-QirtGd71VLzB8WGPttzXmPLDdgYJA4YUMC5SkBpo1Nvrl5tsvdCEZpGrRKW2vZvOqkUFiO0VFSauPysy6tVsy5J4rA2EIfuIs2XD9UpoIwHrm1vr8kfGQctWdAeyuIVHxRbulqwx2ExgpBGs-wbTOYHOspvVyhX89M5i/s3435/IMG_20230831_121857.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1579" data-original-width="3435" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJ7GUYadDw30lUUVb6hK4OyK-QirtGd71VLzB8WGPttzXmPLDdgYJA4YUMC5SkBpo1Nvrl5tsvdCEZpGrRKW2vZvOqkUFiO0VFSauPysy6tVsy5J4rA2EIfuIs2XD9UpoIwHrm1vr8kfGQctWdAeyuIVHxRbulqwx2ExgpBGs-wbTOYHOspvVyhX89M5i/w400-h184/IMG_20230831_121857.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...past Branston Waterpark, then along the boring bit that runs parallel to the busy A38, followed by the lovely river section from Wychnor lock to Alrewas lock where, for a brief period, the adolescent Trent joins the canal that has been following it since Harecastle tunnel. We moored in Alrewas...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGJcfo2lgeGJ8C_DBTgFF28yI9F4YQZtKyZ1Ks4iXpRloL9sLSjI1usFQpLilNByubw8-5jz1XKe_HqkTOsal6IXALRDRRN5huFHgwpxYZkj7aKY9p1HtwNqNoS5EgiLdp5cUhBtQGoYyKkt0I2RRt294lM4KgxmCXSA5_zQpUr2-iRf6y7AmSHql9uFZ/s2916/IMG_20230901_093049.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1430" data-original-width="2916" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGJcfo2lgeGJ8C_DBTgFF28yI9F4YQZtKyZ1Ks4iXpRloL9sLSjI1usFQpLilNByubw8-5jz1XKe_HqkTOsal6IXALRDRRN5huFHgwpxYZkj7aKY9p1HtwNqNoS5EgiLdp5cUhBtQGoYyKkt0I2RRt294lM4KgxmCXSA5_zQpUr2-iRf6y7AmSHql9uFZ/w400-h196/IMG_20230901_093049.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...and because neither the A38 or the towpath looked very inviting and it had started raining again, Dave caught the bus back to Burton to get the car.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We did the final leg to Fradley the next morning, queueing for the locks all the way. Jenn and Jim met us as we emerged from Keepers lock, and we squeezed on the end of the moorings so they could come in for a brew and another big chatty catch-up. We worked out that we hadn’t seen each other for six years so we had a lot of catching up to do. In the afternoon Dave got the final shadow done, so it was all finished! After nearly a year of being incognito, Legend had its name on the back panels and we’re really pleased with it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4dloyGQXKia8VT9QPl2uknKS6zhcJj1tl_aKhNQgNoEM7XD0RRVa2oJyqscJjLyf4NoBQ2tK3n75w6ctQWLvtrMgXdqQk99MkGyRCDeJf-s-Z36DfcMf2kkGYKr-cjotg7G2cA3knEEYKTQS-QqerIipERJPz9iZIypbRn8cytATp227R2tkomGVp-mOt/s3917/IMG_20230831_124447.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1715" data-original-width="3917" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4dloyGQXKia8VT9QPl2uknKS6zhcJj1tl_aKhNQgNoEM7XD0RRVa2oJyqscJjLyf4NoBQ2tK3n75w6ctQWLvtrMgXdqQk99MkGyRCDeJf-s-Z36DfcMf2kkGYKr-cjotg7G2cA3knEEYKTQS-QqerIipERJPz9iZIypbRn8cytATp227R2tkomGVp-mOt/w400-h175/IMG_20230831_124447.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We just need to design something for the front now. In the evening it was warm enough to join Jim & Jenn for a pint and more chatting, sitting outside the Swan Inn looking out over Fradley Junction. <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>The weather in 2023 was all over the place. Spring had been cold and wet, then summer had been promising to start with, but fizzled out in July, and now September was looking like the best thing ever. Apparently the jet stream has been "stuck" for more lengthy periods than ever before and is expected to do so more and more into the future. As the climate changes, we feel </span><span>extremely</span><span> lucky to have a life that lets us take advantage of it, however it comes.</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-57588532656982166342023-08-31T08:21:00.000+01:002023-08-31T08:21:50.655+01:00Nottingham to Trent Lock. River Trent. Nottingham and Beeston Canal<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nottingham Riverside Festival fairground on the north embankment of the Trent is reported to be a mile long, and as it goes from Trent Bridge all the way past the footbridge, past the War Memorial and on to the end of the recreation fields, we reckon that’s an understatement.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezHctBFkgie67MwEttsYdzq_dV15ZOp2jUl_RoILUM_jxTJeajAmnNvMsOkGyZDBbvTRiWfB0GrF0LLjrnUNNtcxziJEXwVxbop7UCZXNDS9dzL5a8cf5WYrT0RBhUyNUbA2CVLyKZe3czQpGgnp1kq7jKUiPvBfa-qLh-EqFVN-PmPiqKXEv13BED-jF/s3632/IMG_20230805_153159%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1755" data-original-width="3632" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezHctBFkgie67MwEttsYdzq_dV15ZOp2jUl_RoILUM_jxTJeajAmnNvMsOkGyZDBbvTRiWfB0GrF0LLjrnUNNtcxziJEXwVxbop7UCZXNDS9dzL5a8cf5WYrT0RBhUyNUbA2CVLyKZe3czQpGgnp1kq7jKUiPvBfa-qLh-EqFVN-PmPiqKXEv13BED-jF/w400-h194/IMG_20230805_153159%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0wvVxcHxb8ouy1jia60zgCA3_fJAlKOyz--KjRmn9NgSwD9zssNqB0L3Qb05rq-gCyQDjHLuaI6s44rcRjfHHpbaC6qXze5J4z-juX2kaZ5VNfRx3a7lfHiTJb4xwiX2AIAEbBXop3uytWKF3vHQT9cTikHj0eC-fY0V96vkcFLvjq-CWTw-thLM0hqLW/s4047/IMG_20230804_215303%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2134" data-original-width="4047" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0wvVxcHxb8ouy1jia60zgCA3_fJAlKOyz--KjRmn9NgSwD9zssNqB0L3Qb05rq-gCyQDjHLuaI6s44rcRjfHHpbaC6qXze5J4z-juX2kaZ5VNfRx3a7lfHiTJb4xwiX2AIAEbBXop3uytWKF3vHQT9cTikHj0eC-fY0V96vkcFLvjq-CWTw-thLM0hqLW/w400-h211/IMG_20230804_215303%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Every means imaginable of parting punters from their money is squeezed into a seemingly endless brightly lit corridor full of terrifying rides, fast food and games of chance, with a constant soundtrack of deafening music, screaming and the thunderous rumble of hot rubber wheels. The air is thick with the smell of fried onions and diesel and every now and then you catch the sound of machinery at the very limit of its design capabilities.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We love a good fair, somehow the possibility of dying from either salmonella or in a horrific pile of mangled metal and neon lights just adds to the frisson of excitement you get when you hand your money and your life over to a dodgy looking chap in a straw boater. We scared ourselves silly on the Cyclone...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6pCcAnxnM3dr7Aya1zMjCRr7kWLWEKsBKcj0uYK259r3aV0fYShJHiGrykNJXi03SyEiLHtLhXpXNp2b_-qLaTGb25WgpLB8bnQInLG2Cf23DFT27BpqTPLz826jCnTNxJ10wTNyuuCbK8XRMY-6IPURd5iMORRoLNax_qB6mcO4GXEH1UL_ba4N4nii/s4208/IMG_20230804_225901%20(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2906" data-original-width="4208" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6pCcAnxnM3dr7Aya1zMjCRr7kWLWEKsBKcj0uYK259r3aV0fYShJHiGrykNJXi03SyEiLHtLhXpXNp2b_-qLaTGb25WgpLB8bnQInLG2Cf23DFT27BpqTPLz826jCnTNxJ10wTNyuuCbK8XRMY-6IPURd5iMORRoLNax_qB6mcO4GXEH1UL_ba4N4nii/w400-h276/IMG_20230804_225901%20(3).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /> ...{they never went anywhere near that fast when we were teenagers), had a very tasty Greek Gyros each, and on the Saturday night went to the big top to see Sound of the Sirens play their set. Hanna and Abi were brilliant, as always, with lots of banter and audience involvement. We had a little chat with them at the merch stand afterwards and bought their new EP set. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We all had little treats from the fair, River got her hand henna’d, Ann-Marie got some beautiful new earrings, and Dave got a new 1920 half-crown wedding ring. At close of play on Friday and Saturday evening there was an amazing firework display on the opposite bank of the river, one of the best we’ve ever seen, and a fitting end to a truly brilliant weekend.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">On Sunday had a trip up the river, past the County Hall steps...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifetHy2Zmofnrk_QI0Hs61TaAgX7l-JTvdeauWykHih3UenWrw9EjANrzH_HLczrEP43RO9oiyzZmLZBEHLNfC4rKpLVNpPGfPgaAYH-XXy54G7GZfrAQFYWoLLM2KYn0RBLYQQZtz1GgEAxjsDuAeUJL0Cg6GG7RLZRaZEfutsHVxkhCqkL31EYzCdaMK/s2246/IMG_20230806_091823%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="2246" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifetHy2Zmofnrk_QI0Hs61TaAgX7l-JTvdeauWykHih3UenWrw9EjANrzH_HLczrEP43RO9oiyzZmLZBEHLNfC4rKpLVNpPGfPgaAYH-XXy54G7GZfrAQFYWoLLM2KYn0RBLYQQZtz1GgEAxjsDuAeUJL0Cg6GG7RLZRaZEfutsHVxkhCqkL31EYzCdaMK/s320/IMG_20230806_091823%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD53l6o7KN8j2bzuIprZBpOfrX1PxWxX9ZY7ouptNUfjjsLY70KpnOTXujXFeeE9wA-3LdkJKH2HA_cbxe533gtSimWWlc6y4m9ZlRrlNeEMulXf_iWqAanTWmbsjQ1L7fVXHzR1zaqUW9utVRjceDktElC4k0T-__w2iKKr4NTm8gxA7gMTleLgdZyLro/s4063/IMG_20230806_092638%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1987" data-original-width="4063" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD53l6o7KN8j2bzuIprZBpOfrX1PxWxX9ZY7ouptNUfjjsLY70KpnOTXujXFeeE9wA-3LdkJKH2HA_cbxe533gtSimWWlc6y4m9ZlRrlNeEMulXf_iWqAanTWmbsjQ1L7fVXHzR1zaqUW9utVRjceDktElC4k0T-__w2iKKr4NTm8gxA7gMTleLgdZyLro/w320-h156/IMG_20230806_092638%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>... then set off up Meadow Lane lock onto the Nottingham and Beeston Canal. We joined all the boats heading back to their marinas after the weekend and had to queue for Castle lock, something we’ve not done for ages.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWM19uVidt1PntPn1woWO-eIrSF7C7HeoPPPjHUWpev0L6ll5B-bLvPSKCx_LkXnl9mMTvHfEE7R0LgvEM3xbZjugEJUaJJ0kb-szsT1Q_ZfKXR4jIINPf_ZYEpRfd9Amu2AN_AJ6TCqCQDFcIsclhzVQ5R9ht4tOTIa5ZF_F742DdMGEvNJZNeSjf1XMG/s3535/IMG_20230806_110943%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="3535" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWM19uVidt1PntPn1woWO-eIrSF7C7HeoPPPjHUWpev0L6ll5B-bLvPSKCx_LkXnl9mMTvHfEE7R0LgvEM3xbZjugEJUaJJ0kb-szsT1Q_ZfKXR4jIINPf_ZYEpRfd9Amu2AN_AJ6TCqCQDFcIsclhzVQ5R9ht4tOTIa5ZF_F742DdMGEvNJZNeSjf1XMG/w400-h221/IMG_20230806_110943%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mWMfvhwH_dkJpyJj6alM6Kof8u1Ew6Ay_HsvorjNIXSEtpZhQjUsESNBx5w0fQvlJmdaxjHzHlw-6LB6p98ZaXTecuHDJ0o5CdOy97YQwwVAbzsc9p_o41R4z1rQx_ImxLwi-Ep0FIbXXwFdHc1-qCyYm-PG6ArstTERBy1EYkWYU5pOSnJK1Sta5F_S/s3798/IMG_20230806_114342%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1814" data-original-width="3798" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mWMfvhwH_dkJpyJj6alM6Kof8u1Ew6Ay_HsvorjNIXSEtpZhQjUsESNBx5w0fQvlJmdaxjHzHlw-6LB6p98ZaXTecuHDJ0o5CdOy97YQwwVAbzsc9p_o41R4z1rQx_ImxLwi-Ep0FIbXXwFdHc1-qCyYm-PG6ArstTERBy1EYkWYU5pOSnJK1Sta5F_S/w400-h191/IMG_20230806_114342%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />We carried on to Beeston where we moored up with double pins as we’d be leaving Legend there for a fortnight while we went to France. It was just a short walk up to the station where we caught the train back to Nottingham and walked over to West Bridgford for another of Karma’s treats, this time Cinema in the Park. Disney’s “Robin Hood” was on in the afternoon...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRntAOFiMQ-9cuoJ2B1lbN_L-tCC7dWOr7-AXfSGXfASYCPZ_XlUbnSd0_k6KOXdeEJBKckEPabdmA9qFul2fEG6nOnZfgmzMdJXFn8l0gjjQOGiU29Z2caCspEauembyIQb8cfYVG9S9X0rHj3PwKklWLG-FsT4sxTIXCR3yqgs-wac1jRqpgm0rm2x8v/s3773/IMG_20230806_164923%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1615" data-original-width="3773" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRntAOFiMQ-9cuoJ2B1lbN_L-tCC7dWOr7-AXfSGXfASYCPZ_XlUbnSd0_k6KOXdeEJBKckEPabdmA9qFul2fEG6nOnZfgmzMdJXFn8l0gjjQOGiU29Z2caCspEauembyIQb8cfYVG9S9X0rHj3PwKklWLG-FsT4sxTIXCR3yqgs-wac1jRqpgm0rm2x8v/w400-h171/IMG_20230806_164923%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /> ... followed by “Top Gun; Maverick” in the evening. Wonderful!</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">In the morning Dave set up our automatic plant watering gizmo while River got packed up and Ann-Marie made a goodbye curry. After lunch we went back up to the station and waved River off before having a mooch round town, then home for tea and a really early night with the alarm set for 2 o’clock to get us on our way to Stanstead. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">At about 1am we were wide awake and waiting for the alarm, so we got up anyway. The plan was to repeat the airport-parking-charge-avoidance wheeze that we’d deployed at Birmingham and find some nice, on-street parking by the nearest train station to Stanstead. We figured we must have found somewhere to park when Legend was moored in Sawbridgeworth, so we’d booked return tickets on the first train from there and given ourselves a spare half hour to find somewhere we were happy to leave the car. Sooner or later, our nomadic lifestyle, persistent habit of jumping on aeroplanes, and abject refusal to pay exorbitant parking charges, will result in us having a folder full of quiet - but safe - urban streets under flight-paths all over the country. We’ll publish it when it’s complete and make a fortune!</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">The trip to Jussas went perfectly to plan and by teatime we’d hugged everyone, met Keith and Ethnie, and were in the pool.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZItwVZzaX9OP1x8PfJI3Exmqn817kHZXBU_EWzQhfwTTyO2oHsiABAv0s4xGhizkNCqtXSTi09NvAAdlJ-JNDh1l68t5E0R2TEEHdwLRmtpZR-X2rzszd1FN4WgliS4PIzM1GDdpVXZ-INbSUPHfrZt4c6mgVrQ1C0GHRU4q5abv1Qy8X2QsvAn5XdQl/s2296/IMG_20230809_165958%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2107" data-original-width="2296" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZItwVZzaX9OP1x8PfJI3Exmqn817kHZXBU_EWzQhfwTTyO2oHsiABAv0s4xGhizkNCqtXSTi09NvAAdlJ-JNDh1l68t5E0R2TEEHdwLRmtpZR-X2rzszd1FN4WgliS4PIzM1GDdpVXZ-INbSUPHfrZt4c6mgVrQ1C0GHRU4q5abv1Qy8X2QsvAn5XdQl/w400-h368/IMG_20230809_165958%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />Dave had been round the big field with the mower, and t’Woods had rocked up a day earlier than expected in their motorhome with two of their grandkids. That evening we all went into Montendré to the night market; a huge street party that happens every Tuesday evening in the summer in the middle of town.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEo0yinfb2iUJG5J_-BsaLAUsvBNxmLVHglS2AevZte2AEzkcajOUUJ1fCHVj-DXisMSwuQ4PVHVaSZP0Wfmq-qSZBuvErj899d6ni1qI9FrAdx61LfoEtFR92Drz_XCOZoucraODMvLx_rWo_tZACLLkAbuVMXL4TAnV1pkY0TEkkQeJYwuTqfvAvFZdt/s4187/IMG_20230808_185305%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2516" data-original-width="4187" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEo0yinfb2iUJG5J_-BsaLAUsvBNxmLVHglS2AevZte2AEzkcajOUUJ1fCHVj-DXisMSwuQ4PVHVaSZP0Wfmq-qSZBuvErj899d6ni1qI9FrAdx61LfoEtFR92Drz_XCOZoucraODMvLx_rWo_tZACLLkAbuVMXL4TAnV1pkY0TEkkQeJYwuTqfvAvFZdt/w400-h240/IMG_20230808_185305%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />There were a good fifty food and drink stalls and rows and rows of tables and chairs. Jan and Paul are old hands at this so we were there early and bagged two tables before the crowds turned up. It was a brilliant evening, lots of wine and great food, lots of chatting and lots of introductions to lovely French people. Oh, and there was a fabulous Heath-Robinson three wheeled wandering musical thingy going around as well.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySGqiS4s-rBQ0zdpVfu1Zsesdl42GQo2GP-XfhqziUc3vTSsH8l4AOW8d4zNFBikjzxFKBgqTfvq6W2x7t27_JZjZGAElWU7PutFW5w_mA0A0TlZKy90d5NWQB3Dkr_-ZDdZmvwGyHcy8T8-3kbGQC_5ZnlM99FY5Rsx2m35wYTlmdJLmjOJyyFKcQS2i/s3559/IMG_20230808_222614%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1825" data-original-width="3559" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySGqiS4s-rBQ0zdpVfu1Zsesdl42GQo2GP-XfhqziUc3vTSsH8l4AOW8d4zNFBikjzxFKBgqTfvq6W2x7t27_JZjZGAElWU7PutFW5w_mA0A0TlZKy90d5NWQB3Dkr_-ZDdZmvwGyHcy8T8-3kbGQC_5ZnlM99FY5Rsx2m35wYTlmdJLmjOJyyFKcQS2i/w400-h205/IMG_20230808_222614%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />So perfectly French. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Apart from visiting our Grandchildren and our ex-pat friends, the other reason for our trip was a big party. Paul and Steve are both 70 this year and they wanted to have a joint party in the summer. Having it on Janice’s birthday meant even more reason to celebrate and they’d invited about eighty people from all over the place. Because there were so many guests staying over, six of us were accommodated in a very palatial holiday home nearby. Dave wasn’t drinking, so he took over the role of chauffeur and had a great time driving either a 2cv or the bus back and forth each morning evening. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhHe6YPvLPDlAO4Dv2wTT_G4yI5AykWKA0-NtV5ZoFbSb14QUi2aW95UDios5qLQzdrXIj4oVFRBUuZ_Wo9_XZ3SJ41Sasso8w3tnkGmR0J9TOIHzRcBsWXIYGosFYO5mKKGTv19ieJXzUu8UM7Vl78TuaIn3pAQ-xEohyQrPo9HmWSC-qlGjKhubdJeU/s2531/IMG_20230811_101830%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="2531" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhHe6YPvLPDlAO4Dv2wTT_G4yI5AykWKA0-NtV5ZoFbSb14QUi2aW95UDios5qLQzdrXIj4oVFRBUuZ_Wo9_XZ3SJ41Sasso8w3tnkGmR0J9TOIHzRcBsWXIYGosFYO5mKKGTv19ieJXzUu8UM7Vl78TuaIn3pAQ-xEohyQrPo9HmWSC-qlGjKhubdJeU/w400-h200/IMG_20230811_101830%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />Unfortunately , a couple of days before the party, Janice tested positive for the dreaded lurgy and although she felt better by the big day, she still had two red lines on the test strip, poor lass. The preparations still went ahead, we collected tables and chairs from the Marié, put the </span><span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes';">€</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">27 party tent up…</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Paul: “Did I tell you this only cost </span><span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes';">€</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">27?”</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Everybody: “YES!”</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">… made cakes...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcyr2kZK-cd9SDyr5FfXdR4IVFGuogvFhiC3RIX_EnP4uR9KwtQ7Nc23kywQYVM2vIZ_COME8a2WUUhxpJvHIAbOElZ2Yw50iRNGi1bXvxASRAEBlDcMnn3RS6ecHZoN9oKm_8czVm8LkpJSdBVXHNNcZleJg4hzl7b0d_WP9tg9cvQKGHGz7_oUwgzNY/s3957/IMG_20230811_113249%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3957" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcyr2kZK-cd9SDyr5FfXdR4IVFGuogvFhiC3RIX_EnP4uR9KwtQ7Nc23kywQYVM2vIZ_COME8a2WUUhxpJvHIAbOElZ2Yw50iRNGi1bXvxASRAEBlDcMnn3RS6ecHZoN9oKm_8czVm8LkpJSdBVXHNNcZleJg4hzl7b0d_WP9tg9cvQKGHGz7_oUwgzNY/w400-h219/IMG_20230811_113249%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />...and strung fairy lights all around the garden. Sadly, but understandably, by kick-off about two thirds of the guest list had dropped out, but the party was all outside and enough people still came along to make it a great evening. Paul got the big paella pan out and made a delicious ‘Stew with no name’ - a sausage and apple recipe that Frankie discovered and originally called ‘Sausage S</span><span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes';">**</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">t’ – and served up with crusty bread it was a real winner. A good friend Denis is in a local band and they entertained us with Anglo French hits from the 60’s and 70’s.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OE4VPfbV5I-Xqz241d0JB56AbjE3ohWw1F9MtObQCMWbcynGr7zpf13cJeAOQZayQ9tI2WE08ZARwjpWWM0eHnUIEa-tjYSwGJpXLADc9OnWMEeHaqNId2EW4_NVvei7ObTAhdHgfcQqpQSQVNQ74k2ks85Aa0FcfQiKhnq1WYnrIFm3dKRKdj8DniLL/s3555/IMG_20230812_214059%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1852" data-original-width="3555" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OE4VPfbV5I-Xqz241d0JB56AbjE3ohWw1F9MtObQCMWbcynGr7zpf13cJeAOQZayQ9tI2WE08ZARwjpWWM0eHnUIEa-tjYSwGJpXLADc9OnWMEeHaqNId2EW4_NVvei7ObTAhdHgfcQqpQSQVNQ74k2ks85Aa0FcfQiKhnq1WYnrIFm3dKRKdj8DniLL/w400-h209/IMG_20230812_214059%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />They were terribly good, and got us all up dancing. It was a really lovely family and friends party.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJo36DogqC0kAgZJcO3y2gaaIjX_94uH7Y6vla8If7ORoeXoabsaruXIXhzlwlUQbg3GnxJ8bkbzzcqPtw7a4G_RtL-wqbm0fgI6FLjD_l9EMXTuZt2gbjJddFjDu_5Cm2CRLrwRm_Ttakmz6SoEFEXnTB2mOmkcKsQTCc6PH6VYa0-i70RPgf-plL8FJE/s2373/IMG_20230812_230701%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1669" data-original-width="2373" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJo36DogqC0kAgZJcO3y2gaaIjX_94uH7Y6vla8If7ORoeXoabsaruXIXhzlwlUQbg3GnxJ8bkbzzcqPtw7a4G_RtL-wqbm0fgI6FLjD_l9EMXTuZt2gbjJddFjDu_5Cm2CRLrwRm_Ttakmz6SoEFEXnTB2mOmkcKsQTCc6PH6VYa0-i70RPgf-plL8FJE/w400-h281/IMG_20230812_230701%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />Mirabelle plums were in season at the time so, due to the unwritten French rule of never turning up empty handed, the morning after the party we had about ten kilos of the things to deal with. Over the next few days we took it in turns </span>stoning a pile and making something with them, <span style="font-family: inherit;">Ann-Marie produced a gorgeous mirabelle tart, a mirabelle and apple tart,</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGuWXbyALKRIliqEpfaje1LGvuGw5fBqhq9JB2kvI1DrdpImdn6azwjGIi1HsDPMGIBkYmHiTAdvNSmxqifHED-2Uxq0CyiGFJOZrvG_PoRTkaHoKQyGzu_q7ULf3ymspR1Oc69aGNXiXcb181ts8obwu1nhVJ5yyOt_U82wRIxazNczaTS7aIe4DYa6p/s2402/IMG_20230814_224430%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2402" data-original-width="2295" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGuWXbyALKRIliqEpfaje1LGvuGw5fBqhq9JB2kvI1DrdpImdn6azwjGIi1HsDPMGIBkYmHiTAdvNSmxqifHED-2Uxq0CyiGFJOZrvG_PoRTkaHoKQyGzu_q7ULf3ymspR1Oc69aGNXiXcb181ts8obwu1nhVJ5yyOt_U82wRIxazNczaTS7aIe4DYa6p/w383-h400/IMG_20230814_224430%20(2).jpg" width="383" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />Jo and the girls made some mirabelle punch and a birthday cake for Jon. That evening was Pizza night, Paul made his signature dough, and Harry and Dave did the honours with the wood fired oven.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdPBU1zGA_W_WvY_u0rBxbb96xMrdZ9ezFSwxfdzI3aygyXHDSSTmC--ejpBSx7lwsMNNQ9Ezk1-m32Ut5hYFS8YeTpn7hLx90sYLmkMpgMe__gdSGfA46z5pbMuNSRNpxgzbX9u2sXuWkfN4QJEbDLxqcZQoca45NnRpZAA80j9PWfxHlUxeitmRef28/s4096/IMG_20230814_191904%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1770" data-original-width="4096" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdPBU1zGA_W_WvY_u0rBxbb96xMrdZ9ezFSwxfdzI3aygyXHDSSTmC--ejpBSx7lwsMNNQ9Ezk1-m32Ut5hYFS8YeTpn7hLx90sYLmkMpgMe__gdSGfA46z5pbMuNSRNpxgzbX9u2sXuWkfN4QJEbDLxqcZQoca45NnRpZAA80j9PWfxHlUxeitmRef28/w400-h173/IMG_20230814_191904%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PQgnDSEFp9BAC3-H965PR9LoSUUJMJNmeshi2I1kv-JJ1bLHo0xVuBKa1lFCV4x7nnHLQbGneWSvAOHY18xBnvz6DPfbQiXGTpMW6Qa1qujF9KnWAq84qORqnLBlT8xaSCUlna790-39eEQxBwOxCOBqsNQbdFus-sBMsS4x5Gos8gI8Y2jFQAVjTdOg/s3270/IMG_20230814_195610%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2019" data-original-width="3270" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PQgnDSEFp9BAC3-H965PR9LoSUUJMJNmeshi2I1kv-JJ1bLHo0xVuBKa1lFCV4x7nnHLQbGneWSvAOHY18xBnvz6DPfbQiXGTpMW6Qa1qujF9KnWAq84qORqnLBlT8xaSCUlna790-39eEQxBwOxCOBqsNQbdFus-sBMsS4x5Gos8gI8Y2jFQAVjTdOg/w400-h248/IMG_20230814_195610%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg593FhfCuHMiLFJekXnirylKuG7aEyha6_0QIVWZGo8TuF9RhzeSY-tNVu3GN9ceFaZ-ORNhhu6-6pAHcIJoBRx0wHLPhyi9de4Lh5-dOby21SV57N_u53iciY6UVMaAyFVPBCVOBAC4q7_DIaihSHzBYbsVgqy0e3Gap1Af19z0r3iWvaGFetTFtvKP0n/s4063/IMG_20230814_201201%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2163" data-original-width="4063" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg593FhfCuHMiLFJekXnirylKuG7aEyha6_0QIVWZGo8TuF9RhzeSY-tNVu3GN9ceFaZ-ORNhhu6-6pAHcIJoBRx0wHLPhyi9de4Lh5-dOby21SV57N_u53iciY6UVMaAyFVPBCVOBAC4q7_DIaihSHzBYbsVgqy0e3Gap1Af19z0r3iWvaGFetTFtvKP0n/w400-h213/IMG_20230814_201201%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BUNsDZhtv52URmoucTH_mafLaJIMfNHrC5d3BDrqda5q1VTqV_rTTXDN0IsdaLAu4hvpF5xBVXId90YtHbXQ7Gvbe-SIHfXIzkS5etmU6EuSU-MXG7tXJQ6jqxFv38UFdhaH_DdzNhU3AWF7Rfom3Do47vb-F5duyvQuoFppmXJT4pIyora5Dbo9Phgy/s3931/IMG_20230814_202901%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2167" data-original-width="3931" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BUNsDZhtv52URmoucTH_mafLaJIMfNHrC5d3BDrqda5q1VTqV_rTTXDN0IsdaLAu4hvpF5xBVXId90YtHbXQ7Gvbe-SIHfXIzkS5etmU6EuSU-MXG7tXJQ6jqxFv38UFdhaH_DdzNhU3AWF7Rfom3Do47vb-F5duyvQuoFppmXJT4pIyora5Dbo9Phgy/w400-h220/IMG_20230814_202901%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Great Fun.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">For our last night in France we all went back into town for another night market. More lovely food, more happy people and more dancing to the band.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi77TiFjhNr2_TZbpJ7e35wkN3yrMybQRj9RZDvswKz-ZG_hi_qjZtatwD7XArdUBsFLtNO8RLKO34Ax1t1dMd8yw9VeKk2ljZC7WuSO_3uYpiC9zU329nhTp5lTR1beAzD-hGPu8dQWq4KM6DqwA3sTyWfJZWkHf7FQUehg5ef8EOlBQQuJGLqG68ZKhcA/s3179/IMG_20230815_195753%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1405" data-original-width="3179" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi77TiFjhNr2_TZbpJ7e35wkN3yrMybQRj9RZDvswKz-ZG_hi_qjZtatwD7XArdUBsFLtNO8RLKO34Ax1t1dMd8yw9VeKk2ljZC7WuSO_3uYpiC9zU329nhTp5lTR1beAzD-hGPu8dQWq4KM6DqwA3sTyWfJZWkHf7FQUehg5ef8EOlBQQuJGLqG68ZKhcA/w400-h176/IMG_20230815_195753%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />In the morning Dave did an early airport run with a bus full of bleary eyed party goers, then in the afternoon the two campervans packed up and got ready to pull out. Soon it was our turn, it’ll be next year before we’re back so there were lots of emotional goodbyes before we piled into the airport shuttle bus. Such a mass exodus was going to leave our little corner of France feeling really quiet for a while.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Another smooth flight and train ride back to Sawbridgworth, pie and chips in the car and a long drive home. Back at Beeston we found Legend safe and sound with added ripe tomatoes.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">The Beeston parkrun course went right past where we were moored, making it the closest we’ve been to the start since Skipton. It was really big with about 500 people and quite claustrophobic at the beginning, but ok once it thinned out a bit, following the towpath and then back along Trent Valley Way. After that we set off for Cranfleet Cut via the services and the chandlery at Beeston lock. With everything emptied, filled and replaced, we cast off onto the beautiful river section up to Cranfleet lock. There were volunteers on duty at the lock so we were in and up and moored just before the railway bridge in no time. We cycled into Long Eaton for some painting supplies, then Dave got the sander out and keyed the right hand back panel ready for a second coat. By chance we had the gas locker open and noticed that it was a bit smelly in there. It turned out that the gas regulator was leaking, so until we could get hold of a new one we had to turn the gas off at the bottle when we weren’t using it. It wasn’t so much a safety issue, the gas locker is away from the cabin and vented at the bottom - just above the waterline - and as LPG is heavier than air it can’t accumulate to dangerous levels, but it’s expensive stuff and you really can’t afford to lose it.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">In the morning Dave got the top coat on the panel, then went down to check out the pontoon moorings at Trent Lock. There was a space there, but by the time he got back and we’d got the boat down there, a little river cruiser had beaten us to it. We reckoned there was just enough room behind it to get most of Legend on the end, so we carried on upstream and turned round. What we<i> should </i>have done was come back past the pontoon again, turn below it and moor up pointing into the flow, but instead Dave decided to try mooring on the downstream leg. It very nearly ended in disaster, and it was only Ann-Marie’s quick mooring tactics that stopped us ploughing into the little cruiser. It probably looked quite slick from an uninitiated bystanders perspective, but it was much too close for comfort for us. There are very good reasons for not mooring downstream, the main one being that you have very little control of the boat. Dave has sworn to behave himself and heed the warnings in future.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We scaled up our design for the boat name using a grid on the back panel and Dave spent most of the following afternoon plotting it out. Half way through he needed a break from kneeling so we had a walk up to Sawley marina to get a new gas regulator. By tea time the design was finished, the gas was fixed and we’d had a cycle to Morrisons and come back with chocolate cr</span><span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes';">ệpes.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf6xlhPs0uQOXHx2tHrkRuvRSkqfzhH3AsyAlYPyBqt2nVPxM6b_RXVspq_d532UbISUqadKJwl9QQw_67_vlMKIqlxzgLDQiaOfdRU9yQcc3DylwMtNwi3oVn7CJYNUWgZfCTdZiLC0pQSbg5KUNij377Xm9eZA0offODEw_8ra-3lrN95IoPrGr0czXa/s3934/IMG_20230824_191341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1607" data-original-width="3934" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf6xlhPs0uQOXHx2tHrkRuvRSkqfzhH3AsyAlYPyBqt2nVPxM6b_RXVspq_d532UbISUqadKJwl9QQw_67_vlMKIqlxzgLDQiaOfdRU9yQcc3DylwMtNwi3oVn7CJYNUWgZfCTdZiLC0pQSbg5KUNij377Xm9eZA0offODEw_8ra-3lrN95IoPrGr0czXa/w400-h164/IMG_20230824_191341.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />That’ll do donkey.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-40930201394380725052023-08-22T09:07:00.001+01:002023-08-26T05:17:32.744+01:00West Stockwith to Nottingham. River Trent, Tidal and Non Tidal.<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The tide times at West Stockwith meant we needed to leave about 12, so we had plenty of time in the morning for a wander down to the lock for showers and a chat with the lock keeper. We were in and ready at 11:30 and out onto the river as soon as the tide turned.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMMLagqz8Vd3lFOCOpO1SB7IWq5dzJ-miNfKrI5U0VKqu2XAqCC1kfIHaO7lD4JxOvwUQJyX6an4paQoEklstiZoOsVRkrHfk9FSRE-Rn6mL1cxACDJJcgDZfZokktP9m_kS77wk8clxPPIRgKD1g3Wz6aKY8raDaxN2OCUA_gHtYRQMU9YW8bq6ShQO2/s4096/IMG_20230726_113849%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="4096" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJMMLagqz8Vd3lFOCOpO1SB7IWq5dzJ-miNfKrI5U0VKqu2XAqCC1kfIHaO7lD4JxOvwUQJyX6an4paQoEklstiZoOsVRkrHfk9FSRE-Rn6mL1cxACDJJcgDZfZokktP9m_kS77wk8clxPPIRgKD1g3Wz6aKY8raDaxN2OCUA_gHtYRQMU9YW8bq6ShQO2/w400-h180/IMG_20230726_113849%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLnm7F_PgAYM9saegi_eeeEUdeOUnJxAlUSujSplIaMFMuJNJbvrdTfGFnTnos6PrRtJkAJD9DbVpLWYM3MxCV4xPhf5uG39CMhA5GdZR7Hpy6gt7C08xdP7vDT8cJ33X_jLklQupDxpxeX-oR80bjMrw17uT-HCs_uDT99NBAMyvq74xGNH2A6ludIaTn/s2591/IMG_20230726_115607%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="2591" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLnm7F_PgAYM9saegi_eeeEUdeOUnJxAlUSujSplIaMFMuJNJbvrdTfGFnTnos6PrRtJkAJD9DbVpLWYM3MxCV4xPhf5uG39CMhA5GdZR7Hpy6gt7C08xdP7vDT8cJ33X_jLklQupDxpxeX-oR80bjMrw17uT-HCs_uDT99NBAMyvq74xGNH2A6ludIaTn/w400-h168/IMG_20230726_115607%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We shared the lock by Nb Dark Star who soon overtook us, along with five other boats which had come up from either the River Ouse or Keadby...</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rcuhDFZPkl8zBd11ZqIMgdnF0DGuN59NLMG22wRInWc0sCOVGC3SdSwkdv1RwHh3fB0cLkn38bASxfeXkeSsfct0JdhMPdUR8Zlk_xJaBeF5MtcgyJdrVjdjAyRLPMjUjx2kuuuEY5PqS9ZS-sQ9mfLcf7JFrZ1qFEfRfD9GLM8ErGbFy0MKNBK8mfT4/s4096/IMG_20230726_133211%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1701" data-original-width="4096" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rcuhDFZPkl8zBd11ZqIMgdnF0DGuN59NLMG22wRInWc0sCOVGC3SdSwkdv1RwHh3fB0cLkn38bASxfeXkeSsfct0JdhMPdUR8Zlk_xJaBeF5MtcgyJdrVjdjAyRLPMjUjx2kuuuEY5PqS9ZS-sQ9mfLcf7JFrZ1qFEfRfD9GLM8ErGbFy0MKNBK8mfT4/w400-h166/IMG_20230726_133211%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...so it was no surprise to find that there was no room on the pontoons at Torksey when we got there. The protocol in situations like that is for someone to allow you to moor alongside them, and of course that’s what happened. In fact the first boat we got to kindly invited us to tie up, but it was slightly annoying to see that if everyone had moored closer together in the first place we’d have had plenty of room. Anything more than about 1m between boats is known as a Git Gap, and they seem to have got a lot bigger since Covid. Obviously, on pontoon moorings you can only tie up where the cleats are, but sharing a cleat, a ring, or a bollard is seen (by some) to be an intrusion, so you wind up with big - but not big enough - spaces all over the place. Most of us manage to park cars sensibly, so why we can’t do the same with a boat is a mystery. Hopefully we’ll soon get back to snuggling up and all will be right with the world</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We were somewhat surprised when the Torksey lock keeper told us that we needed to set off at dawn the next morning in order to get to the end of the tidal section at Cromwell, and that the trip would be about 5 hours against the flow. We were expecting to have some help from the incoming tide but after studying the charts and tide times, we realised that any tidal assistance would be either in darkness, or too late to get us to Cromwell before the lock keeper went home, so dawn it was. We’d turned Legend round before tying up to the other boat, so it was easy to quietly push off and sneak away at 5:30, hopefully without disturbing anyone, and begin our long slog up-river. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGe9FfINla1ZNjXdQOVzUscR0XyJ3d4pqX8bsx43sp8wQNN9LqdSlwXZJojZIIe9PKiG5eH9CzcrOtQnUsXv8DHOfCOckuRUNibXkie_irBQrdwKRA5SyiQbSjdF8CIbdYdv0-nIQEPRcGsdUX8Eft2mzjaUr57f63hLaA-0oYt7Dpra1cv8sxSV8vp09/s4041/IMG_20230727_071245%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1665" data-original-width="4041" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGe9FfINla1ZNjXdQOVzUscR0XyJ3d4pqX8bsx43sp8wQNN9LqdSlwXZJojZIIe9PKiG5eH9CzcrOtQnUsXv8DHOfCOckuRUNibXkie_irBQrdwKRA5SyiQbSjdF8CIbdYdv0-nIQEPRcGsdUX8Eft2mzjaUr57f63hLaA-0oYt7Dpra1cv8sxSV8vp09/w400-h165/IMG_20230727_071245%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We got to Cromwell at about 11:30 after not seeing another boat all the way.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirouvJVoejUk96Ik08WrA_A6_U34SA5f3IQHN_5OfEMDyaQNTdFiU3faE_0Pq7Rkrlc5viS3pf6uGupSA99DFQbkudApekv2q0h2OQr0qStW6XDH2CbmhubWcs51Q0cqqg9f5ikHr351ULBdDu9R72su_8YOhY3WFEhLTcDZqdFhOaB3gT8ThVy07gEnoq/s3312/IMG_20230727_112250%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="3312" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirouvJVoejUk96Ik08WrA_A6_U34SA5f3IQHN_5OfEMDyaQNTdFiU3faE_0Pq7Rkrlc5viS3pf6uGupSA99DFQbkudApekv2q0h2OQr0qStW6XDH2CbmhubWcs51Q0cqqg9f5ikHr351ULBdDu9R72su_8YOhY3WFEhLTcDZqdFhOaB3gT8ThVy07gEnoq/w400-h220/IMG_20230727_112250%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The pontoon above the lock was empty so we got a perfect mooring, then just as Dave was shutting the engine down, two boats came downstream and filled the rest of the pontoon up. Perfect timing.<span> In the afternoon we went for a walk along the riverbank foraging blackberries and a giant puffball, which we’d never had before and can report that it was delicious and kept us in mushrooms for a week!</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKX5B7hWalJOiyeVcQsB2Qg2H3DZMRTl1s3TsMlLg9cTeUwyNk3kL1zEWqZ9AZmoRkQQCJke7nUS0rj5NgVn5Fus38w4NWkuMNT4nGkyGjbH0TZLZzZa9UX43f_rIGi0l73GGNG95DCMDfzx9tb0gH5_lxSZMI2RO_A3YT7IrARpfy-PBsS2YjdtSlYH2c/s2485/IMG_20230728_050636%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="2485" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKX5B7hWalJOiyeVcQsB2Qg2H3DZMRTl1s3TsMlLg9cTeUwyNk3kL1zEWqZ9AZmoRkQQCJke7nUS0rj5NgVn5Fus38w4NWkuMNT4nGkyGjbH0TZLZzZa9UX43f_rIGi0l73GGNG95DCMDfzx9tb0gH5_lxSZMI2RO_A3YT7IrARpfy-PBsS2YjdtSlYH2c/w400-h174/IMG_20230728_050636%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">There had been a lot of rain in the Trent catchment area, so although we were now above the tidal limit, the next morning was another slow, up-stream slog against the flow. At Newark Nether Lock the lock keeper warned us on the radio that there was “a fair bit o’ fresh” coming across the lock approach, useful advice as it meant we could alter our course, turn late, and crab Legend sideways across the flow into the lock, avoiding any drama. We got a space on the Kiln pontoon in Newark and tied up for two days.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBBP67p0fFd-P1n5leNlybbi-91gb_xsJDR7GITL_VhUKQAy0mtIxeaL0FSMjQGAEruSAMjIQzjreZ6tAqk27H8StCyvYfBsUWqxaxtjhiSPCUsHpDiRh3Bn08WZccvjFThZionARCxePN3utN_IQTYMfDDf4kXhx0x3DG4MNBLtV3-79Br21FSzNmn_c/s3148/IMG_20230728_103215%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1654" data-original-width="3148" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBBP67p0fFd-P1n5leNlybbi-91gb_xsJDR7GITL_VhUKQAy0mtIxeaL0FSMjQGAEruSAMjIQzjreZ6tAqk27H8StCyvYfBsUWqxaxtjhiSPCUsHpDiRh3Bn08WZccvjFThZionARCxePN3utN_IQTYMfDDf4kXhx0x3DG4MNBLtV3-79Br21FSzNmn_c/w400-h210/IMG_20230728_103215%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />When we went into town there were crowd barriers all over the place and it was obvious there was something big happening. It turned out that Karma had once more provided entertainment for us, this time in the form of the Newark Town Centre Cycle Races, which is not only part of the British Cycling National Circuit Series, but also the series final! So for the rest of the afternoon and evening we got very enthusiastic about bicycles.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqge5UnB4slJ0Ir4wxB_vAAshFAGR-V3y7RdAJ55_5sg75YtkuY7Wamz_GucssZyjF1sDaIkff0xDNeyARJ7_DVGu6GfPZOIro3vhcAvRO541NLAF6vIbJEfja17noAKZVm3QHT0kfp2e-OWHiYY3WQTnmVw5-EsrfSfVeWsdYOb8cMPlVhwbO6K4zrHN5/s3944/IMG_20230728_164109%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2006" data-original-width="3944" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqge5UnB4slJ0Ir4wxB_vAAshFAGR-V3y7RdAJ55_5sg75YtkuY7Wamz_GucssZyjF1sDaIkff0xDNeyARJ7_DVGu6GfPZOIro3vhcAvRO541NLAF6vIbJEfja17noAKZVm3QHT0kfp2e-OWHiYY3WQTnmVw5-EsrfSfVeWsdYOb8cMPlVhwbO6K4zrHN5/w400-h204/IMG_20230728_164109%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />It was a really tight circuit between the barriers round the narrow, cobbled town centre roads, and the speed the elite riders got up to was unbelievable, almost touching the barriers at every corner.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzKR0m7N6lkMF_xtSSQZvlY5hGcHk-TnIAcTcnfUt56DElUkRsxGiY__ocYSDXNRQS4WAP2NDmKGO8MAueQeg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The town was rammed and the organisation was flawless, with lots of marshals manning the crossing points on the track so people could move around the town and get to all the pubs and restaurants that were doing a roaring trade. We found the whole event tremendously exhilarating, and went to bed buzzing with excitement.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">In the morning we had a short walk over to Devon & Sconce Park for a very well organised parkrun, followed by a fry-up before t’Woods arrived with two of their grandchildren. We all went to the Old Bakery, which was becoming our favourite café, then walked round to the playground till it was time for them to go home.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9heokewe_95M6yGsqZhTOcoo6RSK7sQD8sjGML_kV-cEy-IxY4i74_RHMJF5UVZTOwEOHH7Z4s-g9bDAtnaETJfpbQZCTtwddJB0QZ8kmUH-Ydpy3cBAqw-lvulIDwNzP5Ltp0a6DQoIqSqA_aqnMZWAYu8aiVKDN5XSl2rt1TbZr3wqvVvq2NW-tW-Pw/s2361/IMG_20230729_141539%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="2361" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9heokewe_95M6yGsqZhTOcoo6RSK7sQD8sjGML_kV-cEy-IxY4i74_RHMJF5UVZTOwEOHH7Z4s-g9bDAtnaETJfpbQZCTtwddJB0QZ8kmUH-Ydpy3cBAqw-lvulIDwNzP5Ltp0a6DQoIqSqA_aqnMZWAYu8aiVKDN5XSl2rt1TbZr3wqvVvq2NW-tW-Pw/w400-h186/IMG_20230729_141539%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Later on we took the car to Fisketon and walked the 5 miles back along the Trent Valley Way, stopping at the Fox Inn for some much needed sustenance in the form of an ice cream each. The walk, on top of running in the morning, took its toll on Dave’s Achilles and left him hobbling a bit and he’s going to have to take it easy for a while. <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Karma’s treat for us on Sunday was a saxophone concert at the bandstand in the castle grounds. We took our chairs and a small picnic and had a lovely time listening to an eclectic mix of tunes from Moondance to the Pink Panther theme tune. Marvellous!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhMmXdo7CrNavwtfzJ7culZ78_Fl7RhYzkrmGqLKzquEAORFJZHQwfQI4jP-mfen9iKDrho8WGS7RCFGxUgFzCZPlNkxD-OkTZRWjmYmK_GSq1o6RkcQaPvP1v-fGH6YdKa9xyQsFrLdq9UAenJkNHi-zlOk7aPWEOwHtps-bmGdlGTsG9TX3ofM_6YCW/s3932/IMG_20230730_144501%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2073" data-original-width="3932" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhMmXdo7CrNavwtfzJ7culZ78_Fl7RhYzkrmGqLKzquEAORFJZHQwfQI4jP-mfen9iKDrho8WGS7RCFGxUgFzCZPlNkxD-OkTZRWjmYmK_GSq1o6RkcQaPvP1v-fGH6YdKa9xyQsFrLdq9UAenJkNHi-zlOk7aPWEOwHtps-bmGdlGTsG9TX3ofM_6YCW/w400-h211/IMG_20230730_144501%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />At about 4pm we said goodbye to Newark and set off, past the castle, through Town Lock and up the river to Hazelford.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx655180gpeR8D9iK15l4JyTmVTRCfFB30OnGz71G3EJZdUpNZUOcR4RQm2APnf3GrnpPcBLv1Wu6UmXExiYn5qXZkFdF6SXx1cz5h09kBKRFKJahVUXA4zViyNpG1LpJNgENeLIMlmf0ieOmc4tUaQZoWvzBzzh5aF3N7QFrDG7aZ9ii0ofI2Nny00nGi/s4080/IMG_20230730_154235%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1957" data-original-width="4080" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx655180gpeR8D9iK15l4JyTmVTRCfFB30OnGz71G3EJZdUpNZUOcR4RQm2APnf3GrnpPcBLv1Wu6UmXExiYn5qXZkFdF6SXx1cz5h09kBKRFKJahVUXA4zViyNpG1LpJNgENeLIMlmf0ieOmc4tUaQZoWvzBzzh5aF3N7QFrDG7aZ9ii0ofI2Nny00nGi/w400-h191/IMG_20230730_154235%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The flow had calmed down a lot over the previous two days, so it wasn’t long before we were moored up below Hazelford Lock, watching the foambergs pile up below the weir in the opposite bank.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">In the morning there was rain on the forecast for later on, so we penned up through the lock as soon as it opened and made our way to Gunthorpe, racing the ever thickening grey clouds. We managed to get through the lock and onto the visitor pontoon by the Unicorn pub just before the rain started. In the afternoon, Ann-Marie walked back up the riverbank to Fiskerton for the car while Dave did the monthly boat checks and rested his ankle. On her way, Ann-Marie called in on a chap who sells mail-order marine electrical bits and just happened to live on a boat near Fiskerton. Dave had emailed him and arranged for her to pick up some IP67 30 amp MC4 connectors, (or Waterproof Solar Panel Plugs to normal folk) which we needed to modify the wiring to the new panel since the wires to the previous one got cut. We still find it amazing that we live off grid, on a boat, often in the middle of nowhere, and yet we can organise stuff like that using nothing more than a telephone. Early 20th</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> century science fiction writers barely scratched the surface of the info/techno revolution we’re going through and, personally, we can’t imagine how we’d cope with boat life without all the gadgets and connectivity we have. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Our next mooring was Holme Pierrepoint, above the lock and just beside the white water rafting launch point, so throughout the afternoon groups of nervous looking corporate-bonding executives, screeching hen parties, or giggling scouts and guides would paddle past our window on their way to the rapids at the National Watersports Centre. There was an underwater shelf sticking out from the bank, so Dave tried tying a bunch of fenders together in an effort to keep Legend away from the edge. However fenders are slippery little suckers and don’t take kindly to being tied together, so it was a bit clonky in the night.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">On the bike ride to Gunthorpe for the car Dave got a puncture, so Ann-Marie carried on while he mended it, and then drove back to pick him up. We parked in West Bridgford and rode back to the boat via the Nottingham County Hall steps to see if there were any mooring spaces. The Nottingham Riverside Festival was on the opposite bank at the weekend so we thought it might be a bit busy. How right we were; the steps were crammed with boats moored up to 4 abreast, plus some tents and campervans on the riverbank. It looked fantastic. We’d planned to be in Nottingham for the festival, in fact it had been our destination since we were in Yorkshire and we’d found out that Sound of the Sirens were playing in the big top on the Saturday night. Our choices were to either take our chances, hope someone would let us moor up alongside, and join in the melee on the steps, or go up onto the canal and try to find a mooring along there. As it was still only Tuesday we put off deciding what to do for a couple of days. The next afternoon we cycled back into West Bridgford for a mooch and came across “Lark in the Park” which is a mini festival aimed at kids. There were loads of stalls around the park, a Punch and Judy show, a clown, a Mr Whippy van and some drummers drumming. Despite feeling a bit self-conscious due to not having a small person-or-persons we had a fabulous time!</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> After we’d cycled back to Legend, once more dodging the rain, t’Woods wandered over from their home in the camp site for the evening. We would be seeing them again in France the following week, which would be the first time their new van had been abroad, so there was much excitement about the coming trip. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">In the morning we set off on the last leg into Nottingham, still not sure where we were going to end up.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJWCMYVD8bjG6gxSzf8u5vV20ND35WK8MInk_HAif6KNwT6zg8Fj8Z4PBWbY44spzfIYFLIA0X2hYbseM_jfmqNmoyMc0F5ULgQRrGV08iC2FPfjOfTvYA5Dj5iy6Ap3EXPypCikfOmGALxkVRSsC0WdMoi2J67EzvTwVWmItEUZuvR0QJgzoufNJxoOx/s3559/IMG_20230803_105526%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1551" data-original-width="3559" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJWCMYVD8bjG6gxSzf8u5vV20ND35WK8MInk_HAif6KNwT6zg8Fj8Z4PBWbY44spzfIYFLIA0X2hYbseM_jfmqNmoyMc0F5ULgQRrGV08iC2FPfjOfTvYA5Dj5iy6Ap3EXPypCikfOmGALxkVRSsC0WdMoi2J67EzvTwVWmItEUZuvR0QJgzoufNJxoOx/w400-h174/IMG_20230803_105526%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Because River was coming to stay for the weekend and we wanted to be able to get the bikes on and off, being breasted up three boats out from the bank wasn’t exactly practical, so we’d resigned ourselves to going up the lock and mooring on the canal in the city. However when we got to Meadow Lane lock, we noticed that there was a space on the floating pontoon just beyond it, so we swerved in and tied up. Not quite the steps, but close enough. Plus we were on the same side as the festival and didn’t have to haul the bikes up the steps every time we needed to go out. <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">River arrived by train later that afternoon and we had a lovely time chatting before going for an evening stroll through the mile long fairground and festival site. There were three stages and some of the rides looked terrifying! It looked like we were in for a fabulous weekend! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-44762924582635675812023-07-31T20:07:00.000+01:002023-07-31T20:07:04.235+01:00West Stockwith to Hayton Winding Hole and Back. Chesterfield Canal.<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dave got up early in the morning at West Stockwith to find to find the RIB, that had been moored behind us, adrift under the bridge with the lock and cable that had been securing it to a mooring ring lying on the ground. The lock had clearly been attacked with bolt croppers and it was only later that we found out that the cable had also been round an outboard motor. Encounters with the nastier side of life are usually quite rare on the waterways, so it was a bit of a shock to come across another theft so soon after our experience in Goole. Also shocking was that it happened just behind our boat while we were in bed. All this is just making us more wary and cautious, but it also makes us wonder what the point of more padlocks is, when the thieves all have bolt croppers.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Life, as they say, goes on and we had a road trip to organise. We put the camping chairs and the paddleboards in the car along with our overnight bags and set off in the boat for Wooden Beck, a quiet little mooring about 2 miles from West Stockwith. We’d planned to run back, but ended up jogging/walking most of it, picking blackberries along the way. Back at the basin we saw the owner of the RIB, so we told her what we’d seen and gave her our contact details. Then, after a shower and a change of clothes, we jumped in the car and set off for SALfest II at Sutton Courtney. “SAL” stands for Smith’s Lady, Andelanté and Legend; the three boats that were moored together for seven months during the floods and the first covid lock down in Wallingford three years ago. Last year we had a reunion and it was so much fun that we decided to make it and annual event. Steve and Annmarie have a beautiful mooring on a partially wooded three acre field on the Thames behind Culham lock. They moor Andelanté and Barking, their holiday hire boat there. This year they’ve expanded their holiday business to include two glamping bell tents, so we were really excited to see how it was all working. We’re happy to report that it was truly amazing.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxzdogYuzSc6m_uW0TiQvquYWu4j_mHUvbSRNNSSVhzR3XoVduLKwVlxE12sOh1xBg0YCC9t_uTFNt_2H_WgMn6WesDKzSqMv8Hr25YIuitZC7z0eamRQpoKuox2xPsSGdnn2Pziil9gf5GUMNDtpTAewIJ-KXfhI7MlcHCw-2sp3JS-qvpVRzqqv1sTy/s2480/IMG_20230711_194329%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="2480" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxzdogYuzSc6m_uW0TiQvquYWu4j_mHUvbSRNNSSVhzR3XoVduLKwVlxE12sOh1xBg0YCC9t_uTFNt_2H_WgMn6WesDKzSqMv8Hr25YIuitZC7z0eamRQpoKuox2xPsSGdnn2Pziil9gf5GUMNDtpTAewIJ-KXfhI7MlcHCw-2sp3JS-qvpVRzqqv1sTy/w400-h173/IMG_20230711_194329%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />They have put so much hard work into making a little slice of paradise by the river. Colin and Julia had brought their camper, but we had luxurious accommodation in one of the bell tents. We arrived in the afternoon to lots of hugs and chatting with some of the nicest people we know.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxs-sow1sOglCxZojicRFg05D5CuYjYwlIpT1CbE3XpJcklQCTwDAJnm4ePo3NNbhmgvMG_niyPeX3rs5NIZBNFrYUBrP2ZvkiCRvOauv_kDui2n_Ey9OCHAGA8d0K_D1qbwxwIBgRudWBDW-B4ft2xXl80DwvTeFHZAZed1xykHlWyjKQglziSxmltI8/s1535/IMG_20230712-WA0018%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1535" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxs-sow1sOglCxZojicRFg05D5CuYjYwlIpT1CbE3XpJcklQCTwDAJnm4ePo3NNbhmgvMG_niyPeX3rs5NIZBNFrYUBrP2ZvkiCRvOauv_kDui2n_Ey9OCHAGA8d0K_D1qbwxwIBgRudWBDW-B4ft2xXl80DwvTeFHZAZed1xykHlWyjKQglziSxmltI8/w320-h244/IMG_20230712-WA0018%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYusgJpEFqGej68WJw_ZluN5e9-3wF9yvn4J5HAkBdvOeNqw35KUQfPJ_aRJ7OUWGvFaxDFxiikqjNb1iRKoY-SBELwlkFzEbfGbbtCxqTYv4FIaPFu2LWhZwSn-dxNLT_jBaTYZYQJGd3zyrLxE47_I2rphj0SagwgFWmk1utiCYX_msatWqS5mpUawaE/s1592/IMG_20230712-WA0024%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1592" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYusgJpEFqGej68WJw_ZluN5e9-3wF9yvn4J5HAkBdvOeNqw35KUQfPJ_aRJ7OUWGvFaxDFxiikqjNb1iRKoY-SBELwlkFzEbfGbbtCxqTYv4FIaPFu2LWhZwSn-dxNLT_jBaTYZYQJGd3zyrLxE47_I2rphj0SagwgFWmk1utiCYX_msatWqS5mpUawaE/w400-h248/IMG_20230712-WA0024%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />That evening we had a huge barbeque and then sat round the fire pit with one or two glasses of something before retiring to a lovely comfy double bed.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3roqeQ9zyfBkAuQn__nGIgoTzQx7AGM2yU3ozV2k_no64mKenys-Mhns4L3ieBqX0amsGb2e6HlFKPfTQfV6Nhl0gNlGaZArGyWuooRkTGLfM8vws4xtu4nazB_Vhs5CgCkXRbRQBKEpUKv8onef0BsQ8TJaAADJ_EvPxnSvTQYwtUoNPExBkg0vCw8qh/s3227/IMG_20230711_193900%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1614" data-original-width="3227" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3roqeQ9zyfBkAuQn__nGIgoTzQx7AGM2yU3ozV2k_no64mKenys-Mhns4L3ieBqX0amsGb2e6HlFKPfTQfV6Nhl0gNlGaZArGyWuooRkTGLfM8vws4xtu4nazB_Vhs5CgCkXRbRQBKEpUKv8onef0BsQ8TJaAADJ_EvPxnSvTQYwtUoNPExBkg0vCw8qh/w400-h200/IMG_20230711_193900%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />In the morning after breakfast we blew the paddleboards up, then had a day pottering about the campsite. Dave helped Steve tinker with, test, break, and mend their speedboat...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijIFXAvADeC3s12IRJyvh1Psba44Nfu_YKGznclUJ5Cn17LeAZIhTNsh9kmtb_kRxaLtjX__BGKfuuKlhmlMJm4gW_Mcdp1s8GU9g5UR5Os8uG0WPZb1nQ7jp46cU5YprC4Q1ofeqKQ0uPpfH1GxuXuKHcP0kpB61r06o9RQNVyaWUGdI3mLZ_CjK8fFKw/s1536/IMG_20230712-WA0010%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1375" data-original-width="1536" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijIFXAvADeC3s12IRJyvh1Psba44Nfu_YKGznclUJ5Cn17LeAZIhTNsh9kmtb_kRxaLtjX__BGKfuuKlhmlMJm4gW_Mcdp1s8GU9g5UR5Os8uG0WPZb1nQ7jp46cU5YprC4Q1ofeqKQ0uPpfH1GxuXuKHcP0kpB61r06o9RQNVyaWUGdI3mLZ_CjK8fFKw/w400-h358/IMG_20230712-WA0010%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwNYFVJSrxKGG88sXfJC8zumFnYNEGSvx058j_5uDa_E8iVWswEhig-YCsyZvaHCMscXO2qUVEAGHwhDjLwcQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />...then once it was working properly, went off to salvage an abandoned Norman 27 GRP cruiser. With Dave on the bow of the cruiser and Steve driving the speedboat, and with lots of weaving from side to side, they managed to get it back to the campsite and tied it up to Andelanté.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglgkcIPbqgd8MUXfVmvvXPA_j0SGmrnr-8CQoM2HEQ8XHL3kipcMXZGmL1XJPVttvD36CzaPH--1FJeU3IfRoJK8vSJNCKqvbidEI5Mv0ehBGd7eefbcL-C2D-ZVzkAhLmqQ6nSqzh7D7Vgf_R7W7_wZ7El0p1k88yRyeQ4pLdGGsbwqsjPITq_rFqS0R/s1523/IMG_20230712-WA0016%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1141" data-original-width="1523" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglgkcIPbqgd8MUXfVmvvXPA_j0SGmrnr-8CQoM2HEQ8XHL3kipcMXZGmL1XJPVttvD36CzaPH--1FJeU3IfRoJK8vSJNCKqvbidEI5Mv0ehBGd7eefbcL-C2D-ZVzkAhLmqQ6nSqzh7D7Vgf_R7W7_wZ7El0p1k88yRyeQ4pLdGGsbwqsjPITq_rFqS0R/w400-h300/IMG_20230712-WA0016%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzeJ60fshiztzkMOwx_HG5Co40JpBUDDYaSkfc8dlg-BxTsPVTN-MYgVNeVpMD7z9ObUs4-bXwGZYwb9BxwbA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Steve’s going to go through all the salvage procedures with the Environment Agency, and either end up with a bounty or a boat. It’s not in bad nick under the grime, so with a bit of work it could end up as part of their hire fleet.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After lunch we had an SUP session. We've not got them wet much this year, so we were a little wobbly to start with, but we soon got back into it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4qq9NF-5yy6VXqzAC-tLdQCNOe7mHWIlVKX7hJMzW7ESbzMZhlY5bO8RwDHYawkq-Z5KZhsj9kkkK5GAWaYHZ1SFXMZOSM08ldfO2SnC7l2H4ONZRxyqZq7DUX1L9CjF8XLEF51uAahFCjlb8MvvgSuRGWhrhDQ9_PkGQhVwff_JllFabSD-xinuMJ0q/s1599/IMG_20230712-WA0013%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1599" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4qq9NF-5yy6VXqzAC-tLdQCNOe7mHWIlVKX7hJMzW7ESbzMZhlY5bO8RwDHYawkq-Z5KZhsj9kkkK5GAWaYHZ1SFXMZOSM08ldfO2SnC7l2H4ONZRxyqZq7DUX1L9CjF8XLEF51uAahFCjlb8MvvgSuRGWhrhDQ9_PkGQhVwff_JllFabSD-xinuMJ0q/w400-h261/IMG_20230712-WA0013%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOznnPsQWdHgGaCBAh34PGQtWSJZKkhYjJ99NEuQVUhSq0-atc99kwMYZDbnS6YEl15j_SjIvQHMUFfzzB2gh1OO4JMbrJYKJbqEUG-P0j82NjCDipz6uxOdeLwwPkTIvI3qQNGJ4zPlDovv0SejWvfnrFATTq9cR7bG9osYOengsCsWTaLyf2BATdg9Qk/s1331/IMG_20230712-WA0014%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="1331" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOznnPsQWdHgGaCBAh34PGQtWSJZKkhYjJ99NEuQVUhSq0-atc99kwMYZDbnS6YEl15j_SjIvQHMUFfzzB2gh1OO4JMbrJYKJbqEUG-P0j82NjCDipz6uxOdeLwwPkTIvI3qQNGJ4zPlDovv0SejWvfnrFATTq9cR7bG9osYOengsCsWTaLyf2BATdg9Qk/w400-h223/IMG_20230712-WA0014%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />We went all the way past the weir to the end of the backwater and had sneaky butcher’s at the <i>really</i> posh bit of Sutton Courtney (which is all very posh anyway.) When we got back Steve had a go on Ann-Marie’s board and fell in three times in quick succession before he got the hang of it.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGrsMGpbktDqGgzD4dyjPp4w4HtDhDvG2Kw5iIAl3UbUBQsOp5GjbMYWWPqSMw4njNYV527IsO1bPzDhCwyLkiL2e5MLazzeUcJggD3MxUrHfyZQP62HNc4YdYupabmlwfyE5Ak6dGK1MjgwvoIUpjjHcGO-Y9vLHob3rUiy8efFXFBswA-jxehJpRk6ih/s2123/IMG_20230712_173104%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1245" data-original-width="2123" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGrsMGpbktDqGgzD4dyjPp4w4HtDhDvG2Kw5iIAl3UbUBQsOp5GjbMYWWPqSMw4njNYV527IsO1bPzDhCwyLkiL2e5MLazzeUcJggD3MxUrHfyZQP62HNc4YdYupabmlwfyE5Ak6dGK1MjgwvoIUpjjHcGO-Y9vLHob3rUiy8efFXFBswA-jxehJpRk6ih/w400-h235/IMG_20230712_173104%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmg-zaLBsMdkJKgn7v7WW2CsdocM72LkxKYqyjAKpWxGa2h6qDIVKkU_2HaCmpgvqLJfyYFlKRJbQJATqnOc7LvEZfBoK5fmH1xb4rFFlPTyKBo3REiMsU274_AYcruqjADprWHJO-t1GR5R2XzosCLRwxUHeFE0XeqJuMKAQcByR3GlSGH9hm1htjRwRb/s2734/IMG_20230712_172621%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1383" data-original-width="2734" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmg-zaLBsMdkJKgn7v7WW2CsdocM72LkxKYqyjAKpWxGa2h6qDIVKkU_2HaCmpgvqLJfyYFlKRJbQJATqnOc7LvEZfBoK5fmH1xb4rFFlPTyKBo3REiMsU274_AYcruqjADprWHJO-t1GR5R2XzosCLRwxUHeFE0XeqJuMKAQcByR3GlSGH9hm1htjRwRb/w400-h203/IMG_20230712_172621%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Everyone was really impressed by how well he got back on, but it put them all off having a go themselves, so that was the end of that. Later on we all walked up to The Swan for a meal, followed by another happy, chatty, slightly drunken night round the bonfire. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When we woke up Ann-Marie couldn’t open her left eye due to having been bitten by a mosquito on her eyelid in the night. It was all swollen up and looked like a Beano shiner, so she got a lot of sympathy and lots of “Ooh’s” and “Aaah’s” round the breakfast table. Before we left we tried out the shower in the woods. No smelly campsite shower block, this. Steve and Annmarie have built a beautiful enclosure, with plants on the pebbled floor and trees above and lots of lovely hot water from a gas fired shower unit.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RL47lR4NkYG_yrwq8IfjfO8LP4Wf2rNScpKW4GHr7nvXtkcCcpspNx8PnmGdhrNtVnIyUIS83hEXoV937CcvkbXxKtdLxAze8DZ3AYul7uTbY5a2872Jm4mgTsx-5fC2ZkHY0hz7KwBh_2mzpea8H_0sd_5BToBEvtC_zhEXKVvqjZSRMSSR4eNom081/s3064/IMG_20230713_081547%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3064" data-original-width="1835" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RL47lR4NkYG_yrwq8IfjfO8LP4Wf2rNScpKW4GHr7nvXtkcCcpspNx8PnmGdhrNtVnIyUIS83hEXoV937CcvkbXxKtdLxAze8DZ3AYul7uTbY5a2872Jm4mgTsx-5fC2ZkHY0hz7KwBh_2mzpea8H_0sd_5BToBEvtC_zhEXKVvqjZSRMSSR4eNom081/w240-h400/IMG_20230713_081547%20(2).jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We could have stayed in there all day!<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then there were more hugs, promises of return visits (which will happen because we can pop in on our trips down south) and we were off. There was an accident on the M1 which slowed things down a bit, but we finally got back to the Chesterfield and parked at Drakeholes. It didn’t take us long to walk back to Wooden Beck and bring Legend up the two locks to join the car, so by tea time we had everything shipshape again.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The next day was our 22</span><sup style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: super;">nd</span></sup><span style="font-family: inherit;"> wedding anniversary. Who’d have thought, eh? To celebrate we had an early morning drive down to Nottingham where Ann-Marie had a follow-up appointment after a clinical trial. Not particularly romantic, we know, but the day got a lot better after that.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We’d told Steve and Leslie that we’d be coming down to their neck of the woods, so after Ann-Marie was signed off, we picked Steve up (Leslie was working) and went to The Lounge in West Bridgeford for a really good brunch. After we’d dropped Steve off we went to Newark where Ann-Marie picked out some lovely earrings, and we had coffee and cake in the Old Bakery. That’s more like it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Saturday came round again and brought another parkrun, this time we went to the beautiful Clumber Park and had a fabulous run through the woods. When we got back we moved Legend on to Clayworth where we stayed for nine days. When we came up the Chesterfield two years ago, we couldn’t get to the limit of navigation at Norwood tunnel because one of the 21 locks on the flight above Shireoaks was broken. This year we’d thought we’d get there, but a lack of water had forced CRT to close the flight again, so once we got within cycling distance of Retford there didn’t seem much point going any further. Will we ever get to the end? If we’re honest, probably not. Boats seldom visit the Chesterfield more than once, if at all – for all its remote and peaceful beauty it’s hard work, you’re forever down the weed hatch, and it requires two trips on the tidal Trent and a turn into West Stockwith before you even start – we’ve now been twice and a third time would just be greedy. Although our Prime Objective is to visit all the limits of navigation on the whole of the joined up system, the Turnerwood flight might end up being our Nemesis, but you never know.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On Sunday morning we drove over to Worksop to be volunteer marshals at the junior parkrun, then over to our nephew Richard’s house for lunch with him and the lovely Kathryn. Their tall, beautiful, confident daughter Layla was there as well, but Kieran was had gone away for a few days with his mates. In our heads they’re little six and eight-year-old kids. Where does it all go? It was a fabulous day spent in great company. We’re lucky to have such kind and caring people in our family.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A couple of days later we were back in Worksop for our car’s first MOT in our ownership. After the nightmare we've had the last couple of years Dave was especially apprehensive. We took it to<a href="https://weonlymot.co.uk/" target="_blank"> “We Only MOT”</a>, a small franchise group with ten depots in Nottinghamshire. As it says on the tin, they have no workshop facilities and don’t do repairs, so have no incentive to fail a vehicle. To Dave’s surprise our ageing C3 Picasso passed with no advisories – maybe there’s a moral there.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Back at Legend, Dave got the orbital sander out and set to work on Legend’s left hand back panel. We need to repaint both back panels so that we can sign-write them. It’ll have been almost a year without a name on the boat by the time it’s finished. Far too long to be incognito. The boat sides got painted over ten years ago, and considering the abuse and lack of attention the top sides get, the black paint has lasted really well. However we thought it would be prudent to cut it back and put new paint on before the name.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrN1CPWLJwMqnRuyGjgzUmpjjgqiVyXJV6w4q5BchmMw87qpwPo2O8dW4qqsdBe4huSXQxqsAGodLm9cSP6CMRtZ_Ya8QC12yHM3JZKKREgRaWSzk1CIKgU9mUgI5zvXmbdSgzoWR-CPszdatfa0RHPlu27mYLUzqulc3IN_rJMkDI8pVb23iT5aHPzsf/s3641/IMG_20230725_142506%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1839" data-original-width="3641" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrN1CPWLJwMqnRuyGjgzUmpjjgqiVyXJV6w4q5BchmMw87qpwPo2O8dW4qqsdBe4huSXQxqsAGodLm9cSP6CMRtZ_Ya8QC12yHM3JZKKREgRaWSzk1CIKgU9mUgI5zvXmbdSgzoWR-CPszdatfa0RHPlu27mYLUzqulc3IN_rJMkDI8pVb23iT5aHPzsf/w400-h203/IMG_20230725_142506%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The sign-writing will adhere better to fresh paint and we won’t find ourselves having to do it all again in a few years’ time. Hopefully.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By the next morning, Dave had got two coats on and we were praying for a rain-free day. While he was doing that Ann-Marie made a picnic and got us packed up for a weekend in Bristol with Anne and Andy. On the way down, there were hold-ups because of the torrential rain (so much for praying), so we drove straight to Clifton where we met A&A and their friends for a picnic in the park...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixebn4PyH3VQ3ZY1WPpyPJw_lghZ9Bdjpzu6fYG6msEh8Fvk80N4MRLS_ST1fxH5J6tzDv7B5ROSlcw0vqpUT5nngLp7eQQtL_GLyjaItRI-eMXOB_mwRKs4-nwbGz5IT9kwxPZylDAHbQdbCToF9JIwa_j4F4O6uMCT-CmO6My8pv0Q95wjY9i5hzE0f4/s818/FB_IMG_1689979343954%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="818" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixebn4PyH3VQ3ZY1WPpyPJw_lghZ9Bdjpzu6fYG6msEh8Fvk80N4MRLS_ST1fxH5J6tzDv7B5ROSlcw0vqpUT5nngLp7eQQtL_GLyjaItRI-eMXOB_mwRKs4-nwbGz5IT9kwxPZylDAHbQdbCToF9JIwa_j4F4O6uMCT-CmO6My8pv0Q95wjY9i5hzE0f4/w400-h269/FB_IMG_1689979343954%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...and an outdoor performance of Romeo and Juliet by The Lord Chamberlain’s Men. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was stunning and we were quite blown away. The play was pretty good too. Boom, tish.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLIzk4Sl34QnDy6pELpVmOpwZZYNnUM4r3WQaENVyaWoxYghBWd6mP-Rs5KeyRsOBcL6kDl_njpisDCjd59qpvnS8bLBAkvQ4ydsVRRNqYsdznoYgMvUvjp-kbw2tNG_PIuF9WqWtoSWcJNIrt98mslAn5fW2ZDFjbCL1GpQZ0f757Y_AitntXSrflOvU/s1013/FB_IMG_1689979360410%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="1013" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLIzk4Sl34QnDy6pELpVmOpwZZYNnUM4r3WQaENVyaWoxYghBWd6mP-Rs5KeyRsOBcL6kDl_njpisDCjd59qpvnS8bLBAkvQ4ydsVRRNqYsdznoYgMvUvjp-kbw2tNG_PIuF9WqWtoSWcJNIrt98mslAn5fW2ZDFjbCL1GpQZ0f757Y_AitntXSrflOvU/w400-h229/FB_IMG_1689979360410%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TPh9vX6c_PuYz9e0vg0ZVjTT7LKPkHEGSMGZO5a3-Aj-abpOEuj5TDNaA7c8HEFgi687n0FPb2Z38odV8mLlnhza4XvAsYZDQbxwdIfwLua63DmnXSY8uLEixeTRKBrwiDpoiLsfr0m3nVXUYyfXVJ_FdK34Vg_UGr4Dad1KpYXtzvs1q3qDVE095YmG/s1336/FB_IMG_1689979372351%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="976" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TPh9vX6c_PuYz9e0vg0ZVjTT7LKPkHEGSMGZO5a3-Aj-abpOEuj5TDNaA7c8HEFgi687n0FPb2Z38odV8mLlnhza4XvAsYZDQbxwdIfwLua63DmnXSY8uLEixeTRKBrwiDpoiLsfr0m3nVXUYyfXVJ_FdK34Vg_UGr4Dad1KpYXtzvs1q3qDVE095YmG/w293-h400/FB_IMG_1689979372351%20(2).jpg" width="293" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dave - forever the engineer - was just as impressed by how the seven actors quickly dismantled the stage set and magic’d it away into a van at the end. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Saturday in Bristol could mean only one thing for parkrun tourists such as ourselves; Somerdale Pavilion, AKA the Curly Whirly. It’s the most crazy, wiggly, chaotic thing you can imagine.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjW-bkEIEgJwsXiaOuyvNyaTpzNFLW2cMU-D6kvfTLVt4medHBDg8MfQ3EBnlt7GwwQfv3PUtekPsVNzhQSBraBrBKzv3O3V5qEk69OPTrD0ezFUXzvu12f42eRP4mVQUOJAul1cXuoPxav9Ru-gm43T7LTmURb4oDAZnpSwjykCPn8O3nwpLXNKG4KpBv/s2815/IMG_20230722_085451%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1450" data-original-width="2815" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjW-bkEIEgJwsXiaOuyvNyaTpzNFLW2cMU-D6kvfTLVt4medHBDg8MfQ3EBnlt7GwwQfv3PUtekPsVNzhQSBraBrBKzv3O3V5qEk69OPTrD0ezFUXzvu12f42eRP4mVQUOJAul1cXuoPxav9Ru-gm43T7LTmURb4oDAZnpSwjykCPn8O3nwpLXNKG4KpBv/w400-h206/IMG_20230722_085451%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqPYoqmfVT9_Ua-ITRx4s-OcDT2z_pT7TsICrlYhc2qM0zH1dKaJ-xxOiQbghogSg73JTAjKY7B4_-7hrO_1RptVJvR4Zn_WcwmFDw1pKfZ_tHwvkTERMhzjz7yyGRf_UUHxNfkOtyT7Jwy-u1KkVmgcpBpF9NxgCHpssX7gcj_jC-Yl-qzc5bB61e7jM/s1767/IMG_20230723_174311%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1767" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqPYoqmfVT9_Ua-ITRx4s-OcDT2z_pT7TsICrlYhc2qM0zH1dKaJ-xxOiQbghogSg73JTAjKY7B4_-7hrO_1RptVJvR4Zn_WcwmFDw1pKfZ_tHwvkTERMhzjz7yyGRf_UUHxNfkOtyT7Jwy-u1KkVmgcpBpF9NxgCHpssX7gcj_jC-Yl-qzc5bB61e7jM/w245-h400/IMG_20230723_174311%20(2).jpg" width="245" /></a></div><br />The course is mown into the grass and well worn, so although it looks mad from a spectator’s point of view with hundreds of runners going hither and yon, when you are actually in it you just follow the path. We went with Anne and all started together, Dave thought he’d have to take it easy because his Achilles tendon was twinging, but it eased up after a while and he sped off. Ann-Marie ran and walked with Anne for most of it and found that running and chatting is really hard work. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anne’s daughter Jen arrived in the afternoon and that evening we went into the city to see Barbie (girls) and Mission Impossible 8 (boys) at the Everyman cinema. The girls all dressed up in pink...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZg_f1uC9iE0G-kp0DfQvKvxQEoEMXEvf0PrCNzLOREtJXLOCZy4sEB5LBk-lblKQB_wcan-RFnD8voZw-nudqCsfQv1TH9VfjGhon1eULxIeKlxtAE3IiB9PC6JKYGu-t0LjuWL-FtOu_D_ciHC_wGEYWHcwXEqGCSiQ1LnEJH4Jkvot65my5rLFe4Sa/s1500/IMG_20230722_173216%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1500" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZg_f1uC9iE0G-kp0DfQvKvxQEoEMXEvf0PrCNzLOREtJXLOCZy4sEB5LBk-lblKQB_wcan-RFnD8voZw-nudqCsfQv1TH9VfjGhon1eULxIeKlxtAE3IiB9PC6JKYGu-t0LjuWL-FtOu_D_ciHC_wGEYWHcwXEqGCSiQ1LnEJH4Jkvot65my5rLFe4Sa/w400-h285/IMG_20230722_173216%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...and had cocktails in the foyer while the boys (who didn't dress up at all, but just co-incidentally all turned up in black) had beer and nachos delivered to their front row sofas.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-L6W_RuaNlXGZhLTLDNphGi1RWcmJ8uYOcZvyytvaiyKubGUFZ9v9_87okTMvjD1KpjMNfRwG2-p8_Rn6rA8dxpPoEqDvuU_ujK42o_dp8tUaqIVZifd4NPKcfj1H1x9Or3-JsbyNlGez9GuyPlghNMBfyYepmteUhm_AS5440PKXgMU8crOP7c7ylKhB/s4208/IMG_20230722_212957%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2424" data-original-width="4208" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-L6W_RuaNlXGZhLTLDNphGi1RWcmJ8uYOcZvyytvaiyKubGUFZ9v9_87okTMvjD1KpjMNfRwG2-p8_Rn6rA8dxpPoEqDvuU_ujK42o_dp8tUaqIVZifd4NPKcfj1H1x9Or3-JsbyNlGez9GuyPlghNMBfyYepmteUhm_AS5440PKXgMU8crOP7c7ylKhB/w400-h230/IMG_20230722_212957%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All terribly decadent, and followed by burger and chips in the bus stop while we waited for the bus home.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the morning we packed our car up and set off with Anne to do junior volunteering in Eastville Park,</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> then walked to the Esté café for breakfast. Alex and Andy joined us later for second breakfast before we all said goodbye and we set off for the long drive home.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOnPUesroMF_IL3u-x-mETQXG7PgaMEJ4VzCHjre9at9VgMsvx-Vy_1vgO0suTywAaBln6ul_QAkV_vliOcbIxExhKzWGy8AP6V9wt7DZ65NRiRU4yAF34xDsetw3D2Ol9femF0AZGydPUgJAe7kU9Y6Ani1vaPxJ1h2AZkOCskAhpBhTu5FGzoHYN3PZ1/s3188/IMG_20230723_104101%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1723" data-original-width="3188" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOnPUesroMF_IL3u-x-mETQXG7PgaMEJ4VzCHjre9at9VgMsvx-Vy_1vgO0suTywAaBln6ul_QAkV_vliOcbIxExhKzWGy8AP6V9wt7DZ65NRiRU4yAF34xDsetw3D2Ol9femF0AZGydPUgJAe7kU9Y6Ani1vaPxJ1h2AZkOCskAhpBhTu5FGzoHYN3PZ1/w400-h216/IMG_20230723_104101%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Monday was one of our logistic masterpieces. First we put the bikes in the car, drove to Retford and left them locked up in the Aldi bike rack. Then we drove to Newark where we abandoned the car on a side street near the station, caught the train back to Retford, had a lovely couple of coffees and some pastries in the Italian deli...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjCCg6BP-aAQkNEjR15zymbQ04KdYWgWevH5GscgG7FuXXDpMCZkuoRH6-3MCdo9rGCgK_lQ2LuBxgU5Nd9S6MJ-nC_bNeGzV6VH1U8s6-GzGf3qTpjiYu6v2nCkF8FzzGJP0ynNs5tNK_FLQh9JncLB3KLYNgRwQiUotKsF_YEVpbbZz18SnFOZBDMBN/s4063/IMG_20230724_114213%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2196" data-original-width="4063" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjCCg6BP-aAQkNEjR15zymbQ04KdYWgWevH5GscgG7FuXXDpMCZkuoRH6-3MCdo9rGCgK_lQ2LuBxgU5Nd9S6MJ-nC_bNeGzV6VH1U8s6-GzGf3qTpjiYu6v2nCkF8FzzGJP0ynNs5tNK_FLQh9JncLB3KLYNgRwQiUotKsF_YEVpbbZz18SnFOZBDMBN/w400-h216/IMG_20230724_114213%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />... then cycled back to the boat via Screwfix (because we needed some better padlocks) and the Idle Valley Country Park (because it’s a lovely place to be). Back at Legend, we had a quick lunch and set off back to Drakeholes. According to our (un)trusty Nicholson’s Guide, there was a windy ‘ole in Clayworth just before the bridge, and with a bit of imagination you could see where it had been. However over the years, the Retford and Worksop Boat Club permanent moorings on the towpath side, and a lot of unrestrained brambles and reeds on the other, have encroached towards each other, and there was no way we were going to get 57’ turned round it. The next one was two slow, weedy miles away at Hayton and pretty well silted up, so it was a good two hours before we were back where we’d started.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvjwnFHJwr5EFUhJJ0lDuvE2nSFNNTI0IW6SKJqfAhIpyS0AA_o9cj1YEOz5w3JBAhomhhe6EB68I22ocI26u6loNwCk-jQmS-pE-tIQJRSdXzU_Zjwjj2Dc0oZTmSecWXiMIuOa-HuCH4IkeFKCDbd0hqk1Oe5eKYOtWIpEed2ncBSSZCbsGF_k1gjeB/s3696/IMG_20230724_173010%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="3696" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvjwnFHJwr5EFUhJJ0lDuvE2nSFNNTI0IW6SKJqfAhIpyS0AA_o9cj1YEOz5w3JBAhomhhe6EB68I22ocI26u6loNwCk-jQmS-pE-tIQJRSdXzU_Zjwjj2Dc0oZTmSecWXiMIuOa-HuCH4IkeFKCDbd0hqk1Oe5eKYOtWIpEed2ncBSSZCbsGF_k1gjeB/w400-h185/IMG_20230724_173010%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8IWE_Ie0XViSoUNBxCreV5IWiMm-usKQic7FaMb6S31v_q6a_LIPW48q1KtZxSK-pla8m9GhuE2thhmq7sFilqLzRRdNkW2NVBJkYvoKLKcmhLD12GDK9LpsIh3T9XEtqMEMR9ShHX7XJRb04_P3fH7_mK_o7YUnyZVxzdCaPcPuBjLwdcAAn1ggrfWmA/s3087/IMG_20230724_170031%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1765" data-original-width="3087" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8IWE_Ie0XViSoUNBxCreV5IWiMm-usKQic7FaMb6S31v_q6a_LIPW48q1KtZxSK-pla8m9GhuE2thhmq7sFilqLzRRdNkW2NVBJkYvoKLKcmhLD12GDK9LpsIh3T9XEtqMEMR9ShHX7XJRb04_P3fH7_mK_o7YUnyZVxzdCaPcPuBjLwdcAAn1ggrfWmA/w400-h229/IMG_20230724_170031%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Eventually we got to Drakeholes where we pulled up, got the washing out on the line, cleared the prop for the third time that day and finally sat down.</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzfk70p1VQsKvFZC-akHjDzn0fxNJLE4S76Ai1JcxC6jwzj_Ug5KetuyhTUzvLn_kFe_mFQtkKZBJAe-qUZ6sn_gm1JNQv9QZMMDMh9piENMXq79_ZTjhhEK2qsnTxrA-me9CtGQnty4pkbRkdK6vrgB2eqr-dlneWoKtK5ax6zIrV7Rn-r3ofyoOQn_P/s3142/IMG_20230725_105235%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1657" data-original-width="3142" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzfk70p1VQsKvFZC-akHjDzn0fxNJLE4S76Ai1JcxC6jwzj_Ug5KetuyhTUzvLn_kFe_mFQtkKZBJAe-qUZ6sn_gm1JNQv9QZMMDMh9piENMXq79_ZTjhhEK2qsnTxrA-me9CtGQnty4pkbRkdK6vrgB2eqr-dlneWoKtK5ax6zIrV7Rn-r3ofyoOQn_P/w400-h211/IMG_20230725_105235%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cN33wRzH0217t4RrztZ4oGPVULRv9kItFQ_Z9jwYE4krOrA4SPWv8yC43MeUooyKZVJatS1aIRppwATn3bWq9QthcP_W9dqOfXkKk2BQIBDHt8UpWOy0PZqGxGGbcsAqS9uBRTHUOGMm7m4ZhNC72sj2BL3ar6VxrfVm7QK4QXIF8MnzuLgQC5BuVIYX/s3260/IMG_20230724_150319%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1789" data-original-width="3260" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cN33wRzH0217t4RrztZ4oGPVULRv9kItFQ_Z9jwYE4krOrA4SPWv8yC43MeUooyKZVJatS1aIRppwATn3bWq9QthcP_W9dqOfXkKk2BQIBDHt8UpWOy0PZqGxGGbcsAqS9uBRTHUOGMm7m4ZhNC72sj2BL3ar6VxrfVm7QK4QXIF8MnzuLgQC5BuVIYX/w400-h220/IMG_20230724_150319%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />It had been a full, busy day, but everything had gone perfectly to plan and we were quite pleased with ourselves.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the final leg back to West Stockwith we stopped at Misterton to go to the chippy. They do really good home-made tray-baked pies and Dave had promised himself a portion the last time we were here, but for some reason that we couldn’t remember, hadn’t ended up with one. When we got there, they’d just closed and they told us they only do the home-made pies on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (Hmm, now we remembered!). We thought we’d lucked out again, but they’d got a left over box in the hot cupboard with two fish and chips in that they gave us for free. Winner! While we were stopped at Misterton with the left side on the bank, Dave got the other back panel rubbed down. The paint that he’d put on the first one had sagged and run in places, so that’s going to need doing again; that’s what you get for rushing things.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We pulled up on the Armco outside West Stockwith basin just before it started raining. Our booking for locking back down onto the Trent the next day was at noon, so we’d have plenty of time in the morning to get ourselves and Legend river ready, especially as we hadn’t stowed anything since the last tidal trip.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It had been lovely being back on the Chezzy, but we were really looking forward to getting back to the main network and beginning our trip down to the Southern waters.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0000pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-3894337333072713162023-07-20T20:53:00.001+01:002023-07-20T20:56:28.615+01:00Goole to West Stockwith. Knottingley and Goole Canal, New Junction Canal, Stainforth and Keadby Canal, Tidal River Trent.<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Because the South Yorkshire Navigations are all so big and wide, you can make decent progress without upsetting people or creating a huge wash. The Lister loved being at the top of its rev range, whisking us back to Southfield Reservoir where we turned left onto the New Junction Canal. Opened in 1905, the New Junction was the last canal to be built in this country and - until coal carrying to Ferrybridge stopped - was a highly successful freight route.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSEHthYijSf8CaIMmjAEt4oZgKy6Ez1XV5DKA6Sodu1tsbaAv8QmG4ZMik6lb-7MbYDLdWekv4uXKJYnvv01x0M-5aPcJ-LHUhdSX2b4PieTDW4OO3w18_7GeWLvNsLvJOJyJwsRJggp82YD1HP7NcpAiMq1SuYVBy8Y6SG5sIj753JRMrFCp1Pqsm9wF/s3271/230704%2002%20Rawcliffe%20to%20Thorne%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1890" data-original-width="3271" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSEHthYijSf8CaIMmjAEt4oZgKy6Ez1XV5DKA6Sodu1tsbaAv8QmG4ZMik6lb-7MbYDLdWekv4uXKJYnvv01x0M-5aPcJ-LHUhdSX2b4PieTDW4OO3w18_7GeWLvNsLvJOJyJwsRJggp82YD1HP7NcpAiMq1SuYVBy8Y6SG5sIj753JRMrFCp1Pqsm9wF/w400-h231/230704%2002%20Rawcliffe%20to%20Thorne%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The aqueduct on the New Junction Canal. The huge sluice gates at either end enable it to be drained for maintenance.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We caught up with Keith and Kate on nb Donella Too half way down the New Junction and shared a couple of swing bridges with them, but at the junction with the Stainforth and Keadby we turned left towards Thorne and they carried on to Doncaster, so we never got to chat.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After lunch and services at Bramwith we carried on, through Stainforth, under the big M18 flyover, through the keeper operated swing-bridge/lock combo, and finally into Thorne. It took several attempts to get the swing footbridge to open in Thorne, but we got there eventually and moored up in a perfect Legend sized space on the big verge opposite the boat yard.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZ0qgQaHpbXWKsGUnjPPoIBg4NMHi_0ZFGsgapirO4KExa3JOpCVBfR4RZ25zis-xC6EpGwVZ7Bmz7kwb1e6o1pj1W9f__srG2-cBuEUUi1ss2TLSzUlDvRNNhviFcTr9oPeb_FALcfW1jUOSrrqC6HC2vghfHOGJ5ktg0SgzhXSAIr3VW2q0OY5gO7Hy/s3793/IMG_20230706_113049%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1785" data-original-width="3793" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZ0qgQaHpbXWKsGUnjPPoIBg4NMHi_0ZFGsgapirO4KExa3JOpCVBfR4RZ25zis-xC6EpGwVZ7Bmz7kwb1e6o1pj1W9f__srG2-cBuEUUi1ss2TLSzUlDvRNNhviFcTr9oPeb_FALcfW1jUOSrrqC6HC2vghfHOGJ5ktg0SgzhXSAIr3VW2q0OY5gO7Hy/w400-h189/IMG_20230706_113049%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>There's always something interesting going on in Thorne.</i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our route to Keadby took us round a big loop, so although we’d been boating all day, when we got to Thorne it was only an hour’s walk back to Rawcliffe Bridge to get the car. While Dave went to get it, Ann-Marie packed her stuff up for five days away. After lunch we said goodbye to each other and off she went. Dave wasn’t lonely for long though, David turned up that evening to be First Mate on the trip to Keadby. “The Boys” had a good couple of days together, moving David’s camper-van in the morning, and then walking back and boating in the afternoon.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0BIecPiW-FOVWnz3JixGV6pSVkPN1QyKT4Pwb6VoKT9D9GTJArdNJI-myvmP63gcANrLlMgmTRZRQ1w0rmgUXgoxNhtBISK2SDyl_0ATekG0ijIyok1UfJPC1-LIdnjhVfCCFeEb_h8gAf57rUD2LjYsYsEJB9R6Gxg11Nmh9-6_c-7L51zzdvCfoon_/s3247/IMG_20230706_121912%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1316" data-original-width="3247" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0BIecPiW-FOVWnz3JixGV6pSVkPN1QyKT4Pwb6VoKT9D9GTJArdNJI-myvmP63gcANrLlMgmTRZRQ1w0rmgUXgoxNhtBISK2SDyl_0ATekG0ijIyok1UfJPC1-LIdnjhVfCCFeEb_h8gAf57rUD2LjYsYsEJB9R6Gxg11Nmh9-6_c-7L51zzdvCfoon_/w400-h163/IMG_20230706_121912%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1RB-OoKBGCQK2py29e5zHX_ZBOD1oe_7s0vJxE7JTyMYHZtpMyMw-wUDfWEO4qgOTUNtMiskMzD4_W0cAdwuxUcCkylkT_BGkM8tCW3TOsZWLzpjwG7ATwRp5h9NxNrk3AbkGOJ5cJfygYlFLXggafgZPoaoTlgMBj5FikrBwS_wwws5lHWMa4qIs5c1/s3248/IMG_20230706_195003%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="3248" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1RB-OoKBGCQK2py29e5zHX_ZBOD1oe_7s0vJxE7JTyMYHZtpMyMw-wUDfWEO4qgOTUNtMiskMzD4_W0cAdwuxUcCkylkT_BGkM8tCW3TOsZWLzpjwG7ATwRp5h9NxNrk3AbkGOJ5cJfygYlFLXggafgZPoaoTlgMBj5FikrBwS_wwws5lHWMa4qIs5c1/w400-h179/IMG_20230706_195003%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Day one took them to Crowle Bridge, and day two to Keadby. The seven moveable bridges between Thorne and Keadby are all different....</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ABNFafL87YvF47qtydxamFlsh-gxP_3R2ETTY6AZbhIVqQCxuaFMBCN1EE4tZT4hMA82m3mIPScfWIoOr9do2MnAx4VLC0RsxR15IAmpaHt3BmSmkFLJWUp2fZtxAd9KiLG0qinHv3783nhqkkThJg6_WF5016Rbw2RWxJwUq8NVe7DfjrquijQZnu_d/s3902/IMG_20230706_133804%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1766" data-original-width="3902" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ABNFafL87YvF47qtydxamFlsh-gxP_3R2ETTY6AZbhIVqQCxuaFMBCN1EE4tZT4hMA82m3mIPScfWIoOr9do2MnAx4VLC0RsxR15IAmpaHt3BmSmkFLJWUp2fZtxAd9KiLG0qinHv3783nhqkkThJg6_WF5016Rbw2RWxJwUq8NVe7DfjrquijQZnu_d/w400-h181/IMG_20230706_133804%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />They’re a mixture of manual and push button, one is right next to a level crossing and the signalman has to throw a switch before it’ll work, one lifts rather than swings, and finally just before Keadby, there’s an amazing sliding railway bridge that retracts sideways to let the boats through. The Boys had a camera set up on a tripod at the back to record the whole procedure, but it fell over, so<a href="https://www.bing.com/videos/search?&q=keadby+sliding+railway+bridge&docid=603541367247426870&mid=317BC0652F56FFD5ADF9317BC0652F56FFD5ADF9&view=detail&FORM=VDQVAP&rvsmid=914867BBB0FEB2B64DDF914867BBB0FEB2B64DDF&ajaxhist=0" target="_blank"> here's</a> a link to someone else's video.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After David left, the boat keys still hadn’t turned up so Dave had to begin cutting padlocks off. The first one was to get his bike out of the top box so he could cycle into Scunthorpe for parkrun.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYioQK1BDmJi44Th8SDBQcWWkL3fcAHCmVlYYd8PTqQy3Fx91zEAPQAjcm0dD8YDJmclttCYJGUAmkBDFULpdr7mssQXdaKIG0OcWXBV9-j0ncDaSs6JK88xAmLEUfsoh8PB_-0JhVdnbG8LOpw73u4_DigIXj-lQ7AzT10KagRAVamfw-wGAONmaX2nbZ/s2034/IMG_20230707_192914%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2034" data-original-width="1766" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYioQK1BDmJi44Th8SDBQcWWkL3fcAHCmVlYYd8PTqQy3Fx91zEAPQAjcm0dD8YDJmclttCYJGUAmkBDFULpdr7mssQXdaKIG0OcWXBV9-j0ncDaSs6JK88xAmLEUfsoh8PB_-0JhVdnbG8LOpw73u4_DigIXj-lQ7AzT10KagRAVamfw-wGAONmaX2nbZ/w348-h400/IMG_20230707_192914%20(2).jpg" width="348" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />And the second one was so he could check the diesel before we went out onto the tidal Trent. It was quite encouraging to find that, even with a mains powered angle grinder and a thin blade, it wasn’t particularly easy get the padlocks off, especially the one on the diesel cap which Dave had to virtually cut in half.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufve9c-ygo7eXWolHY3kpErQ2yplSsxpuq-FICuwtCk6g2QL1pBOtrJ7Su9EOfpWrHSW1ggFVlAqpVwSPzd2iM8UkrgYjQ9tY2qqN6TKuwaFlHPDiEhh4fjG6oFA9QJb3ZOzvA3WPKBTtHgv_XuZRyHZq3MIDG3w1N8qPiZyEwAUgry1COX3eW5x4Xkl1/s2484/IMG_20230710_083958%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2484" data-original-width="1827" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufve9c-ygo7eXWolHY3kpErQ2yplSsxpuq-FICuwtCk6g2QL1pBOtrJ7Su9EOfpWrHSW1ggFVlAqpVwSPzd2iM8UkrgYjQ9tY2qqN6TKuwaFlHPDiEhh4fjG6oFA9QJb3ZOzvA3WPKBTtHgv_XuZRyHZq3MIDG3w1N8qPiZyEwAUgry1COX3eW5x4Xkl1/w294-h400/IMG_20230710_083958%20(2).jpg" width="294" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nb Rosemary arrived on Sunday, so Dave had a nice time chatting to Paul and Maxine, who we hadn’t seen for ages. Unfortunately, although we were all going up the river on the following day, they were going all the way to Torksey and had to leave two hours before us to get there on the tide, so Ann-Marie missed them by an hour. Dave waved them goodbye as they left the lock.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhM79BNZlav64xIJSMh9EZ0hxIj0nmVuhX4BPdtqXMtS5fe7W7kiyWggoFbZquZxwmHXvjOzKqYk3zNJXcriz55uw4lm9b055pL9QlyCHKITJc4qwCUv0YHjKu83XjGGdF7RnDoP7UYFvL6W6ciZi0IofaFgztn4hdLebH-3xg3B7coPApJ6tC0pM6JrE/s3279/IMG_20230710_101616%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1582" data-original-width="3279" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhM79BNZlav64xIJSMh9EZ0hxIj0nmVuhX4BPdtqXMtS5fe7W7kiyWggoFbZquZxwmHXvjOzKqYk3zNJXcriz55uw4lm9b055pL9QlyCHKITJc4qwCUv0YHjKu83XjGGdF7RnDoP7UYFvL6W6ciZi0IofaFgztn4hdLebH-3xg3B7coPApJ6tC0pM6JrE/w400-h193/IMG_20230710_101616%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxuDCXSWAt8AxVMdcs5g8m1DVXQVH_JorSv5hPoWuomRVMHpC4d-vkTP0rx2X2g643Pv9q5lO8XKYHTxZ2-nA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>When they'd gone out of sight, Dave got Legend river ready for our trip and had a chat with Mike and Julie on Nb Dream Come True who were going to be travelling with us. When Ann-Marie did get back it all went very smoothly. We had just enough time for a brew and a blueberry muffin, then the light went green, the swing bridge opened and we made our way into the lock. Dave was a bit confused to start with because the outer gates that point into the river were shut, but he’d not realised that since Paul and Maxine had gone out, the tide had come right in and the river was now higher than the canal, so instead of going down, we were going up!<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We had a terrific, and rather speedy, trip up the tideway, with Dream Come True following us like an obedient puppy.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2iTOoLbCB0coZOVyN2G-3onRJZKQIqAvxSf3bhkTrxze10Gw0dSTnXultHzQbwzp1lgFpfrbv0Is5hJtDRxPVt3ZyceIb-gNWlpjCNg85nnkQgDrUeTbBex0ZLakwbvfc8I5G7rLBielicKt6VH_EuilAZSH0FrNrv4kntMNdN-rY5400HAqUK9LGhtI/s3910/IMG_20230710_122751%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2036" data-original-width="3910" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2iTOoLbCB0coZOVyN2G-3onRJZKQIqAvxSf3bhkTrxze10Gw0dSTnXultHzQbwzp1lgFpfrbv0Is5hJtDRxPVt3ZyceIb-gNWlpjCNg85nnkQgDrUeTbBex0ZLakwbvfc8I5G7rLBielicKt6VH_EuilAZSH0FrNrv4kntMNdN-rY5400HAqUK9LGhtI/w400-h209/IMG_20230710_122751%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzYe1743PyvZzn9iVC5_LCqmyK3nCTaa0rFJU9_1L753aafzkL1lFTfK1-rddW7LCUAR194omK8oGUzpdw6SiDdqsALJu25x4uxFlYBOFYrjqEYX8FqvtPAMYBJZUFut0VXxKazc7q-YlVtFohY-3zoZhqwAD09QpEKuIk-Ll-g_qBtsvpnqqspwH79kP/s2913/IMG_20230710_122759%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1348" data-original-width="2913" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzYe1743PyvZzn9iVC5_LCqmyK3nCTaa0rFJU9_1L753aafzkL1lFTfK1-rddW7LCUAR194omK8oGUzpdw6SiDdqsALJu25x4uxFlYBOFYrjqEYX8FqvtPAMYBJZUFut0VXxKazc7q-YlVtFohY-3zoZhqwAD09QpEKuIk-Ll-g_qBtsvpnqqspwH79kP/w400-h185/IMG_20230710_122759%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8Oty7kcSKJt-oTg6h3plw8NSnvgjAqvIt7vFcKcJUJ6jRMvcrQIm2PKXFVFpL4jThLjUcsy7AaWWiMCVks71xIVGwmqebFOmi2XTXf9oVKsGvsd8xy0P4kmB59tm3bw80GD4my9ewKujy-k91bnJNl1D1Kd9ck20iQ58eJYgbkAfEPrgLztK-mz7z58V/s3903/IMG_20230710_125411%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1890" data-original-width="3903" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8Oty7kcSKJt-oTg6h3plw8NSnvgjAqvIt7vFcKcJUJ6jRMvcrQIm2PKXFVFpL4jThLjUcsy7AaWWiMCVks71xIVGwmqebFOmi2XTXf9oVKsGvsd8xy0P4kmB59tm3bw80GD4my9ewKujy-k91bnJNl1D1Kd9ck20iQ58eJYgbkAfEPrgLztK-mz7z58V/w400-h194/IMG_20230710_125411%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The wind was against the tide, so some of the straight stretches were really choppy, but nothing that Legend couldn’t handle.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxQBecZsmxpmPvq1A7yUDD7iBLs1uU_Ac4Z7dYDiKIFtnEMfB02Bht0-LenDm_6dFecNI5qfgyABz58COo-tA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />The plan was to get to West Stockwith just as the tide turns, when getting into the lock would be as trouble free as possible. We got there about 10 minutes early, so although there was still a bit of flow upstream, it was easy enough to make the turn.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxkaI0Z_wnIxUIsgXPzRnJ2bRu1F92ndha_2QyUJHImtuOAN0dnZB2qvEw5uBsSi3QLXGdoJIzq_JgAkI91EQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Up in the basin, we said goodbye to Mike and Julie who were carrying on up the Chesterfield and went over to the visitor moorings on the other side. Before long we had the washing hung out and were cycling back up to Keadby with a very helpful tailwind, and within two hours we’d got the car back, the bikes put away and the washing in, just before it started raining.</span><div><br /><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKErEcapM8Z_2Jo47fscCLLwDosT_rFb8oooMJMSyKBP2HqxArPD2yM2QYtQY7C1u50bEiFNNoPaYyKV4UB8rGoYD15iN0RtVFRVCVM4y_3lXqNW12b5dS_qrZ4Ifn008UFTJPsynanEP8yTHHEri7dBbfYiXTm0c3ZpQSOUEbrYqdzyYBNPwc4u2T76q/s3891/IMG_20230710_204624%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1983" data-original-width="3891" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKErEcapM8Z_2Jo47fscCLLwDosT_rFb8oooMJMSyKBP2HqxArPD2yM2QYtQY7C1u50bEiFNNoPaYyKV4UB8rGoYD15iN0RtVFRVCVM4y_3lXqNW12b5dS_qrZ4Ifn008UFTJPsynanEP8yTHHEri7dBbfYiXTm0c3ZpQSOUEbrYqdzyYBNPwc4u2T76q/w400-h204/IMG_20230710_204624%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Perfect timing.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p></div></div>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-8905679129684529372023-07-17T13:22:00.002+01:002023-07-17T13:22:28.347+01:00 Aire and Calder Navigation. Wakefield to Goole.<p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">A couple of years ago, much like the rest of the population, we’d not really thought of Goole as a destination, yet here we were heading that way for the second time. The reason we were returning was that we wanted somewhere to leave the boat while we went to France for a fortnight</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> and</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> Goole ticked all our boxes. As it turned out, one or two of those boxes shouldn’t have been ticked at all, but more about that later.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">From Wakefield we had a lovely sunny trip on the big, wide Aire & Calder Navigation to Castleford, passing the wonderful aqueducts and lock gate workshops at Stanley Ferry, and loving the huge push button locks on this modern commercial waterway.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygtN6Rg_3KveMdf2ptUlGA77FxnkB0_XeGBJyVwRuQC9MT3jLF_z30l30fK8Ccj-XjNk3Hi03b-Zjrsb_NekcY7h8vpo6zRxnLy5nAGwAzwjMqyN2OxK3dmA6FHG9fTtlzcc_QGbTdziT5wiWJp_ussAGeA1m1o9O3V8wapGN2u9NlElqUMMMW7h4MZ9H/s3990/230611%2018%20Wakefield%20to%20Castleford%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2052" data-original-width="3990" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygtN6Rg_3KveMdf2ptUlGA77FxnkB0_XeGBJyVwRuQC9MT3jLF_z30l30fK8Ccj-XjNk3Hi03b-Zjrsb_NekcY7h8vpo6zRxnLy5nAGwAzwjMqyN2OxK3dmA6FHG9fTtlzcc_QGbTdziT5wiWJp_ussAGeA1m1o9O3V8wapGN2u9NlElqUMMMW7h4MZ9H/w400-h206/230611%2018%20Wakefield%20to%20Castleford%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOPg8jEBtE_Fb_6WBrWdl4LC0M2ihOzf-ogPUwVmkeg7v5jNVQv7PFnVN4QkZ3VRwxQH66qD0m6xoQ7XbPKJygQ-lTJI6kyKleAAwN4OApzQAOh7KzrqK5mRn4F6UD7I1_aiEfyMJrb_cikWyM44gev5-Lf5m4TkP2Wext8BkaKzq_OQd-_k70oQySb7I/s3809/230611%2020%20Wakefield%20to%20Castleford%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2091" data-original-width="3809" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOPg8jEBtE_Fb_6WBrWdl4LC0M2ihOzf-ogPUwVmkeg7v5jNVQv7PFnVN4QkZ3VRwxQH66qD0m6xoQ7XbPKJygQ-lTJI6kyKleAAwN4OApzQAOh7KzrqK5mRn4F6UD7I1_aiEfyMJrb_cikWyM44gev5-Lf5m4TkP2Wext8BkaKzq_OQd-_k70oQySb7I/w400-h220/230611%2020%20Wakefield%20to%20Castleford%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFx0YjbJ152bl-Er9DS_9eabZqlAMDI5CKseSX9KWpFNiFx1gwsTEw62cEvv5tz9xJbwMZ_sT53KKVVax0sItVVul8hkrnWKXWY2m2plVJX4te3zMqvslCKMwRaB2-bcXfiB0G0-qie6AI3SUzBOC0mlnA0Qh4JnThNTKKt4v7fULApOjtL3Jxj_61jB3i/s3866/230611%2021%20Wakefield%20to%20Castleford%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1864" data-original-width="3866" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFx0YjbJ152bl-Er9DS_9eabZqlAMDI5CKseSX9KWpFNiFx1gwsTEw62cEvv5tz9xJbwMZ_sT53KKVVax0sItVVul8hkrnWKXWY2m2plVJX4te3zMqvslCKMwRaB2-bcXfiB0G0-qie6AI3SUzBOC0mlnA0Qh4JnThNTKKt4v7fULApOjtL3Jxj_61jB3i/w400-h193/230611%2021%20Wakefield%20to%20Castleford%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Y4i-1n5xqf7RGB9ViOfK0MtVBQgf-dn0XFGBNQhtSe01MmFNCkA15L8nRUYJH6Gt3iAPyHsY8Pga7y4qUnpZM4e4EKnYwGsmvO6uVfDPc9TWRkQ1kpriDyoMVHTNtbiFD6DQxC96_YU_5s6NPKGFY0vfWq_bRRd5sF03SnZHZ18iP1nYNhqu42AKUGZY/s3417/230611%2036%20Castleford%20to%20Stanley%20Ferry%20Walk%20(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1813" data-original-width="3417" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Y4i-1n5xqf7RGB9ViOfK0MtVBQgf-dn0XFGBNQhtSe01MmFNCkA15L8nRUYJH6Gt3iAPyHsY8Pga7y4qUnpZM4e4EKnYwGsmvO6uVfDPc9TWRkQ1kpriDyoMVHTNtbiFD6DQxC96_YU_5s6NPKGFY0vfWq_bRRd5sF03SnZHZ18iP1nYNhqu42AKUGZY/w400-h213/230611%2036%20Castleford%20to%20Stanley%20Ferry%20Walk%20(3).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGkLlgiCyDZePbI1S9u_xOnKn8UDixco601eenrRnLe4u-v9pEfsEGYp3ZWb3rlCmlEGEd9MhPwCX0GoBsDN2-7cAXIhKV0kryxqpnsUB9RKWfT6RdosTvz4iheTcY8LQjLgiE4-8WYMauahYAFr4TGQABbEhWLl1oKmmkSIzrZ1tScoEcNO5YcfTtfBba/s3264/230611%2022%20Wakefield%20to%20Castleford%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="3264" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGkLlgiCyDZePbI1S9u_xOnKn8UDixco601eenrRnLe4u-v9pEfsEGYp3ZWb3rlCmlEGEd9MhPwCX0GoBsDN2-7cAXIhKV0kryxqpnsUB9RKWfT6RdosTvz4iheTcY8LQjLgiE4-8WYMauahYAFr4TGQABbEhWLl1oKmmkSIzrZ1tScoEcNO5YcfTtfBba/w400-h180/230611%2022%20Wakefield%20to%20Castleford%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBag5cvp41cHnmkKSNISgJ0tG3WPdZWWSsCx9dI8P9LFSld8cBOHe2WpXpwHfJ3PsI3VaeiaEh_ndXzMdlPrecXTGGdkQuW-fRmZ-5nk-kHyghTIAJIhxcWgOSg7-E30yeQXbH4xu34LC3qTQg1cR6X71icMqmqXyUAH6lbT4OpAzH1izVJym5Cfx78Gkz/s4022/230611%2027%20Wakefield%20to%20Castleford%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2213" data-original-width="4022" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBag5cvp41cHnmkKSNISgJ0tG3WPdZWWSsCx9dI8P9LFSld8cBOHe2WpXpwHfJ3PsI3VaeiaEh_ndXzMdlPrecXTGGdkQuW-fRmZ-5nk-kHyghTIAJIhxcWgOSg7-E30yeQXbH4xu34LC3qTQg1cR6X71icMqmqXyUAH6lbT4OpAzH1izVJym5Cfx78Gkz/w400-h220/230611%2027%20Wakefield%20to%20Castleford%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Sadly, as far as we can tell, the only vessel still plying these waters</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> for profit</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> is the Exol Pride, a rapeseed oil tanker that does regular runs from Goole to Doncaster. The last time we were up here a fleet of gravel barges were still working between dredging sites in the Humber estuary and Leeds, but we spotted two of them looking quite smart and restored on a private mooring near Pollington...</span><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkVNFygwiIOhibawrW2_zl42REfp3MIhKyH_4_UK2RgHuY63RjhKXJMF0bBtAQ7LSLbe1B2hXu3OqvRw6V_7xPdGznUrDjgTzxp5Lw82G2YJJa4wEv4T1GjRR9yXWAtFWlEJxKa2wgfIF2PAJEAl5ZyOk0Z544-4YJ_n4oKaQtpesyY7ic3PRAijEl0Su/s3476/230614%2018%20Pollington%20Walk%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1795" data-original-width="3476" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkVNFygwiIOhibawrW2_zl42REfp3MIhKyH_4_UK2RgHuY63RjhKXJMF0bBtAQ7LSLbe1B2hXu3OqvRw6V_7xPdGznUrDjgTzxp5Lw82G2YJJa4wEv4T1GjRR9yXWAtFWlEJxKa2wgfIF2PAJEAl5ZyOk0Z544-4YJ_n4oKaQtpesyY7ic3PRAijEl0Su/w400-h206/230614%2018%20Pollington%20Walk%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />...and the other one, (looking decidedly not very smart), was for sale in Goole.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">In a way it is sad that freight is no longer transported by water, but what a different world it would be if it was. The A&C is indeed a magnificent, easy route to navigate, but a quick glance up at one of the M62 bridges gives you some idea of just how inadequate it would be for transporting the sheer mind boggling volume of everything that trucks move around every day. If it hadn’t been for the move from canals to rail and road at the precise time that it happened</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> -</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> freezing the network in time</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> -</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> English canals, with all their unique, fascinating gorgeousness, would all have been widened, straightened and modernised. Narrowboats, and everything associated with them, would have no place in that world. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">After two nights at Castleford, we’d moved the car to Ferrybridge and walked back through Fairburn Ings, which not that long ago was a huge open cast colliery, and is now maturing into a lovely Nature Reserve.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3WJ6adgK4_z7gRNuDGyBUGquzMHx-dEztMBAdmbiQ2lQAXYTDSmoc_oWQM6tXUWJkBWmMmWcR9sgq9gQExBUStrXR0xmFoR213eqmpNgrX50vxRTya2vPjU0-JEjXK-4eca-5jrwZB9oj0O_nzQDmVq_18Xpp0sgIapI1lL5I-0PBwa4aBQpiAgnqD0RA/s2492/230612%2006%20Fairburn%20Ings%20Walk%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1315" data-original-width="2492" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3WJ6adgK4_z7gRNuDGyBUGquzMHx-dEztMBAdmbiQ2lQAXYTDSmoc_oWQM6tXUWJkBWmMmWcR9sgq9gQExBUStrXR0xmFoR213eqmpNgrX50vxRTya2vPjU0-JEjXK-4eca-5jrwZB9oj0O_nzQDmVq_18Xpp0sgIapI1lL5I-0PBwa4aBQpiAgnqD0RA/w400-h211/230612%2006%20Fairburn%20Ings%20Walk%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Moored on the old loading wharf by the coal shute in Castleford.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU15I7VH7Pl162w6UVniXCGCRb0gl4rjd1aAMJCikgt_0ELRrJFj-3DVFRe0ssvH1BrQA4SKlAGVHwRNCnqBgrmBSs_s0A3RgSnULWLj725qsoaikFzmNN6rnqdQtV_Bl8OWVBlbP0dRJY_1pRsw496XIdICn8k52833dpGARQfiwaeY_W2LZTMWDL9m_R/s3782/230613%2001%20Castleford%20Dawn%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1995" data-original-width="3782" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU15I7VH7Pl162w6UVniXCGCRb0gl4rjd1aAMJCikgt_0ELRrJFj-3DVFRe0ssvH1BrQA4SKlAGVHwRNCnqBgrmBSs_s0A3RgSnULWLj725qsoaikFzmNN6rnqdQtV_Bl8OWVBlbP0dRJY_1pRsw496XIdICn8k52833dpGARQfiwaeY_W2LZTMWDL9m_R/w400-h211/230613%2001%20Castleford%20Dawn%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Dawn in Castleford</i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvybC08ggg4-DEi4sC2Vkq5849sRR9vtzMgpQx7Al3APogAJh6E2j7CrMlo-fkCd6W6jCV0PQJIlhKzDrVCcKZBTKhk-8Y4XVx6rY1pMww4iGBvslJYlBL2pRilo6atXQCWF4Xy7ngvXvtC_LrsztaBJGT127T-vcXHvd4igtnN8wEGxuYiUtuskiAjBY-/s3955/230612%2001%20Fairburn%20Ings%20Walk%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="3955" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvybC08ggg4-DEi4sC2Vkq5849sRR9vtzMgpQx7Al3APogAJh6E2j7CrMlo-fkCd6W6jCV0PQJIlhKzDrVCcKZBTKhk-8Y4XVx6rY1pMww4iGBvslJYlBL2pRilo6atXQCWF4Xy7ngvXvtC_LrsztaBJGT127T-vcXHvd4igtnN8wEGxuYiUtuskiAjBY-/w400-h161/230612%2001%20Fairburn%20Ings%20Walk%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Fairburn Ings Nature Reserve</i></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_yeNELRYJw6xO90GDvKFi2-E3b29TiaQkN7IfNCadbzjGx44pkbgcM2BFs06OBGtOxIlK5CxmDhBkSn9E58UV_1j47K44haP0BagLDIolPEWY1ozpf3soAnHlb3WlKTOphYoj5qbqV_iBmYRpnsFtJegcPdUGkJkGu72VVqLYE4TYCMFbMzOPohMUsnp/s3787/230612%2005%20Fairburn%20Ings%20Walk%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="3787" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_yeNELRYJw6xO90GDvKFi2-E3b29TiaQkN7IfNCadbzjGx44pkbgcM2BFs06OBGtOxIlK5CxmDhBkSn9E58UV_1j47K44haP0BagLDIolPEWY1ozpf3soAnHlb3WlKTOphYoj5qbqV_iBmYRpnsFtJegcPdUGkJkGu72VVqLYE4TYCMFbMzOPohMUsnp/w400-h181/230612%2005%20Fairburn%20Ings%20Walk%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />We’d also cycled out to Junction 32 Shopping Outlet, not our usual habitat, but it had a Grapetree shop and we’re hooked on their muesli base.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">From there we went down Bulholme lock onto the big river section, passing the disused colliery loading basins and the massive Ferrybridge power station site.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwlMLCT7AIflKOTZAVX6XfCidJYI4zL2ue629nv5KHsOHf5IH3yJS-msdpYuUgsCovkRucZPNncK-EqBYQ7H7UFWHFi-goM2MH0p5Z_N0zynqVolNnk_XPP9emFnuqzPM3wwXM6IazllexvmMv64QJW9Wc87l6pp3H7VrAYmKq8K8bBoI_malnVR-w8If/s2495/230613%2004%20Castleford%20to%20Ferrybridge%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="2495" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwlMLCT7AIflKOTZAVX6XfCidJYI4zL2ue629nv5KHsOHf5IH3yJS-msdpYuUgsCovkRucZPNncK-EqBYQ7H7UFWHFi-goM2MH0p5Z_N0zynqVolNnk_XPP9emFnuqzPM3wwXM6IazllexvmMv64QJW9Wc87l6pp3H7VrAYmKq8K8bBoI_malnVR-w8If/w400-h180/230613%2004%20Castleford%20to%20Ferrybridge%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRKkk-mWrXmV7ZBjS4NQFR2zf0PAmyPQysboJw8z7lgjQoO3HF8r83E4I9rudty1mN9X6Be8xKnnnmkkbmUQUBXY67hhkEys5yhirEb5unMS0jte1EFTY0PrnXzHBON1pIv9Zoo9v-2vhlTF6bR65B5xt29-VWo54y7b32jbp3dEjsp6HVTBQmWvtkZPO/s4080/230613%2011%20Castleford%20to%20Ferrybridge%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1987" data-original-width="4080" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRKkk-mWrXmV7ZBjS4NQFR2zf0PAmyPQysboJw8z7lgjQoO3HF8r83E4I9rudty1mN9X6Be8xKnnnmkkbmUQUBXY67hhkEys5yhirEb5unMS0jte1EFTY0PrnXzHBON1pIv9Zoo9v-2vhlTF6bR65B5xt29-VWo54y7b32jbp3dEjsp6HVTBQmWvtkZPO/w400-h195/230613%2011%20Castleford%20to%20Ferrybridge%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />All the iconic cooling towers have now been demolished, along with the Tom Pudding unloading gantry. Time does indeed move on.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">At Ferrybridge we moored just after the open flood lock, opposite some industrial units, one of which had a very loud extractor fan whining away, but by the time we’d moved the car to Whitely lock, cycled back along a very overgrown towpath and been into Knottingley for supplies, it was nearly teatime and they thankfully switched it off. That evening Dave set up our automatic plant watering system for when we’re away and we had our first barbecue of the year.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">In the morning the whining extractor fan (there’s a joke in there somewhere) started up again at 6am. We left.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Just after Knottingley, with breakfast on the back deck, we turned right onto the Knottingley and Goole Canal...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSm3tv0D0QE6FnCdPf3NdN4S4wtceBcaKoYnT8bSVolXyfggWnP6QG_WwhC2klHEMUaL0vHeRwPWXUV969rNRZe-GSXScPka1KKie1QsEKQnc661Ewds8_r-gULZByLp9934c2H5jh6UpJk7jjARYT7zZwP7WFA2MHPTn-SZ8ROuX7T8JW46GsQTYSAaEU/s2592/230614%2003%20Ferrybridge%20to%20Pollington%20(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="2592" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSm3tv0D0QE6FnCdPf3NdN4S4wtceBcaKoYnT8bSVolXyfggWnP6QG_WwhC2klHEMUaL0vHeRwPWXUV969rNRZe-GSXScPka1KKie1QsEKQnc661Ewds8_r-gULZByLp9934c2H5jh6UpJk7jjARYT7zZwP7WFA2MHPTn-SZ8ROuX7T8JW46GsQTYSAaEU/w400-h180/230614%2003%20Ferrybridge%20to%20Pollington%20(3).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><i>The junction in Knottingley, to the left is the river Aire to Selby, York and Ripon.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />...and spent a lovely morning boating to Pollington, where we moored up just below the lock.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6Y0ywh0MzSzHDGcdaOAAn5c0XYdqZ0zqiU4dnAdvUAJnhotLt3BHYuP8INlz75dn4yrdCxcSnYRg9to3jzMay-HLoZE9xFz_HpB66OB-fGhN9jne7AX3YQYop74EpOIeGBMmEoiPFrd3FNKQE5Er-9lSoDqWQwWiwwJ7KQBPeuxVAoauNSzUKpoXkJO4/s2189/230614%2012%20Ferrybridge%20to%20Pollington%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="2189" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6Y0ywh0MzSzHDGcdaOAAn5c0XYdqZ0zqiU4dnAdvUAJnhotLt3BHYuP8INlz75dn4yrdCxcSnYRg9to3jzMay-HLoZE9xFz_HpB66OB-fGhN9jne7AX3YQYop74EpOIeGBMmEoiPFrd3FNKQE5Er-9lSoDqWQwWiwwJ7KQBPeuxVAoauNSzUKpoXkJO4/w400-h178/230614%2012%20Ferrybridge%20to%20Pollington%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />From there we had one night at Rawcliffe Bridge, before the final leg into Goole. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbrKsnh0r2UXe3RpYymDSEaxtOh3EcQDMIv3DbnPXBPL2WtexvSKYLz7byWbBkMmtqamsExYfDiHKGFBIJMkUUf4BTMXiBweoUv3aAaog6lRKPn5pbA28bBq2gF4EVmfxlMmW06Sbkgv5mYlkcClbSFLpAPHmIDVPpZ5dj6mCTJBS-_iZxxZmSr4lohKX/s4052/230615%2004%20Pollington%20to%20Rawcliffe%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1942" data-original-width="4052" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbrKsnh0r2UXe3RpYymDSEaxtOh3EcQDMIv3DbnPXBPL2WtexvSKYLz7byWbBkMmtqamsExYfDiHKGFBIJMkUUf4BTMXiBweoUv3aAaog6lRKPn5pbA28bBq2gF4EVmfxlMmW06Sbkgv5mYlkcClbSFLpAPHmIDVPpZ5dj6mCTJBS-_iZxxZmSr4lohKX/w400-h191/230615%2004%20Pollington%20to%20Rawcliffe%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We’d booked the car into a garage in Goole the next morning for 2 new tyres and wheel alignment, so before we left Rawcliffe Bridge we drove in and dropped it off. While we were walking back, the garage phoned to say that the track rod ends were seized and would need replacing. £130 but they could do it that day. Ho hum.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">There was a big barge on the water tap at Goole when we got there, so we pulled up on the pub moorings where we could get to the elsan and the bins, and then made our way over to the other side to the unrestricted moorings. The garage rang again with more bad news; they’d fitted the tyres and replaced one track rod end, but they couldn’t finish it that day because they still couldn’t budge the other side and need to get</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.6667px;"> hold of another part for</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.6667px;"> it</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">. We needed it to go to the airport the next day, so we</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> took it as it was and</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> arranged to bring it back when we returned from France in two weeks. Compared to some of our dealings with garages over the past few years, Wilco in Goole were excellent. They kept us informed at every step and were polite, friendly and professional.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">That afternoon we went through our usual routine of packing up a month’s worth of stuff for two weeks away, then eating an “interesting” dinner of everything left in the fridge. Yummy.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">In the morning we packed the car, and then drove into Goole for parkrun.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fmrdC6l5dZpfgOeq3P3T4-UaYoBz9Y2jwOE3Km4ZFT3jiBHIr7MiApBzqgAEi4pBI1cE5EdzMCLShLw03S1Aq8yYrs9zaWuWHDJUsoO-5jSdOy7eJt_EPedilZ7UTjS1uh8fJL8gMWujIuW4xP5YUy4qvFBiVno-mPC721wZ9hGubpylG6Uuqaq8iRkX/s3111/230617%2003%20Goole%20Parkrun%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1449" data-original-width="3111" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fmrdC6l5dZpfgOeq3P3T4-UaYoBz9Y2jwOE3Km4ZFT3jiBHIr7MiApBzqgAEi4pBI1cE5EdzMCLShLw03S1Aq8yYrs9zaWuWHDJUsoO-5jSdOy7eJt_EPedilZ7UTjS1uh8fJL8gMWujIuW4xP5YUy4qvFBiVno-mPC721wZ9hGubpylG6Uuqaq8iRkX/w400-h186/230617%2003%20Goole%20Parkrun%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />Ann-Marie was volunteering which meant staying till the end, so as soon as Dave finished, (26:00. New PB!) he zipped back to the boat for a shower, then locked it all up and went to pick Ann-Marie up, before we headed off to Birmingham airport.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">On the way we stopped at Hatton Locks Café for lunch with Mum and Dad who were at a car club rally nearby.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmV_bOkTrX1wsN-byLHk5pjvRBv53g_1mWrOQz-2-6fSTEThSj6oUWIBsoovtoV2dA8_kCD1UgrCUUVN_wFfTUDlG0VXFQaWPuQY7Q7qUGk3Wz0CfmOT87gAO8GS_b0vnkYUt4w4451R6ldOO9eYOGjwBd7mLbWUG1iWE8Oz6kZkv5Jp9iA4rZJ1228R6/s2218/230617%2007%20Hatton%20Locks%20Cafe%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="983" data-original-width="2218" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmV_bOkTrX1wsN-byLHk5pjvRBv53g_1mWrOQz-2-6fSTEThSj6oUWIBsoovtoV2dA8_kCD1UgrCUUVN_wFfTUDlG0VXFQaWPuQY7Q7qUGk3Wz0CfmOT87gAO8GS_b0vnkYUt4w4451R6ldOO9eYOGjwBd7mLbWUG1iWE8Oz6kZkv5Jp9iA4rZJ1228R6/w400-h178/230617%2007%20Hatton%20Locks%20Cafe%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHT3-XVEubc_INwfNJIyUu6WvQZ-36s_QgZep7ZBd_F9EShXddynGBkKOoKdrcCh9goMhibQGnh2XgcuGtBR0nefIXGKloBzOmqhtU2iIT7b-6M6F5vn8e-eGSWaUUp79mRqB64jtNZajLEPx7f3hHHNzcLObQKYNjblwZcJEiawyIQnfX9z1GJSwyLxH/s3811/230617%2010%20Hatton%20Locks%20Cafe%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1805" data-original-width="3811" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHT3-XVEubc_INwfNJIyUu6WvQZ-36s_QgZep7ZBd_F9EShXddynGBkKOoKdrcCh9goMhibQGnh2XgcuGtBR0nefIXGKloBzOmqhtU2iIT7b-6M6F5vn8e-eGSWaUUp79mRqB64jtNZajLEPx7f3hHHNzcLObQKYNjblwZcJEiawyIQnfX9z1GJSwyLxH/w400-h190/230617%2010%20Hatton%20Locks%20Cafe%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />It was really busy there and they created quite a stir arriving in their red Lomax kit car. It was great to see them, and so good that they're still getting out and about in it.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">With airport parking costing an arm and a cliché, we decided on an alternative approach and drove to Marston Green which is one train station away from the airport and where we found an ideal parking spot on the road. Over the years we’ve become quite good at finding places where an unremarkable hatchback can go un-noticed for a couple of weeks. The gold standard in our book is a not too quiet street in leafy suburbia, not right outside or opposite anyone’s house, but overlooked by several, with street lighting, but not directly under a lamp-post. And if we can combine all that with a church, then so much the better. Dave was very happy with Marston Green, however Ann-Marie was slightly hesitant because of the notices on the lamp posts, proclaiming the closure of the road we were parked on for a couple of hours the following weekend for</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> a</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> Scout and Guide parade, and she had visions of our car being run over by a carnival float. However, £4 each for an open return to BHX rather than £150 for two weeks with APH swung the deal, and we waved goodbye to our long suffering Picasso before we trundled our equally long suffering suitcase off to the train station. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We make no bones about it – we</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">’re not fans of</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> Ryanair. We do very much get budget airlines. We get the stringent baggage policies and we get the no pampering attitudes. However, purposefully splitting couples up on a half empty plane in order to make them pay extra to sit next to each other we think is immoral and we’ve boycotted them since they started doing it. Sometimes though, principals </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">get</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> compromised, (we are - after all – suckers for a yellow sticker) and so we flew to Bordeaux at opposite ends of the plane, wearing all our holiday clothes, with our (very) small cabin bags between our feet, reading our (thin) books and trying to convince ourselves that we usually spend more time together than is strictly necessary.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We should have watched<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAg0lUYHHFc" target="_blank"> this.</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We landed about 9pm and had a fairly slick exit out to a rainy Bordeaux, where Frankie scooped us up and whisked us back to Jussas. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We had a fabulous fortnight away. The Brookes/Griffiths household was as accommodating as ever and the weather was glorious. There were afternoons in the pool, days out to Bordeaux and Blaye, and a market and coffee day in Montendre. We had long, drawn out family meals outside, Sunday breakfast pastries from the local boulangerie that we collected in Harry’s 2cv, and lots of time with Thibault and Axelle, who are growing up so fast!</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvf_kpNULopJBo_QVCGRImttmX3mWnk9jpyq5hbOJhN600H3eJLgUTjsQKFsDcdmh7AeZYDrKf4vwq-zQZoJRVwIJkM9uAyJOqWrFBCvFEUTZH93dxZaeX8-2h7N-npWDxp0n8lbu1mmIZpSPQHKfp7nB6aRWrgE_8CBi229haX1QJb9_fA40tyALWdOeF/s2159/230701%2004Jussas%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="2159" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvf_kpNULopJBo_QVCGRImttmX3mWnk9jpyq5hbOJhN600H3eJLgUTjsQKFsDcdmh7AeZYDrKf4vwq-zQZoJRVwIJkM9uAyJOqWrFBCvFEUTZH93dxZaeX8-2h7N-npWDxp0n8lbu1mmIZpSPQHKfp7nB6aRWrgE_8CBi229haX1QJb9_fA40tyALWdOeF/w400-h225/230701%2004Jussas%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPvt46vSF2D0H3x5fgyc6c2OiAFpHl2UZKVMoFtYm8AjHEtzi-A4aKhdvrK8j4bxDMPIpyOocz1YjxyHMY1PPTHo6ARQoMaTXziwEfWEEJzDjwAL1oTKk3O6QJBfzTmniGdyMW05ACRQCeovLOnflc1yz6LRgcIVcW2oA8MbxesM87-aImLBJB8Tn0d2RS/s2296/230618%2006%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1231" data-original-width="2296" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPvt46vSF2D0H3x5fgyc6c2OiAFpHl2UZKVMoFtYm8AjHEtzi-A4aKhdvrK8j4bxDMPIpyOocz1YjxyHMY1PPTHo6ARQoMaTXziwEfWEEJzDjwAL1oTKk3O6QJBfzTmniGdyMW05ACRQCeovLOnflc1yz6LRgcIVcW2oA8MbxesM87-aImLBJB8Tn0d2RS/w400-h215/230618%2006%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT77FlFaLFLGUVdvsyDyBKqzbr-KE3cF3fw9KxgEywj-yU-5M_Z2gzlSiYTAtdlkB-IFzvXCPdcyiuabrfruf_-Qv6LJtk8ecJr1R_2SwAl5I3bpOw5CG4VEQztNg0TmnqpjpVPfPITznyRFoOAHB4MOuaa5YpTPaWcgDeeDEFtVZI6dhFm2kL16zW7xTU/s3683/230619%2006%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3683" data-original-width="2215" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT77FlFaLFLGUVdvsyDyBKqzbr-KE3cF3fw9KxgEywj-yU-5M_Z2gzlSiYTAtdlkB-IFzvXCPdcyiuabrfruf_-Qv6LJtk8ecJr1R_2SwAl5I3bpOw5CG4VEQztNg0TmnqpjpVPfPITznyRFoOAHB4MOuaa5YpTPaWcgDeeDEFtVZI6dhFm2kL16zW7xTU/w240-h400/230619%2006%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQs2-Xg7Cn7QalWli94mfcd84Jn5vYZawzjXulR0Cab_2IVOuVG2qVl6XJCrX-WuuYzZzS3QoYNepyT2WdwZz3UKfh0mZt6v5rQrHfu6UekKdy6ai4kA9TEUF706Obub7ui0VioaVZPKql9C7d4qP1F5-AMswN657vbpHlYUUJAkiS_Z3HXLPL6D9o94UB/s1976/230621%2003%20Bordeaux%20Lac%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1976" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQs2-Xg7Cn7QalWli94mfcd84Jn5vYZawzjXulR0Cab_2IVOuVG2qVl6XJCrX-WuuYzZzS3QoYNepyT2WdwZz3UKfh0mZt6v5rQrHfu6UekKdy6ai4kA9TEUF706Obub7ui0VioaVZPKql9C7d4qP1F5-AMswN657vbpHlYUUJAkiS_Z3HXLPL6D9o94UB/w400-h236/230621%2003%20Bordeaux%20Lac%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />It wasn’t all lounging around and eating though, we mucked in with the jobs as well; the vegetable garden fence and gate got pulled up, re-located and improved, making the kid’s play area bigger, some grass cutting and veg weeding took place and Dave spent a h</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">ot</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> afternoon spraying the vines. We also helped in a combined effort to extract and replace a big beam under the swimming pool deck. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Half way through our stay, Thibault had his School Spectacle; a sort of gala performance by all the local schools</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">,</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> followed by outdoor games and lunch under the trees. He was very nervous about getting up on stage, but he did it anyway - several times - which we thought was incredibly brave.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7zlVxizK8mEZVuXqFW7-B_0mhCCN616IPCPdWsdZV1_P9iS-P1EkkgcGDxOzJ2reVP4iMwPXvh7mGzvLnvvlAdRMtNe7JyhbmBBcVYScIc6EMVznUJJ3pPEln3MloTnp9JJGnF6vmAe9sA8tvNuyFzxZEGFTCAYuGKrugdVMpM09X-qdDAB4RoQB9BwU/s2047/230624%2005%20Thibault's%20Spectacle%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1298" data-original-width="2047" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7zlVxizK8mEZVuXqFW7-B_0mhCCN616IPCPdWsdZV1_P9iS-P1EkkgcGDxOzJ2reVP4iMwPXvh7mGzvLnvvlAdRMtNe7JyhbmBBcVYScIc6EMVznUJJ3pPEln3MloTnp9JJGnF6vmAe9sA8tvNuyFzxZEGFTCAYuGKrugdVMpM09X-qdDAB4RoQB9BwU/w400-h254/230624%2005%20Thibault's%20Spectacle%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKX7B2IRjm9vmKRhrpEA2ify5dLo-qUGJGWQIjHJQHBdfd_5LXn591a0bzVWKdeEXQgbWZVq8vdWWuJgJHJNINiT70d-je174uO7GwwMKTf9svPgkeoLef9we0r8McyK9gUGfvWFIhSi_bSs6ZJCMS9ZUkzzKew-QDGuJr_Gj6eevREWSTuT-3Sh7KmkX/s1920/230624%2006%20Thibault's%20Spectacle%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKX7B2IRjm9vmKRhrpEA2ify5dLo-qUGJGWQIjHJQHBdfd_5LXn591a0bzVWKdeEXQgbWZVq8vdWWuJgJHJNINiT70d-je174uO7GwwMKTf9svPgkeoLef9we0r8McyK9gUGfvWFIhSi_bSs6ZJCMS9ZUkzzKew-QDGuJr_Gj6eevREWSTuT-3Sh7KmkX/w400-h225/230624%2006%20Thibault's%20Spectacle%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwFH-v6SSPSX4GZ39X0uM4_niSQaSn5PJGN1AEq5D3g6LrwbUX_Ul-4z58eqkgnS7mzW4MI4bPTDrjovA9fPw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />At the picnic afterwards it was lovely to see him chatting away in perfect French to all his school friends.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Jacqui and Ali drove down to join us for a couple of days in the second week, staying in their little VW Caddy micro camper, and James, another friend from our 2cv days, popped in with a clutch problem in his motorhome, so there was lots of catching up to do round the dinner table and Dave managed to get mucky in the garage, helping with the gearbox removal.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukBZF3ObyabLaNhCT8Kh_AwueqdbRXZOJLjsLuV_x_1PlxaTOs2wnyUTndtIzTqH1RzV2KkjqLuD3VCm0V99hqUoBk286xg5dXm96slglDbIdtmCJD8Wp3uFUCnMP3uP7rnUZMETZofCPCcdUUkoPaXZyeon5N73DYhm5XYMFEKq1vnc6QFv4_xSFxACT/s3054/230628%2002%20Blaye%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1918" data-original-width="3054" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukBZF3ObyabLaNhCT8Kh_AwueqdbRXZOJLjsLuV_x_1PlxaTOs2wnyUTndtIzTqH1RzV2KkjqLuD3VCm0V99hqUoBk286xg5dXm96slglDbIdtmCJD8Wp3uFUCnMP3uP7rnUZMETZofCPCcdUUkoPaXZyeon5N73DYhm5XYMFEKq1vnc6QFv4_xSFxACT/w400-h251/230628%2002%20Blaye%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>A day out in Blaye with Jacqui and Al.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_QG0NbBbCw7RT7d1-A2hlFgIXx5PmbS9XQnKtBXxPcClbdGQb_9CiEGQgAMJf_RkLpqR-QsGrDlnwmwuv2QmQjNlReFgq38S4XKGy3OIRm2HFaZcIGID0pfxuRkHkOJomQaXEFrAQ6S6-iiROywAtBwCfTbiW70vzrOkuP6ZGw8vtYKN-gZ4V2Nmslbs/s3593/230629%2002%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1636" data-original-width="3593" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_QG0NbBbCw7RT7d1-A2hlFgIXx5PmbS9XQnKtBXxPcClbdGQb_9CiEGQgAMJf_RkLpqR-QsGrDlnwmwuv2QmQjNlReFgq38S4XKGy3OIRm2HFaZcIGID0pfxuRkHkOJomQaXEFrAQ6S6-iiROywAtBwCfTbiW70vzrOkuP6ZGw8vtYKN-gZ4V2Nmslbs/w400-h183/230629%2002%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The boys in the workshop.</i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">And then it was all over. We had another late flight back, which was then delayed, which meant we got back to Birmingham after midnight and the last train was long gone. We were well aware that that was a possibility, and although the train would have been preferable, the car was only a 25 minute </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">trundle</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> away. On the way, we found a passport lying on the pavement and a quick look through it revealed an ICE</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> address</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> nearby. Happily there was no evidence of any carnival float/Picasso interaction, so we dropped the passport off, and then with our good deed done we drove back to the boat.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We arrived back in Goole at 3am. There were a couple of other boats moored up nearby and at first we thought everything was fine, but then we noticed that our big solar panel had been cut from the roof and stolen, and further investigation revealed that one of our gas bottles had gone as well, along with the regulator, leaving us with an empty </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">bottle and a severed hose.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> Clearly, Dave’s hasty locking up procedure hadn’t been as thorough as it should have been.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We also discovered that our boat keys were missing, and although we think that is possibly unrelated and we’ve just misplaced them, it still made us feel very uneasy.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">When you’re confronted with the actions of horrible people it can easily make you hate humanity</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> -</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">and for a while it did - b</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">ut over the next 24 hours our faith was restored. Brian very kindly offered to bring us a couple of partial gas bottles and a regulator, so we met him in Holmfirth where we did a swift tranship in the carpark, bought him dinner in the pub, and had the gas back on that evening. Dave found an ex solar-farm panel dealer in Bolton, so after taking the car back in for the other track rod and moving the boat back out to Rawcliffe Bridge, we drove over there and picked up a perfect replacement.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We’ve learned a few things; “Don’t be complacent” being the biggest one. We had hasps and staples on the solar panels, but the padlocks had been put to use elsewhere and never replaced. We’d also got a bicycle lock for </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">securing</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> the gas bottles t</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">ogether in the front locker</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">, but that had been commandeered for </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">locking</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> the paddleboards to the roof - and again - never put back. Yes, it would have been fairly easy for the thieves to defeat both of those with bolt croppers, but stuff that was locked up wasn’t touched, leading us to believe that it was an opportunist attack which could have been defeated by a few simple measures on our part</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> - measures that we’d already put in place, but had got out of the habit of using. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">On the plus side,</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> we’ve learned that with the big one gone, our smaller solar panel wasn’t contributing anything. A bit of investigation found a faulty isolator, so we’ve changed that and we’re now running at full power again.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">The missing keys are annoying as we’ve now got to change all our padlocks, most of which haven’t got spare keys and will need attacking with the angle grinder. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">It’s been a horrible few days and a big wake-up call. It won’t stop us leaving the boat on the towpath in the future, but it will make us more careful, more vigilant, and more aware. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-3238853261283640922023-06-15T21:57:00.000+01:002023-06-15T21:57:17.176+01:00Calder and Hebble Navigation. Cooper Bridge to Wakefield.<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The last time we were on this navigation, when we got to Halifax we ceremoniously chopped up and burnt our Handspike – the 3’ long wooden lever that you need to operate the capstans on some of the paddle gear – and swore we’d never come back.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Time, quite clearly, has mellowed us and faded the memory of just how much hard work these wretched locks are. If the handspike paddles </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">a</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">ren’t bad enough, the windlass ones </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">a</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">re either really stiff, or d</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">o</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">n’t do anything, or both. Our last handspike was crudely fashioned from a sycamore branch with a chainsaw; very roughy toughy, man-of-the-woods style of thing, and consequently very heavy and impractical. Its replacement for this trip was a Wickes pickaxe handle; made from ash and very light and tactile.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgu5kwK5BcjmN-C7D_CzYC4FLT7-9N26MyjaRYTl51m4TrK8iMUCM0pZUsRx_P3Ny-QJR39ZhrsdL-MPZQ3HIj_wA6RjJKaHuLOg_wMQ_QDy1jYfhLa8w7NOSKfbxK-zqOIM5VZtIHnn0y0MHf44oORexal46pFbSun60KL5rcM5zQ3NyHrU27PQdzg/s2295/230602%2008%20Mirfield%20to%20Dewsbury%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2002" data-original-width="2295" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgu5kwK5BcjmN-C7D_CzYC4FLT7-9N26MyjaRYTl51m4TrK8iMUCM0pZUsRx_P3Ny-QJR39ZhrsdL-MPZQ3HIj_wA6RjJKaHuLOg_wMQ_QDy1jYfhLa8w7NOSKfbxK-zqOIM5VZtIHnn0y0MHf44oORexal46pFbSun60KL5rcM5zQ3NyHrU27PQdzg/w400-h349/230602%2008%20Mirfield%20to%20Dewsbury%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />With that, and our extra-long, high-torque windlass<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">…</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGqJjXB7QoSv0seyacAv4oRUzVQrtDelgt3uPZhR51h3ymaU6-WmwuRJWnA_ue5G2QSvjIcSpS3rJheWZGB4RYffCiEN2dP8EMOjqpwTu24RIFQsvn9hUXGwF9s3H6efU1r-CKI4bxZ8ZoUQb23s5AsJrV58mdW3gFntsUiCzpurYt2PC2hY-8CMWxQ/s3109/230527%2014%20Slaithwaite%20to%20Linthwaite%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3109" data-original-width="2295" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnGqJjXB7QoSv0seyacAv4oRUzVQrtDelgt3uPZhR51h3ymaU6-WmwuRJWnA_ue5G2QSvjIcSpS3rJheWZGB4RYffCiEN2dP8EMOjqpwTu24RIFQsvn9hUXGwF9s3H6efU1r-CKI4bxZ8ZoUQb23s5AsJrV58mdW3gFntsUiCzpurYt2PC2hY-8CMWxQ/w295-h400/230527%2014%20Slaithwaite%20to%20Linthwaite%20(2).jpg" width="295" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />…<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">we thought we were better prepared. The Calder & Hebble, however, had other ideas and a real bad ass reputation to uphold. Ann-Marie often found herself defeated, and had to cajole Dave away from his usual position of loafing about on the back of the boat to come up apply some brute force.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Despite all this, the C&H was astonishingly beautiful.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxYGnzC4x6n80zXRlZQSzyhCjjB8GyA8Y0WJUxpmgVD2pJqgS3ksiudA5hb_UlUno5vamSti-JPPo7zDOyRk8TaKMhIDyHGDUJdnra4tKaTj6aQzjq0RrLXM0DXvgi9q1VyyQn6inMexz4GujJfIBTp5z-3zxMeZaKM2RbJulaA2bkeF3w-xwqwWnvw/s3551/230601%2001%20Coopers%20Bridge%20to%20Mirfield%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1549" data-original-width="3551" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxYGnzC4x6n80zXRlZQSzyhCjjB8GyA8Y0WJUxpmgVD2pJqgS3ksiudA5hb_UlUno5vamSti-JPPo7zDOyRk8TaKMhIDyHGDUJdnra4tKaTj6aQzjq0RrLXM0DXvgi9q1VyyQn6inMexz4GujJfIBTp5z-3zxMeZaKM2RbJulaA2bkeF3w-xwqwWnvw/w400-h175/230601%2001%20Coopers%20Bridge%20to%20Mirfield%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWprzDH2YE3qifNSSA-sOxcR74qVFhnP0p1Wfa1AVelCgzShvudmYaSiNq4rNdKO3hz34srOP65jTa3HpZg1Nl5Ch8C86OhVpjMCf1dItkTEzf1EgZtyioJSxIBGNptyp4BhaA1rePSIrTJCEeM6IzC83vExXIqazNH03GQTTl57XtOfLN2Jcx6b2SYw/s3769/230601%2002%20Coopers%20Bridge%20to%20Mirfield%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2121" data-original-width="3769" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWprzDH2YE3qifNSSA-sOxcR74qVFhnP0p1Wfa1AVelCgzShvudmYaSiNq4rNdKO3hz34srOP65jTa3HpZg1Nl5Ch8C86OhVpjMCf1dItkTEzf1EgZtyioJSxIBGNptyp4BhaA1rePSIrTJCEeM6IzC83vExXIqazNH03GQTTl57XtOfLN2Jcx6b2SYw/w400-h225/230601%2002%20Coopers%20Bridge%20to%20Mirfield%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We caught it at its best; there hadn’t been any rain for ages, so the navigation boards were well into the green and all the flood gates were open.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK6J32GKBpx-DhTruFUoZoebP9KWMv2EgC5igMOevBU2rkM56R9uIb3UuiLLsQS6FTWDQNfka9bIp_27eG3p_cPufa8-oaVx8gXC_E61jl339IZozLSXIWfY8FgZh_Xk-FzPPsezhWbuXU-PLPlm2xPg4DoFS3yjtiijbUICZ9YkxqTw3iUZlQGoBOnw/s1791/230602%2013%20Mirfield%20to%20Dewsbury%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1791" data-original-width="1605" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK6J32GKBpx-DhTruFUoZoebP9KWMv2EgC5igMOevBU2rkM56R9uIb3UuiLLsQS6FTWDQNfka9bIp_27eG3p_cPufa8-oaVx8gXC_E61jl339IZozLSXIWfY8FgZh_Xk-FzPPsezhWbuXU-PLPlm2xPg4DoFS3yjtiijbUICZ9YkxqTw3iUZlQGoBOnw/w359-h400/230602%2013%20Mirfield%20to%20Dewsbury%20(2).jpg" width="359" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2s_j4L1Q4YtHIJ0bZamdamsMD4BwFngi7WNspjSvaVh8VL2RVbEZJ9pzCI7jxYB1VknI-Rx1Ci7oLkK0M1tmTBrvvjGbII6jLNR6oKEhfSuTwvc5iMP6vqSQ4MboNsr_7uS0fxtvSn27MF0T3B_cGWLK0N9oPBxQU5Vl6bd_ir9RKL2wG1tlWYw-ZiQ/s3939/230610%2002%20Broadcut%20to%20Wakefield%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2217" data-original-width="3939" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2s_j4L1Q4YtHIJ0bZamdamsMD4BwFngi7WNspjSvaVh8VL2RVbEZJ9pzCI7jxYB1VknI-Rx1Ci7oLkK0M1tmTBrvvjGbII6jLNR6oKEhfSuTwvc5iMP6vqSQ4MboNsr_7uS0fxtvSn27MF0T3B_cGWLK0N9oPBxQU5Vl6bd_ir9RKL2wG1tlWYw-ZiQ/w400-h225/230610%2002%20Broadcut%20to%20Wakefield%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Between the cuts the river sections were dreamy and reminded us just how much we love them.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We moored up for the night at Mirfield, right next to Lidl (Ooh! Fresh Croissants for breakfast!)...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRANv_a5Fsb5QwtCHoALfUT3rlDr0Z-DtbzoedtW2taFZZGPMNo1DLLd6hGs2d0sBIoPvi8nwHnui97k1tTC2Sa8tb_M4xr-xwkhJIzezufTxY0qaNTv6QfelLUJ3D4qHz0z-5IkiXfEz-tYcYCOExAxgtf8hMpMkmJefCL--SuaUjP8t7LVGhR8ZabA/s3622/230601%2004%20Mirfield%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1442" data-original-width="3622" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRANv_a5Fsb5QwtCHoALfUT3rlDr0Z-DtbzoedtW2taFZZGPMNo1DLLd6hGs2d0sBIoPvi8nwHnui97k1tTC2Sa8tb_M4xr-xwkhJIzezufTxY0qaNTv6QfelLUJ3D4qHz0z-5IkiXfEz-tYcYCOExAxgtf8hMpMkmJefCL--SuaUjP8t7LVGhR8ZabA/w400-h159/230601%2004%20Mirfield%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />...and found a really good coffee shop in the town,</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ha_TcEd2Ev-q2Xo9LaZ4JtWY4EMqIAh-Hnq-b112YAgPRnMElZJkIwaojm_ywvVr4B-ItLIUFcjlUQV-_dtqiytNmGkfysNSplONfIX7j5fMamW3pr6wkDjeyDfquPLxI0IWa_PksT4GPdveUV1YpjJNFTgFkG7snjZfayTC1DwUP5BfpwNTICs3Lg/s3773/230601%2003%20Mirfield%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1876" data-original-width="3773" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ha_TcEd2Ev-q2Xo9LaZ4JtWY4EMqIAh-Hnq-b112YAgPRnMElZJkIwaojm_ywvVr4B-ItLIUFcjlUQV-_dtqiytNmGkfysNSplONfIX7j5fMamW3pr6wkDjeyDfquPLxI0IWa_PksT4GPdveUV1YpjJNFTgFkG7snjZfayTC1DwUP5BfpwNTICs3Lg/w400-h199/230601%2003%20Mirfield%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />... and then moored again just after the Dewsbury arm junction.</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6WQS6yrO1TzYjknVCtu8Wyz9ZRggbJwSdxNfn47o7MXpE9oGuTFZGPeLGeE7ZLefj1f_XFSjmqbGHE2fwEcRywUBNyFzNEjJGhr6n5bPGq7_dLTsvlCLRzxtN4eP5gJxzrpx2NMnPkAbkhz_WuyLTfSBgU601OYu1-EYSzdF3cKAOHMpNHBQlMrQ4kg/s1660/230602%2005%20Mirfield%20to%20Dewsbury%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1660" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6WQS6yrO1TzYjknVCtu8Wyz9ZRggbJwSdxNfn47o7MXpE9oGuTFZGPeLGeE7ZLefj1f_XFSjmqbGHE2fwEcRywUBNyFzNEjJGhr6n5bPGq7_dLTsvlCLRzxtN4eP5gJxzrpx2NMnPkAbkhz_WuyLTfSBgU601OYu1-EYSzdF3cKAOHMpNHBQlMrQ4kg/w400-h209/230602%2005%20Mirfield%20to%20Dewsbury%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mirfield to Dewsbury</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBj7sfrJ9aEDio-aIMOjylFbHlxK5tpke1huR21i8LPy9_z2Emrl0OoypUYmZX0l4W9TpEaybmkweMPWgtdlXAiSA51Fy0PXfHJpIJJuBc5JGZS31utT_KSlp-wsxbsWEH4DOStApemW_5yIKUoR6C1-G0P9xPEOA9TcQjeJTx_9j3X2W_krfPAIOj8w/s3918/230602%2011%20Mirfield%20to%20Dewsbury%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1729" data-original-width="3918" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBj7sfrJ9aEDio-aIMOjylFbHlxK5tpke1huR21i8LPy9_z2Emrl0OoypUYmZX0l4W9TpEaybmkweMPWgtdlXAiSA51Fy0PXfHJpIJJuBc5JGZS31utT_KSlp-wsxbsWEH4DOStApemW_5yIKUoR6C1-G0P9xPEOA9TcQjeJTx_9j3X2W_krfPAIOj8w/w400-h176/230602%2011%20Mirfield%20to%20Dewsbury%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzvFIHo5NXFdPCnB7ezKGZS85QRDwuiy2Zq7tgVPnlQEuU-NhYN1Lv68xY3dt3dObTjmsAa6tspA9qUdHJ9wL_lrXCAXPZEtIwIQb7P5mke5uw19re3ji0-kHtdSaXL-Yv7mniioAGQ5JKpcMDZQuyIDIXJQk71HnZYT6_1mP1wpO-38Af3pzHJ0hBA/s3943/230602%2016%20Mirfield%20to%20Dewsbury%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1721" data-original-width="3943" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzvFIHo5NXFdPCnB7ezKGZS85QRDwuiy2Zq7tgVPnlQEuU-NhYN1Lv68xY3dt3dObTjmsAa6tspA9qUdHJ9wL_lrXCAXPZEtIwIQb7P5mke5uw19re3ji0-kHtdSaXL-Yv7mniioAGQ5JKpcMDZQuyIDIXJQk71HnZYT6_1mP1wpO-38Af3pzHJ0hBA/w400-h175/230602%2016%20Mirfield%20to%20Dewsbury%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Leaving the last lock of the day.</span></i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidayxQZexCkFmNJ7RjdqVeX-DTE47R5ecneyR5nhJSMNS3baISr-kKYfDCYqoe7KMqzYoruOnB1drELkRYVo0vYF7ym-9Qk32lRq8ggl2mbQ9pJyj71Ez-atOKKYlH-kxJ2ebOx1-nO1AZhbVl43zrDClJ6qiTIfn0TUfjhn5YucxHRt2jtsqF7wzfYw/s3378/230602%2017%20Mirfield%20to%20Dewsbury%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1421" data-original-width="3378" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidayxQZexCkFmNJ7RjdqVeX-DTE47R5ecneyR5nhJSMNS3baISr-kKYfDCYqoe7KMqzYoruOnB1drELkRYVo0vYF7ym-9Qk32lRq8ggl2mbQ9pJyj71Ez-atOKKYlH-kxJ2ebOx1-nO1AZhbVl43zrDClJ6qiTIfn0TUfjhn5YucxHRt2jtsqF7wzfYw/w400-h169/230602%2017%20Mirfield%20to%20Dewsbury%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Moored up just after the Dewsbury Arm.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />The following morning was Saturday, so we cycled into Dewsbury for a 3 ½ lap parkrun round the beautiful Crow’s Nest Park.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirON3xjtyQFSS_xKqPA6Qbiw35Z1V409ggtac51p3sv18AkX6W7LHc5scVaA8J4G4N4bWFjMgygBJwex96ifR-783vF9fkBWPmisbgKADSdzsGDP9Nbk9yLqeioPMOyN6EtmnLv8ca39ncCK56gO9jpbXOB5_pIvODdHQlTWZk6lFh4uG_rhfsoeAN7g/s4176/230603%2002%20Dewsbury%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2927" data-original-width="4176" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirON3xjtyQFSS_xKqPA6Qbiw35Z1V409ggtac51p3sv18AkX6W7LHc5scVaA8J4G4N4bWFjMgygBJwex96ifR-783vF9fkBWPmisbgKADSdzsGDP9Nbk9yLqeioPMOyN6EtmnLv8ca39ncCK56gO9jpbXOB5_pIvODdHQlTWZk6lFh4uG_rhfsoeAN7g/w400-h280/230603%2002%20Dewsbury%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />Ann-Marie got a new sub 35 PB, but pulled a calf muscle in the process, which didn’t help with pushing lock gates that afternoon. After marshalling the junior parkrun on Sunday we moved on to the Navigation Inn on Broadcut.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhO-skY-hIKaT6DXjIW8tEz4wtffUv1x0F90EsTGbOs_Qfq5Kl0N0Y9rY_Ih3VNs3fwJRPf1h8NXqxQ3WT_-RMERGxo95n7y3kZMjcyIpXljXkNbQj1U0Q8dpPNz7rv1nDxeI9IBXernbapXHQBPtWIsiJCJjXFwCFuGznXRRnqtTSogIyQDatbw7n8A/s3358/230604%2002%20Broadcut%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1533" data-original-width="3358" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhO-skY-hIKaT6DXjIW8tEz4wtffUv1x0F90EsTGbOs_Qfq5Kl0N0Y9rY_Ih3VNs3fwJRPf1h8NXqxQ3WT_-RMERGxo95n7y3kZMjcyIpXljXkNbQj1U0Q8dpPNz7rv1nDxeI9IBXernbapXHQBPtWIsiJCJjXFwCFuGznXRRnqtTSogIyQDatbw7n8A/w400-h183/230604%2002%20Broadcut%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />Our Nicholson’s (mis) guide reckons there’s a tap there, and at one time there probably was. If we ever come this way again we’ll buy a new guide; our copy of “North West and the Pennines” was fished out of the Rochdale ten years ago by a very helpful CRT volunteer after a gust of wind blew it off the back deck, and it’s never been the same since. After moving off the 48s, we stayed at Broadcut for a week, firstly so we could go over to Burscough for Steve’s funeral, which was lovely, as was the gathering in the sunshine at Sue’s afterwards, and secondly so we could go to Keighley to spend a couple of days with Kate and David. It seemed like ages since we’d seen them and we had a smashing time catching up. Kate has recently joined Dave in the Diabetic club and is on a trial low carb diet; she’s sticking to it really well and is looking great. The boys had a potter in their little Vito camper and Dave managed to sort out David’s battery charging issue. He’s got a lithium leisure battery and the settings on the B2B charger needed tweaking to stop the BMS cutting out.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> On day two, we spent a fabulous afternoon drinking Pimms in the sunshine while Kate & Emma prepared a BBQ Then, in time honoured tradition, David cooked a few burgers on a gas grill and took all the credit.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Back on board Legend the next day we moved on to Wakefield and moored behind Nb Donela Too.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4HQank4V9JxKnoF6tMo5nRAzJu46urFuV33PNe0BjEzVRwuiNfykimLIlxOvdPrmjFUQZca_7HvVbJXqhXdI1ecMSTV81oT6VVK1P_pIKJR7BJd_Yr5AbMvbz_-z7RBSMjruh2j2i9IEU4oGaqea9EYNp55oYSACUqeLs1--20HQSrbihkIIEesXjA/s3939/230610%2002%20Broadcut%20to%20Wakefield%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2217" data-original-width="3939" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4HQank4V9JxKnoF6tMo5nRAzJu46urFuV33PNe0BjEzVRwuiNfykimLIlxOvdPrmjFUQZca_7HvVbJXqhXdI1ecMSTV81oT6VVK1P_pIKJR7BJd_Yr5AbMvbz_-z7RBSMjruh2j2i9IEU4oGaqea9EYNp55oYSACUqeLs1--20HQSrbihkIIEesXjA/w400-h225/230610%2002%20Broadcut%20to%20Wakefield%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhxqa5utfGX5LvnbBVsO5jFmJdZUlH_cvetkG3TMIITZyq_IeD37lpJKe7V_YDJUgU_EYh2Yt1i_CYhcDlTCRRDZxfBts0xxSkEDGkeoI-vH779cGgw8KWLLRjKMku4vNGu--FaIufQ0kOQfQo6vXSqSP0yFMbeC7lOYbSMn4nDQeiDbrQLnwjjhAPA/s3778/230610%2005%20Broadcut%20to%20Wakefield%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1613" data-original-width="3778" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhxqa5utfGX5LvnbBVsO5jFmJdZUlH_cvetkG3TMIITZyq_IeD37lpJKe7V_YDJUgU_EYh2Yt1i_CYhcDlTCRRDZxfBts0xxSkEDGkeoI-vH779cGgw8KWLLRjKMku4vNGu--FaIufQ0kOQfQo6vXSqSP0yFMbeC7lOYbSMn4nDQeiDbrQLnwjjhAPA/w400-h171/230610%2005%20Broadcut%20to%20Wakefield%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Heading down river into Wakefield. The entrance to the cut is on the right.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscPvKFWHWm7LgV7Qz5j5viiDBSTla5NtVL-OprTbGh3xmVcymHZlxJcgHZB9CysL4zPJU3qGfBvTyp8Jb19rHm5JU1Pkq7JyGYYYqvwE5Hc17Edlu-jt9CQi8pFj19PDEfTyqXaK9HSpGrHhHHhwxLP3b5IOi2GSmZY5ZnaO-7YJux0q-_za27RuTZA/s3525/230610%2006%20Broadcut%20to%20Wakefield%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1915" data-original-width="3525" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscPvKFWHWm7LgV7Qz5j5viiDBSTla5NtVL-OprTbGh3xmVcymHZlxJcgHZB9CysL4zPJU3qGfBvTyp8Jb19rHm5JU1Pkq7JyGYYYqvwE5Hc17Edlu-jt9CQi8pFj19PDEfTyqXaK9HSpGrHhHHhwxLP3b5IOi2GSmZY5ZnaO-7YJux0q-_za27RuTZA/w400-h217/230610%2006%20Broadcut%20to%20Wakefield%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">You really don't want to be making this turn when there's any significant flow on the river.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlPaB6Sq6Lb2gJNdUGEovXjhEURohaSj1FqVMyuxUXVsoktfAZbIHSRUcggyCb8yHNtHlOEgwR4zawyFHLerKHuz-41S5Zsn4mB8DoT0tm7gGhnW8Y1anKI5Ld3cl_lL6B92iZGM6GSJOo4jHlzud6S_toE3C_upCukmx6snkbQB4_kmZN9w5OS3JjA/s3240/230610%2008%20Wakefield%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1394" data-original-width="3240" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlPaB6Sq6Lb2gJNdUGEovXjhEURohaSj1FqVMyuxUXVsoktfAZbIHSRUcggyCb8yHNtHlOEgwR4zawyFHLerKHuz-41S5Zsn4mB8DoT0tm7gGhnW8Y1anKI5Ld3cl_lL6B92iZGM6GSJOo4jHlzud6S_toE3C_upCukmx6snkbQB4_kmZN9w5OS3JjA/w400-h173/230610%2008%20Wakefield%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tucked in safely in Wakefield.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We’d last seen Keith and Kate as they started their ascent of the Huddersfield locks heading the other way towards the tunnel, but they’d been turned around because of low water and were going to have another go at the end of the month. We doubt they’ll be successful then either; with hindsight we were very lucky to get across the Pennines this year. If we’d left it any later we’d be stuck on the other side now.</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Wakefield marks the end of the Calder and Hebble.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0BqRkTjnmmuoVbkrfDn9-cHhAiE38KKmUgY6r05mJhoL0lqXaHTMhcIjRMcvu2XXoK81sl1VssElHMMWL3ta2dg6qy5BLa7Frsv44pnUyx-_QTgziYCtA7qSvH2JN2cX0n2-rrpfWTIRDlxphcYDs9UOdALubGWxfV4KqC_pTXKaS7NaoCmzL0T8YA/s3598/230611%2010%20Wakefield%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="3598" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0BqRkTjnmmuoVbkrfDn9-cHhAiE38KKmUgY6r05mJhoL0lqXaHTMhcIjRMcvu2XXoK81sl1VssElHMMWL3ta2dg6qy5BLa7Frsv44pnUyx-_QTgziYCtA7qSvH2JN2cX0n2-rrpfWTIRDlxphcYDs9UOdALubGWxfV4KqC_pTXKaS7NaoCmzL0T8YA/w400-h183/230611%2010%20Wakefield%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />From here through Castleford and on to the Yorkshire Ouse at Goole the Navigation becomes the Aire and Calder. There was still commercial traffic on the A&C until fairly recently so the locks are MUCH bigger and electrically operated; no more handspike and heavy pushing. All Ann-Marie has to worry about is getting a blister on her button pushing finger. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p></div></div></div>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-79289982567853761562023-06-09T09:56:00.000+01:002023-06-09T09:56:08.566+01:00 Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Huddersfield Broad Canal. Calder & Hebble. Slaithwaite to Cooper Bridge<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another Saturday and another parkrun. Greenhead Park in Huddersfield was our biggest run yet with over 600 other runners.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILaXupkqa0jiNcMTOGL5qZgLBu6D5b8Rno9lrU-gtHOgqfrO0Y2qWml-lj1DOVgryfHP1aaD2_NDAidC9vpDc8axdbDEDZ5-oq0hno5WMiJiCBK-3pT3DR1Up6vczh6PkMjvgtqRD7v-qmfwW9pN_4-ObzJ2owowr9I1ezsJbbzsllxyH_InVDkO7rg/s2907/230527%2001%20Huddersfield%20Parkrun%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1710" data-original-width="2907" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgILaXupkqa0jiNcMTOGL5qZgLBu6D5b8Rno9lrU-gtHOgqfrO0Y2qWml-lj1DOVgryfHP1aaD2_NDAidC9vpDc8axdbDEDZ5-oq0hno5WMiJiCBK-3pT3DR1Up6vczh6PkMjvgtqRD7v-qmfwW9pN_4-ObzJ2owowr9I1ezsJbbzsllxyH_InVDkO7rg/w400-h235/230527%2001%20Huddersfield%20Parkrun%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />It was really well organised though, and despite being congested at the start we both got a PB. Back home, we hopped down to bridge 16 which was the last green, open space before the urban sprawl of Huddersfield encroached onto the canal.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05nR1OYOPfOLly9JhLhQa7MnVw1CoInDmzhWLrCcBbVWC62Yvq4oMQg6K5qWhRqQVEjG-Y6GvMG2RpoO2EOVd7bQ-dp_u2MWznVmh1cBcDSVFSElR_y4KuD2OGwZlVsYzdUgFjCaJ1cnNr_bl9voOnsc_Pau6--Av_jYZGKQ43fyPhQEV665Xj0u_3w/s2156/230529%2005%20Lock%2016%20Linthwaite%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1608" data-original-width="2156" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05nR1OYOPfOLly9JhLhQa7MnVw1CoInDmzhWLrCcBbVWC62Yvq4oMQg6K5qWhRqQVEjG-Y6GvMG2RpoO2EOVd7bQ-dp_u2MWznVmh1cBcDSVFSElR_y4KuD2OGwZlVsYzdUgFjCaJ1cnNr_bl9voOnsc_Pau6--Av_jYZGKQ43fyPhQEV665Xj0u_3w/w400-h299/230529%2005%20Lock%2016%20Linthwaite%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The edge was really shallow and we ended up moored on the lock landing. We know, Dear Reader, that you will be completely disgusted by this blatant flouting of boating etiquette, but in our defence, we’d not seen anther moving boat for days, and the locks were quite close together, meaning that if anyone else did turn up, they’d be going straight from one lock to the next and not be using the landing anyway. And it was a lovely place to be, so there.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We started a clear out and tidy of the wardrobe and cupboards which resulted in two holdalls full of towels, bedding and books - plus the holdalls themselves – going to a charity shop. Ann-Marie has also put some clothing up on Vinted, with mixed success, but what doesn’t sell will still be leaving the boat one way or another. We were getting to bursting point and it’s much better now that we can open cupboard doors without things falling out.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That afternoon, Ann-Marie sent messages of love and support to Sue and Emma, only to find that Steve was in his final hours and sleeping peacefully. In the morning Mum called with the not unexpected news that he’d died in the evening. We had a sad, distracted day with his family constantly on our minds. It hit Ann-Marie particularly hard; Sue and Steve got married when she was a baby, so she’s known them as a couple all her life. We both found the suddenness of Steve’s decline quite shocking; less than a year ago we’d visited them and hadn’t for a moment though it would be the last time we’d see him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Logically, we’re both well aware that we’re approaching the age when funerals begin to outnumber weddings, but emotionally we’re not ready for that yet. (Is anyone? Ever?) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Life is short. Make every day count. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the end of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, lock 1 drops you onto the Huddersfield Broad Canal, just before Apsley Wharf. Between locks 3 and 1 the canal dives under a pair of tunnels that were dug during the restoration in the 90’s under all the new developments that had been built over the derelict canal. There’s no towpath on this bit and lock 2 is accessible only by boat in a weirdly secret world behind factories and warehouses between the two tunnels.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We were booked through lock 1 at 9am the next day, so we moved down to Lock 3, dropping down what must be one of the leakiest locks on the system.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzInVA7lOuIwq0_2zNUApOYARW25KIKEwEyAw9yIhImoqNaRdku6fMt1nXJVzep5onXtCRx-nUqBveMllbyNA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The top gate really looked like it was about to collapse and send tonnes of water crashing into the lock chamber. Dave was somewhat perturbed and took the precaution of standing inside the back hatch with the doors shut, though how much use that would have been in the event of a tsunami is debatable. After passing many old mills and a huge railway viaduct we moored up and had a night in the town, ready to set off through the tunnels and the new line through the town first thing in the morning.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwk3oc2LVsiE4gGMCA2AsRZF5IRXmkGtfyoD4KkeXO2TIUObUc6gQERd382qDA5Qx0dzAwnsu3Lvko2M-fiyOj6rdfais7TI38YZDR6F4qogsMmQoABFXt_rYLBfMZ1w_rIaevofEgyjyfu9VTbQ7_P9brh2H5r-kIS2kApIOuZElZTMv3yBirG4OXA/s3829/230529%2032%20Linthwaite%20to%20Huddersfield%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2072" data-original-width="3829" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwk3oc2LVsiE4gGMCA2AsRZF5IRXmkGtfyoD4KkeXO2TIUObUc6gQERd382qDA5Qx0dzAwnsu3Lvko2M-fiyOj6rdfais7TI38YZDR6F4qogsMmQoABFXt_rYLBfMZ1w_rIaevofEgyjyfu9VTbQ7_P9brh2H5r-kIS2kApIOuZElZTMv3yBirG4OXA/w400-h216/230529%2032%20Linthwaite%20to%20Huddersfield%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOuf7cy4i7J61cojJXphOFLnH9nCZoGoddNTYsHe8GLiIpHaxiF7_d6zKucVN1KebV8suNlh-srZnWDtoJptr7AyiEPIwLMglQ1NXAq7Hay0HHFG9aHHtE7UYfKKaaYzxFHawiJsXUpZgvx_34yvbPWxLmeRSYbIJp72GPTaYxPD46HJsQ5aBbexTlw/s3205/IMG_20230530_081916%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1625" data-original-width="3205" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOuf7cy4i7J61cojJXphOFLnH9nCZoGoddNTYsHe8GLiIpHaxiF7_d6zKucVN1KebV8suNlh-srZnWDtoJptr7AyiEPIwLMglQ1NXAq7Hay0HHFG9aHHtE7UYfKKaaYzxFHawiJsXUpZgvx_34yvbPWxLmeRSYbIJp72GPTaYxPD46HJsQ5aBbexTlw/w400-h203/IMG_20230530_081916%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lock No.2 Accessible only by water.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLkphRAPHAcf4fQqE0paGBmHWiosbax9fuRfdsDjnGNR9oJEmLPkh65nHYfGS7enrf2ALuelq45TfCOALpawcFWlzh53XgYC3dlpDNEIoneFxtvvomgP3uiMj7ugTuQdiBbHbkbFvZwXA7prKWXVNCoJ48q0AcRbK8880_V0FimQTeaCBw2J3rM3oIbA/s3255/IMG_20230530_082459%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1608" data-original-width="3255" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLkphRAPHAcf4fQqE0paGBmHWiosbax9fuRfdsDjnGNR9oJEmLPkh65nHYfGS7enrf2ALuelq45TfCOALpawcFWlzh53XgYC3dlpDNEIoneFxtvvomgP3uiMj7ugTuQdiBbHbkbFvZwXA7prKWXVNCoJ48q0AcRbK8880_V0FimQTeaCBw2J3rM3oIbA/w400-h198/IMG_20230530_082459%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Under the new tunnels.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">When we arrived at lock 1 another boat had just come up so we were straight in and down onto the broad canal. After the University plaza and Apsley Wharf marina we came to the wonderful vertical Turnbridge Loco lift bridge...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoU181kweaVNuq6eOC_74an1GFiZi8mP3YgeyQSt6v1spbfybvmF0DzbzG1YRZrrfVdgOHhSZ1qWXvIX9_-MH4EZphTfF7y76vBQSsKaXcQDFddnl-w2iXxEgKKN8RjCtX9eUfYwAs0wYIz28VJl9SavGaxFQsP7otcFiUGoVzbHSX1n7VSgdJ4a7lKg/s4063/IMG_20230530_090455%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1721" data-original-width="4063" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoU181kweaVNuq6eOC_74an1GFiZi8mP3YgeyQSt6v1spbfybvmF0DzbzG1YRZrrfVdgOHhSZ1qWXvIX9_-MH4EZphTfF7y76vBQSsKaXcQDFddnl-w2iXxEgKKN8RjCtX9eUfYwAs0wYIz28VJl9SavGaxFQsP7otcFiUGoVzbHSX1n7VSgdJ4a7lKg/w400-h170/IMG_20230530_090455%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nttER653T2WgvE9Uuwd0t3jhZLxjMxpog7GgrElm4bKiYIMPoIpVYmATs-NxljLdRJleBhdBQQD2Dw46tPVIy0bGbzzPhFiVD3tfioEEf8xuRCrpVto8SRZirkfyTpYFP5AE87C9_N1YBpm9UeYtB0inTScvCEEatjmHrn0x9FBGTg49_exvrcVLJQ/s2371/IMG_20230530_090509%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1105" data-original-width="2371" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nttER653T2WgvE9Uuwd0t3jhZLxjMxpog7GgrElm4bKiYIMPoIpVYmATs-NxljLdRJleBhdBQQD2Dw46tPVIy0bGbzzPhFiVD3tfioEEf8xuRCrpVto8SRZirkfyTpYFP5AE87C9_N1YBpm9UeYtB0inTScvCEEatjmHrn0x9FBGTg49_exvrcVLJQ/w400-h186/IMG_20230530_090509%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE51QdDXC2Van9baDWyGm9m_g0mXPihfiBmqPRO3PAXTKkcwtb6IM5nGG1DcohkPCCQE3EdrMUZUV8p0CQOuvkp73oC68nWue1RZVUI_34L9g-VoIqj4Vd59MZ7XKQnsteX8_CuEe7dahKNrd6V9qZWHJpGkDN6LBJfOkzedtllKLmM6kvLOebm7Kfmg/s2264/IMG_20230530_091301%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="2264" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE51QdDXC2Van9baDWyGm9m_g0mXPihfiBmqPRO3PAXTKkcwtb6IM5nGG1DcohkPCCQE3EdrMUZUV8p0CQOuvkp73oC68nWue1RZVUI_34L9g-VoIqj4Vd59MZ7XKQnsteX8_CuEe7dahKNrd6V9qZWHJpGkDN6LBJfOkzedtllKLmM6kvLOebm7Kfmg/w400-h191/IMG_20230530_091301%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_smgFsIFwwBnipYDnhpiA1wZQwsMDy7_yV8qAaq8SEvHgQuv1jiXFaXIxRzgULKIPfn3lC6EY3YShn22_CVN_ELJ8ebUsq8w9k-TPoojxZ8KyjmpTAdXjJpxtRIe4DONT43avabVMSnYemnbjbovCIV8nT0mUAASfNKdHh0EMTiNFj6uvqvk3Y_prQ/s3152/IMG_20230530_091553%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1423" data-original-width="3152" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_smgFsIFwwBnipYDnhpiA1wZQwsMDy7_yV8qAaq8SEvHgQuv1jiXFaXIxRzgULKIPfn3lC6EY3YShn22_CVN_ELJ8ebUsq8w9k-TPoojxZ8KyjmpTAdXjJpxtRIe4DONT43avabVMSnYemnbjbovCIV8nT0mUAASfNKdHh0EMTiNFj6uvqvk3Y_prQ/w400-h180/IMG_20230530_091553%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />...then down the wide, but short locks to Cooper Bridge and the end of the Huddersfield Broad Canal.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_Xi0IdU5HlhH2PT8MPu8X4L_ZfdLP9leOsX31yAX7_73Q-lBwukI-Och1KZO8SLjG6kX4IYarH09Ta9xk9tXX9937E6P92ZlDvwQRtLFw5HWZb-GidvNRZIxkfSmyRG1zEL-BK05ifjukxRbmE-wl2wD9gX9nZZmNCc4S0oCqKQlcrYetzLGQN9BLg/s3753/IMG_20230530_125420%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1742" data-original-width="3753" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_Xi0IdU5HlhH2PT8MPu8X4L_ZfdLP9leOsX31yAX7_73Q-lBwukI-Och1KZO8SLjG6kX4IYarH09Ta9xk9tXX9937E6P92ZlDvwQRtLFw5HWZb-GidvNRZIxkfSmyRG1zEL-BK05ifjukxRbmE-wl2wD9gX9nZZmNCc4S0oCqKQlcrYetzLGQN9BLg/w400-h186/IMG_20230530_125420%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Looking back to the last lock on the Huddersfield Broad canal.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Legend only just fits into these locks. They, and those on the Calder & Hebble are only 57’ and although our hull is that length, with our front and back fenders down we are just over 58’. Going downstream, getting in is easy, but to get out we have to tuck our nose into one side, open the other gate, then pull across. It’s not a problem, but it does mean a lot of running around for Ann-Marie. To make locking a bit easier, a couple of years ago Dave made a long handled windlass and Ann-Marie put it to good use on the Huddersfield.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfWiII737GzinZr7fX9hNluhtj0v524eSDjFLpIsMgW2ZnTYul3RTiRkHD6fcMnv78_DlSQXhkGp4DdbwKQQJODV8753onjjYu_-TCN_M95iVEFQQ0FLWeOQqf-r5eACAtxVUMCfM_ERUioNgQLPSB4vQDYKzzU6qAK3U2L_H2g9S818HFpkrFGEQGQ/s3109/230527%2014%20Slaithwaite%20to%20Linthwaite%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3109" data-original-width="2295" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfWiII737GzinZr7fX9hNluhtj0v524eSDjFLpIsMgW2ZnTYul3RTiRkHD6fcMnv78_DlSQXhkGp4DdbwKQQJODV8753onjjYu_-TCN_M95iVEFQQ0FLWeOQqf-r5eACAtxVUMCfM_ERUioNgQLPSB4vQDYKzzU6qAK3U2L_H2g9S818HFpkrFGEQGQ/w295-h400/230527%2014%20Slaithwaite%20to%20Linthwaite%20(2).jpg" width="295" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Ann-Marie's normal windlass (right) and our long, extra torque one. (left)</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxaCU0mu92nRCf-TPbHDPU2OD-BRUR7kX9nAgaFsHTMAxdtu7JPWdalFFj8XQkPC735-vI2C0dbWvnW5WzOQsTAa1cLwYMTyoMaoYMT1akE50zRzRgQW25uoLwYd9ALeLtPAI9bJMsECfMx40kxa7vZ6KAvvKsYBoSbZZbptffjRAAb4rB5eQlL2Ua0Q/s3072/230527%2016%20Slaithwaite%20to%20Linthwaite%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2351" data-original-width="3072" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxaCU0mu92nRCf-TPbHDPU2OD-BRUR7kX9nAgaFsHTMAxdtu7JPWdalFFj8XQkPC735-vI2C0dbWvnW5WzOQsTAa1cLwYMTyoMaoYMT1akE50zRzRgQW25uoLwYd9ALeLtPAI9bJMsECfMx40kxa7vZ6KAvvKsYBoSbZZbptffjRAAb4rB5eQlL2Ua0Q/w400-h306/230527%2016%20Slaithwaite%20to%20Linthwaite%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The long handled one in action.</i></div><br />Despite that she was pooped by the time we got to the end.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the last lock we got ourselves ‘River Ready’. Anchor attached, life jackets on, mind-set on flowing water, then down we went onto the mighty Calder. After about ten minutes of river boating, Dave executed a very neat hairpin turn in the flow and slotted Legend through the open floodgates onto Cooper Bridge cut, where we pulled over and moored up. Well you don’t want too much excitement on day one do you?</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0000pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-4043785857303133412023-06-05T08:44:00.000+01:002023-06-05T08:44:02.015+01:00Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Diggle to Slaithwaite.<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The morning of our passage through the mighty Standedge tunnel - longest, deepest, highest, twistiest, etc. etc. - saw us, quite predictably, up bright and early. Our roof needed flattening, so the flower troughs, the bicycles, the gang planks and the contents of the big solar box had to come inside, along with our new cratch cover that we really didn’t want to get scuffed. We collapsed our two biggest storage boxes, took the solar panel off the other one, and then removed the sides from the log pallet and spread our remaining logs out. Legend’s highest fixed point is the front pigeon box, so as long as everything else is lower than that we’re at our lowest profile.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLvgU-aSn5EXfnPHKdupIxF30bk_9ZwBUqL3uWYInPMlmRUywys1czGWjsy_K_iULhT_9HL0ZOE2sQdwrfYyEDsytOJIlBngufASh7FVtPoM7WERCncXDCVTPx8iYA6i6PxNwJ2PcCOs88IkCU22GjYwKh4KZJBEf4AiO5a4JEX1btCQ5COGb5hftTw/s3909/230517%2002%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2082" data-original-width="3909" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLvgU-aSn5EXfnPHKdupIxF30bk_9ZwBUqL3uWYInPMlmRUywys1czGWjsy_K_iULhT_9HL0ZOE2sQdwrfYyEDsytOJIlBngufASh7FVtPoM7WERCncXDCVTPx8iYA6i6PxNwJ2PcCOs88IkCU22GjYwKh4KZJBEf4AiO5a4JEX1btCQ5COGb5hftTw/w400-h213/230517%2002%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Legend in low profile mode.</i></div><br />By design, the back of a narrowboat sits lower in the water than the front, so in theory the most vulnerable points are the front corners of the roof. Our traditional hand rails have an advantage over the more modern integral ones by being further in, rather than right on the edge of the roof, giving us more clearance in an arched roof, but we cable-tied some pieces of yoga mat to the front of them anyway. *</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-KCfGfv6qSjWQJsoBqJLG-ulhVLQTEyOkvpB0neQBfFJPgPKsOl0kpeT-A9D4g1S5I840VCO-JyMdPxSOAMfB1c_iHnliUUcOX-6IAG7MduQxNGnO60O3ZueReDhb9zzRJaApB1ZjFIojKE7RrHaSkOPN9thuNX_ZuGXjQWCoduAwQ4EUyRJcJK1aQ/s1518/230517%2003%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="1518" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-KCfGfv6qSjWQJsoBqJLG-ulhVLQTEyOkvpB0neQBfFJPgPKsOl0kpeT-A9D4g1S5I840VCO-JyMdPxSOAMfB1c_iHnliUUcOX-6IAG7MduQxNGnO60O3ZueReDhb9zzRJaApB1ZjFIojKE7RrHaSkOPN9thuNX_ZuGXjQWCoduAwQ4EUyRJcJK1aQ/w400-h250/230517%2003%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">At the tunnel waiting moorings, with the western portal gaping open just ahead of us, Legend was measured and assessed by the CRT volunteer chaperones and we were given a briefing. They added a big curver box of safety equipment to our already overstuffed well deck, added some big battery LED work lights to the boat and gave Dave a hard hat.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixctilWL4lWgwMJ8d5t44Z-9cR3GUDIKK1zeiiyKTwWEj2V6vCGNWzeZpyGrAo4y5RUMz6d8ytrZZ6lMxtE93ht-DURQriEtg1Evml6kyr8xvsHjMCeIqU1h57EW4k4EXLBZmACj4TEnUbSDdppa3ygl_yOH0bGTsy55di4k7-SbZji0_be2_9LOmuCg/s3269/230517%2005%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1974" data-original-width="3269" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixctilWL4lWgwMJ8d5t44Z-9cR3GUDIKK1zeiiyKTwWEj2V6vCGNWzeZpyGrAo4y5RUMz6d8ytrZZ6lMxtE93ht-DURQriEtg1Evml6kyr8xvsHjMCeIqU1h57EW4k4EXLBZmACj4TEnUbSDdppa3ygl_yOH0bGTsy55di4k7-SbZji0_be2_9LOmuCg/w400-h241/230517%2005%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" width="400" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixctilWL4lWgwMJ8d5t44Z-9cR3GUDIKK1zeiiyKTwWEj2V6vCGNWzeZpyGrAo4y5RUMz6d8ytrZZ6lMxtE93ht-DURQriEtg1Evml6kyr8xvsHjMCeIqU1h57EW4k4EXLBZmACj4TEnUbSDdppa3ygl_yOH0bGTsy55di4k7-SbZji0_be2_9LOmuCg/s3269/230517%2005%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_wnP0mnqX_FlTTR-_yahABLrGIzX7L2oYhoQTsc3bVW6Ke4C54TFkPXh41vmE0rVcdJ5PZ-1phB1kB1UnJpOx0VP0HRtGqzD-wCKn7uvtiyImg0bjDlTdKwtpgyxE1yg0VK7ZC8j53oAvxnaFr33p38ZMyhuLPYgnBRb0FtwF594md8nFzF96HuGwA/s3111/230517%2001%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3111" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_wnP0mnqX_FlTTR-_yahABLrGIzX7L2oYhoQTsc3bVW6Ke4C54TFkPXh41vmE0rVcdJ5PZ-1phB1kB1UnJpOx0VP0HRtGqzD-wCKn7uvtiyImg0bjDlTdKwtpgyxE1yg0VK7ZC8j53oAvxnaFr33p38ZMyhuLPYgnBRb0FtwF594md8nFzF96HuGwA/w295-h400/230517%2001%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" width="295" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>There's not a lot of room in the cabin.</i></div><br />Trevor, our chaperone, needed to be on the back with Dave, leaving no room on our trad stern for Ann-Marie, so with our well deck full of bicycles, waders and other gubbins off the roof, and now a safety box, she had to be inside the boat for the entire passage. With all the knocks and bangs and our noisy engine echoing off the walls it wasn’t the most pleasant place to be. With hindsight we should have made more room in the well deck, although without a cratch cover that got drenched as we went under the air shaft waterfalls, so it wouldn’t have been practical anyway. At the other end Ann-Marie said that if we do it again she will walk over the top, but to be honest, once was enough for both of us. Dave found the passage fascinating, and the guidance he had from Trevor was invaluable. After 10 years of chaperoning and many times steering the trip boat through, he knows the tunnel intimately and has even written a book about all four of the Standedge tunnels. As we made our way through, he pointed out all the places where restoration work had been done in the 1990s including many yards of sprayed concrete over stainless steel mesh to hold the rock in place, plus all the hundreds of brick arches that had been installed in the 1800s when the rail tunnels were dug and the blasting shattered the roof in the canal tunnel. He also gave Dave plenty of warning about the bends, wiggles and sticky-out bits of rock, and especially the anchor bolts poking out of the tunnel roof at perfect scalping height.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziBaROpeMBCOn4RnCShuzs-0HhL0Nygkk1Vh-iBQiaBPPkhVG5AmR-ZDTQ5lxuQLDvjGWP9lqLRpRq5UoMdGoi3OyGkf36KTo-V0vjrp_T_N02ZFDooVdU5QIJXmZXiiZHIK4WsTTifkEYoQ1r1ugFPZDSjTJbtRlKr8BS9VQg9nJdW_uayhKA2zKIQ/s3235/230517%2008%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1820" data-original-width="3235" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziBaROpeMBCOn4RnCShuzs-0HhL0Nygkk1Vh-iBQiaBPPkhVG5AmR-ZDTQ5lxuQLDvjGWP9lqLRpRq5UoMdGoi3OyGkf36KTo-V0vjrp_T_N02ZFDooVdU5QIJXmZXiiZHIK4WsTTifkEYoQ1r1ugFPZDSjTJbtRlKr8BS9VQg9nJdW_uayhKA2zKIQ/w400-h225/230517%2008%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: inherit;">Standedge comes in many different </i><span style="text-align: left;"><i>flavours. You can have curved. </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHBk3_-6YZdEO6pM44PnvFkXure74J9Lrk8E8hnOyJy-Y8CMYKuU6-myFaCeT7JWlivoPoat9ru1puz612mKKQQP3gkZ8kLPa5YNBtHEClpjMwExJx0o5VmL_7U-O6Knh23BLuiHw3PbQLaz8PmC5CPzObIBpStcpQh7Vudiwmh8R03D0MZmhhLDgRQ/s3879/230517%2011%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2286" data-original-width="3879" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHBk3_-6YZdEO6pM44PnvFkXure74J9Lrk8E8hnOyJy-Y8CMYKuU6-myFaCeT7JWlivoPoat9ru1puz612mKKQQP3gkZ8kLPa5YNBtHEClpjMwExJx0o5VmL_7U-O6Knh23BLuiHw3PbQLaz8PmC5CPzObIBpStcpQh7Vudiwmh8R03D0MZmhhLDgRQ/w400-h236/230517%2011%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><i>Or square.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPy54200e97t5fzKi4PK9dYKRUHHbEwXBLrmlEmtfH_j7zdXqPyR4QWRPGUeCyYzHMud4PT_azP1MqbXL4WnzkkEmUF9QWe9P8APLQ5ZHNLAGgbTSSxC8TJv5qk_UadMpiGNrOzaMn4eWqFoyTjoXqF8m2hGYYHDOlJCSTMScVMMxaICU8AL3V-z9Rlw/s2860/230517%2017%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2860" data-original-width="2295" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPy54200e97t5fzKi4PK9dYKRUHHbEwXBLrmlEmtfH_j7zdXqPyR4QWRPGUeCyYzHMud4PT_azP1MqbXL4WnzkkEmUF9QWe9P8APLQ5ZHNLAGgbTSSxC8TJv5qk_UadMpiGNrOzaMn4eWqFoyTjoXqF8m2hGYYHDOlJCSTMScVMMxaICU8AL3V-z9Rlw/w321-h400/230517%2017%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" width="321" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><i>Or glacial. One of the sprayed concrete sections.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4U4jIN46lA_mDVw42qyZlLOuBRiX_GPJdm4XiGWlsSUENq_Rv3PKnXVuRcYuWyeZfdX2UshauHsvTEy4iUqPm0Z75TygEckuDOi2m8hSXac6UkVJ019VYpGIHHrtIbshirF4JyuKP6s3Ja4zW9ZtFs1K55VmnB-c9yDfru5KHrOd4ZNgm4qbKF7n1DA/s2896/230517%2019%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1814" data-original-width="2896" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4U4jIN46lA_mDVw42qyZlLOuBRiX_GPJdm4XiGWlsSUENq_Rv3PKnXVuRcYuWyeZfdX2UshauHsvTEy4iUqPm0Z75TygEckuDOi2m8hSXac6UkVJ019VYpGIHHrtIbshirF4JyuKP6s3Ja4zW9ZtFs1K55VmnB-c9yDfru5KHrOd4ZNgm4qbKF7n1DA/w400-h250/230517%2019%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><i> Or rocky with added bolts. One of many good reasons for wearing a hard hat.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTfYxk_bYbpjaVWgHDt5ZM0mfNeyarv-mdYp88XJpABU0GuJtQ0lyOKCDbsc3ffx6wDjsxpFESi93FTO1VyC4Tv7DBzo10C8A4o9K7W8xz08E7yFIK2CPx0EIb1K6GW3xhzmzNms1p_mgLGLmpDHpWEBlyOSZxekg5yR8_gjhXiDJvtxuQ9ldOi5jnw/s3265/230517%2020%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3265" data-original-width="2295" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTfYxk_bYbpjaVWgHDt5ZM0mfNeyarv-mdYp88XJpABU0GuJtQ0lyOKCDbsc3ffx6wDjsxpFESi93FTO1VyC4Tv7DBzo10C8A4o9K7W8xz08E7yFIK2CPx0EIb1K6GW3xhzmzNms1p_mgLGLmpDHpWEBlyOSZxekg5yR8_gjhXiDJvtxuQ9ldOi5jnw/w281-h400/230517%2020%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" width="281" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><i>Or twisty.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoW6RtC9hsvA4THWlYKiOmQ4bI0JtCtv5uxwEJHrzo0EtZ56Ow6-nBVeGQ65yR_5xiW7J9roxel8xs6f9_GHbY7aB-Tw2RfISTNz__gYdH1ficuQTgxOiox3U6rkmWHZFKxqu2Vd3zL0pUnBrS5Yiba3pzFp9c72mfaZ_DdqgDT0JwifzwF0SL3N4y5g/s4068/230517%2024%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2283" data-original-width="4068" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoW6RtC9hsvA4THWlYKiOmQ4bI0JtCtv5uxwEJHrzo0EtZ56Ow6-nBVeGQ65yR_5xiW7J9roxel8xs6f9_GHbY7aB-Tw2RfISTNz__gYdH1ficuQTgxOiox3U6rkmWHZFKxqu2Vd3zL0pUnBrS5Yiba3pzFp9c72mfaZ_DdqgDT0JwifzwF0SL3N4y5g/w400-h225/230517%2024%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><i>The re-enforcing brick arches that were put in when blasting in the rail tunnels shattered the roof.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HWni66MAql5hgtTi6_rJMbVCoWIgNq9qTvZPzdgP4_ZSCM2Jk22bXX2DWQ4MUSNM8xW720lzJC-0mLnShZ_IB9Csjbq9taDm0b9R0XkQVMxG6B0TAaQSReNt2pcX-16MxdGjozeVdmPkNT_5SainsXoWN3Vy6i_JWXRUg0YkPnaFyJWYnWSvOx82kw/s3730/230517%2023%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1995" data-original-width="3730" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HWni66MAql5hgtTi6_rJMbVCoWIgNq9qTvZPzdgP4_ZSCM2Jk22bXX2DWQ4MUSNM8xW720lzJC-0mLnShZ_IB9Csjbq9taDm0b9R0XkQVMxG6B0TAaQSReNt2pcX-16MxdGjozeVdmPkNT_5SainsXoWN3Vy6i_JWXRUg0YkPnaFyJWYnWSvOx82kw/w400-h214/230517%2023%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><i>Part of the 'S' bend in the middle. A 25' deviation was only discovered when the two ends met.</i></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another CRT man kept pace with us in a van through one of the adjacent single track rail tunnels, now </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">re-purposed</span><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> as a service tunnel. He appeared at four of the connecting addits on the way through to check on our progress. It was all quite mind blowing, but after nearly two hours of hard concentration Dave had had about enough and was really looking forward to seeing the sky again. He had to wait though; when we were about half a mile from the Marsden end and had just had another soaking from the last air shaft, a pair of headlights appeared from the other end as the trip boat came in towards us. To avoid getting the passengers all wet, the trip boat stops and reverses back just before the last air shaft, so we had to back up under it again and wait for them. It was really eerie being stopped with the engine off. We could hear the trains in the live tunnel next door and feel the waft of air from the addits as they went past. After about 15 minutes we decided that the trip boat was definitely retreating, so we set off again – with a third soaking - and followed it out.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy7U-ozyfuo6iZ9rQDlW0PDrKLxpBbbc2ChUzn_JQlxk9-aY1AMlcn3p3yComhHQY8YbA5CiERjXVtmHzztcw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>As we emerged into the daylight again we were greeted with “Welcome to Yorkshire!” from a very friendly lock keeper. Buzzing from the experience, but feeling somewhat shell-shocked as well, we tied up briefly at the visitor centre while we handed all the safety stuff back...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDF6L472AJZW--KucIVzKXgqzBLzkelxXUIiOgbmtjxTn1R-_xyO_lMSgs52lSQigB3pjwMm81UMn7z8wB9LViGdUilk1xVU3wqraoLrhOGF8Bp-IHlWeaqYg7cnIk7ReYflCHqvtgJbEkpz_s1DQnIe4-pinGxzsUBVtCW4cZQv9I76z1Aq5kmZW-kQ/s3648/230517%2039%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1956" data-original-width="3648" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDF6L472AJZW--KucIVzKXgqzBLzkelxXUIiOgbmtjxTn1R-_xyO_lMSgs52lSQigB3pjwMm81UMn7z8wB9LViGdUilk1xVU3wqraoLrhOGF8Bp-IHlWeaqYg7cnIk7ReYflCHqvtgJbEkpz_s1DQnIe4-pinGxzsUBVtCW4cZQv9I76z1Aq5kmZW-kQ/w400-h215/230517%2039%20Standedge%20Tunnel%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />...and then moved down to Marsden’s 24hr moorings where we put all our tat back up on the roof. As far as we’re concerned, all the hype about the Standedge Tunnel is completely justified. It’s the ultimate adrenaline trip and there really is nothing like it on the whole system. We find it amazing that with all the infrastructure, staff and planning that goes on, you can take your boat through it for free, and we were more than happy to put £10 into the HCS funds for a signed copy of Trevor’s book.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwG0Rn0sre0jfGX5kJQ4Ll3ZEcZkztZO8I_zVsJCMmROIvKqcCsnMOnT25AZfPMsXqFXGDmeuZ6Ktyh09dETsGZZLjT8ot0aIxneSZW4lKf0fX-KtbXHLhdNYeFY5z-fovfgSeq4MxduPLdbUi51lr3aWxl-ZR7KG2qxwJtN9TUB9MroCuvT1hFvfZGg/s2407/IMG_20230604_050945%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2407" data-original-width="1689" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwG0Rn0sre0jfGX5kJQ4Ll3ZEcZkztZO8I_zVsJCMmROIvKqcCsnMOnT25AZfPMsXqFXGDmeuZ6Ktyh09dETsGZZLjT8ot0aIxneSZW4lKf0fX-KtbXHLhdNYeFY5z-fovfgSeq4MxduPLdbUi51lr3aWxl-ZR7KG2qxwJtN9TUB9MroCuvT1hFvfZGg/w281-h400/IMG_20230604_050945%20(2).jpg" width="281" /></a></div><br />That evening we went to see the local operatic society perform “Black Adder Goes Forth” at Marsden church hall, which was beautifully done, combining three episodes from the series - the one with the carrier pigeon, the one with Lord Flashheart and the Royal Flying Corp, and of course Goodbyeee – which was just as moving at the end as the original, if not more-so.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjme5LS3YdXYF5GQjckjvLmDBVNhHShVySqzuEsLWUCyUMtl89VdflI-RBUnOAANRasYkTHa3QXSoWgzj6fgYTBNKxyy_Ql2lPuCX73yD0HP9Qqq_tQS5g7KeO8aYc8q32FCuWsLSbceew69Z5eWyEjYrDXNda1WLyop2niQ2q0qYuVKlcV7zfdgAEFBQ/s2816/230517%2043%20Marsden%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2816" data-original-width="2295" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjme5LS3YdXYF5GQjckjvLmDBVNhHShVySqzuEsLWUCyUMtl89VdflI-RBUnOAANRasYkTHa3QXSoWgzj6fgYTBNKxyy_Ql2lPuCX73yD0HP9Qqq_tQS5g7KeO8aYc8q32FCuWsLSbceew69Z5eWyEjYrDXNda1WLyop2niQ2q0qYuVKlcV7zfdgAEFBQ/w326-h400/230517%2043%20Marsden%20(2).jpg" width="326" /></a></div><br />Our plan for the Thursday was to get off down the locks first thing; we wanted to get moored up by lunch time so that we could go up to Carlisle to Dave’s Aunty Margot’s house. His cousin Mary from Tasmania was going to be there for one night on a whistle stop tour of the UK; the last time we’d seen Mary was on our pre-boat Oz trip when she lived in Queensland, and most of the UK Wood cousins were going to be there as well. Plus we hadn’t seen Aunty Margot since she had a stroke a couple of years ago, so we really, really needed our plans to work. At 7:30 we were ready to set off. Ann-Marie went to set the first lock and immediately came back to report that it was padlocked. A bit of phone research told us that the flight was controlled by volunteers and we needed to give 24 hours’ notice. It looked desperate and we were very upset and annoyed. Upset because it looked like our plans were now in tatters, and annoyed because we were signed up for email notifications about stoppages and restrictions on the waterways we were heading for - specifically to avoid situations like this - and we’d not known about it. Fortunately, very fortunately, the other two boats that had come through the tunnel behind us did know and had booked, so when the lock keepers turned up at 9:30 we were able to join in and get on our way. By then we’d calmed down a bit and the other boaters, who must have heard Ann-Marie letting off steam at half past seven, very kindly allowed us to go first.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTs16FPj-VdlkrUPiGQvAz_-oNQrEFrbx_IWfpyYJsaMZWySDeJ4lb_MUiLueskTOzTYcr6n-Ug1camvHykH-W-oW7jAznbOxGiKMozzb5BI0RlOmB_lM5wRztDwT3Zuhi_5_z1O6DO5MQqfksyBDepkG96oo3byRhA4TwDCmwiTXUls6H-RSuBdIqA/s3246/230518%2001%20Marsden%20to%20Slaithwaite%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3246" data-original-width="2295" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTs16FPj-VdlkrUPiGQvAz_-oNQrEFrbx_IWfpyYJsaMZWySDeJ4lb_MUiLueskTOzTYcr6n-Ug1camvHykH-W-oW7jAznbOxGiKMozzb5BI0RlOmB_lM5wRztDwT3Zuhi_5_z1O6DO5MQqfksyBDepkG96oo3byRhA4TwDCmwiTXUls6H-RSuBdIqA/w283-h400/230518%2001%20Marsden%20to%20Slaithwaite%20(2).jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br /> The lock keepers were lovely and although we mostly worked the locks ourselves, because they had half an hour before the next boat, they hovered around to give assistance if we needed it. That assistance was needed at the first lock where we got stuck and had to be flushed out. That put more water into the pound below, lifting the boat up under a pipe bridge and causing the pipe to catch the cover on the big box, tearing a small hole in it.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26tg6xI5SUR5qdKEYiSqs7NjVOsDDuW9pnbLrBAcUIip27be327DVpa9j7BFgbUdUmNEIrDPLfAsr1BA1BhOf2gnMSfC1hnUd5rkLVh1cKqIjBQx4q8Jz-HZzU61y9DNwxa-VxeGWJLlw6vy7pp1ubrHYhkRza_2bTFoKylHo_22tjKleRxLr_OFwhw/s3710/IMG_20230604_121225%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1726" data-original-width="3710" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26tg6xI5SUR5qdKEYiSqs7NjVOsDDuW9pnbLrBAcUIip27be327DVpa9j7BFgbUdUmNEIrDPLfAsr1BA1BhOf2gnMSfC1hnUd5rkLVh1cKqIjBQx4q8Jz-HZzU61y9DNwxa-VxeGWJLlw6vy7pp1ubrHYhkRza_2bTFoKylHo_22tjKleRxLr_OFwhw/w400-h186/IMG_20230604_121225%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> It’s not serious and we’ve got some of the cratch cover material left over so it can easily be fixed.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Everything we’d heard about the top east section of the Huddersfield Narrow had been about low water and hard work, but being first to go and being careful to take our water with us gave us a really good run down to Slaithwaite, (pronounced Slawit) much quicker than we’d expected.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYujQmRGesWevjK5DJK1g0-wPmmofEj-ijH9krmKahZue_LOGFnR9T57d8dVSlN18Xne0j7KQO6rWRyMGGnXGlSu159DdyYqN8Bx75uFc4FbXGREr8QlbWozxyXI5CoyXkHG33j6xEfmgLtfkkfRf3_w7kETxf5ZyFSbVoyoc-Zj-JS01IPJC3YvtFQ/s3760/230518%2006%20Marsden%20to%20Slaithwaite%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1934" data-original-width="3760" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYujQmRGesWevjK5DJK1g0-wPmmofEj-ijH9krmKahZue_LOGFnR9T57d8dVSlN18Xne0j7KQO6rWRyMGGnXGlSu159DdyYqN8Bx75uFc4FbXGREr8QlbWozxyXI5CoyXkHG33j6xEfmgLtfkkfRf3_w7kETxf5ZyFSbVoyoc-Zj-JS01IPJC3YvtFQ/w400-h206/230518%2006%20Marsden%20to%20Slaithwaite%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><i>Find out why this lock gate has a Blue Peter badge<a href="https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/blue-peters-barney-makes-a-new-lock-gate" target="_blank"> here.</a></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMCqcuueNbybYFEE1qoht4cqIqn1uMnKVU9EBkoKvBdkSmMjZNQR8vs5jBcZclRPtwlppZzjopVjmY6GUXaIgVKDRMZA-trjCQp8cnH8mg1-gqf1lWtn4QaVF5TyRGogfQs2rw-11r2l4ZoqnruH7C27imGX4mLpWIR-fVjWCGTa5O_U27fTEIzWeDw/s3523/230518%2008%20Marsden%20to%20Slaithwaite%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1982" data-original-width="3523" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMCqcuueNbybYFEE1qoht4cqIqn1uMnKVU9EBkoKvBdkSmMjZNQR8vs5jBcZclRPtwlppZzjopVjmY6GUXaIgVKDRMZA-trjCQp8cnH8mg1-gqf1lWtn4QaVF5TyRGogfQs2rw-11r2l4ZoqnruH7C27imGX4mLpWIR-fVjWCGTa5O_U27fTEIzWeDw/w400-h225/230518%2008%20Marsden%20to%20Slaithwaite%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5WtZeEGiwNZfvJMSc_cDTbvGj5Zn6vhy8TXz9DWf8-GJx99it6J5ynWEnbVJgpmNsHXMI7JJkE9Jt5QWa8ZsaJUg5t8A0y-pJwCsqnTTu6-ivgzyoRpBedilEI6tLKqbU9pryH0O5DnA3jmyZHcA01KH2r3GrJU38Z97vlbhq1B-mK4KtcfswMN5WQ/s3521/230518%2009%20Marsden%20to%20Slaithwaite%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2123" data-original-width="3521" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5WtZeEGiwNZfvJMSc_cDTbvGj5Zn6vhy8TXz9DWf8-GJx99it6J5ynWEnbVJgpmNsHXMI7JJkE9Jt5QWa8ZsaJUg5t8A0y-pJwCsqnTTu6-ivgzyoRpBedilEI6tLKqbU9pryH0O5DnA3jmyZHcA01KH2r3GrJU38Z97vlbhq1B-mK4KtcfswMN5WQ/w400-h241/230518%2009%20Marsden%20to%20Slaithwaite%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7wFuDHGom2JTaQ3TaxlbLOVxpbXELxdJD_FDlpVPFHRYli9lmxH_Gvv31byUXVX7-fikFSrWDBx2XGiHsG_XbrutkNWmptxUbh_yfZydKcBJb72oqRCrc1z8L7CDYVOIU0SqYZ_S8dv_fevPtug7yPUYa39Jrlxj0tBobZ1xnCgrtTUBlaD1QbgwtA/s4064/230518%2011%20Marsden%20to%20Slaithwaite%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2098" data-original-width="4064" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7wFuDHGom2JTaQ3TaxlbLOVxpbXELxdJD_FDlpVPFHRYli9lmxH_Gvv31byUXVX7-fikFSrWDBx2XGiHsG_XbrutkNWmptxUbh_yfZydKcBJb72oqRCrc1z8L7CDYVOIU0SqYZ_S8dv_fevPtug7yPUYa39Jrlxj0tBobZ1xnCgrtTUBlaD1QbgwtA/w400-h206/230518%2011%20Marsden%20to%20Slaithwaite%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjAK2muQp_y_eqWe3ge7D7xL1TyF6UWZMfZITOB6JyA6szGX--15aWPLv8YMZxkYAQrnS1K_iWC7RWPpJfYIANQm6n6jJXmJGtnVgoCjT8h_Hq_6heMS5LXoy6zYG41wrLWA-ECjE22Ciz2erN6-hcTflY9OKaJfZg99AHWkSftmPuwDH2WdmwZU7R3g/s4063/230518%2014%20Marsden%20to%20Slaithwaite%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2135" data-original-width="4063" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjAK2muQp_y_eqWe3ge7D7xL1TyF6UWZMfZITOB6JyA6szGX--15aWPLv8YMZxkYAQrnS1K_iWC7RWPpJfYIANQm6n6jJXmJGtnVgoCjT8h_Hq_6heMS5LXoy6zYG41wrLWA-ECjE22Ciz2erN6-hcTflY9OKaJfZg99AHWkSftmPuwDH2WdmwZU7R3g/w400-h210/230518%2014%20Marsden%20to%20Slaithwaite%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWk0YY4HMPMCYyRIKo98kAUMgK5XVoGDSsaJfY8m-Faqzr-rPZDMR3uhvGEL_iOz6nwmob3SzAcVHpHEdd28WOzD7wJOpBpxmeT2MB_keDMwRXs4X8336rsXzlE6pfRB7eRh6c2XUeEcRahiLStTxq_gv2LmrfZsYfaRgkBaTicm8gHQKW3z90RBV3w/s3021/230518%2016%20Marsden%20to%20Slaithwaite%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1616" data-original-width="3021" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWk0YY4HMPMCYyRIKo98kAUMgK5XVoGDSsaJfY8m-Faqzr-rPZDMR3uhvGEL_iOz6nwmob3SzAcVHpHEdd28WOzD7wJOpBpxmeT2MB_keDMwRXs4X8336rsXzlE6pfRB7eRh6c2XUeEcRahiLStTxq_gv2LmrfZsYfaRgkBaTicm8gHQKW3z90RBV3w/w400-h214/230518%2016%20Marsden%20to%20Slaithwaite%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><i>Bringing the water down the locks with us makes boating easy, but we have to be careful not to flood the towpath.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhrLJy5lWssbOIIOwW2GQSaTQX2HVWh09bv1oH1cHw-SUq64gs1OHa1h9Z448rrRvhEAXY5R6wTruYQLknW3fuw0sJ1oNyDtJJPh14G943gi42Cop80pbs3giCTyZfLxEVr3qK8GWms5y_q_ZFIP0layr_88jtJzKOO_I71VA4rPC1GVaAxIgC22_Vg/s1975/230518%2021%20Marsden%20to%20Slaithwaite%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1298" data-original-width="1975" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhrLJy5lWssbOIIOwW2GQSaTQX2HVWh09bv1oH1cHw-SUq64gs1OHa1h9Z448rrRvhEAXY5R6wTruYQLknW3fuw0sJ1oNyDtJJPh14G943gi42Cop80pbs3giCTyZfLxEVr3qK8GWms5y_q_ZFIP0layr_88jtJzKOO_I71VA4rPC1GVaAxIgC22_Vg/w400-h263/230518%2021%20Marsden%20to%20Slaithwaite%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">The hand wound </span>guillotine<span style="font-family: inherit;"> gate at Slaithwaite</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyNgAPRg9xEnT3JfysbwRTl6eSBVziGaOt6ZbZZyC2wsCES-wYs5Rkn7h0wU0NOcH4m_76I0QSyN-BF4CAppQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We were tied up on the lovely new moorings just after the guillotine lock in time for lunch...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwkUsKIRTq7wa5FAHMHnuyZdHBc9igrr8rUdSORJ6ioC5A9EeP7M-TrD6Q8KMDoT6Obd0Lujk4b_lIDgnPCVDR2FFF75pG3v5irF8Qv9aroHrCm6YkqcixtB7Q5kNFb0LEm5hKYPqqZnt278ITex-9u_XrB1SbaV9WbylqRKcNddcAOHipSVVUUJE3A/s4096/230522%2002%20Planter%20Painting%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwkUsKIRTq7wa5FAHMHnuyZdHBc9igrr8rUdSORJ6ioC5A9EeP7M-TrD6Q8KMDoT6Obd0Lujk4b_lIDgnPCVDR2FFF75pG3v5irF8Qv9aroHrCm6YkqcixtB7Q5kNFb0LEm5hKYPqqZnt278ITex-9u_XrB1SbaV9WbylqRKcNddcAOHipSVVUUJE3A/w400-h225/230522%2002%20Planter%20Painting%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />...and were soon on the road, arriving in Carlisle about 5:30, where Richard and Jill piled a lovely and most welcome spread in front of us. After that we went across the road to Aunty Margot’s to join Mary, Tegan, John, Linda, Elizabeth, and Phillipa. We also met Elizabeth’s new husband Adam who is the best thing since sliced clich</span><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">é</span><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">s. Then followed a fabulous, happy and hug filled Wood Cousin 3 day party with a parkrun at Talkin Tarn on the Saturday, before we headed back home. Aunty Margot was doing better than we’d feared. After the stroke, Phillipa dropped her life in Wrexham and moved up to Carlisle to be Aunty Margot’s full time carer, and in our book she deserves sainthood. Margot has dementia and, as Phil says, has good days and bad days. When we got there it was a good day and she remembered Dave after a while, and occasionally Ann-Marie too. It was so good see her and all her lovely family and the time to go came far too soon. With another round of hugs and promises to stay in touch and visit again soon (as ever) we set off back down the M6.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">As we were going to be passing Preston, Ann-Marie gave Sue a call to see if it would be ok to pop in for a cuppa and was shocked to receive the horrible news that Steve was in a hospice and dying. We spent an hour or so with Sue and left feeling really heartbroken. We drove the rest of the way home quite subdued and trying not to dwell on the fact that it wouldn’t be very long before we’d be making a return trip. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">On a happier note, we really like Slaithwaite; the little town had everything we needed and the people were ever so friendly. Of course the fact that summer seemed to have finally arrived obviously helped, the pubs were spilling out onto the pavements and the towpath was busy with throngs of happy people wandering up and down, many of whom complemented our boat/flowers/lifestyle. Legend was moored there for 9 nights, in which time we got the flower boxes painted...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36dyXlcHU-_aYHRcusebZjkTe4Svhv9XFFwmFIo_P-OpH-N_njnIKLtB3yU-5XKEOt7b0CZ6UGYuL048DNdy5g1d1nOJYFTRKTalrut2XzbRup4TWubzMs0SlDdpsm8j--UV3PxRWLARzqICqSud_eHiOptAsXBbSBOFNPG2FqA_O2ZnO_bgVz4IpgQ/s2958/230522%2001%20Planter%20Painting%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2958" data-original-width="2303" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36dyXlcHU-_aYHRcusebZjkTe4Svhv9XFFwmFIo_P-OpH-N_njnIKLtB3yU-5XKEOt7b0CZ6UGYuL048DNdy5g1d1nOJYFTRKTalrut2XzbRup4TWubzMs0SlDdpsm8j--UV3PxRWLARzqICqSud_eHiOptAsXBbSBOFNPG2FqA_O2ZnO_bgVz4IpgQ/w311-h400/230522%2001%20Planter%20Painting%20(2).jpg" width="311" /></a></div><br />...and Dave repositioned a few of the cratch cover ‘Lift –the-Dot’ pegs so that it fits better. He also sewed some magnets into the hem of the zip doors instead of the poppers that we’d had on the old one which had always been a pain. Time will tell of course, but so far the magnets seem to work </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">OK</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">With little jobs getting done and summer arriving – albeit a bit late – boating life on Legend seem to be getting back to normal.<br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">*</span><i><span>Dave has a bee in his bonnet about integral handrails being a fashion trend promoted by boat builders in a money saving exercise. As well as making the profile of the boat physically smaller, you can tie a rope round traditional handrails and they provide a much safer hand-hold, so why would you design something that didn’t do any of those things? Dave reckons it’s because welding the corners, and then fabricating hand rails and attaching them, takes more skill and is far more time consuming than simply welding pre formed panels to the roof. Integral handrails may look neater and less cluttered, which is why the trend took off, but they are far less practical.<br /></span></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> </span></div>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-57731457995942007622023-05-31T11:29:00.002+01:002023-06-04T06:37:27.936+01:00Peak Forest Canal. Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Bugsworth Basin to Diggle.<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Before Anne and Andy turned up we drove to Lyme Park for spectacular parkrun. This one lap run is unique in having the finish at a higher altitude than the start, and every review we’d read about it made mentioned of 'The Hills'. So it was no surprise when, within 5 minutes of starting, both of us were reduced to wheezing walkers. The views from the Cage at the highest point make it worth the effort getting up there though.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYeMV3vqsaovUXMQ0CRVYVaOPe4-Co4W9Y5zuCXn0DAqLTuezHr0B_tBZ1SC7UxCXKqzBNvFUIEXKL3pyBtS_QRN-7rvCOe7RuNWvY4TJQu5Y3FtP7Zy042JMusfYerEOL4F_hRz1TxYiLWdl_Ib2Bk2Ul0rNZwgZo2wNjXVGLgSkLuQOA7Ai2MjTxSg/s2259/230429%2002%20Lyme%20Park%20Parkrun%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="2259" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYeMV3vqsaovUXMQ0CRVYVaOPe4-Co4W9Y5zuCXn0DAqLTuezHr0B_tBZ1SC7UxCXKqzBNvFUIEXKL3pyBtS_QRN-7rvCOe7RuNWvY4TJQu5Y3FtP7Zy042JMusfYerEOL4F_hRz1TxYiLWdl_Ib2Bk2Ul0rNZwgZo2wNjXVGLgSkLuQOA7Ai2MjTxSg/w400-h205/230429%2002%20Lyme%20Park%20Parkrun%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Back at the boat, our visitors arrived and after much hugging we pulled the pins and chugged round to Whaley Bridge...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0QccTMKehmMNNyd4NrV7MCy_wxmVmPbAd8bvAt1h_122LAr2gB9jvHa-2gKBhw3d-tFgDf0ZTR_ArLUI4IHsjrV7RNZy15sgzkuINUsa1GUgnqMFBMhvL21T5CYNOI37qskp7taNbLK8zTef036Alzp-VIHONeSHqhA_YzRpAAz8ahDm2yYCxLctTxw/s1490/230429%2005%20Bugsworth%20to%20Whaley%20Bridge%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="1490" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0QccTMKehmMNNyd4NrV7MCy_wxmVmPbAd8bvAt1h_122LAr2gB9jvHa-2gKBhw3d-tFgDf0ZTR_ArLUI4IHsjrV7RNZy15sgzkuINUsa1GUgnqMFBMhvL21T5CYNOI37qskp7taNbLK8zTef036Alzp-VIHONeSHqhA_YzRpAAz8ahDm2yYCxLctTxw/w400-h200/230429%2005%20Bugsworth%20to%20Whaley%20Bridge%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pulling out of Bugsworth.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span>...where we tucked ourselves in at the end of the permanent moorings. We had a wander round the town, and then went up to Memorial Park for a look at the progress at Todbrook Reservoir. This is the reservoir that over topped the </span><span>axillary</span><span> spillway and very nearly burst its dam wall a couple of years ago, causing half of the town to be evacuated. Foxes </span></span><span>Afloat did an </span><span><span>excellent report about it which you can watch</span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfGLTqX-mfg" target="_blank"> <i>here.</i></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ud1iYp5P_WTYdeyymQSf_ya8hQgN0B6N92iB6CRCVXPkkn2GTitELubJhIL8kWs-DmlcJHaCqwjm2OuBFHHeDyQITGAQJV5LtECtps3VcLL-fB31wfi7j4vsbCnyA1-6xbevjyMOFX-8sXXNuDBMn4231lZAALZLXK0CT1IZfnZjqA0MlpO2PHdY9A/s3634/230429%2009%20Todbrook%20Walk%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1727" data-original-width="3634" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ud1iYp5P_WTYdeyymQSf_ya8hQgN0B6N92iB6CRCVXPkkn2GTitELubJhIL8kWs-DmlcJHaCqwjm2OuBFHHeDyQITGAQJV5LtECtps3VcLL-fB31wfi7j4vsbCnyA1-6xbevjyMOFX-8sXXNuDBMn4231lZAALZLXK0CT1IZfnZjqA0MlpO2PHdY9A/w400-h190/230429%2009%20Todbrook%20Walk%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The dam wall at Todbrook. the bit in the middle is the pile of 600 one tonne ballast bags that were dropped by the Chinook. The </i><i>new spillway</i><i> runs from right to left in the photo.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />The aftermath of this event has had lasting consequences for other CRT reservoirs; their integrity and stability has been assessed and at least one that we’ve seen - Barrowford on the L&L - has been drained and work has started to reduce the height of, and strengthen, the dam walls. The work at Todbrook is quite impressive, with the new spillway nearing completion. Of course the severely reduced water supply to both the Peak Forest and the Macclesfield canals has forced CRT to put movement restrictions in place on the Marple and Bosley lock flights until the reservoir is refilled, so unfortunately, much as we’d have loved to, we couldn’t take Anne & Andy down Marple locks. Instead we did a short hop to Disley, and went to see what the open day at Roman Lakes was all about. It turned out to be fabulous. Yummy food and as singalong with the Stockport Ukulele Players.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1f7Gyev1HDhTZS4tdQRA84W9OxopxPb9W5p2J6oag0HT1NZCW8JcL62tiKVCXOnp-p7Vs_UB52rYJNns5N93lv-cKH4CwXDngiC1HutF0b8aHMoUlSg_PA8z6wKV2Lk7SP-gW4J4QSKndLdgbkBBQD37AUpHVSOE8RsIAyf4MgrtHUqBQY4A6bXVuPQ/s3708/230430%2002%20Roman%20Lakes%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1981" data-original-width="3708" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1f7Gyev1HDhTZS4tdQRA84W9OxopxPb9W5p2J6oag0HT1NZCW8JcL62tiKVCXOnp-p7Vs_UB52rYJNns5N93lv-cKH4CwXDngiC1HutF0b8aHMoUlSg_PA8z6wKV2Lk7SP-gW4J4QSKndLdgbkBBQD37AUpHVSOE8RsIAyf4MgrtHUqBQY4A6bXVuPQ/w400-h214/230430%2002%20Roman%20Lakes%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_d2AlYCQb4aEPXFUEXrxBImk7Ruo74pLqmyEKaYSThudBdyJp3SF9h-tUi8v3Pkt0SThCrKHksgRySC5I7_jiXvPs733jvutiDHJNZ0MxJQexTs8Y2OGTpA3vqIWsOhTiiS-JgI558LW1frMLnC7rhmABbdWPbQw2OiEIFyTpQOiZCKd9ZpiDJTJ7Q/s3811/230430%2003%20Roman%20Lakes%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2436" data-original-width="3811" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_d2AlYCQb4aEPXFUEXrxBImk7Ruo74pLqmyEKaYSThudBdyJp3SF9h-tUi8v3Pkt0SThCrKHksgRySC5I7_jiXvPs733jvutiDHJNZ0MxJQexTs8Y2OGTpA3vqIWsOhTiiS-JgI558LW1frMLnC7rhmABbdWPbQw2OiEIFyTpQOiZCKd9ZpiDJTJ7Q/w400-h256/230430%2003%20Roman%20Lakes%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Next morning we pulled Legend forward about 100 yards for a better view across the lovely Goyt valley with Kinder Scout in the distance, then went for a walk through Mosley Bottom nature reserve and Torr Vale, then along the amazing </span><span>Millennium</span><span> Walkway and up into New Mills for coffee.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDffTggf6ZuxcZ-A-iUWivRo0VOySsh9yURTsAP07gvvZaQ_f3xAUj0dDxKFHilFS--17jAkUKntws55Z5IgzgJkJlgEz4xK58GvCoVWs4Mk4tAWIkaZYjYZcZqRwWBFypqXQRZLRgRbnMA7otGuEU-HniAAvpJYouiOoLOI7LROIpVhpM-M9rr79x-g/s3267/230501%2008%20Disley%20to%20New%20Mills%20Walk%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1711" data-original-width="3267" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDffTggf6ZuxcZ-A-iUWivRo0VOySsh9yURTsAP07gvvZaQ_f3xAUj0dDxKFHilFS--17jAkUKntws55Z5IgzgJkJlgEz4xK58GvCoVWs4Mk4tAWIkaZYjYZcZqRwWBFypqXQRZLRgRbnMA7otGuEU-HniAAvpJYouiOoLOI7LROIpVhpM-M9rr79x-g/w400-h210/230501%2008%20Disley%20to%20New%20Mills%20Walk%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLa66w78z80XG253vFI8lz9I8FOjapzLCX53po65KSWhY6CkKU2pecFwhVpV3ROoAc0D1Zk0yITG2f6YH6uglUUSV9wKD84qhxxZ_xZUpOG6QTrvmNDNsP-NY2jbaKdj0sIkyX31iYsk7raTvwXUWv_y_23Dl0F8kCFfxfc9WwEugkmcUq44paUDPTnA/s3961/230501%2012%20%20Disley%20to%20New%20Mills%20Walk%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2130" data-original-width="3961" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLa66w78z80XG253vFI8lz9I8FOjapzLCX53po65KSWhY6CkKU2pecFwhVpV3ROoAc0D1Zk0yITG2f6YH6uglUUSV9wKD84qhxxZ_xZUpOG6QTrvmNDNsP-NY2jbaKdj0sIkyX31iYsk7raTvwXUWv_y_23Dl0F8kCFfxfc9WwEugkmcUq44paUDPTnA/w400-h215/230501%2012%20%20Disley%20to%20New%20Mills%20Walk%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqGPoBXBWwec95eUNI5Ck0Qr8I_ynIBYfpOrGyiSV9rK8OCrdl7UG_Qzw2DACqYRT_lbOUah4OaTR3b9NP2WCjtJEcUPVbBk6D5ydCG3e0d96bxp4KBW7Mjg-AZXQ9q4ZI4ZW23mtDktOMnENSKF68FrMneTsFJRpqOnpGsi3sIXsHRt0iEmPftWzXw/s4042/230501%2013%20%20Disley%20to%20New%20Mills%20Walk%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2051" data-original-width="4042" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqGPoBXBWwec95eUNI5Ck0Qr8I_ynIBYfpOrGyiSV9rK8OCrdl7UG_Qzw2DACqYRT_lbOUah4OaTR3b9NP2WCjtJEcUPVbBk6D5ydCG3e0d96bxp4KBW7Mjg-AZXQ9q4ZI4ZW23mtDktOMnENSKF68FrMneTsFJRpqOnpGsi3sIXsHRt0iEmPftWzXw/w400-h203/230501%2013%20%20Disley%20to%20New%20Mills%20Walk%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>The </span><span>community</span><span> hydro power plant at new mills, you can read about it<a href="https://torrshydro.org/" target="_blank"> here </a></span></span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span><span>A lovely finish to a terrific weekend. Their other bit of news was that Andy’s lodger is moving out, leaving them with a spare room, so now we can go and stay with them in Bristol. Yipee!</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Having spent the previous evening looking out at Kinder Scout, we thought it would be rude not to give it some closer inspection. So coffee and sarnies in the rucksack, boots on, and off we went over to Hayfield in the car, then up, up, up, past the reservoir...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQiAa_91urJxTvXGbmmJeXqzADBDdWqwuxcMTEL-6CglzwLg6Q_ZYTF644mU32sVi-_Zt7f4VR4QGjRb-YCJH_UwF9GC6gfVps1s-sjK0528uhJnp_9yv1Y_tpR532IEfr78thSaAPjHaepxNNbIBj-dNSY3xXrmFyjdlIXo4JYECkdmAy_Hy0iW4-g/s4061/230502%2007%20Kinder%20Scout%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1935" data-original-width="4061" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQiAa_91urJxTvXGbmmJeXqzADBDdWqwuxcMTEL-6CglzwLg6Q_ZYTF644mU32sVi-_Zt7f4VR4QGjRb-YCJH_UwF9GC6gfVps1s-sjK0528uhJnp_9yv1Y_tpR532IEfr78thSaAPjHaepxNNbIBj-dNSY3xXrmFyjdlIXo4JYECkdmAy_Hy0iW4-g/w400-h190/230502%2007%20Kinder%20Scout%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCxmVkYp-6acQR_O0uHUP_jlC4CchGwRZwCCLnpK2_D22md0INd4KGogFii0xjWirpQ1ZUeXalqQkyvYOA39cmX3PppNrNO4-SvB_jEuN0i1dWIDwiiyj0XfVo-7m97uf4JFVaNFgX-AKsGBCAxa5OJz04nNjFoWkq-JJPigUBtAewg290EjrXy86Fg/s3251/230502%2016%20Kinder%20Scout%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1770" data-original-width="3251" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCxmVkYp-6acQR_O0uHUP_jlC4CchGwRZwCCLnpK2_D22md0INd4KGogFii0xjWirpQ1ZUeXalqQkyvYOA39cmX3PppNrNO4-SvB_jEuN0i1dWIDwiiyj0XfVo-7m97uf4JFVaNFgX-AKsGBCAxa5OJz04nNjFoWkq-JJPigUBtAewg290EjrXy86Fg/w400-h217/230502%2016%20Kinder%20Scout%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...along the ridge to Kinder Downfall...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7WkYCbFwVHfHUYTSohiEl-wIUULhZbzEf1u6Q9W6JFk73QPB-6ccI_uP0t0xpNA7eWiIe_3d_zYbHsfmR58ilBpIOwKYprlP1O8uh9eJQSk9JRM9yKrnM3fpYH-g-Gzxw94bMX6vBWmyYeqH766DtAR_rtIhD1K-COHrwzDemmXl4KhMzqa6FSF2Ow/s4079/230502%2019%20Kinder%20Scout%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2118" data-original-width="4079" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7WkYCbFwVHfHUYTSohiEl-wIUULhZbzEf1u6Q9W6JFk73QPB-6ccI_uP0t0xpNA7eWiIe_3d_zYbHsfmR58ilBpIOwKYprlP1O8uh9eJQSk9JRM9yKrnM3fpYH-g-Gzxw94bMX6vBWmyYeqH766DtAR_rtIhD1K-COHrwzDemmXl4KhMzqa6FSF2Ow/w400-h208/230502%2019%20Kinder%20Scout%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ37bzWfTojlFd5EchoiGIp0EToK8gHxbtlVNzdKZ5cDD7FWr2qEVjQQhq6HZFkMpvwN3amK8z3tOLrdlopUnZflB4xKjtTOHdYiUIHXli0IRGkP9zGO4zTtDIqXsT1_WFVnvYu4k1BE8UqZk3962N2KuHCgLfcqlp8iCDpqBY1ds3YJ_p_h8AhDps3A/s4096/230502%2025%20Kinder%20Scout%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1947" data-original-width="4096" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ37bzWfTojlFd5EchoiGIp0EToK8gHxbtlVNzdKZ5cDD7FWr2qEVjQQhq6HZFkMpvwN3amK8z3tOLrdlopUnZflB4xKjtTOHdYiUIHXli0IRGkP9zGO4zTtDIqXsT1_WFVnvYu4k1BE8UqZk3962N2KuHCgLfcqlp8iCDpqBY1ds3YJ_p_h8AhDps3A/w400-h190/230502%2025%20Kinder%20Scout%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XL0ZKf1SUV05f-EslJsLoltxDgnb8nSYigKcpE74GObxehHn3okwN3HsjGJokO3gI6tPsjuiL-rUMulnXXdNQoTQ0jahSP9gIMWFzURF2FQjBn6gd65r085atY3R3kPSEgm5jM4yGQc-pvi_PlibwYoPG7PgfV9qkj7ZysJwosF_AG8HG03Mq2SeCw/s4080/230502%2032%20Kinder%20Scout%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2172" data-original-width="4080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XL0ZKf1SUV05f-EslJsLoltxDgnb8nSYigKcpE74GObxehHn3okwN3HsjGJokO3gI6tPsjuiL-rUMulnXXdNQoTQ0jahSP9gIMWFzURF2FQjBn6gd65r085atY3R3kPSEgm5jM4yGQc-pvi_PlibwYoPG7PgfV9qkj7ZysJwosF_AG8HG03Mq2SeCw/w400-h213/230502%2032%20Kinder%20Scout%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">...following the Pennine Way to Kinder Low..</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQFsUPzWPICVmxICKRiMTdz94pTSsdDj9wY2En-uQ_xMulLKJQq8QzZFf5ql5XCt7XkfTemc7RsaaETxwx_Mn1jnOBO3RlJn9O5RNkQUsyX5GfwciFfEoGhJ9h0ptgQSN3ebIW7mInhaKwT8z_VekS9xCC0UCC0NJqz96M2az-69uivht3-b3nrmV9w/s2564/230502%2034%20Kinder%20Scout%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1613" data-original-width="2564" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQFsUPzWPICVmxICKRiMTdz94pTSsdDj9wY2En-uQ_xMulLKJQq8QzZFf5ql5XCt7XkfTemc7RsaaETxwx_Mn1jnOBO3RlJn9O5RNkQUsyX5GfwciFfEoGhJ9h0ptgQSN3ebIW7mInhaKwT8z_VekS9xCC0UCC0NJqz96M2az-69uivht3-b3nrmV9w/w400-h251/230502%2034%20Kinder%20Scout%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...and then back across to the car. It had been a while since we’d done a ‘proper’ walk, and we were tired, but very happy at the end of it.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span>Because of the restrictions, Marple locks were only open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, so on the Wednesday we left Disley to be ready to go down the next morning. Although the canal was really quiet, we struck lucky with boats coming the other way at two of the moveable bridges, leaving Ann-Marie with just the push button lift bridge to operate. Jammy or what! At Marple there wasn’t anywhere deep enough to moor before the junction, so we pitched up on the top lock landing. Usually we wouldn't dream of </span><span>committing</span><span> such a cardinal sin, but as the locks ahead of us were padlocked and we were going down as soon as they opened we decided that on this occasion we'd be fine. That evening we went to the lovely little independently run Regent Cinema to see The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harrold Fry, which we thought was charming.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">At 8:30 the next morning the lock keepers and volunteers turned up, the locks were unlocked and we were off down the flight. The top half of Marple locks are quite close together, so with CRT volunteer Garry setting ahead and closing up behind us we were down to Station Road in no time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhptcekZUCO8tiMIhi7EDQN4ai2HwR81bj_lw-DG_Bh0Y-gSTX_WQ1UNzVO7oI3hHvb5dZ8YKdw1bnxa564m4I6vXLYu7qijVdZnuSve1_6b1VhZK3hj0u0XE6ZSZtVub_Ch5IwS_XA8Y5707cGOT_rX_yE_5_B31I2rBcVE-0nZjEZz3-ALw2mCB99Sg/s4589/230504%2009%20Marple%20to%20Hyde%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2354" data-original-width="4589" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhptcekZUCO8tiMIhi7EDQN4ai2HwR81bj_lw-DG_Bh0Y-gSTX_WQ1UNzVO7oI3hHvb5dZ8YKdw1bnxa564m4I6vXLYu7qijVdZnuSve1_6b1VhZK3hj0u0XE6ZSZtVub_Ch5IwS_XA8Y5707cGOT_rX_yE_5_B31I2rBcVE-0nZjEZz3-ALw2mCB99Sg/w400-h205/230504%2009%20Marple%20to%20Hyde%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3QcEd17sSuEtP1mpvgTYYcnzq4uogNuMLlZD2hpApeIU8xvxt7YvsfsGGGDfOtGNYqoZPrlcXdcqXc_BcYlp-ivox7WU3C90CIk_IwOGHiDD_XxPco3tqZ3DSWSzjKIGIKtXSHgt4T94vRzdkXIv9rVwOPjguWRsyZ6a_Tsj5oRhkHa83aGlvqrUKow/s4105/230504%2013%20Marple%20to%20Hyde%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1863" data-original-width="4105" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3QcEd17sSuEtP1mpvgTYYcnzq4uogNuMLlZD2hpApeIU8xvxt7YvsfsGGGDfOtGNYqoZPrlcXdcqXc_BcYlp-ivox7WU3C90CIk_IwOGHiDD_XxPco3tqZ3DSWSzjKIGIKtXSHgt4T94vRzdkXIv9rVwOPjguWRsyZ6a_Tsj5oRhkHa83aGlvqrUKow/w400-h181/230504%2013%20Marple%20to%20Hyde%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvhjWHmg06LcwJgkhUBxP8qLLMZSb2xCmIRhkwT433sXPmhJOoWBdgJ2v1m_VnsDBegh87OINiNAzalkesCi9uSqZVkE2elhM_NNKIfiWZi3BcWtV1uQ4IwCN_XjfvV8GkoZ1sngtYraSi2chP8DJEzjQNft8TO1VOr4E3iVNIwxNSXRkG4ds0oq9rw/s3739/230504%2015%20Marple%20to%20Hyde%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2200" data-original-width="3739" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvhjWHmg06LcwJgkhUBxP8qLLMZSb2xCmIRhkwT433sXPmhJOoWBdgJ2v1m_VnsDBegh87OINiNAzalkesCi9uSqZVkE2elhM_NNKIfiWZi3BcWtV1uQ4IwCN_XjfvV8GkoZ1sngtYraSi2chP8DJEzjQNft8TO1VOr4E3iVNIwxNSXRkG4ds0oq9rw/w400-h235/230504%2015%20Marple%20to%20Hyde%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_CyRf114lXTH1R_8L8ch095Za85UnCm_dtBG6HAht0jeZsYnZ7z9pH5OBV_8-Lf4lp6SbLpnFSSpVynOqAeLny-G-bwbEi9Sn1SFa3RrJHicJyQT2mytaCQNehvR9sDkqUZorUDZ603Qgo0rbVG-cJwfBpFnY_A-62syDc9olMwZu0dzW5gQfkG66Q/s4013/230504%2017%20Marple%20to%20Hyde%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2192" data-original-width="4013" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_CyRf114lXTH1R_8L8ch095Za85UnCm_dtBG6HAht0jeZsYnZ7z9pH5OBV_8-Lf4lp6SbLpnFSSpVynOqAeLny-G-bwbEi9Sn1SFa3RrJHicJyQT2mytaCQNehvR9sDkqUZorUDZ603Qgo0rbVG-cJwfBpFnY_A-62syDc9olMwZu0dzW5gQfkG66Q/w400-h219/230504%2017%20Marple%20to%20Hyde%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The bottom half is more spread out, but we passed 4 boats coming up, giving us an easy run and dropping down the whole flight of 16 locks in two hours.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSE2ItndfrGusUenX_qCNGoNBi5i_Y6iSjIIUfff6wOt7s9WHAX40iMhGLGNkbjFHFLmWF0y12uTkDMRFj7U7BSdSkNxZt5RMp2lflVlOFQQ86kRR4m9qOZnW_2PmDcov4wtBuIkqsQ2PnQXHqvpxZ-zjU-cdYzKvSlgCpnpuDQU6ZefIZSEYSUgt6LQ/s4039/230504%2021%20Marple%20to%20Hyde%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2114" data-original-width="4039" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSE2ItndfrGusUenX_qCNGoNBi5i_Y6iSjIIUfff6wOt7s9WHAX40iMhGLGNkbjFHFLmWF0y12uTkDMRFj7U7BSdSkNxZt5RMp2lflVlOFQQ86kRR4m9qOZnW_2PmDcov4wtBuIkqsQ2PnQXHqvpxZ-zjU-cdYzKvSlgCpnpuDQU6ZefIZSEYSUgt6LQ/w400-h209/230504%2021%20Marple%20to%20Hyde%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRXRMrgORytx-pF2NBVTmNprJ0iztW6FLmHcqObgm6gJIwRUW3DUUz_XHIMdZHoqjzwH2CUCpYruhmCt74MNblF6I_KwEVUNZy0SmD_l7dMf8Jf-O7H9ydWTueTOm33mwuIZJLmsW74yRV3JFVWc98V9TR5o91wuZIOfDEdAx1HsgZJGQCYVd3tEyqQ/s3235/230504%2025%20Marple%20to%20Hyde%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1548" data-original-width="3235" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRXRMrgORytx-pF2NBVTmNprJ0iztW6FLmHcqObgm6gJIwRUW3DUUz_XHIMdZHoqjzwH2CUCpYruhmCt74MNblF6I_KwEVUNZy0SmD_l7dMf8Jf-O7H9ydWTueTOm33mwuIZJLmsW74yRV3JFVWc98V9TR5o91wuZIOfDEdAx1HsgZJGQCYVd3tEyqQ/w400-h191/230504%2025%20Marple%20to%20Hyde%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Oh we’re slick!</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We tied up at bridge 9 by Haughton Dale Nature reserve and walked into Romily where Dave found his new f</span><span>avourite BIG mug and we had a lovely cuppa in the really friendly community café. As we were going to be moored there for a few days we put the bird table up and within hours were treated to a visit by a Jay and a Nuthatch. And a squirrel.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">On Coronation Day we thought it would be apt to visit Hyde Park for parkrun. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhprV4-T56jQY7aM1Fo1C6rCoSJZgdnvQ3TI86OHYuf-4ZLQ9Oo-rscJZTFceNAlti7c1P1JynCX5ZHoEsuCViPQhOCY5t5tEf8XAdO3Yb9PqRYUeNnDZDLJHPcAQNCTm5UVAo7tW4lOgYTJ0-of-Noh9zsEr1iLpBXohj6796lzzRG3NMJ8FjTmygiA/s2564/230506%2005%20Hyde%20Parkrun%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1888" data-original-width="2564" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhprV4-T56jQY7aM1Fo1C6rCoSJZgdnvQ3TI86OHYuf-4ZLQ9Oo-rscJZTFceNAlti7c1P1JynCX5ZHoEsuCViPQhOCY5t5tEf8XAdO3Yb9PqRYUeNnDZDLJHPcAQNCTm5UVAo7tW4lOgYTJ0-of-Noh9zsEr1iLpBXohj6796lzzRG3NMJ8FjTmygiA/w400-h295/230506%2005%20Hyde%20Parkrun%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We had a plan to do the run, and then go to ‘Spoons in Hyde for breakfast while watching the ceremony on a big screen telly. The run was very good, despite a sharp descent which was a bit slippy, and we both got good times, however, the rest of the plan turned to worms. When we’d searched for ‘Whetherspoon’s in Hyde’ Google came up with The Cotton Bale, which might have been a Whetherspoon’s once, but wasn’t any more and didn’t do what we wanted. So instead we got some breakfast bits in Aldi, and then went back to Legend to watch King Charles get his new hat with our own full English and all our bunting flapping in the breeze.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJDm8Jn3H9wczjcFVWGUvTkyEvPA8XJ7-uIPumDHxDla6V9iWhoFoU8Z91nJ4dDijdaKyqrcyX56PDT-lY7aATrSfKLHL0-4lmeQokyWLzjmgIVrbeBKzhcwQfvRFC6nqoVpZspi7svUCvUS1UqKVp3i3ZzuUHCJsv5secYAV8bwaORVydy75cMu3gg/s4096/230506%2001%20Coronation%20Day%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJDm8Jn3H9wczjcFVWGUvTkyEvPA8XJ7-uIPumDHxDla6V9iWhoFoU8Z91nJ4dDijdaKyqrcyX56PDT-lY7aATrSfKLHL0-4lmeQokyWLzjmgIVrbeBKzhcwQfvRFC6nqoVpZspi7svUCvUS1UqKVp3i3ZzuUHCJsv5secYAV8bwaORVydy75cMu3gg/w400-h225/230506%2001%20Coronation%20Day%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaea2b7ymZKORRC0gINaWG2tlkaNuD0Ivug9pSy5ZQBTcxXOe5ih05cZSfXYLh4AvSEXacC8Nisoe4h36nouNcegke8Ss3QvE-F7Z5A4d9A54mkDd1vSNfljSfzoE-3RAhxzptarthTOJj_fvhR-2ORAr24R8WPy2vfetJpJhNRHzi7pNH5i_JlWvJlQ/s3695/230506%2004%20Coronation%20Day%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2171" data-original-width="3695" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaea2b7ymZKORRC0gINaWG2tlkaNuD0Ivug9pSy5ZQBTcxXOe5ih05cZSfXYLh4AvSEXacC8Nisoe4h36nouNcegke8Ss3QvE-F7Z5A4d9A54mkDd1vSNfljSfzoE-3RAhxzptarthTOJj_fvhR-2ORAr24R8WPy2vfetJpJhNRHzi7pNH5i_JlWvJlQ/w400-h235/230506%2004%20Coronation%20Day%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />On the Sunday we cycled back to Hyde Park to help with marshalling the junior parkrun, then made up a picnic and cycled to Marple where we put the bikes in the car and drove to Marple Bridge for a ‘Big Lunch’ Coronation party at the cricket club. We had great afternoon in the sunshine with entertainment from a really good covers band, some delicious homemade ice cream and a new teapot from the bric-a-brac stall.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtm65j-ozE91wnjNiOWojNzlET6eHJSyhtoIcwBvmcTgDmXe0f37HG6YkMmSjPRzwF9p1H2wzU65n19y5X-fWI6zux-XCM3-iJr426dwpQe-6oGaQoC2bBviM3jtFGALY7xpqyr3be7vb8eOahhdReWtZ16Hb4o0wzO998-laCz6o9Kw9mAcaklbQ9g/s3745/230507%2008%20Marple%20Bridge%20Big%20Lunch%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1939" data-original-width="3745" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtm65j-ozE91wnjNiOWojNzlET6eHJSyhtoIcwBvmcTgDmXe0f37HG6YkMmSjPRzwF9p1H2wzU65n19y5X-fWI6zux-XCM3-iJr426dwpQe-6oGaQoC2bBviM3jtFGALY7xpqyr3be7vb8eOahhdReWtZ16Hb4o0wzO998-laCz6o9Kw9mAcaklbQ9g/w400-h208/230507%2008%20Marple%20Bridge%20Big%20Lunch%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">The next day was wet and drizzly and by the end of it Legend had come within range of the local bored teenagers’ radar, so it was time to move on. In the morning we pulled pins and headed off towards Dukinfield Junction. The bottom ends of both the Peak Forest and Huddersfield Narrow canals at Ashton-Under-Lyne are in stark contrast to lovely Marple. They’re scruffy and grim and there is rubbish everywhere. We got a tyre round the propeller as a going away present from the Peak Forest...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxO5-rIVnTwqKmYUO5Uk1BpAovC9KYjeqfzUf4tim16_3-LU2d335iO4LmjBW5FMIDJ_aQTqumf2lJ-RaVn1Unw6jPj5zdK-UtERmkDpyhbm4HM0a3fA90xruU3d42SJotZwBWa4LHoGICouBbyxpEe3cI_xaXukXFrKPXUgI0OK_jn4wN3Z9TKfOboA/s2726/230509%2001%20Hyde%20to%20Stalybridge%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2726" data-original-width="2304" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxO5-rIVnTwqKmYUO5Uk1BpAovC9KYjeqfzUf4tim16_3-LU2d335iO4LmjBW5FMIDJ_aQTqumf2lJ-RaVn1Unw6jPj5zdK-UtERmkDpyhbm4HM0a3fA90xruU3d42SJotZwBWa4LHoGICouBbyxpEe3cI_xaXukXFrKPXUgI0OK_jn4wN3Z9TKfOboA/w338-h400/230509%2001%20Hyde%20to%20Stalybridge%20(2).jpg" width="338" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /> then as soon as he’d cleared that, Dave was back down the weed hatch to clear a Sainsbury’s bag for life; a welcome gift from the Huddersfield. Lock 1 of the 74 that lay ahead was as stiff and heavy as a stiff and heavy thing on two-for-one stiff and heavy week, making the start of our venture onto New Water somewhat disappointing.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZt5JrCrGxypJNnh-DYikQCoeYLlaI3CvuEk2HVI-IUuJ9tjwIBuWLb3Q36YkmKgLGG-4f-tuOxtRyXtOal3OL1g9pmHgzgGLeZlewc_yAmFo2MIRTcZ4HP2M3sRFmQO5ssQwomFLD6ClXWIfRm0nRGI05dJGgdgrOxZ7anM4rk0aVH8aRc4a18EdQUQ/s2992/230509%2005%20Hyde%20to%20Stalybridge%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1648" data-original-width="2992" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZt5JrCrGxypJNnh-DYikQCoeYLlaI3CvuEk2HVI-IUuJ9tjwIBuWLb3Q36YkmKgLGG-4f-tuOxtRyXtOal3OL1g9pmHgzgGLeZlewc_yAmFo2MIRTcZ4HP2M3sRFmQO5ssQwomFLD6ClXWIfRm0nRGI05dJGgdgrOxZ7anM4rk0aVH8aRc4a18EdQUQ/w400-h220/230509%2005%20Hyde%20to%20Stalybridge%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dukinfield Junction.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhBvt6XDui2NFEazg08xqlTvgpUmRExdJU6-Tz6EUcWG5xB7V9DgxvhCf4Z_se1LLkm5ZkPYjqsA4Accs_hzoZKGx8O73ElbfyNjs6mvvnLFpu_h_UI6oUE_cfuGqFWVqz3CcyaWbGl-WDF3sjWwSm_62FLd5XHp4HkaEPgSkslkRKSJeKEE5DbPThg/s3630/230509%2009%20Hyde%20to%20Stalybridge%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2056" data-original-width="3630" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhBvt6XDui2NFEazg08xqlTvgpUmRExdJU6-Tz6EUcWG5xB7V9DgxvhCf4Z_se1LLkm5ZkPYjqsA4Accs_hzoZKGx8O73ElbfyNjs6mvvnLFpu_h_UI6oUE_cfuGqFWVqz3CcyaWbGl-WDF3sjWwSm_62FLd5XHp4HkaEPgSkslkRKSJeKEE5DbPThg/w400-h226/230509%2009%20Hyde%20to%20Stalybridge%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">The eastern end of the Huddersfield. New Water!</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHPP1aUI_eR7Ythhw5wbstqkL2_crzyV6O1yrD1QuWXf4xmA2P5XCROU1MsPbfJ7BcnFWVmm8IHAKWymHitq3O5eTwjZnada76RTl7H3I7uuH-RFI6SVEjfbZ6ZPw0qwvbsRiJDDorWxqLT3KbQYY-Nz2mAj8kBI96XF-jT1S8WFLrqvGZ8bnzEtsEw/s2246/230509%2013%20Hyde%20to%20Stalybridge%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1928" data-original-width="2246" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHPP1aUI_eR7Ythhw5wbstqkL2_crzyV6O1yrD1QuWXf4xmA2P5XCROU1MsPbfJ7BcnFWVmm8IHAKWymHitq3O5eTwjZnada76RTl7H3I7uuH-RFI6SVEjfbZ6ZPw0qwvbsRiJDDorWxqLT3KbQYY-Nz2mAj8kBI96XF-jT1S8WFLrqvGZ8bnzEtsEw/w400-h344/230509%2013%20Hyde%20to%20Stalybridge%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lock 1 not giving us the best first impression.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, 6 locks later as Legend quite literally rose up into Stalybridge’s lovely, vibrant town centre we were feeling a lot happier and excited to be navigating one of very few canals that we haven’t yet been on.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2ByAgkppZN_6WvOWEW8hnpBpIBSvyscFwY8R1bi0qUUnYHSCUUlLXp1opCsQh8GbnB6YrgJNwvM0ONTOicRungTxtPLx7llTV8V9aJFMKW8IrIL1YeCQH4epTG898IudGHfqqVzesZ1UxVTOf8Aydv-7K0CsF8dJKF3yRoASmGGv5lpdupHbR5jZTQ/s3928/230512%2017%20Stalybridge%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1246" data-original-width="3928" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2ByAgkppZN_6WvOWEW8hnpBpIBSvyscFwY8R1bi0qUUnYHSCUUlLXp1opCsQh8GbnB6YrgJNwvM0ONTOicRungTxtPLx7llTV8V9aJFMKW8IrIL1YeCQH4epTG898IudGHfqqVzesZ1UxVTOf8Aydv-7K0CsF8dJKF3yRoASmGGv5lpdupHbR5jZTQ/w400-h127/230512%2017%20Stalybridge%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Restoration of this canal started in 1981 and was completed in 2001. The restored line through Stalybridge was finished in 2000 with several new bridges and moorings.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialiYYfy5mVzHtdiOPQH7dk-o5ukzvQ8erOKDAshyD-w4fcVxLzVqgXqP5C_UcFVyZD2yZ57JcyiHWuWeWOKKOJgbKp-68F469qmAS8pyUCkbKFJ7Wv8KghW5i6SvCWV5pRQMtXiCOd6YdnzbTj1MYs9lzp0rbLNu6J6DBdljqQs_a19_sYhhSIet9vQ/s3540/230509%2019%20Hyde%20to%20Stalybridge%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1827" data-original-width="3540" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEialiYYfy5mVzHtdiOPQH7dk-o5ukzvQ8erOKDAshyD-w4fcVxLzVqgXqP5C_UcFVyZD2yZ57JcyiHWuWeWOKKOJgbKp-68F469qmAS8pyUCkbKFJ7Wv8KghW5i6SvCWV5pRQMtXiCOd6YdnzbTj1MYs9lzp0rbLNu6J6DBdljqQs_a19_sYhhSIet9vQ/w400-h206/230509%2019%20Hyde%20to%20Stalybridge%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We tied up opposite Tesco and stayed for three nights.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHys2SLzhWhAOdrxa_grcOu1h402wPQTN9-rEEiWHzvs_fHsF2N2Ujdpseqh93axjzmBo1tx4o1vAph2lKh-FIjs1QgRAUPOC75uVeDU39NhqiEX0f7OLw6H0I2Anb_k5DzkcDUjN-_cZM67rpHNzy_F8_5tPbMiqd6oLbs0JbhL_IynanLE7cvMEZQ/s4079/230509%2021%20Hyde%20to%20Stalybridge%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1932" data-original-width="4079" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHys2SLzhWhAOdrxa_grcOu1h402wPQTN9-rEEiWHzvs_fHsF2N2Ujdpseqh93axjzmBo1tx4o1vAph2lKh-FIjs1QgRAUPOC75uVeDU39NhqiEX0f7OLw6H0I2Anb_k5DzkcDUjN-_cZM67rpHNzy_F8_5tPbMiqd6oLbs0JbhL_IynanLE7cvMEZQ/w400-h190/230509%2021%20Hyde%20to%20Stalybridge%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Having the carpark right next to the boat meant we could tranship a lot of our roof-tat into the boot. We needed to go low profile for our impending passage through the notoriously low and lumpy Standedge tunnel, so the more we could get off the better. <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Ann-Marie had been given two tickets to see a pre-release screening of ‘Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret’ which was showing at the cinema in the Trafford Centre in Manchester, so we had a Grand Day Out. The last time we’d been there we’d been outside John Lewis, interviewing shoppers 8 weeks before Christmas; this was much nicer with treats from Starbucks and Selfridges before the film, then huge cinnamon buns to take home afterwards. What a glorious life we have!</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We did three more moves on the way up to the tunnel, stopping a Roaches lock where the sun and the paddleboards came out and Dave got the big boat pole, the keb* and the boat hook painted and oiled.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPh_if6GOlOT0iewn2aXV-z7OqhO_kgNXNUBuNQ3a2OIkqnP9nVaRNxLP2vrxgEQOA3uGgUAGJK1A46fIIjSrj0wym8vlijOUJ0gHQuxM0h2BKyoW-TUrQQzWhwK_yaGaz2DuWNDZITsfMucIyO15FlN--Hr_zOLtP1DxUH_PSdNKHGyMfegLTeJMvUw/s3889/230512%2014%20Stalybridge%20to%20Roaches%20Lock%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2043" data-original-width="3889" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPh_if6GOlOT0iewn2aXV-z7OqhO_kgNXNUBuNQ3a2OIkqnP9nVaRNxLP2vrxgEQOA3uGgUAGJK1A46fIIjSrj0wym8vlijOUJ0gHQuxM0h2BKyoW-TUrQQzWhwK_yaGaz2DuWNDZITsfMucIyO15FlN--Hr_zOLtP1DxUH_PSdNKHGyMfegLTeJMvUw/w400-h210/230512%2014%20Stalybridge%20to%20Roaches%20Lock%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2lsN4oV6wpW8deTwb0BKCUTa3-BopW0D1f30bPsoUcBTqkAiOMJ0xtrQqv-RRN19Y3fDlKIW1D1SqJqXiVl2niyt_0yhnC0e0xL9-wWza5YTj18tO8RgeEXJiVJdI5FRCnbOgo1QaGpahUQG5LI3Nblch2f-3WdBw9uo51Sj7jBKDq1RmpnqYn2LXw/s2478/230513%2003%20Roaches%20Lock%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2478" data-original-width="2304" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2lsN4oV6wpW8deTwb0BKCUTa3-BopW0D1f30bPsoUcBTqkAiOMJ0xtrQqv-RRN19Y3fDlKIW1D1SqJqXiVl2niyt_0yhnC0e0xL9-wWza5YTj18tO8RgeEXJiVJdI5FRCnbOgo1QaGpahUQG5LI3Nblch2f-3WdBw9uo51Sj7jBKDq1RmpnqYn2LXw/w373-h400/230513%2003%20Roaches%20Lock%20(2).jpg" width="373" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />From there we went on to Uppermill, it was quite shallow in places going up and impossible to get into the side even at lock landings, so Ann-Marie hardly got any time on the boat and pretty much walked the whole way up. Legend grounded just before Uppermill, but Dave managed to pole it back into deeper water and got going again. We really liked Uppermill. We moored by the stepping stones over the river and had some very pleasant chats with the passers-by.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAslIPoXXmAUXMZCEbilI7O88TItZ24odU_uUywvim4rnRXIMnYWObsQTNWyU8nGMx0fDlZL0i0LlGYS1ILXzfqVkY_nw_DaGtSeMLL7G_x5Z1FJUIAGpXxVKJP9RWtq5X8v7g6eQUKH-0GLSSU6pgcVv14j5-vef5wvFnEQfKvZR_X9HxyNSwyCG4EA/s3250/230514%2018%20%20Uppermill%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1762" data-original-width="3250" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAslIPoXXmAUXMZCEbilI7O88TItZ24odU_uUywvim4rnRXIMnYWObsQTNWyU8nGMx0fDlZL0i0LlGYS1ILXzfqVkY_nw_DaGtSeMLL7G_x5Z1FJUIAGpXxVKJP9RWtq5X8v7g6eQUKH-0GLSSU6pgcVv14j5-vef5wvFnEQfKvZR_X9HxyNSwyCG4EA/w400-h216/230514%2018%20%20Uppermill%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />From there we went up the final and steepest bit of the western Huddersfield to Diggle giving us two days to sort ourselves out before our tunnel booking. As we were leaving lock 24 the low water level in the pound above left Legend stuck on the top cill; a potentially dangerous position to be in. If the low pound is a result of a leaky bottom gate the boat can tip backwards as the water drains out of the lock. Thankfully, this one was the result of the water escaping from the pound by other means, and Dave managed to reverse back in and shut the gate. We phoned CRT who contacted the local team working the flight and within minutes a lock keeper came down to give us a hand.<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">“Hello” we said. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">“I hate this bloody lock!” he cheerfully replied, then quickly sent some more water down from the two pounds above to set us free. It was still a bottom dragging push across the pound, but Legend bravely carried on up to the top of the flight where we squeezed in on the visitor moorings outside Warth Mill.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpA6FdoInh8pnFGYf9JaLAZuUsA0M7CGxMAyQmcN5uEDGM_KvNPhftYoL29Fv9oVlYhA51zElcKbLIRbRFqpk_xJBpkRaqO1P21y1uBIO3hX1c_ehS1FH-9xevjXd3yn76mPVBcsatgwVhnG0QF1v0owrrLpTjzEmCxEFXvPffENSYpomUmWZw0nnMQA/s3536/230515%2004%20%20Uppermill%20to%20Diggle%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3536" data-original-width="2296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpA6FdoInh8pnFGYf9JaLAZuUsA0M7CGxMAyQmcN5uEDGM_KvNPhftYoL29Fv9oVlYhA51zElcKbLIRbRFqpk_xJBpkRaqO1P21y1uBIO3hX1c_ehS1FH-9xevjXd3yn76mPVBcsatgwVhnG0QF1v0owrrLpTjzEmCxEFXvPffENSYpomUmWZw0nnMQA/w260-h400/230515%2004%20%20Uppermill%20to%20Diggle%20(2).jpg" width="260" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdb2kGuD_Hu1enD7W7TNeLytsPjN96MaBVv7OJKHpjgi8TJeeMiykhgccG63xzUk0yZeo7CTpFZc_RPNvA_FSoy5I9CFd72zYBfXbHYt5rFmssN_9kJrVRfbB-ChFU3TwqiCXIv7dGLMNeX24sr8G56jVn0iyaB1ODwgVCzSKy5PExpqB8n_6jzTrnMw/s3238/230515%2009%20%20Uppermill%20to%20Diggle%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1935" data-original-width="3238" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdb2kGuD_Hu1enD7W7TNeLytsPjN96MaBVv7OJKHpjgi8TJeeMiykhgccG63xzUk0yZeo7CTpFZc_RPNvA_FSoy5I9CFd72zYBfXbHYt5rFmssN_9kJrVRfbB-ChFU3TwqiCXIv7dGLMNeX24sr8G56jVn0iyaB1ODwgVCzSKy5PExpqB8n_6jzTrnMw/w400-h239/230515%2009%20%20Uppermill%20to%20Diggle%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">We really felt on top of the world at up there. Ahead of us was the portal to the hands-down Top Trump winner of tunnel facts. Standedge is the longest, highest and deepest canal tunnel in the country. It also wins on a few less impressive facts as well by being the wettest with cascades of water coming down the air shafts, the lumpiest with a good portion of the roof being bare, blasted rock, and the twistiest. As well as lots of smaller wiggles there is a large S bend, the result of a 25’ deviation from the plotted course which was only discovered when the two ends of the tunnel met.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Moored ahead of us was Nb Summer Wine and Anita, who had come through the tunnel the day before. She was single handed and heading for Lyme View marina, the reverse of our journey, so we were able to give her a few tips on moorings and places to go. She, in turn gave us plenty of pointers about our descent down the eastern locks and the journey through Huddersfield to the Calder and Hebble. The next morning we noticed her setting off down the locks, so we grabbed a couple of windlii and went to give her a hand.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrMVdtcCxG_kg4wrTDlo8E2mTgxG9NHzsBxIoB7wiuMyRatxxMZzh0Wop0Q2Ag_fD08YOt-0LAyeBymhcrc1seOTHYlWlvaFQgdhD4bffGH8F7apnB1RKKi_UHrlJbjhGk_D0eXRJ2tH48Ypk4wINzIOVrqFhkOC0gr0zo5hJEq3ZVDbKI-RIB2b9vw/s3490/230516%2002%20Summer%20Wine%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1629" data-original-width="3490" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrMVdtcCxG_kg4wrTDlo8E2mTgxG9NHzsBxIoB7wiuMyRatxxMZzh0Wop0Q2Ag_fD08YOt-0LAyeBymhcrc1seOTHYlWlvaFQgdhD4bffGH8F7apnB1RKKi_UHrlJbjhGk_D0eXRJ2tH48Ypk4wINzIOVrqFhkOC0gr0zo5hJEq3ZVDbKI-RIB2b9vw/w400-h186/230516%2002%20Summer%20Wine%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />She’d already got a CRT volunteer assisting her, so between us we had her down to Uppermill by lunch time. The pound between 24 and 25 was still low; we had to flush Summer Wine out of 25 where she was sitting on the bottom, and then leave the water running until she’d crossed the pound and cleared the top cill on 24. Anita was very appreciative of our assistance and we were happy to have been able to help. Everything is at least four times harder for single handers, and the Huddersfield, despite being breathtakingly beautiful, is a particularly unforgiving canal. After that we took our car over to the other end of the tunnel at Marsden and walked back over the lovely Marsden Moor.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8_BCNGcv8e1szV3A_W--wYYgl5wQkLqH3vTHC-PO-Qg0J8rFbtl9BzJP4v1NqhRjCSsMA2Qt0NJDM9YrtgGIF2R7_DJSPP8QsNu6BtH-SeI_-0Hmf5voPdicKaj7trkrb0Gs7oOidSq91Ya8SiyTALo3tzrMpkyMH6HKIVohnyaixeEnnt4tzJMyYw/s3626/230516%2014%20Marsden%20Moor%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2024" data-original-width="3626" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8_BCNGcv8e1szV3A_W--wYYgl5wQkLqH3vTHC-PO-Qg0J8rFbtl9BzJP4v1NqhRjCSsMA2Qt0NJDM9YrtgGIF2R7_DJSPP8QsNu6BtH-SeI_-0Hmf5voPdicKaj7trkrb0Gs7oOidSq91Ya8SiyTALo3tzrMpkyMH6HKIVohnyaixeEnnt4tzJMyYw/w400-h224/230516%2014%20Marsden%20Moor%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rngjOkX7HVkApWmZtT3VeTqbhFyoS_nTu8IudWBr7dmT-SAOsZNxQ3Yq4vVBiYaO9nNO7C_bUVELrb-WWl8-yqAV6FuIELJblS0Q0XgD1Q_BmB2GdXuqQHjegi2JmDvtE8apTOmcohDTV5I_syf9qvhEv0L0zxezfvKuEWYKlUelfGPvMR9wFtrV5w/s4080/230516%2017%20Marsden%20Moor%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rngjOkX7HVkApWmZtT3VeTqbhFyoS_nTu8IudWBr7dmT-SAOsZNxQ3Yq4vVBiYaO9nNO7C_bUVELrb-WWl8-yqAV6FuIELJblS0Q0XgD1Q_BmB2GdXuqQHjegi2JmDvtE8apTOmcohDTV5I_syf9qvhEv0L0zxezfvKuEWYKlUelfGPvMR9wFtrV5w/w400-h225/230516%2017%20Marsden%20Moor%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLHn77I2lMvUnu0Ky5F81Sb-yyrHMZzvLpgRRsUOYdqRNGnzZVkjJVGYLBwEIBZLXqaxlPQklqq_EA3fFyIWaK79MW9jPKCbTLk5foxAEWdwCLgbonMl0U3gorvdxhkD2dIA6V6Qaj4VAki-DUHWLmnCaNvyWAEukkx2Pkc_sGBVKJUusRVaNjs3SLQ/s4080/230516%2020%20Marsden%20Moor%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4080" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLHn77I2lMvUnu0Ky5F81Sb-yyrHMZzvLpgRRsUOYdqRNGnzZVkjJVGYLBwEIBZLXqaxlPQklqq_EA3fFyIWaK79MW9jPKCbTLk5foxAEWdwCLgbonMl0U3gorvdxhkD2dIA6V6Qaj4VAki-DUHWLmnCaNvyWAEukkx2Pkc_sGBVKJUusRVaNjs3SLQ/w400-h225/230516%2020%20Marsden%20Moor%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDU7HBdw0BOX8BcnhDsdlV0pHPXiEh_0D5p94cZu46HAyaNDremm76UIKDZDZqV1_bJJqS25GcW51vn38iUPF0vfFKKFqxsRUQGyDx4Uqiogfn9FfuHVjlndskX0meotXYDq_OnLw-CzUYkcVRqNjl41ee4IsDLObwwyI6ofaELX3Gt3nTiEiqbu--Q/s3304/230516%2021%20Marsden%20Moor%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1735" data-original-width="3304" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDU7HBdw0BOX8BcnhDsdlV0pHPXiEh_0D5p94cZu46HAyaNDremm76UIKDZDZqV1_bJJqS25GcW51vn38iUPF0vfFKKFqxsRUQGyDx4Uqiogfn9FfuHVjlndskX0meotXYDq_OnLw-CzUYkcVRqNjl41ee4IsDLObwwyI6ofaELX3Gt3nTiEiqbu--Q/w400-h210/230516%2021%20Marsden%20Moor%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkqB5rzhCgxFHELsngNP1OLzucti80Ga9A7cph8H3pIvHhdZ194FcgW8m45x7WFPgNd9ZCCtmdY_sLVS9YY-tJDEEA8GduQzeb37gN7YeOzD-p8q57_vRwVDs_doY2g0u2IJpJBSuMNcg_un3zIjPx2nh-CLuMytFl8kbRT-eHFS3BbzEyRLjBSRbamw/s3732/230516%2022%20Marsden%20Moor%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1895" data-original-width="3732" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkqB5rzhCgxFHELsngNP1OLzucti80Ga9A7cph8H3pIvHhdZ194FcgW8m45x7WFPgNd9ZCCtmdY_sLVS9YY-tJDEEA8GduQzeb37gN7YeOzD-p8q57_vRwVDs_doY2g0u2IJpJBSuMNcg_un3zIjPx2nh-CLuMytFl8kbRT-eHFS3BbzEyRLjBSRbamw/w400-h203/230516%2022%20Marsden%20Moor%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0qd3WNGut3gIhTDuSl-SAWsZRjG8K2z9bQ1Hy3JlJvKKTSvjp92mKzXuo4MMXzwLhgRBSf0O7HoZW8fGrZ5hKcJgMcLoEtCZCiqkB_MO7KOWNCeTYkRZaKyA1FyhfhTq5qDV6-KILMrOGqysfXDNBW_hGSvYjP4Fzse_sthq0b48PaBWmxUg0vrjkg/s3849/230516%2023%20Marsden%20Moor%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2646" data-original-width="3849" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0qd3WNGut3gIhTDuSl-SAWsZRjG8K2z9bQ1Hy3JlJvKKTSvjp92mKzXuo4MMXzwLhgRBSf0O7HoZW8fGrZ5hKcJgMcLoEtCZCiqkB_MO7KOWNCeTYkRZaKyA1FyhfhTq5qDV6-KILMrOGqysfXDNBW_hGSvYjP4Fzse_sthq0b48PaBWmxUg0vrjkg/w400-h275/230516%2023%20Marsden%20Moor%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We went to bed that night excited about what lay ahead, but quite apprehensive as well. Standedge has a reputation for biting back and very few boats get to the other end unscathed. However it was the only tunnel in the country that we hadn’t taken Legend through, and our prime objective for the last twelve years has been to “do” the whole navigable system. We’d been through all the other tunnels in the country, some several times. Had we saved the best till last?</span></p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">* <i>What’s a keb? It’s commonly known as a manure fork and has been used in stables for centuries, but in the horse boating days it found a second home on a boat roof as a very handy tool for clearing rubbish and weeds from the canal, especially from behind lock gates.</i></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-81184393603413457482023-05-19T18:08:00.003+01:002023-05-19T18:22:03.407+01:00 Macclesfield Canal. Peak Forest Canal. Bollington To Bugswoth Basin.<p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRs7dufqh9Sj4Q3zjL2IBnHA6jxgbixfWqCwcducFTOC2Nyu7Qc7nYQnZwqUJaUI62wnzdS0GPG4yVChU9O5nJkKlOnLEaffE0nbQUAn39nDFUQIzZLNjdxDvVnWf36e5FaUddcT0ZpDIsP_8UWVOC80YFHEJ3ohNN2Qg3CpwOnQwoQn4prsR2Fq_Xw/s3340/20230402_140619%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1751" data-original-width="3340" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRs7dufqh9Sj4Q3zjL2IBnHA6jxgbixfWqCwcducFTOC2Nyu7Qc7nYQnZwqUJaUI62wnzdS0GPG4yVChU9O5nJkKlOnLEaffE0nbQUAn39nDFUQIzZLNjdxDvVnWf36e5FaUddcT0ZpDIsP_8UWVOC80YFHEJ3ohNN2Qg3CpwOnQwoQn4prsR2Fq_Xw/s320/20230402_140619%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />After spending a winter under the trees Legend was looking decidedly grubby, so while we were moored on Bollington Aqueduct Dave’s first job was to clean up the port side and scrub the gunnels. They’re looking a bit faded (who’s idea was it to paint them red?) so they’ve gone on the ‘to do’ list, along with painting Legend’s name on the back panel. We’ve been incognito since October when we repainted the front end while we were in dry dock, and it’s surprising how much we don’t like not having a name on our boat. We feel like we’re trying to hide something.</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">While we were there, Dave agreed to do one last coal run, this time on Nb Halsall. He spent the day crewing for Rachel on the Trent & Mersey from Trentham through Stone to Great Heywood.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwCETqMixv2bjRiuKY91EmBhCACYVDd8tc7oKWXRbxKl5MRlncC9CgVZKYrDPZIBRuJUvzuZzN8i-QJgaKp8ixzYCstptPjWeEGYS038voqEA7HIodGzprXGQ8QLEaYsIu1ehL9m6iQqftTr8KvE_db6cnDvXTTMYu-pfwgzgzUjuGE4UWSeUnSur3A/s2904/20230331_143226%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2904" data-original-width="2303" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwCETqMixv2bjRiuKY91EmBhCACYVDd8tc7oKWXRbxKl5MRlncC9CgVZKYrDPZIBRuJUvzuZzN8i-QJgaKp8ixzYCstptPjWeEGYS038voqEA7HIodGzprXGQ8QLEaYsIu1ehL9m6iQqftTr8KvE_db6cnDvXTTMYu-pfwgzgzUjuGE4UWSeUnSur3A/w318-h400/20230331_143226%20(2).jpg" width="318" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JrppqAn4JmsmSWGz4Q9iyJDnG7aqM1Pmawhg6mUIvTLFbgNmQWcHiyrfAyfHQiiBBxWtjEgLjuY9aJmVzdQny0O7S7-bDBvW5msiyTt-5FrevquM34f6M4R4ERFqy-GEGsaIIwT6OCuy6BT9isR-bmBVhhPak8jUP77Xrw5tB4Kr3PTmmeqazW8TzQ/s2784/20230331_144216%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2784" data-original-width="2303" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JrppqAn4JmsmSWGz4Q9iyJDnG7aqM1Pmawhg6mUIvTLFbgNmQWcHiyrfAyfHQiiBBxWtjEgLjuY9aJmVzdQny0O7S7-bDBvW5msiyTt-5FrevquM34f6M4R4ERFqy-GEGsaIIwT6OCuy6BT9isR-bmBVhhPak8jUP77Xrw5tB4Kr3PTmmeqazW8TzQ/w331-h400/20230331_144216%20(2).jpg" width="331" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>A coal boat v</i><i>ersion of a drive through!</i></div><br />Very enjoyable and very nice to spend a bit of time with Rachel, but hard graft. We clearly need to move a bit further away!</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Whiteley Green was our next stop. Before we moved we took our car into Norman’s Motors in Macclesfield who Brian had recommended to have a new front shock absorber fitted. After an altercation with a pothole in January the top of the strut had popped out of the wing and Dave didn’t have any means of doing it himself. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTqHTj_uWBSHxb6yao5uHwX8Wt_TeEt_FbPyS3QRRsAZdGOKds2ybfuaDRzY3MLG_qFMMGCelFvXFvomP5wEKykZoV_qDzn4bJs33nPw4zv-D18IPW-OCRCJvPtjk-6eeBPsBnuP0sfgfiw_2pQxOLz130bKOX_ryfYbe1AyDu5BPefgXb3Wx_mwZBQ/s2923/20230328_134944%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2923" data-original-width="2303" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTqHTj_uWBSHxb6yao5uHwX8Wt_TeEt_FbPyS3QRRsAZdGOKds2ybfuaDRzY3MLG_qFMMGCelFvXFvomP5wEKykZoV_qDzn4bJs33nPw4zv-D18IPW-OCRCJvPtjk-6eeBPsBnuP0sfgfiw_2pQxOLz130bKOX_ryfYbe1AyDu5BPefgXb3Wx_mwZBQ/w315-h400/20230328_134944%20(2).jpg" width="315" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />Andrew had it sorted by the next morning and was very reasonable. He gets a five star recommendation from us. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">From the aqueduct we moved on to Whiteley Green for the full 14 days, although we weren’t on board for most of it. Dave was back out on site in Ireland for the whole fortnight, and Ann-Marie joined him for the second week after Easter. The day after she’d dropped him off for his flight, Ann-Marie discovered that windscreen wipers weren’t working. There was a bit of panic, and a phone call to Norman’s Motors, who came straight out to her and apologised for forgetting to “plug them back in.” Maybe four and a half stars then. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Over in Ireland, Shandy was now full time basic training for the NI Fire Service, so only able to help at weekends. Chloe, despite working and from home, looking after the kids, driving to the builders merchant and the tip, and providing endless cups of coffee, still managed to get out on site to help a lot, but the list of jobs that needed finishing before the final concrete pour was quite daunting. During the first week we got the re-bar lintels over the sun room and living room windows ready, then Gerry the bricklayer came along and built the fireplace and chimney, and helped put the big RSJ into place for the kitchen window.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo97eyd7YCjxzkQUj0HHWawJV4cBC7KIAzXiz2-xoIomWvBpw8OFYHeiavpnJb0NR3WZDPj3-3BLdDyoDejz1NSfmO-M_grNZstfBRWe_-0wlOOORj8ZFhfpKoOGBttav97U_fY3ObzMgD28tvX_xgEWfomiPe_-ICB3AmJIKpXqfzN3cH_pVtqfgIRg/s3460/20230406_142604%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3460" data-original-width="2289" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo97eyd7YCjxzkQUj0HHWawJV4cBC7KIAzXiz2-xoIomWvBpw8OFYHeiavpnJb0NR3WZDPj3-3BLdDyoDejz1NSfmO-M_grNZstfBRWe_-0wlOOORj8ZFhfpKoOGBttav97U_fY3ObzMgD28tvX_xgEWfomiPe_-ICB3AmJIKpXqfzN3cH_pVtqfgIRg/w212-h320/20230406_142604%20(2).jpg" width="212" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDIZP_GTGYpThH3axsXnNk1rSe7dccHjgL7Rp5BP0z26-h_BbKYCvbxHa4lAFA1yWzlKbIbAZkwbOOxnRmo315hKdKaiUuETA3a-znUaBdDPvOCsIjv5oHSG34RyFJDfAT9x1X95GO9Slh9agDwOQtGFtVmvqFRPaYX394dO60ZjoGOwTB1DQZyDt3A/s2868/20230406_144619%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1903" data-original-width="2868" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDIZP_GTGYpThH3axsXnNk1rSe7dccHjgL7Rp5BP0z26-h_BbKYCvbxHa4lAFA1yWzlKbIbAZkwbOOxnRmo315hKdKaiUuETA3a-znUaBdDPvOCsIjv5oHSG34RyFJDfAT9x1X95GO9Slh9agDwOQtGFtVmvqFRPaYX394dO60ZjoGOwTB1DQZyDt3A/w400-h265/20230406_144619%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>However, the biggest challenge was building the five gables. That took a lot longer than we’d reckoned; the higher we went the slower it got. All the bracing had to be moved up a level, with a second tier of scaffolding planks on top, all the panels and webs had to be lifted up twice, and all the angles had to be marked, taken down and cut, then taken back up again. On Easter Monday, between them Dave, Shandy and Gerry hoisted some of the trusses up into place to act as guides for marking the gable angles, and Dave made a</span><span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> cutting</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> jig to use with the circular saw. That made a much neater and more accurate job of it, but it was still slow and tedious.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvb3L7a_KFp3GQJS0Mo6o5O_80ySZLmRPpT0NwwKXAl7g42wmwng-4tzJjV5KZ5cR_1jLyoQraUaf291GPAhoCVG_9vUh-E3890o6NG7LHKQGhhyGDprL0qmAV2bFhaY4sojKQY94QMyxfP1hzuP79fX8RSLeBOF5QEqv_qIcu9K8WtHARIu8PqcXOQ/s4038/20230410_160726%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2114" data-original-width="4038" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvb3L7a_KFp3GQJS0Mo6o5O_80ySZLmRPpT0NwwKXAl7g42wmwng-4tzJjV5KZ5cR_1jLyoQraUaf291GPAhoCVG_9vUh-E3890o6NG7LHKQGhhyGDprL0qmAV2bFhaY4sojKQY94QMyxfP1hzuP79fX8RSLeBOF5QEqv_qIcu9K8WtHARIu8PqcXOQ/w400-h210/20230410_160726%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyghAZ1OYeeYwg1YUWdFz4OSw-zNYAq-twSscaLQHgXcLeed2rDNtscglJzidAF4I06L9Pmexd65hoSTmk94A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />By then, much to the children’s delight, Ann-Marie had flown in like Mary Poppins, and Chloe could spend more time on site. The weather didn’t help with wind and rain hampering the operation, but they eventually got it all ready for the final concrete pour.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We gave ourselves a day off on the final Saturday and took the kids to the circus, followed by dinner at Mo’s Grill. All great fun and good to be able to relax a bit amid all the stress.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Back home, we moved up to Higher Poynton for a few days. Ann Marie came over from the wharf with wool and a crochet hook for a ‘crafty day’ on board Legend; it was really good for the girls to spend time together without being at work.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">As we were close, we took a picnic over the valley to Lyme Park NT. Walking over there we saw our first ducklings of the year, and then had a lovely time walking round the gardens with all the spring bulbs coming out. We had a very interesting guided tour round the Butler and Housekeeper areas, then walked back home past the Cage hunting lodge.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">On the Saturday morning we put the bikes in the car and drove to Marple Bridge where we did our first parkrun for a month at Brabyns Park. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI36UdNQnkj7GZLcQbe7JwAvGb88JWpWe9R8zqXGWstyS7JMAMGkU75YfyM31dGflm5cpk1baqW9YwicrFlfEKGkTwXYZVJJpKnFDahTDb1PGEsCgSdqfCp06Pvgxau0RPGxCnxjMdfiwtI1FdWJlYWIq_x-KZUd_TDAmQi8Bb4raYPL0x---bTlpT1A/s3331/20230422_084925%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2220" data-original-width="3331" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI36UdNQnkj7GZLcQbe7JwAvGb88JWpWe9R8zqXGWstyS7JMAMGkU75YfyM31dGflm5cpk1baqW9YwicrFlfEKGkTwXYZVJJpKnFDahTDb1PGEsCgSdqfCp06Pvgxau0RPGxCnxjMdfiwtI1FdWJlYWIq_x-KZUd_TDAmQi8Bb4raYPL0x---bTlpT1A/w400-h266/20230422_084925%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Afterwards we found a fabulous looking coffee shop called Libby’s and went in for a post run croissant. Lots of other runners were in there as well; unsurprising as it was delicious!</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSG7zfgLNSqAFP7-yJQI1Jw_PpialyH-HqtgrS7BAi4yhiSM0qORebK4U3H_NL4GJHanihFha6xPJmuRtb28YArrkxUpJSo8o0zN6IGpyUHd_h1kFPmzyhxm_xAq_eISWE5GRheyuUGPRHZjyR7log_YpHsWFCTaWBuoBpCAAGt5dj2QrWPWGp8iZGA/s3773/20230422_103825%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2117" data-original-width="3773" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSG7zfgLNSqAFP7-yJQI1Jw_PpialyH-HqtgrS7BAi4yhiSM0qORebK4U3H_NL4GJHanihFha6xPJmuRtb28YArrkxUpJSo8o0zN6IGpyUHd_h1kFPmzyhxm_xAq_eISWE5GRheyuUGPRHZjyR7log_YpHsWFCTaWBuoBpCAAGt5dj2QrWPWGp8iZGA/w400-h225/20230422_103825%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We left the car in Marple and cycled back to the boat. There was a three boat queue for the water point at Poynton, so we had lunch while we waited, then moved up to Hawk Green. We had planned to go a bit further, but there were some lambs in the field opposite, so our world stopped for a couple of days while we watched them boinging about.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxwYK41bD6FwXsH0lLFmVy7KIvP2Jw44IMxj30mRthKN9OCydUJCxa1KO3OKAXOr399MXp8RcaGDboyzWVUKg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We did manage to tear ourselves away from the lambykins to go for a walk over the hill to the Peak Forest canal and then along the Goyt valley to Roman Bridge. On the way we saw a sign for an open day at the Roman Lakes Leisure Park tea rooms. We’d heard good things about them, so we put it in the diary. We popped into Marple on the way back and almost fell over the Scouts and Guides St Georges Day Parade. We’d completely forgotten what day it was and poor Legend was buntingless!</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">In the morning the forecast was for rain later, so we did an early two mile hop round Marple Junction and onto the Peak Forest to Strines, and then moved the car to Furness Vale. Walking back we popped in on Kate and David who live at New Mills on Nb Bosley. We first met them on the Lancaster canal more than ten years ago, so it was fabulous to catch up over a cuppa.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">A couple of days later we’d moored up Furness Vale and had all our ducks in a cliché, ready for a road trip south. Dave had a routine blood test booked in Camberley and we’d managed to get our dentist check-ups on the same day. We were up and on the road to Southam before 9, then after an all clear at the dentist, back in the car to Whitchurch for a cuppa and a catch up with Coops, before carrying on to Camberley. Karen put us up for the night and we nipped over to Fleet to see Mum and Dad before the long drive back home. We do like getting the most value out of every drop of diesel!</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">The last time we were up this way Bugsworth Basin was drained for repairs and we couldn’t get there, so the trip down one of the two ends of the Peak Forest was New Water for Legend. Dave had been down there several times on Alton delivering fuel, so he’d picked out his favourite spot and neatly backed into the secluded middle basin.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8cSvWGGZ1ZSDvyzWLOIRKjGAFRLofjRcGTFbGW1LPfKTsyFf1lAI7KFn3XyDsRbYfxKrh8OHwak8hEobXzoN9gbeM9r6qEDr4UxWu5PkcMVlYBrCHH2jWNGpIwam2YbH0xamJ7BbfwsFJLvkS_bmwuOrhfavXHW4p_aAhMqhAetIahELonsApoEGWIA/s3365/IMG_20230428_172121%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1895" data-original-width="3365" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8cSvWGGZ1ZSDvyzWLOIRKjGAFRLofjRcGTFbGW1LPfKTsyFf1lAI7KFn3XyDsRbYfxKrh8OHwak8hEobXzoN9gbeM9r6qEDr4UxWu5PkcMVlYBrCHH2jWNGpIwam2YbH0xamJ7BbfwsFJLvkS_bmwuOrhfavXHW4p_aAhMqhAetIahELonsApoEGWIA/w400-h225/IMG_20230428_172121%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Legend was finally the other way round so he could get the starboard side cleaned and scrubbed. Meanwhile Ann-Marie was sorting out the inside ready for our visitors. Anne and Andy were coming to stay and it was ages since we’d seen them. We were very much looking forward to sharing Bugsworth, Whaley Bridge and all the stunning countryside of the High Peak with them.</span><p></p></div>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-35454123561253752412023-05-12T09:34:00.000+01:002023-05-12T09:34:43.570+01:00Macclesfield Canal. Bollington Wharf.<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Hello again!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">No doubt, Dear Reader, you’re wondering where we’ve been for the last seven months.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, as planned, at the beginning of November last year (2022) we slid into a very cosy and secure mooring at Bollington Wharf.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXkKIBh25jD-WsE4BSM2rAT4u_rvsWhFhTIvdZszrZQYZsT30SWJaOFT3R2K335oyzaVijyMb7rK6eMpGPpKLJKtUwWcP4kJCObuWtCq5FVfL6f-7Gjla6cyl9ghsqzr2bVPug1HGGetxn4K0XHOkV0FtqdcJFiE5oxHbilVB0QyW05u6IPo_hseQaUw/s4095/221113%2003%20Bollington%20Wharf%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2303" data-original-width="4095" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXkKIBh25jD-WsE4BSM2rAT4u_rvsWhFhTIvdZszrZQYZsT30SWJaOFT3R2K335oyzaVijyMb7rK6eMpGPpKLJKtUwWcP4kJCObuWtCq5FVfL6f-7Gjla6cyl9ghsqzr2bVPug1HGGetxn4K0XHOkV0FtqdcJFiE5oxHbilVB0QyW05u6IPo_hseQaUw/w400-h225/221113%2003%20Bollington%20Wharf%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Legend would be under the watchful eyes of our friends Brian and Ann Marie while we went off to stay with Frankie and Harry in France until New Year. (To avoid confusion, our Ann-Marie has a hyphen, and Bollington Ann Marie doesn’t.) <o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The car journey down to the south of France didn’t go exactly as planned; we were booked on the Newhaven – Dieppe ferry and had arranged to stay with Mum and Dad in Fleet the night before, however our car broke down on the way. Thankfully it made it to Mum and Dad’s driveway, but instead of boarding the ferry, our first day travelling was spent shopping for a new car. Two days later we were back on track, happily motoring through the French countryside in a new (to us) Citroen C3 Picasso. We stopped in Brittany to stay for a couple of nights with Jacqui and Al in the lovely house that they’ve just finished renovating...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjipRDti3vhf5u-JL74PEX9hcTqa7A0u5b28hQsNJfH0A4wrdiYqzU4t0PUeXunQCLEACTfsLYtfd0zDCPDCbWaeJsjdZRWJqh2kPyxrNWpV89bzhbbkJZMsGO8HMtYbTSOygHpsBt69YBAeOWOSmkr4In7jJB6OlkKc0Q3DgQ-Tc2ilGjFlrFNfpR5Gw/s4000/221122%2001%20J&A's%20Locmaria%20Berrien%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="4000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjipRDti3vhf5u-JL74PEX9hcTqa7A0u5b28hQsNJfH0A4wrdiYqzU4t0PUeXunQCLEACTfsLYtfd0zDCPDCbWaeJsjdZRWJqh2kPyxrNWpV89bzhbbkJZMsGO8HMtYbTSOygHpsBt69YBAeOWOSmkr4In7jJB6OlkKc0Q3DgQ-Tc2ilGjFlrFNfpR5Gw/w400-h225/221122%2001%20J&A's%20Locmaria%20Berrien%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTH6I03_0kQ2HvIUd_Y3LMOmU7_ZsJex4yeZHgLDC7i0bUvI4V3B59mjQKjECAi-O-eDhvs1RtsslL4t3T5GKfbGjLt5PS1UVLNOfFSVyn5L7wrNVsY_D8hn5XrEMohEJTTDdA8RiGyPJUkW4rPp2KYUvF5_9vc82gzpGpZEKMcldB_R4-LvFt7XPflw/s2714/221122%2010%20Huelgoat%20Walk%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1390" data-original-width="2714" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTH6I03_0kQ2HvIUd_Y3LMOmU7_ZsJex4yeZHgLDC7i0bUvI4V3B59mjQKjECAi-O-eDhvs1RtsslL4t3T5GKfbGjLt5PS1UVLNOfFSVyn5L7wrNVsY_D8hn5XrEMohEJTTDdA8RiGyPJUkW4rPp2KYUvF5_9vc82gzpGpZEKMcldB_R4-LvFt7XPflw/w400-h205/221122%2010%20Huelgoat%20Walk%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">...before carrying on south to Jussas, near Bordeaux, where Frankie and Harry live.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The time flew while we were there. The main reason for going was so that Dave could give Harry a hand in the workshop, and Ann-Marie could help looking after Thibault and Axelle. It sort of worked like that, but in reality it was a lovely long holiday. December was full of birthdays, and of course once Christmas loomed closer and other family folk began arriving, work in the garage dwindled somewhat, so Dave didn’t get as much done as he’d hoped. He did get quite a lot of the time consuming rubbing down done however, and on his days off he took advantage of the workshop facilities (and Harry’s expertise) and gave our car a new cam belt & water pump and a good service.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Christmas and New Year were fabulous, with Jon & Jo and Chloe & Shandy arriving with all their kids, turning Jussas into a delightfully chaotic melee of cousins. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are a few photos of the highlights.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJi5EmIZwFjTyWz9xKcvi-DvLZA-PLO0fVrOoiS-QQZ299YgPgeik61HaH5w_TFXFryVNek-Hl7hrEAZScO_a4mBjhTOAqPlcdUiiZA0xYvzO79H1LKv5lh5mOlg2aS4fNigSZpSYBa9atUo8PoV_Jt5JVgER_E0u0MVp1elS3KZuLcXI70dP_EX8kg/s3551/221125%2004%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2018" data-original-width="3551" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJi5EmIZwFjTyWz9xKcvi-DvLZA-PLO0fVrOoiS-QQZ299YgPgeik61HaH5w_TFXFryVNek-Hl7hrEAZScO_a4mBjhTOAqPlcdUiiZA0xYvzO79H1LKv5lh5mOlg2aS4fNigSZpSYBa9atUo8PoV_Jt5JVgER_E0u0MVp1elS3KZuLcXI70dP_EX8kg/w400-h228/221125%2004%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZhhRuri3bLXZ_E4HYIxxi9ZlPB4Z_ZgloYdgiTg-TvTuXaCpaAK20vjykeHrQgvjZcHvcvas1y0n6D5Q9uvmCXLcmr-49pcStdr2YFYuoJZLEL9OVIujQ3priHXxZxCGp1MYRGbx2HlcR2xuUxB0Q7DAS-1VfwQC8y8Ngbz6S7NqV1pPw8GydM09dPA/s2830/221130%2001%20Santes%20(2)%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1682" data-original-width="2830" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZhhRuri3bLXZ_E4HYIxxi9ZlPB4Z_ZgloYdgiTg-TvTuXaCpaAK20vjykeHrQgvjZcHvcvas1y0n6D5Q9uvmCXLcmr-49pcStdr2YFYuoJZLEL9OVIujQ3priHXxZxCGp1MYRGbx2HlcR2xuUxB0Q7DAS-1VfwQC8y8Ngbz6S7NqV1pPw8GydM09dPA/w400-h238/221130%2001%20Santes%20(2)%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioC25NmqiVq8Jb1eeunCdcUsIbYHezlS3wxn2fIgbTVnS9wNvTJTVxmxnzZK6vpRM42aAffEhy5PPFp8emmSLlmad6Ci6YSZ03FFEtCqzYMzf_NVQ88iiIK22DqTfn0elXU9MwAaPuPsmGQU4Wo2-4YgQMOICwKSWkGyMXz8WPHU92CidpDtflRuYYaQ/s2570/221130%2007%20Santes%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1674" data-original-width="2570" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioC25NmqiVq8Jb1eeunCdcUsIbYHezlS3wxn2fIgbTVnS9wNvTJTVxmxnzZK6vpRM42aAffEhy5PPFp8emmSLlmad6Ci6YSZ03FFEtCqzYMzf_NVQ88iiIK22DqTfn0elXU9MwAaPuPsmGQU4Wo2-4YgQMOICwKSWkGyMXz8WPHU92CidpDtflRuYYaQ/w400-h260/221130%2007%20Santes%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jWUbdBJ3DES8K3JQTzXvLe40czfYbzs5GIanuMaVRRTa8xUAqBA6c0d8nEImpbM-dcwd5g6Cp8XmOnmG_raXG81E5hRLZbrDUFkAwzpqVTW4RuLFlrpDy0QnM6JID4vAkxua9txKq1r3yd9WaNp8hPbQIedrzt2CHCDZAvOEwYb6_QmuuYfzXRQwaA/s2073/221130%2010%20Santes%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1448" data-original-width="2073" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jWUbdBJ3DES8K3JQTzXvLe40czfYbzs5GIanuMaVRRTa8xUAqBA6c0d8nEImpbM-dcwd5g6Cp8XmOnmG_raXG81E5hRLZbrDUFkAwzpqVTW4RuLFlrpDy0QnM6JID4vAkxua9txKq1r3yd9WaNp8hPbQIedrzt2CHCDZAvOEwYb6_QmuuYfzXRQwaA/w400-h280/221130%2010%20Santes%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xcLNnuslg_B-jSK5mpRV-Q4w5sNx2bSqNUyNK8Yk4ujYl6L5Gzt9INZATURInmqpWN57bBPUEKJ0ypYm2Dvtvj042G-mna7mXhbVmjgbtBQNdBKuQ11UiZZ2DK1X1Vv47kVEnPAN4Fbpuegh6LNEqeXSQQLWScgdcHs6oGMSDdlcZ9CQPZuk4bHaFQ/s3354/221201%2002%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1928" data-original-width="3354" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xcLNnuslg_B-jSK5mpRV-Q4w5sNx2bSqNUyNK8Yk4ujYl6L5Gzt9INZATURInmqpWN57bBPUEKJ0ypYm2Dvtvj042G-mna7mXhbVmjgbtBQNdBKuQ11UiZZ2DK1X1Vv47kVEnPAN4Fbpuegh6LNEqeXSQQLWScgdcHs6oGMSDdlcZ9CQPZuk4bHaFQ/w400-h230/221201%2002%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEcxrCMl24IOJZj03E-9oD-I0pkF3IpGD0uk4tZuHYRCYOcIipr3mYk4CNi346JcTQFVgXd9P_hLDK1m0dWZdtTnwv6jeAEcXUu7kOyS7t-Rh2fTuOgBlzU1kmhwtmK4AoVV9zvFRUJxZqSYpBnby-kTlfTY-dvaYTWUBxlcwmjXsu2yVFC_Q-Pzblw/s3612/221206%2002%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2131" data-original-width="3612" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEcxrCMl24IOJZj03E-9oD-I0pkF3IpGD0uk4tZuHYRCYOcIipr3mYk4CNi346JcTQFVgXd9P_hLDK1m0dWZdtTnwv6jeAEcXUu7kOyS7t-Rh2fTuOgBlzU1kmhwtmK4AoVV9zvFRUJxZqSYpBnby-kTlfTY-dvaYTWUBxlcwmjXsu2yVFC_Q-Pzblw/w400-h236/221206%2002%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_LOrdqtTu26pknehaJv_PxA3RfvaoXFjYRGO60sDBjsKBerikoRAb1aVyj6IXws04mYFZqL9TbYyPS80oh031wHM-jXGoEphtg3HlgyJcT8wxElwmn9r3KCPXtyFIqmNBCXBYONlE0CPWofFcmHcDR9Or9WrEk63QODSYLw5ebyuAofl5Ma7TWCU_A/s3082/221212%2008%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1624" data-original-width="3082" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_LOrdqtTu26pknehaJv_PxA3RfvaoXFjYRGO60sDBjsKBerikoRAb1aVyj6IXws04mYFZqL9TbYyPS80oh031wHM-jXGoEphtg3HlgyJcT8wxElwmn9r3KCPXtyFIqmNBCXBYONlE0CPWofFcmHcDR9Or9WrEk63QODSYLw5ebyuAofl5Ma7TWCU_A/w400-h211/221212%2008%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi624QlGrD2264U5i_cPToigff8noD1BjPgdEzKRYHwgO0rHzMSZySaIqT3z502oMI51Xtc9cTxLUnY_0QgrPlxo12HEI-bK0tYBWUZg_qjE_4SEr5Le1FlS8c70vhOyRt5CmKi08Gcl9ftW4xXrBjqcCQWjlKUMqmc_NacwVzbQCTabd_X9QjPO-DW8g/s3814/221214%2001%20Pons%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3814" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi624QlGrD2264U5i_cPToigff8noD1BjPgdEzKRYHwgO0rHzMSZySaIqT3z502oMI51Xtc9cTxLUnY_0QgrPlxo12HEI-bK0tYBWUZg_qjE_4SEr5Le1FlS8c70vhOyRt5CmKi08Gcl9ftW4xXrBjqcCQWjlKUMqmc_NacwVzbQCTabd_X9QjPO-DW8g/w400-h241/221214%2001%20Pons%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQvedrv5zcUVa62OY7d90w7zeeeDvkXj4u5Wv4uFrY9td7EeQrlDLLpzY8AcBYIyQWbk7pZ-0Q1lDUpVJlF18JAyCyvkB4xZ3LotlGd53DVXlR1udcXP-EbVaopbMrNXcsxDzJ12FlbGzkh7S58fDDpW13Ntx9PyoQdPDAhz7t5fSdvtko_mPq30IAA/s2476/221214%2012%20Pons%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1385" data-original-width="2476" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQvedrv5zcUVa62OY7d90w7zeeeDvkXj4u5Wv4uFrY9td7EeQrlDLLpzY8AcBYIyQWbk7pZ-0Q1lDUpVJlF18JAyCyvkB4xZ3LotlGd53DVXlR1udcXP-EbVaopbMrNXcsxDzJ12FlbGzkh7S58fDDpW13Ntx9PyoQdPDAhz7t5fSdvtko_mPq30IAA/w400-h224/221214%2012%20Pons%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmW2DToe96vkjpAskrP6LesHwKCgwYyc2WV6UDVAr_t4atYfo6mfisL176siwDHImRmmCtCAhkToQKFtEi5eVid1_inEJUBNeHYtj87vROBklMyl_o-M243oz6N1XKVEkRD-TTH5IIpXHg2EE8GxJ_W-QV-6vTCM_0UVQLQd5_EtXrCSfVu-jINGhZcQ/s4096/221228%2003%20Jussas%20Christmas%202%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1911" data-original-width="4096" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmW2DToe96vkjpAskrP6LesHwKCgwYyc2WV6UDVAr_t4atYfo6mfisL176siwDHImRmmCtCAhkToQKFtEi5eVid1_inEJUBNeHYtj87vROBklMyl_o-M243oz6N1XKVEkRD-TTH5IIpXHg2EE8GxJ_W-QV-6vTCM_0UVQLQd5_EtXrCSfVu-jINGhZcQ/w400-h186/221228%2003%20Jussas%20Christmas%202%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEoQxrXcVqA6TFmqI6hhhuj_wlms7NLHoTgA5HKXkw19BH8ZFuA1iA8BC1Qfi4CxYG2zlzG0yW-8U_AMURPQ9e4ryRE8Hv7nHVwfVm-N6Reqw3ck4gG_zrnps59kL1GWXOjPt8GKTA7qUA4iXqjyiT3Z42EfW2VfbTYoTeq-vmWsG9le_JFtBV3Sl-kg/s720/221228%2005%20Jussas%20Christmas%202%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="720" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEoQxrXcVqA6TFmqI6hhhuj_wlms7NLHoTgA5HKXkw19BH8ZFuA1iA8BC1Qfi4CxYG2zlzG0yW-8U_AMURPQ9e4ryRE8Hv7nHVwfVm-N6Reqw3ck4gG_zrnps59kL1GWXOjPt8GKTA7qUA4iXqjyiT3Z42EfW2VfbTYoTeq-vmWsG9le_JFtBV3Sl-kg/w400-h398/221228%2005%20Jussas%20Christmas%202%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqhMREkWi8H5ijX4alsqA5GjwCYoz0Ntd0RrN1vwmiboqRlAY_S24H991sT7woYw1JG0nvvcdpfx_ecD_AQa_hN4VS_l-ToKI5AjTpxrmnkydPjnHmrzqa1QGCPyy3Uoudw2TiTJ6pfvVG9GAzh6b_sfF0e_CKW7fzHVcVz4v3dWWekOePdTwwQrPmFA/s3769/221229%2004%20Cousins%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1871" data-original-width="3769" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqhMREkWi8H5ijX4alsqA5GjwCYoz0Ntd0RrN1vwmiboqRlAY_S24H991sT7woYw1JG0nvvcdpfx_ecD_AQa_hN4VS_l-ToKI5AjTpxrmnkydPjnHmrzqa1QGCPyy3Uoudw2TiTJ6pfvVG9GAzh6b_sfF0e_CKW7fzHVcVz4v3dWWekOePdTwwQrPmFA/w400-h199/221229%2004%20Cousins%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2s_-3rndyRplbFng9khUEN0fxFMYlA_fqdeA87DcgDcfvGBJ3BW6ZLi40E3va57GpTBX7rih1SPE2R4b0--yDn8Me7VFJt-ZsIRwXVti1TNHlQix4dZuME9oMKV_CAZWhik-pTzFw-hpIe3A8oP8XgLb2SsyLvP6klrba4SPWc__PIZU80RXgDsmsg/s3039/230103%2001%20Jussas%20Last%20Run%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1626" data-original-width="3039" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2s_-3rndyRplbFng9khUEN0fxFMYlA_fqdeA87DcgDcfvGBJ3BW6ZLi40E3va57GpTBX7rih1SPE2R4b0--yDn8Me7VFJt-ZsIRwXVti1TNHlQix4dZuME9oMKV_CAZWhik-pTzFw-hpIe3A8oP8XgLb2SsyLvP6klrba4SPWc__PIZU80RXgDsmsg/w400-h214/230103%2001%20Jussas%20Last%20Run%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjh_KdzVZZxHMdHd3EHWC3qtCdC65hTWXYGmskFMbP4D02i2EAsvyTT7GLuwInTqqB0fapGG8WGeaaix2CMDBZP58k26wgqa-Ji0unRuSAvTylml5qwCJZdPFravuosG2HizXLuG6Xb8wVws0DKnWhSactNk-bU3rjvxaNEjaTUTMbszdCX8mAXiY7zQ/s1946/230103%2005%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="1946" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjh_KdzVZZxHMdHd3EHWC3qtCdC65hTWXYGmskFMbP4D02i2EAsvyTT7GLuwInTqqB0fapGG8WGeaaix2CMDBZP58k26wgqa-Ji0unRuSAvTylml5qwCJZdPFravuosG2HizXLuG6Xb8wVws0DKnWhSactNk-bU3rjvxaNEjaTUTMbszdCX8mAXiY7zQ/w400-h200/230103%2005%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6DNhfcTGyiem71wrWI9-QeAVGCTJKjU9yw7yQVrRmsgJAsDFIrtp6Rv2JKwvbF2MADDGv1AWIg_Svtq_tXFauOOcP_l6afdOBLel1TJvfhhJYUFE2y2TRxTpoZcxjr94iS052-qmx7VjSBwVwJ7DWDBL5E-PJ8FoI_2Tj0KZt2Hvb_rVIEAeGifvBw/s737/230104%2014%20Family%20@%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="737" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6DNhfcTGyiem71wrWI9-QeAVGCTJKjU9yw7yQVrRmsgJAsDFIrtp6Rv2JKwvbF2MADDGv1AWIg_Svtq_tXFauOOcP_l6afdOBLel1TJvfhhJYUFE2y2TRxTpoZcxjr94iS052-qmx7VjSBwVwJ7DWDBL5E-PJ8FoI_2Tj0KZt2Hvb_rVIEAeGifvBw/w400-h323/230104%2014%20Family%20@%20Jussas%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> The journey back home was nice and smooth with another stop off at Jacqui and Al’s, then three nights at Karen’s before driving back up north to the Wharf.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Before we went to France we’d both had Achilles injuries and had to stop running, so while we were down there we restarted the Couch To 5K program. We went out first thing in the morning two or three times a week, so by the time we came back we were ready to return to parkrun. Karen’s local one at Frimley Lodge was the test, and we both did OK; no ankle pains and respectable finish times.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Back at Bollington we had a few days sorting ourselves out before discussing with Brian and Ann Marie about what they needed us to do to help around the boat yard. Dave was tasked with crewing with Brian on Nb Alton’s fortnightly three-day run, delivering coal, gas and diesel on the Macc and Peak Forest canals, plus going with Brian or Ann Marie on van deliveries to the places the boats can’t access while the winter closures are in place, and generally helping out around the yard. Meanwhile Ann-Marie would be working alternate weeks in the chandlery/office; serving passing boats with coal and diesel, general admin and taking hire boat bookings.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcIAWm7r8DNjMnsi5jbw6jhvurkHJGKSSOrRXkaYlbgPdmFE-JNt1GOPHRzF-HDUjkVRasT-aN20Ma35iyjstNrJ609LHlE-0TuNC7MZ0f_3trfWs8_7ij7B4MALmPEMX7WhJr81atejLsXs8mwT9iC0vMEtv7b8_-tF5S1bbxVMGljnIjdb6kUp4-w/s3677/230119%2004%20Snowy%20Wharf%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1964" data-original-width="3677" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcIAWm7r8DNjMnsi5jbw6jhvurkHJGKSSOrRXkaYlbgPdmFE-JNt1GOPHRzF-HDUjkVRasT-aN20Ma35iyjstNrJ609LHlE-0TuNC7MZ0f_3trfWs8_7ij7B4MALmPEMX7WhJr81atejLsXs8mwT9iC0vMEtv7b8_-tF5S1bbxVMGljnIjdb6kUp4-w/w400-h214/230119%2004%20Snowy%20Wharf%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">This was Ann-Marie's workplace....</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7bI67LpqsbeYFKCD6umYwrPd7ot3DZB3YF84Hg3LgeWtkldHd2GNTSKWoBvkr413gy6Y4zEuCYtkKlbUS3wfv1epIZDlCb2oVFo4F-qOMKZnRQ1jzkj40JB9dTUlRo92q4J4uXTRPs_bTTl_Tyj_ilZkdkqT7ZimLeMGLAfzQY2Sy7-gPMPUc0pVyg/s2946/230120%2008%20Van%20Deliveries%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2946" data-original-width="2304" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7bI67LpqsbeYFKCD6umYwrPd7ot3DZB3YF84Hg3LgeWtkldHd2GNTSKWoBvkr413gy6Y4zEuCYtkKlbUS3wfv1epIZDlCb2oVFo4F-qOMKZnRQ1jzkj40JB9dTUlRo92q4J4uXTRPs_bTTl_Tyj_ilZkdkqT7ZimLeMGLAfzQY2Sy7-gPMPUc0pVyg/w313-h400/230120%2008%20Van%20Deliveries%20(2).jpg" width="313" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">This was one of Dave's.....</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgOYYpZe7csKSAl8egZWsrMmUoPsF5jntpAYxNpp5xYp4f2HOpidl5a4TX56tNi2DJkZyYtfVH3tm35RyRLCa9kP3C5Bq109xTLHsdwZ2_bEU__MUkM-gJWoNLakOTQIhG3PL8JbNxYrREzhZAH_SanzKPRUeNnkmeGN37IfwIHd7lF54-B3p5bLNFA/s3480/230128%2001%20Alton%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1864" data-original-width="3480" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgOYYpZe7csKSAl8egZWsrMmUoPsF5jntpAYxNpp5xYp4f2HOpidl5a4TX56tNi2DJkZyYtfVH3tm35RyRLCa9kP3C5Bq109xTLHsdwZ2_bEU__MUkM-gJWoNLakOTQIhG3PL8JbNxYrREzhZAH_SanzKPRUeNnkmeGN37IfwIHd7lF54-B3p5bLNFA/w400-h214/230128%2001%20Alton%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">...<i>and this was the other.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIdRWa9jFyWtTjekqNGSmKhcIkBp5VBPKBZzTZHDKJ2Craal9VtRwDfK7OiNd8f5g4nvE2E7RBjFA7wGiCmarR0MPWQ9RUPsTBSblE4lAowKbMLsE1rNGq11I-1ydAmHqkt2CeigXKWg2dH2Jdip8hbqp_uUjLvT5pfKlWBEWOzI7F4AC7cii9DrMuw/s4095/230120%2001%20Van%20Deliveries%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2064" data-original-width="4095" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIdRWa9jFyWtTjekqNGSmKhcIkBp5VBPKBZzTZHDKJ2Craal9VtRwDfK7OiNd8f5g4nvE2E7RBjFA7wGiCmarR0MPWQ9RUPsTBSblE4lAowKbMLsE1rNGq11I-1ydAmHqkt2CeigXKWg2dH2Jdip8hbqp_uUjLvT5pfKlWBEWOzI7F4AC7cii9DrMuw/w400-h201/230120%2001%20Van%20Deliveries%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Van deliveries may be hard graft, but driving round the Cheshire countryside first thing in the morning does have it's perks.</i></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The original plan was that we’d do a few weeks work in return for Legend’s mooring, but it soon turned into something a lot bigger. For various reasons, by the end of January one of their boat crew had left, and the person they had on trial as a replacement only lasted a day and a half. On top of that, the couple who were running the office and yard every other week gave notice, leaving B&AM desperately short handed. We couldn’t bring ourselves to leave our mates in the lurch, so we agreed to stay on till the end of March while they got sorted. It was hard graft; Alton’s weekend coal load alone was about 10 tonnes in 20kg bags. But we got every other week off, and having free use of the workshop, partial gas bottles, split coal bags and shore power, as well as not using any diesel, made boat life through the winter months dramatically easier.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It also meant that when Chloe and Shandy began building their <a href="https://www.selfbuildanddesign.com/beginnersguides/nextsteps/insulating_concrete_formwork_icf" target="_blank">ICF house </a>in Randlestown, Co. Antrim, we could zoom over there on our weeks off to help. Ever since he left the RAF, Shandy had been trying to join the NI Fire Service. He’d been through the recruitment process, been accepted, and was just waiting for a start date. About a year ago they’d sold their house, bought a plot of land with foundations and planning permission for a four bed bungalow, and were living on-site in a static caravan until they’d sorted out their finances enough to start building. That happened a lot quicker than they’d hoped, and of course Sod’s law decreed that - almost to the day - the ICF materials turned up at the same time that Shandy got his basic training start date, meaning that after the first month of building he wouldn’t be there much. And when he was there he’d be either knackered after running hoses all day, or polishing his shoes and ironing his uniform. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We’d already arranged to go over for a week to give them a hand, going by ferry from Liverpool to Dublin and slotting in an Irish Parkrun on the way. As the week wore on it became obvious that they were going to need more help, we needed to get home for the coalboat run and a pre-booked holiday in Wales, but could just fit in another week between that and a party, so we agreed to come back, but had to fly this time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's some photos of the build.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>WEEK ONE</i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_tRKpiZxiKuOxFU8iynp4ChZmDxo-0vkUmiGviW-bgJvNQs-ZDB8bSiCol_PNVANpslvoBVTFvsIqXkE805gCzAWr4pKdRZXlfbFzz90SibEdC14KqyCGLuVYLIjdVEHsPRLsl2CpA6bpJzxpmnX1CDm6-astI1rn8ZitKSF2iSSEQYJGrhVCxTUOg/s2303/230217%2005%20Liverpool%20Ferry%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2148" data-original-width="2303" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_tRKpiZxiKuOxFU8iynp4ChZmDxo-0vkUmiGviW-bgJvNQs-ZDB8bSiCol_PNVANpslvoBVTFvsIqXkE805gCzAWr4pKdRZXlfbFzz90SibEdC14KqyCGLuVYLIjdVEHsPRLsl2CpA6bpJzxpmnX1CDm6-astI1rn8ZitKSF2iSSEQYJGrhVCxTUOg/w400-h373/230217%2005%20Liverpool%20Ferry%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Leaving Liverpool on the Dublin Freight ferry.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWL5z6aKnnHooA2dNVU72THxfiVa1SJo6ZniJqIiTNOrA9QS_Haag5ZytzinYfzT4VC3_sj83fXRB3cWJXdLFA8N0VATcH8DguKpuAeCvqDVfwieGKBA6UrFnB9T_oY8mW_8XWgaHzApJxQURR4GphfnR9ZISV5bmsHofUI373QXJRwEsfiGbWk_4YUQ/s3393/230221%2002%20No%206%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3393" data-original-width="2304" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWL5z6aKnnHooA2dNVU72THxfiVa1SJo6ZniJqIiTNOrA9QS_Haag5ZytzinYfzT4VC3_sj83fXRB3cWJXdLFA8N0VATcH8DguKpuAeCvqDVfwieGKBA6UrFnB9T_oY8mW_8XWgaHzApJxQURR4GphfnR9ZISV5bmsHofUI373QXJRwEsfiGbWk_4YUQ/w271-h400/230221%2002%20No%206%20(2).jpg" width="271" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF) </i></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEE4nfUSvt6xxnWZ_HaS6yeqpD47sC0UXdwvUy560zOOYBaMx25gGkzo80cUDTWaXqYWSWXyKGEp5obiLwDBI5MW7Th4Gxqhr6wUkfgatJRr6NOfehKE9O1LGPF79eXiai7Ry6uclBLA0E-58rs6VG6fpX4h0EA0WouX6pzghXd2GcQl1pWvuGEVXeyA/s3836/230221%2003%20No%206%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1896" data-original-width="3836" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEE4nfUSvt6xxnWZ_HaS6yeqpD47sC0UXdwvUy560zOOYBaMx25gGkzo80cUDTWaXqYWSWXyKGEp5obiLwDBI5MW7Th4Gxqhr6wUkfgatJRr6NOfehKE9O1LGPF79eXiai7Ry6uclBLA0E-58rs6VG6fpX4h0EA0WouX6pzghXd2GcQl1pWvuGEVXeyA/w400-h198/230221%2003%20No%206%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The panels are easy to handle and quick to build. </i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHMTs_27S747cxbyKtnDvFbIyh3AYmtzxlodJyAR4rpJA8SINEdHO746VIYKF_0SUtQtmmS9b2Gn1kLdgya3hsXoJialR0Vt0bNYTbSehlSRS6pb4XI7bKiolC1gl99rdYCw0Snko9QKFkVwp5gvlI2lc2Xpmnsqg5Avko8CrJ6Y1GAP80S2yZB3U3g/s3266/230221%2017%20No%206%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1789" data-original-width="3266" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHMTs_27S747cxbyKtnDvFbIyh3AYmtzxlodJyAR4rpJA8SINEdHO746VIYKF_0SUtQtmmS9b2Gn1kLdgya3hsXoJialR0Vt0bNYTbSehlSRS6pb4XI7bKiolC1gl99rdYCw0Snko9QKFkVwp5gvlI2lc2Xpmnsqg5Avko8CrJ6Y1GAP80S2yZB3U3g/w400-h219/230221%2017%20No%206%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The house is progressing well</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNaty5wlRGmpCGlVRjKrHJ18BO4DkvDr9MNkHx0YEwpPBMAFfMWTNU3Dpvv1dgOXkZfg6lwtfCSXywnbSpgstc_ApekI_djSb0ms6cyq9unitQJeAl-AxRHKmJJ79su-6h8uwjgakmhlB91SjQVVotjOlTkiyfKwV48yAwZKVhzWoVXhC6pbIrQr1lA/s4001/230221%2024%20No%206%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2237" data-original-width="4001" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNaty5wlRGmpCGlVRjKrHJ18BO4DkvDr9MNkHx0YEwpPBMAFfMWTNU3Dpvv1dgOXkZfg6lwtfCSXywnbSpgstc_ApekI_djSb0ms6cyq9unitQJeAl-AxRHKmJJ79su-6h8uwjgakmhlB91SjQVVotjOlTkiyfKwV48yAwZKVhzWoVXhC6pbIrQr1lA/w400-h224/230221%2024%20No%206%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The bracing in place. This keeps the walls straight while they're being built and stops them deforming when the concrete is poured.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmuEo1_urYXm7gkW2GgHRJurtwkwcgiPqBcZ5hqDnqdXNJadDN_1tVzp19VQ3BB1TDXJlulunJ_R6H6QUXwkln_zoV8V5JaEB8zNILprSP1szAUyB7BaMLwzOhj68MWkDIaZgY50g7CqDp7-BQVH9fLP4CoPUrYwKwqW8GcyLq1Qz_whNYxSenayHrrA/s4045/230223%2002%20No%206%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1873" data-original-width="4045" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmuEo1_urYXm7gkW2GgHRJurtwkwcgiPqBcZ5hqDnqdXNJadDN_1tVzp19VQ3BB1TDXJlulunJ_R6H6QUXwkln_zoV8V5JaEB8zNILprSP1szAUyB7BaMLwzOhj68MWkDIaZgY50g7CqDp7-BQVH9fLP4CoPUrYwKwqW8GcyLq1Qz_whNYxSenayHrrA/w400-h185/230223%2002%20No%206%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Scaffolding planks so we can reach the top.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmAN_Cnj-hJrhsMb1jaIgowCp6K0ST-V201kRmAkQtgkAxJDWAWQ0Y7Yk54qu0jakB3Ivtk4P9-p71NPTVj_bWAoywPuNE88bi18C1T2Aj8VybnsPgFF-oq0OkYr6_lo873WioERSQuvN518rN6UTfmT50_tsPNmZnYY-HzSBiMcVyKZY2Ad4bTxVKA/s3915/230223%2005%20No%206%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1788" data-original-width="3915" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmAN_Cnj-hJrhsMb1jaIgowCp6K0ST-V201kRmAkQtgkAxJDWAWQ0Y7Yk54qu0jakB3Ivtk4P9-p71NPTVj_bWAoywPuNE88bi18C1T2Aj8VybnsPgFF-oq0OkYr6_lo873WioERSQuvN518rN6UTfmT50_tsPNmZnYY-HzSBiMcVyKZY2Ad4bTxVKA/w400-h183/230223%2005%20No%206%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Getting up to wall-plate height.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibIsUAXjXryP5ce4yOeQGHTqoXYytcHOlHCLtCs57Bl_NPQPp_GKa6ky6Cg01ryyR_cBOC9CiO0ZARsDtfKD_QsFMGKUd4qEvVPB_8r1KCyANRJDtHfHNaHqnLue4pHi-zd6XE-D7wc5PsVJ3iBFu8PV3PilvpvzFfQkVqXXHu9xenGvxsiB0Uy7xhQA/s4079/230221%2026%20No%206%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2026" data-original-width="4079" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibIsUAXjXryP5ce4yOeQGHTqoXYytcHOlHCLtCs57Bl_NPQPp_GKa6ky6Cg01ryyR_cBOC9CiO0ZARsDtfKD_QsFMGKUd4qEvVPB_8r1KCyANRJDtHfHNaHqnLue4pHi-zd6XE-D7wc5PsVJ3iBFu8PV3PilvpvzFfQkVqXXHu9xenGvxsiB0Uy7xhQA/w400-h199/230221%2026%20No%206%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Static family home while the building happens. We were cosy in the caravan.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUUIU_LXXY-SQNrdCs-C2ZvYfS1PQa0xFrJHoI68sS4gLmXYaWUulrRiJCYjusbOxV-K2DBy24j8TNtK998PmGc5GQK86ZFuhogYDBlIgDKa_fFX0_EoU8D7jsQYL1HyUNMWKi0daWvA9-s83S7w97wR4gYWCRyZSNBCHuMPCoQ2JbCgNEVoF7bnFAw/s3552/230224%2003%20Dublin%20Ferry%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3552" data-original-width="2304" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUUIU_LXXY-SQNrdCs-C2ZvYfS1PQa0xFrJHoI68sS4gLmXYaWUulrRiJCYjusbOxV-K2DBy24j8TNtK998PmGc5GQK86ZFuhogYDBlIgDKa_fFX0_EoU8D7jsQYL1HyUNMWKi0daWvA9-s83S7w97wR4gYWCRyZSNBCHuMPCoQ2JbCgNEVoF7bnFAw/w260-h400/230224%2003%20Dublin%20Ferry%20(2).jpg" width="260" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Back to Liverpool on the ferry for another stint at in the wharf .</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><b>WEEK TWO</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZm7lCw3up7IB8bvtrgJIZrpYCBlCzI-qCUD8U1he_jJi7jUYExrZvGyhSo_yibJf3imljGXpsqNEV5IrWY_i8RP4rZI1QrL9E5322Qk5PaW1KG0fRfbQlOVUIR1wVbsxffGvHqblXqIesG8VrLyJqJbKzGWk6gu07bbzf4UB8yrWp4kxCh56cvQ8Zow/s3550/20230310_125936%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1843" data-original-width="3550" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZm7lCw3up7IB8bvtrgJIZrpYCBlCzI-qCUD8U1he_jJi7jUYExrZvGyhSo_yibJf3imljGXpsqNEV5IrWY_i8RP4rZI1QrL9E5322Qk5PaW1KG0fRfbQlOVUIR1wVbsxffGvHqblXqIesG8VrLyJqJbKzGWk6gu07bbzf4UB8yrWp4kxCh56cvQ8Zow/w400-h208/20230310_125936%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>After a frantic week got up to wall-plate level just in time for the first concrete pour.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDe0WQYew6m1TNcafAUF2x-wSgktXiyqQ6hACeRG5QC2OG_VfuTkSXhp3EzJS7iUECHrUcjtxbSzDlBE9UF28wRCxlQCzXfZMk3_lFSbBdR9N0B0cIk-sjrTJw_9KtW-U4Y-RzvpiVyqrXdvEp6RUUiuGAnfBTMTIt1A5feHk28qFrEDaT6ehfP_p0QA/s2598/20230310_133054%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2598" data-original-width="2288" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDe0WQYew6m1TNcafAUF2x-wSgktXiyqQ6hACeRG5QC2OG_VfuTkSXhp3EzJS7iUECHrUcjtxbSzDlBE9UF28wRCxlQCzXfZMk3_lFSbBdR9N0B0cIk-sjrTJw_9KtW-U4Y-RzvpiVyqrXdvEp6RUUiuGAnfBTMTIt1A5feHk28qFrEDaT6ehfP_p0QA/w353-h400/20230310_133054%20(2).jpg" width="353" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Lunch on the scaffolding. No time to stop.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pi-LCCleuk37JMqhnVCMOdH8EBdS0MM2phAX3fVdUO7kgqWjKnbtRnYrF_lzAqkdobwkPDMwYA1opJquxTyfirDrIHCxmGIj0V--bp9tdv9-j3hdNPhC10YRmwYH1F3qChKhsLBkmyYQ1qNhnQHfgCSEp5yFGeocn5q-kIKJgIRLnfbaIIjnz943OQ/s4096/20230310_150555%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pi-LCCleuk37JMqhnVCMOdH8EBdS0MM2phAX3fVdUO7kgqWjKnbtRnYrF_lzAqkdobwkPDMwYA1opJquxTyfirDrIHCxmGIj0V--bp9tdv9-j3hdNPhC10YRmwYH1F3qChKhsLBkmyYQ1qNhnQHfgCSEp5yFGeocn5q-kIKJgIRLnfbaIIjnz943OQ/w400-h225/20230310_150555%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The walls are full of concrete.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7k3FNokhXu3lIwcFh4EotjxLcDypDnMk64sJ11enlfsjNBw7uwPm_Nw7UF7PqKQdgE4EN_VW-6YVZ0qnOEYKP4LC02PF994pvSuH_5-CkCncenrnOgPE214E4z6ibkKwPWkICndT5x8ZAXiqlyX2EyY8xJfLM8hd1W3AYsEhb_KLpGsSio1ny-NfCg/s2563/20230311_111417%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1799" data-original-width="2563" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7k3FNokhXu3lIwcFh4EotjxLcDypDnMk64sJ11enlfsjNBw7uwPm_Nw7UF7PqKQdgE4EN_VW-6YVZ0qnOEYKP4LC02PF994pvSuH_5-CkCncenrnOgPE214E4z6ibkKwPWkICndT5x8ZAXiqlyX2EyY8xJfLM8hd1W3AYsEhb_KLpGsSio1ny-NfCg/w400-h281/20230311_111417%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Back on the plane home again. There's still loads to do before the roofers can take over, so it won't be long before we're back again.</i></div></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, between those two weeks, as well as a damp, muddy coal run...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEvEZMdKQOdDlg24uVz17mvNaHi7ruOU9-z9i5qiQVEv4u-DSWea1p-3xndUUIesUFna_znDkcAmv_gr17JlGoVuS81t7GR4Inpyuzx_hC18ACu8xinMabDfccQ8xX3knrA_lcAreTyK6qyuumcrLpe9h3E_G67bMiPTFArw0TSSl5cbq_xKADJVFqw/s960/230225%2006%20Alton%20Run%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="960" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEvEZMdKQOdDlg24uVz17mvNaHi7ruOU9-z9i5qiQVEv4u-DSWea1p-3xndUUIesUFna_znDkcAmv_gr17JlGoVuS81t7GR4Inpyuzx_hC18ACu8xinMabDfccQ8xX3knrA_lcAreTyK6qyuumcrLpe9h3E_G67bMiPTFArw0TSSl5cbq_xKADJVFqw/w400-h306/230225%2006%20Alton%20Run%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">...we had a fabulous, relaxing and fun-filled five day break in Anglesey with Bob and Mandy. They'd got an apartment in Beaumaris for a fortnight and had very kindly invited us to join them for the second week after their grandchildren had gone home.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznygq8GkbRkRFCIBBns7lg4tX1uCxaOugLzcaPKMbA5xZRtyB00mjRhT78dX0XzKAnUcPnh0C121iUYtctD9SrAONDqK-TRnOIxUvHE38sE_JTS5aDyv_QEcnxWBfiwysZhIuYrTOK1p8VX_iiDOvpCythssclGoSfOR0dHiC6XSoBkX4dw4N-zXEtg/s2576/230227%2021%20Beaumaris%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1425" data-original-width="2576" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznygq8GkbRkRFCIBBns7lg4tX1uCxaOugLzcaPKMbA5xZRtyB00mjRhT78dX0XzKAnUcPnh0C121iUYtctD9SrAONDqK-TRnOIxUvHE38sE_JTS5aDyv_QEcnxWBfiwysZhIuYrTOK1p8VX_iiDOvpCythssclGoSfOR0dHiC6XSoBkX4dw4N-zXEtg/w400-h221/230227%2021%20Beaumaris%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The fantastic Beaumaris Castle.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XtkWtzJh594Rn-T-0bYuUJ8kMCJM-IOSBCEbCZHEKlGtN1tw2daJ8Ol2eLc27H9tcYtHdrb_IbzUjzx_Q29Hmr6XulFJDn168P-dJlgAKPgI3RYN1QXzIrCC8ZT9--6OLb7u9TdKtiBFeDStKyG9juEu-IXeya9yfhkhZehfvtert6LyCsJhKwyidg/s2998/230228%2022%20South%20Stack%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1765" data-original-width="2998" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XtkWtzJh594Rn-T-0bYuUJ8kMCJM-IOSBCEbCZHEKlGtN1tw2daJ8Ol2eLc27H9tcYtHdrb_IbzUjzx_Q29Hmr6XulFJDn168P-dJlgAKPgI3RYN1QXzIrCC8ZT9--6OLb7u9TdKtiBFeDStKyG9juEu-IXeya9yfhkhZehfvtert6LyCsJhKwyidg/w400-h235/230228%2022%20South%20Stack%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>South Stack lighthouse on Holyhead.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gdJVrB7P3l4fcHcGmOP3zFgjy5bY-YxnV7gEO7dZ8tVqzaW4aYjyb8VMLXdQWfvP7GwBptnwDXtuIL8lu9lzZpx81hT9N13fiC6jaOjOG03k6LtcmIeTVuUemwqiVjB2YwEg4LHz7wfIB3iiHbw9NuofyfVELHiQLZhCG8PbYrTCNLkKArYeN-xCeQ/s3886/230228%2038%20South%20Stack%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2085" data-original-width="3886" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gdJVrB7P3l4fcHcGmOP3zFgjy5bY-YxnV7gEO7dZ8tVqzaW4aYjyb8VMLXdQWfvP7GwBptnwDXtuIL8lu9lzZpx81hT9N13fiC6jaOjOG03k6LtcmIeTVuUemwqiVjB2YwEg4LHz7wfIB3iiHbw9NuofyfVELHiQLZhCG8PbYrTCNLkKArYeN-xCeQ/w400-h215/230228%2038%20South%20Stack%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6qUl0IzT6-bNFX9MszZTrJILUBOsw0lZ7KYeBOf12patQo4ri-LwILZhHziKW4VrX_MKWu2wzp4kLgJKmULA53ZNWIKVFq2yfYk7uTNTtD6Vb_YACnn6pYZV8CQKSzFtPua2bxgABl9xfHGnYSWnrhXCHiPiY1qho0XwEbSKNBCQdZF3YkyLxumoUw/s3999/230301%2001%20Llanfair%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2748" data-original-width="3999" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6qUl0IzT6-bNFX9MszZTrJILUBOsw0lZ7KYeBOf12patQo4ri-LwILZhHziKW4VrX_MKWu2wzp4kLgJKmULA53ZNWIKVFq2yfYk7uTNTtD6Vb_YACnn6pYZV8CQKSzFtPua2bxgABl9xfHGnYSWnrhXCHiPiY1qho0XwEbSKNBCQdZF3YkyLxumoUw/w400-h275/230301%2001%20Llanfair%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKViplagUlc55oPhgLYqzU1QRSxd9PCZrifNRGwt01sJsYZxEtiwTSVFVQaNy5B75ZNxwoFNKnpYE1eOcjnQ9z4uoHBgZ4krZJYyO-6VefeBc8j44DOhoqr-i4Oe7I9PYhajNHDDFD90QyKwTk7D4inU148hYrSVsUo0U3t6q99LyVdw2C6W96OTGxA/s3715/230302%2014%20Newborough%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1742" data-original-width="3715" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKViplagUlc55oPhgLYqzU1QRSxd9PCZrifNRGwt01sJsYZxEtiwTSVFVQaNy5B75ZNxwoFNKnpYE1eOcjnQ9z4uoHBgZ4krZJYyO-6VefeBc8j44DOhoqr-i4Oe7I9PYhajNHDDFD90QyKwTk7D4inU148hYrSVsUo0U3t6q99LyVdw2C6W96OTGxA/w400-h188/230302%2014%20Newborough%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Newborough Country Park</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCdoKz1gLsc8aThDjWl49i7tLY1akolmfu9tUAbcBFmOmhU3awsVlpz8aLb8TEcdKlmaBI947XOVxYtZ04QQTaTnhMocTiFM-7y_uBem0FBTHbuRnY2n3fqOCe8QG5TAqcikqDRRiQuZdLyzcpcHLF2w3hOx1AMBzzgEXlxMtaOXe-cGmOa1HpgQsqg/s767/230303%2023%20Red%20Wharf%20Bay%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="767" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCdoKz1gLsc8aThDjWl49i7tLY1akolmfu9tUAbcBFmOmhU3awsVlpz8aLb8TEcdKlmaBI947XOVxYtZ04QQTaTnhMocTiFM-7y_uBem0FBTHbuRnY2n3fqOCe8QG5TAqcikqDRRiQuZdLyzcpcHLF2w3hOx1AMBzzgEXlxMtaOXe-cGmOa1HpgQsqg/w400-h309/230303%2023%20Red%20Wharf%20Bay%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Last day dinner with our terriffic friends at the Boathouse in Red Wharf Bay.</i></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We chose Leeds Bradford for our second trip to Ireland so that we could go straight to Kate's 70th birthday party in Keighley when we got back.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxXb1np0crLOhjafKCiCiZXc_xgaOAiwLoMuPpjiWEhYyrAPPgm8qZngWwvWDVL8tfqgKHmv-r5iaCGq853dQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />That was a really good do with lots of Kate and Dave's friends that we hadn't seen for yonks. Somehow we found the energy to boogie all night long. We had a night with Kate & Dave, before heading back to the wharf.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So for the first three months of 2023</span> - apart from a short trip to Wales - <span style="font-family: inherit;">we were either working in a coal yard in Cheshire, driving to catch a ferry or a plane, or running around a building site in Northern Ireland. Understandably, we were a bit broken by the end of it all, and things like monthly boat maintenance and this blog had dropped off the list of priorities.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, we did find time to take care of one bit of boat maintenance. In a corner of the workshop at the wharf, Dave noticed an industrial sewing machine. We’d been needing a new cratch cover for a year or two, so we figured that if we bought some material and some new zips, it would not be beyond the wit of man (or Dave) to rustle one up using our old one as a pattern.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhWESW3uJV3g8r6YmxwrU0XieWZBtIH2kxztyLjBDk-t6oasRTSLoyehLe5pPWpjjztcn4i1eoXj05VD6rmnoUzns2XuCHPyqYCIV-a4YdAE7hjj6BMpdVoDhOb4JhPBFGrE3Jo2I2tC8WjmN4Hp5FgIrGt_WyxpIzzM_WcpmTGQMJVHkB4dplpGqbg/s3014/20230314_150132%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3014" data-original-width="2303" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhWESW3uJV3g8r6YmxwrU0XieWZBtIH2kxztyLjBDk-t6oasRTSLoyehLe5pPWpjjztcn4i1eoXj05VD6rmnoUzns2XuCHPyqYCIV-a4YdAE7hjj6BMpdVoDhOb4JhPBFGrE3Jo2I2tC8WjmN4Hp5FgIrGt_WyxpIzzM_WcpmTGQMJVHkB4dplpGqbg/w306-h400/20230314_150132%20(2).jpg" width="306" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Taking our old cratch cover apart.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgc208pb0-BMJc1QcYXmjXwrON8MPZZ2ERhwJpLcj-zgHVPSSWaemu3LvGquFprVEgKgu73CaDU2ad68KkCLlXkU45rU3xI1M_KMFXSBDno-LqIyKFyaCP2mZnwMB2vWg9g4jMdq-8kQIprAQ6VFrXIuvBR658Rfziu6fynuo4eYtTM3m8H1LjAs10A/s3550/20230314_150159%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3550" data-original-width="2303" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgc208pb0-BMJc1QcYXmjXwrON8MPZZ2ERhwJpLcj-zgHVPSSWaemu3LvGquFprVEgKgu73CaDU2ad68KkCLlXkU45rU3xI1M_KMFXSBDno-LqIyKFyaCP2mZnwMB2vWg9g4jMdq-8kQIprAQ6VFrXIuvBR658Rfziu6fynuo4eYtTM3m8H1LjAs10A/w260-h400/20230314_150159%20(2).jpg" width="260" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The new material. It's PVC backed acrylic canvas, so it's inherently waterproof without any treatment and should last for ages. </i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBkGQ51jIRbGGxjGl3jVdXWVZ8M2dfyBHxY603j8VgLsMpMaKAgRk7mP-yc8WfNyiPmZ2RCc-p0iXdBizVBJ23ZKVaFGA5Qk66LW1TBifSBMDT-Y8rKp5N4nOsoW9WVyk3CpyUnnOcNh212VjNOpMOF0LbSqd64JPGPYCbgXUg6BGSemTfdvRZA9Teg/s3876/20230318_163019%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2158" data-original-width="3876" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdBkGQ51jIRbGGxjGl3jVdXWVZ8M2dfyBHxY603j8VgLsMpMaKAgRk7mP-yc8WfNyiPmZ2RCc-p0iXdBizVBJ23ZKVaFGA5Qk66LW1TBifSBMDT-Y8rKp5N4nOsoW9WVyk3CpyUnnOcNh212VjNOpMOF0LbSqd64JPGPYCbgXUg6BGSemTfdvRZA9Teg/w400-h223/20230318_163019%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Our new cover in progress.</i></div><br /> So when we pulled out of Bollington Legend was wearing a new, zippable, and beautifully waterproof front cover. We’re very pleased with it.</span><div><br /></div><div>Somehow, we managed to slot a bit of a social life in-between everything else. Dave and Kate came to stay for a couple of days, and Clive and Fiona came and had dinner while they were here; a fab reunion for all concerned.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhk46dMvv_2xHBg2yPmCG_D5ofW9GG7gs2S_z4nMrAGDOYs3ljhlG9WS6Rj4P6nnbvBZqEyj-tL0-OKSNwFmWPcYOc2WPO_U0NVwqxcA7-kJm__ISC23BoI4URyWgzpCapMa5rkR1AgWJk8AxN5L7J12GO_W6EA44TtKAMLPZhZlPfowtwNfMJbpCaw/s2357/230122%2001%20Jenks%20Weekend%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2357" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhk46dMvv_2xHBg2yPmCG_D5ofW9GG7gs2S_z4nMrAGDOYs3ljhlG9WS6Rj4P6nnbvBZqEyj-tL0-OKSNwFmWPcYOc2WPO_U0NVwqxcA7-kJm__ISC23BoI4URyWgzpCapMa5rkR1AgWJk8AxN5L7J12GO_W6EA44TtKAMLPZhZlPfowtwNfMJbpCaw/w400-h245/230122%2001%20Jenks%20Weekend%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>A lovely catch up with or old 2cv club mates.</i></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span>At the end of March, after lots of goodbyes, tearful hugs and promises of return visits, we left our friends’ cosy yard and moored up about half a mile away on Bollington Aqueduct so we could get to the other side of the boat before moving on. </span>It didn’t take us long to adjust back to our quiet little boating life; Legend got cleaned up after a winter under the trees, Dave caught up with the monthly boat checks, and we felt like ourselves again.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSvErAO6aFpQ7bhtYZ5ndpG5D3eUFW-XAXwPKpbKE7a_-CEbItNjTNPnvn6Qo18CCKcXHHk50Kbno_P0twjMI7jA-GmENqkPMwiyuSDtW6TUbrNa8Sroq8h8haJTZAiNfSHKPoEvnkEEfpEpbuu4j7_ae5UE_89jcAHQ38trW9c1w17l2QZ0ZCUM7Hg/s1394/230204%2001%20Mac%20Parkrun%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1394" data-original-width="1238" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSvErAO6aFpQ7bhtYZ5ndpG5D3eUFW-XAXwPKpbKE7a_-CEbItNjTNPnvn6Qo18CCKcXHHk50Kbno_P0twjMI7jA-GmENqkPMwiyuSDtW6TUbrNa8Sroq8h8haJTZAiNfSHKPoEvnkEEfpEpbuu4j7_ae5UE_89jcAHQ38trW9c1w17l2QZ0ZCUM7Hg/w355-h400/230204%2001%20Mac%20Parkrun%20(2).jpg" width="355" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We’re sorry we left you for so long, Dear Reader, but we’re back now and hope you’ll stay with us. This year our plans include the Standedge Tunnel, the Calder and Hebble and South Yorkshire Navigations, an upstream trip on the River Trent through Newark and Nottingham, (including a run up to the top bit of the Chesterfield that we couldn’t get to last time) and the River Soar through Loughborough and Leicester. Somehow we’re going to squeeze in trips to France and Ireland as well, so there’s plenty of excitement to come.</div></div>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-3003369772251388432022-11-14T08:44:00.000+00:002022-11-14T08:44:27.080+00:00Scholar Green to Bollington. Macclesfield Canal.<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> With Legend moored for more than just one night at Scholar Green, we had the opportunity to do more than just boat and car moves. Dave got a message from Brian saying that Jason on Nb Bargus - one of the Four Counties Fuel Boats - would be single-handing up Heartbreak Hill on the Tuesday morning and would appreciate someone lock wheeling for him if we could spare the time. Dave jumped at the chance. We have developed our own spheres of expertise when it comes to locking. Dave steers the boat and Ann-Marie does the majority of the lock wheeling, which means we get many comments from gongoozlers about Dave loafing about on the back while Ann-Marie does all the hard work. Although that is true, we are perfectly happy with the situation. Ann-Marie gets claustrophobic in the bottom of a lock and loves the chance to chat to people up on the lock side, while Dave is much more at home out of earshot, and he puts his fair share of physical effort in when it comes to firewood.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Incidentally, the term “Lock Wheeling” we think comes not from the act of turning a windlass to open paddles, but from the working boats, when they would use of a bicycle to get back and forth between the locks on a flight, in order to set ahead, close behind and keep the boat moving as swiftly and efficiently as possible. During WWII the “Idle Women” had a crew of three on each pair of boats; one on the motor, one on the butty and one whizzing up and down the towpath on the bike.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, back to Nb Bargus on Heartbreak Hill. Dave was keen to help because it meant he could get to do the locking for a change, so he was up and six and, windlass in hand, off down the flight to find Jason. As he got further down it became apparent that someone had got their wires crossed as there was no sign of anything moving. Dave phoned Jason a couple of times, but it went to </span>voicemail<span style="font-family: inherit;"> and he eventually reached Wheelock without finding him. Later that day, he found out that Jason had gone up on the Monday and would indeed have loved having someone to help. Oh well, at least Dave got a nice walk and Ann-Marie got him out of her hair for a while. She turned our Halloween pumpkin into some very nice soup, and we spent the afternoon cosied up with a fire and a film while it got all wet and windy outside. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was still windy in the morning, but we went out anyway; along part of the Gritstone Trail and up Mow Cop where we nearly got blown off the top.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvChBpq-KwS3f-_AsmFAPk6t1nIApfilpIiBkHTmvucwNimSmDsxUW89-BzbZKF49MRxkZ5ONZwTqQbd56vSPEH8B_8lUkN6p8qtNJwbxapHQGUJw-Y8IrjKrTUGY4TDvpzHJJrI2e45kuVnw8TxoqOtjKH1jkaugFpPu92j-WFP1kurdZCZrMvAZiRA/s3756/20221102_132418079%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1922" data-original-width="3756" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvChBpq-KwS3f-_AsmFAPk6t1nIApfilpIiBkHTmvucwNimSmDsxUW89-BzbZKF49MRxkZ5ONZwTqQbd56vSPEH8B_8lUkN6p8qtNJwbxapHQGUJw-Y8IrjKrTUGY4TDvpzHJJrI2e45kuVnw8TxoqOtjKH1jkaugFpPu92j-WFP1kurdZCZrMvAZiRA/w400-h205/20221102_132418079%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNrIPLo180iELH4HovqicbHz1hlGvilRtESQhnE7Lu-rpOfRcq9e3x85d22RpYaLyXadeQ2CvwvAOYmhUM9uDX_-iR9jY3l3ZrJqpuW3cp7v7JwoIHten5qHVf3PwncQ7s5p8JX6o43wdOvzqA9gXyBjZXDskf3yOxV5BrsBtwYuEpaEJfArTIfvlRw/s2606/20221102_132500504%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2606" data-original-width="2303" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNrIPLo180iELH4HovqicbHz1hlGvilRtESQhnE7Lu-rpOfRcq9e3x85d22RpYaLyXadeQ2CvwvAOYmhUM9uDX_-iR9jY3l3ZrJqpuW3cp7v7JwoIHten5qHVf3PwncQ7s5p8JX6o43wdOvzqA9gXyBjZXDskf3yOxV5BrsBtwYuEpaEJfArTIfvlRw/w354-h400/20221102_132500504%20(2).jpg" width="354" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJwicq5d9yHQRPWZ454WBDJBtU0j8eyHt8FdI-_ViHsLNH9bSroZu780ALsTfK8YSztQe1iH5q6JtCZjkwscP3TZtYvpFzUrN12bIdmxkoHAaq8xlpHd5qWj5emc2pqxqj5wOnjR7x3FIjXyV4QdjuzmwND_ettJGr6oZmNDtrS8vrFmQw9Q23NSpKw/s3604/20221102_135235330%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2137" data-original-width="3604" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJwicq5d9yHQRPWZ454WBDJBtU0j8eyHt8FdI-_ViHsLNH9bSroZu780ALsTfK8YSztQe1iH5q6JtCZjkwscP3TZtYvpFzUrN12bIdmxkoHAaq8xlpHd5qWj5emc2pqxqj5wOnjR7x3FIjXyV4QdjuzmwND_ettJGr6oZmNDtrS8vrFmQw9Q23NSpKw/w400-h238/20221102_135235330%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />When we got back, we found out that Chloe had fallen off her horse and broken her collar bone, poor love. From the x-rays it looks like she may need surgery and a plate to put it right, so she'll be in our thoughts for a while.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While we were stopped Dave got the last bit of painting done on the swan neck, when that’s dry he can get the Turk’s heads cleaned up and whitened and the anchor back in its stowage place and we’ll be back to normal.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You won’t see pictures of the visitor moorings in Congleton on a chocolate box or a jigsaw. “Handy for the shops” is about the most glowing anyone has ever got in describing the stretch of canal that sneaks, unnoticed, through a gloomy cutting and below a motley collection of bridges near the railway station. It’s a shame because it’s quite a nice town. We moored just south of it at Henshall’s bridge where we found some marigolds and cape daisies in the hedge, no doubt abandoned by summer cruisers on their way back to their marina. Ann-Marie re-homed them with the nasturtiums which, considering they’d had at least one severe pruning and it was now November, were still looking quite good. The next day we boated through Congleton and across the aqueduct over the disused railway line to moor up on the </span>offside<span style="font-family: inherit;"> in an old railway loading branch. We’ve moored there before and love it. It’s quiet and secluded with plenty of space and even a bench. If we’d had more time we’d have stayed for much longer, but with Bosley locks only opening on Friday, Saturday and Monday each week, we had to crack on. The next day was a Sunday, so we had an early start and took the car to the middle of the Bosley flight followed by a lovely walk back along the Dane Valley way and a bit more of the Gritstone Trail which took us up and over The Bosley Cloud. It was fabulous to be up there and although it was a bit hazy, the views from the top were terrific.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_JewR5YFzdSfpBQOZfYsp3MVf50eHtLkIKxIKAsCI-QSuHeowLTokgyydKiHy8tXTJqqCCSW8CkSM3GRwubAeuSkaMj0Zfa7Q2z2PNYNiw-iD-PgawuEAiDwb7rgqAd8TePlRsGfjGuWXuXy172ruZOXVIy3TjVhWOmHYAOF2xKDQTQxnntNXk9Jqg/s4080/20221106_102924568%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2043" data-original-width="4080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_JewR5YFzdSfpBQOZfYsp3MVf50eHtLkIKxIKAsCI-QSuHeowLTokgyydKiHy8tXTJqqCCSW8CkSM3GRwubAeuSkaMj0Zfa7Q2z2PNYNiw-iD-PgawuEAiDwb7rgqAd8TePlRsGfjGuWXuXy172ruZOXVIy3TjVhWOmHYAOF2xKDQTQxnntNXk9Jqg/w400-h200/20221106_102924568%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgaJtqk5574Q6Bp5Vg58Pl6FD_kIcw0j6R285AH6XZLo0_bheQGKgTkE1xGKuTxQBwy1I-q6A3z65-tl_20RZM_NdkpJhEey3kCLv_GyVulOOCixlU2fpzcSyQspzv_Pzh3tIQbSzkOr5kVJxCBP4dV3SPoBByOyuT7IOnz4EVvyNSjkKQaCtvKzSSEA/s4067/20221106_103135044%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2011" data-original-width="4067" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgaJtqk5574Q6Bp5Vg58Pl6FD_kIcw0j6R285AH6XZLo0_bheQGKgTkE1xGKuTxQBwy1I-q6A3z65-tl_20RZM_NdkpJhEey3kCLv_GyVulOOCixlU2fpzcSyQspzv_Pzh3tIQbSzkOr5kVJxCBP4dV3SPoBByOyuT7IOnz4EVvyNSjkKQaCtvKzSSEA/w400-h198/20221106_103135044%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiulFvtowRX_lmmdFmBsQW3MBpu4LWAacq28sLxVqywy7PT6unks0bx1bfaRFMO6HcIzVp5sV1OmKB8w0dEWoQr7cqWjMYV_te0jr75aNqMwPDwtOaSBSTvEdqyski_9bKzmiHnbCsfZXShHHZAzuebG8oRWvQhzW-Rs3oJRQtI1ThZKd4uCNxfwhu8Vw/s4096/20221106_103343467%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2077" data-original-width="4096" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiulFvtowRX_lmmdFmBsQW3MBpu4LWAacq28sLxVqywy7PT6unks0bx1bfaRFMO6HcIzVp5sV1OmKB8w0dEWoQr7cqWjMYV_te0jr75aNqMwPDwtOaSBSTvEdqyski_9bKzmiHnbCsfZXShHHZAzuebG8oRWvQhzW-Rs3oJRQtI1ThZKd4uCNxfwhu8Vw/w400-h203/20221106_103343467%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyztOzkTmxryOY46THUrdd2t9t94zsWmu0Xdq_QecexnRVPjmLTgtuGWyQnrubGuhzBSQ6hLalzOfFLBULTl0jx_FV47O1apMroRSgUNedywgGMHQqAtLgE6xDoVFSacymLlA3NaHwU7TmFmTDt36AgChuvladNdvWoxke09IC6jRmPoim4zdrOE9uuQ/s3893/20221106_104820146%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2166" data-original-width="3893" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyztOzkTmxryOY46THUrdd2t9t94zsWmu0Xdq_QecexnRVPjmLTgtuGWyQnrubGuhzBSQ6hLalzOfFLBULTl0jx_FV47O1apMroRSgUNedywgGMHQqAtLgE6xDoVFSacymLlA3NaHwU7TmFmTDt36AgChuvladNdvWoxke09IC6jRmPoim4zdrOE9uuQ/w400-h223/20221106_104820146%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />We pulled the pins and set off as soon as we got back and almost made it to the bottom of Bosley locks before it started raining, ready for our climb up the flight the next day. The locks were open and manned from nine till four, but we had to go off for an appointment first and didn’t get back to Legend until after eleven o’clock. As we were walking down the flight from the carpark, we met the volunteers who were working Adam on Nb Saramanda up the flight. We had a quick chat with him as we passed and found out that he’d only had his boat for six days and had single handed it from Nantwich. Talk about a steep learning curve! We told Adam that we’d be on our way up soon and we’d see him at the top. One of the volunteers reminded us that the last entry was at one o’clock and they locked up at four, no doubt worried that we might make him late for his tea, but unknowingly laying down a gauntlet. When it comes to boat handling, every day is still very much a school day, but we’ve been at this for quite a while now, and with four thousand-odd locks behind us we’ve got a few slick tricks up our sleeves. So they were a bit surprised when, having done eleven of the twelve locks by ourselves, we popped up behind them just as they were locking the top lock, not long after Saramanda had come out of it.</span><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYF8QjLmU8e2dmEpVIME1N0ZXGBan5h_u-2NxWYBu-CiXhJa4LvZg5V23CnnXcTSJ6E_e08DHd2rh1mkTPcb13BPCZ9QJQDu1Mm8c0uBMmrCoKKMLuIElmkFdBJqSxaZ7-aTCxG8BokWcGDZljf4m57NnAoVbD5zsmd9SJJ22tC7djsz4MN5pHUtd-dw/s3735/IMG_20221107_115256%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3735" data-original-width="2101" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYF8QjLmU8e2dmEpVIME1N0ZXGBan5h_u-2NxWYBu-CiXhJa4LvZg5V23CnnXcTSJ6E_e08DHd2rh1mkTPcb13BPCZ9QJQDu1Mm8c0uBMmrCoKKMLuIElmkFdBJqSxaZ7-aTCxG8BokWcGDZljf4m57NnAoVbD5zsmd9SJJ22tC7djsz4MN5pHUtd-dw/w225-h400/IMG_20221107_115256%20(2).jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Entering the bottom lock</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSqv9waVkPNNbeVC0RRN2wav2ZFhY5gkQAaY2LTO6YuPkKElOssymtBWLuPvhvuSLLXvAZ_uV4wSIY_iuaZwfmGHsBZ0p_tw9G0r0UQbmyMTX6aPsiczO-2_dM_EUbEasM0Ae6I78SBSDTN_IgttDPG4uM9dBY2-pFOt3taGn1PZWEyDEPrhXGf-v1g/s3883/IMG_20221107_123039%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1811" data-original-width="3883" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSqv9waVkPNNbeVC0RRN2wav2ZFhY5gkQAaY2LTO6YuPkKElOssymtBWLuPvhvuSLLXvAZ_uV4wSIY_iuaZwfmGHsBZ0p_tw9G0r0UQbmyMTX6aPsiczO-2_dM_EUbEasM0Ae6I78SBSDTN_IgttDPG4uM9dBY2-pFOt3taGn1PZWEyDEPrhXGf-v1g/w400-h186/IMG_20221107_123039%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Halfway up with The Cloud in the background.</i></div><div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9ZTbYmrLIFmxzl95QvlH6bib9N1PZOusA-BIFSOCdB5zW3dSC09uLA5lAxOat3w8tEzfUiaXrW-Lw2cev18_Ig5-yojls4XGwSD9uaJNN0UV4bxWXgQPZ3HJtdFgEKmnCYEhamwvpKQkfw2pJSiPhOD5wpFyZ-KHMf7Ni-Cw_JBvk4_AhCy6Y1F84w/s4284/P1140755%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2312" data-original-width="4284" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9ZTbYmrLIFmxzl95QvlH6bib9N1PZOusA-BIFSOCdB5zW3dSC09uLA5lAxOat3w8tEzfUiaXrW-Lw2cev18_Ig5-yojls4XGwSD9uaJNN0UV4bxWXgQPZ3HJtdFgEKmnCYEhamwvpKQkfw2pJSiPhOD5wpFyZ-KHMf7Ni-Cw_JBvk4_AhCy6Y1F84w/w400-h216/P1140755%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Nearly at the top.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We had thought we’d carry on, but after making full use of the services at the top lock we changed our minds and decided to stay put till the morning. Our next stop was at Gurnett Aqueduct on the outskirts of Macclesfield. We stopped there for a few days while we caught up with all the little jobs on the To-Do list, including an oil change, so there will be fresh oil in the Lister while were not using it. We also went to see Brian and Ann Marie at Bollington Wharf to finalise arrangements for leaving Legend there while we go away. We now just have a huge packing list of stuff to take for seven weeks away - including Christmas and New Year in a foreign country - and another list of things to do to winterise the boat. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So no, Dear Reader, just in case you were wondering, after nearly twelve years of idly messing about on the water, we still haven’t Become Listless.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our last bit of boating in 2022 was from Macclesfield to Bollington where, with an enormous sense of achievement, we tucked Legend in at the wharf.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpoz2ZurJscKb2WWD2-O1V_KFPLth92YxZRZk6qLumraWr5DsWHYwt6bGDlFmNBUVv9RqXzOkMo2s1r5vxIxUwWRT1PqR6m5vGYhMxA-Kp9i8Lj1gEWPiRAcK3bpSXENgFSc3-QN9yW_nDZm7iesCAIJ3112Dgil1l9f25iFhNjMsrmoOJQYmGT2Tr9g/s2333/IMG_20221113_113544%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1338" data-original-width="2333" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpoz2ZurJscKb2WWD2-O1V_KFPLth92YxZRZk6qLumraWr5DsWHYwt6bGDlFmNBUVv9RqXzOkMo2s1r5vxIxUwWRT1PqR6m5vGYhMxA-Kp9i8Lj1gEWPiRAcK3bpSXENgFSc3-QN9yW_nDZm7iesCAIJ3112Dgil1l9f25iFhNjMsrmoOJQYmGT2Tr9g/w400-h230/IMG_20221113_113544%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Arriving at Bollington.</i></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mPgHadjoYXa48oHi6f-xbXKAqD82grjLmlgNi6mvona6NZ3CkDu9u9OrP0nbxU_Bemsy-irtB4Telq4KGpxy2H8Id8zGBLJt10XWu7q-ZBK1Lq_V_nP2Dp0zM0WlIp31PuPgAX7rWeiOZcCodLjdnc2rl34bl98U1YMxUiU6dIn20SG-34X34Piq2A/s4030/20221113_124349975%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2166" data-original-width="4030" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mPgHadjoYXa48oHi6f-xbXKAqD82grjLmlgNi6mvona6NZ3CkDu9u9OrP0nbxU_Bemsy-irtB4Telq4KGpxy2H8Id8zGBLJt10XWu7q-ZBK1Lq_V_nP2Dp0zM0WlIp31PuPgAX7rWeiOZcCodLjdnc2rl34bl98U1YMxUiU6dIn20SG-34X34Piq2A/w400-h215/20221113_124349975%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Legend having a rest for a while.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">On more than one occasion, with all that had gone on over the year, we hadn't honestly believed that we'd make it, but here we were. We could go off to stay with Frankie and Harry and our gorgeous grandchildren till the new year and not worry about the boat.</span><div><br /></div><div>On our final walk back for the car we had a short, sharp climb up White Nancy and along the Saddle of Kerridge in the gorgeous November sunshine..</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFBv6YcMFE0d1SHYqvP91PXs7dDeBOLzCchFK6aEU4QHM6Pp-UMyCD2SqoTYHxgOqKhxOudzKXPDBUbMOQzZLHXEevpzN7aLSk16WFpmUbFFVR0zehy8H09N3k6I96N2l5Y3DYUn-l5jGw1kSNA3kjqJT5_pk0HIfWhd42Ex3A-3zqLOT0WrKDYr72Q/s3421/20221113_133354970%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3421" data-original-width="2286" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFBv6YcMFE0d1SHYqvP91PXs7dDeBOLzCchFK6aEU4QHM6Pp-UMyCD2SqoTYHxgOqKhxOudzKXPDBUbMOQzZLHXEevpzN7aLSk16WFpmUbFFVR0zehy8H09N3k6I96N2l5Y3DYUn-l5jGw1kSNA3kjqJT5_pk0HIfWhd42Ex3A-3zqLOT0WrKDYr72Q/w268-h400/20221113_133354970%20(2).jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgR-nQM3TW-yce6OTnlYDMENq66W1kvj-iz2_6zmx_p1w6KWopKJEI4M_edtzp8HiMpL--Zewl8JdzEm4o1JAKUflAo_HsCqibHXl6hORkkFB9219ARiyevnYK9Sp7AWkn5FlPZ2aBASyyNrk_dajWN57DaycBbNXsAicPiSb2HNToSBWEw2TEBNRYQ/s3382/IMG_20221113_135112%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1838" data-original-width="3382" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgR-nQM3TW-yce6OTnlYDMENq66W1kvj-iz2_6zmx_p1w6KWopKJEI4M_edtzp8HiMpL--Zewl8JdzEm4o1JAKUflAo_HsCqibHXl6hORkkFB9219ARiyevnYK9Sp7AWkn5FlPZ2aBASyyNrk_dajWN57DaycBbNXsAicPiSb2HNToSBWEw2TEBNRYQ/w400-h217/IMG_20221113_135112%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpoxWfAm04MQcC17EYwZCfor7ied4xkWxRui31T7HzkrfJvoqJjz7v9ucJPrhyW69VmjE6XCsmopQrwb4cYA2cU4pOxH7TvUpS_7cGhj-WbtrUT3wxBzEzOq7c6E8uG7xJQHkHQOChjGUM1c0WIVfengYH2-ySf4x_GCea-h4ecV-WK3N0i3YKwhM7Zg/s2575/20221113_141200335%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1748" data-original-width="2575" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpoxWfAm04MQcC17EYwZCfor7ied4xkWxRui31T7HzkrfJvoqJjz7v9ucJPrhyW69VmjE6XCsmopQrwb4cYA2cU4pOxH7TvUpS_7cGhj-WbtrUT3wxBzEzOq7c6E8uG7xJQHkHQOChjGUM1c0WIVfengYH2-ySf4x_GCea-h4ecV-WK3N0i3YKwhM7Zg/w400-h271/20221113_141200335%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We're going to put the blog on hold till we get back, so we'll take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We'll see you in 2023.</span></p></div></div></div>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-17984428195879024802022-11-06T06:15:00.000+00:002022-11-06T06:15:00.912+00:00Middlewich to Scholar Green. Middlewich Branch, Trent and Mersey Canal, Macclesfield Canal.<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The lock keeper at the end of the Middlewich Branch was quite surprised when Ann-Marie told him we were turning right and going up the Trent and Mersey. Every other boat he’d let through that morning had turned left and gone down towards the hire bases and marinas in Middlewich and Anderton. The half term holiday marks the end of “the Season” for a good 90% of boaters, and the difference in the week afterwards is always quite dramatic. All the way to Wheelock and up the Cheshire Locks - affectionally known as Heartbreak Hill – we hardly saw anyone moving.</span></p><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8btmFSCu0X7Jmy8JXjBZc_N0VrRJyWrRfGCU9ARTRlVN4rd8fwVrH0x3Mn7dHajRMOtcQCgUw_kSWDKHbmNcvwh9E6pvCMn_jiJLb1H3pL4IH3gMxfZwwEZZzoEW4ReMBv5PrTx4r3HCqsNqy2TIeCznbrX_QnzEmUaBJFD80Cgyy4zCuhKJ6HUafhw/s3776/P1140742%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1830" data-original-width="3776" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8btmFSCu0X7Jmy8JXjBZc_N0VrRJyWrRfGCU9ARTRlVN4rd8fwVrH0x3Mn7dHajRMOtcQCgUw_kSWDKHbmNcvwh9E6pvCMn_jiJLb1H3pL4IH3gMxfZwwEZZzoEW4ReMBv5PrTx4r3HCqsNqy2TIeCznbrX_QnzEmUaBJFD80Cgyy4zCuhKJ6HUafhw/w400-h194/P1140742%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><i>Heading up the T&M toward Wheelock. We only saw one other moving boat all day.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGPPUFr8qZ1mWKocJRvKLxnuPttk_Hft8PUlvR_EGs9Cu_qQXhFT8uSsx7vJApyqUzjcVvObuudk--TAb0NjtFaFk7YFebdnGCPfTaRFVmueVIcsrPcC4_FPjyWARjJqluaQlqQuaQgY6Mrlb5bew4ibha84Pn13fcICDqkxxEBdvmpUsDrEruK-Tzw/s3295/20221029_173402889%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1730" data-original-width="3295" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGPPUFr8qZ1mWKocJRvKLxnuPttk_Hft8PUlvR_EGs9Cu_qQXhFT8uSsx7vJApyqUzjcVvObuudk--TAb0NjtFaFk7YFebdnGCPfTaRFVmueVIcsrPcC4_FPjyWARjJqluaQlqQuaQgY6Mrlb5bew4ibha84Pn13fcICDqkxxEBdvmpUsDrEruK-Tzw/w400-h210/20221029_173402889%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><i>Sunset at Wheelock.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPd5PKzQWkOq1C5ssEJI70hNgi2UloOeFZ7xtLIjHsh-TKy4MQ84HqAPG8leNcDxIbwmnYBrhFPaSdiWEstOHqPH0EU0t66XR5xtpLmOiszKS3Qb5unlkZYVxHboClh8-Eq0kjw9ISzQBGPqw_7Jzv2onaZMTPn3bx34-yht-P8gvwaF5BMhJfjMFx3Q/s4420/P1140747%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2059" data-original-width="4420" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPd5PKzQWkOq1C5ssEJI70hNgi2UloOeFZ7xtLIjHsh-TKy4MQ84HqAPG8leNcDxIbwmnYBrhFPaSdiWEstOHqPH0EU0t66XR5xtpLmOiszKS3Qb5unlkZYVxHboClh8-Eq0kjw9ISzQBGPqw_7Jzv2onaZMTPn3bx34-yht-P8gvwaF5BMhJfjMFx3Q/w400-h186/P1140747%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><i>Dave's favourite bridge. You can see it from a truck on the M6, and he did. Often.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRDCK8Wp3N2tOfPCx7eDdwc3BvVojer-VnAEARli42ZvHCEeZTpauxGhBOT2M9NZgRclrUyjfg6b4Yz0su_AD8JdDdH9_C4Bb_FeRlTzLT0clhEnS_GMl4QbIFFxYS0igRl-06-mDn8OCUNCO5v7RKfiOCey-ExzyB74JRg7tYzJtNEkJzFFHurVMDw/s4400/P1140748%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4400" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRDCK8Wp3N2tOfPCx7eDdwc3BvVojer-VnAEARli42ZvHCEeZTpauxGhBOT2M9NZgRclrUyjfg6b4Yz0su_AD8JdDdH9_C4Bb_FeRlTzLT0clhEnS_GMl4QbIFFxYS0igRl-06-mDn8OCUNCO5v7RKfiOCey-ExzyB74JRg7tYzJtNEkJzFFHurVMDw/w400-h204/P1140748%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Climbing Heartbreak Hill</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yit3s90bGnW1q6ykmJ3RCg_Nc0YVgTTiF0_IJueKUF1i_X2OH5RvlnyHe-QWOkuhsjfnjx7wITalkSrPB0MJKYTmkxhZVjHoOjAeHPgigPn5hkXzPNRyu5hbYLX6Bai41HHOYzTJVd4QoLINiedURAj8ok1t1Sd-u-3JP-kkzrW0pYkkK9OJ-ItZEA/s3607/P1140750%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1701" data-original-width="3607" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yit3s90bGnW1q6ykmJ3RCg_Nc0YVgTTiF0_IJueKUF1i_X2OH5RvlnyHe-QWOkuhsjfnjx7wITalkSrPB0MJKYTmkxhZVjHoOjAeHPgigPn5hkXzPNRyu5hbYLX6Bai41HHOYzTJVd4QoLINiedURAj8ok1t1Sd-u-3JP-kkzrW0pYkkK9OJ-ItZEA/w400-h189/P1140750%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><i>Our last lock on the flight.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFhh7nqEEv3Pac8qwaCRZv3aefAGPc2lH9ZyWWGfBVMNyxfVZ1mwFhWJXDd9qS6pVedGiLw9BRk3Y9YFYp8mvrZyoXDL5M147WXRQ7mKI4Pce6xSZLVhMPn25o2IApjX6axgCMkeguJotyDcVHtgR1mvBdDxh44ytuc-rR1sMBrzssl5YhjXUHdBkwQ/s3941/P1140749%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2066" data-original-width="3941" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFhh7nqEEv3Pac8qwaCRZv3aefAGPc2lH9ZyWWGfBVMNyxfVZ1mwFhWJXDd9qS6pVedGiLw9BRk3Y9YFYp8mvrZyoXDL5M147WXRQ7mKI4Pce6xSZLVhMPn25o2IApjX6axgCMkeguJotyDcVHtgR1mvBdDxh44ytuc-rR1sMBrzssl5YhjXUHdBkwQ/w400-h210/P1140749%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Canal Tavern at the top of the </span>locks<span style="font-family: inherit;"> must have been a welcome sight for many a working boater.</span></i></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Many years ago, before we left the house, we had a weekend helping our good friend Brian with coal and diesel deliveries on the fuel boat Alton. On that occasion we lock-wheeled all</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>of Heartbreak </span><span>Hill and</span><span> went through Harecastle Tunnel in one day. This time, with just the two of us and car moves to do, we had a couple of one-night stops on the way up. First, just before Wheelock and then </span><span>halfway</span><span> up the locks at Rode Heath. In Kidsgrove we stopped for services, then at the curious Harding’s Wood junction, rather than heading straight on to the tunnel, we turned right, off the T&M, looped round to go parallel to it, then went back over it on an aqueduct and onto the Macclesfield Canal.</span></span><div><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNB5O36jgYkI3nQEXbBNQ8ro3OKrmcEkAsPqvW_iWOEuSxD_0sJGsdw5MGYFbTozweVZGRz6V5S6xIn02x9GlS5TmZojmmPO7YK4pP7p38UE554vCiJm31bW7hCQaB3yyzQJ1VKnMyJQnDLSYWaYUwL0zrv1WDjqmm3AToHD09JMd3ycCtQ8Vl2Xv50A/s3997/P1140751%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2032" data-original-width="3997" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNB5O36jgYkI3nQEXbBNQ8ro3OKrmcEkAsPqvW_iWOEuSxD_0sJGsdw5MGYFbTozweVZGRz6V5S6xIn02x9GlS5TmZojmmPO7YK4pP7p38UE554vCiJm31bW7hCQaB3yyzQJ1VKnMyJQnDLSYWaYUwL0zrv1WDjqmm3AToHD09JMd3ycCtQ8Vl2Xv50A/w400-h204/P1140751%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Turning off the T&M onto the Mac at Harding's Wood junction.</i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmFHP49NYuulChWvmV_pCLj5lkEpc-R9JhCi-o4K0Cjl8b284dEjy7CQaM70pU51CC3Nba-NM_JwaK9UTWN15jVkWVmbRhRmd4cWROvEH51QUBRD791ilI3CFRPRu3eBy7FXq268kLywqbP0LZ_Pn5gHTjkdt-yGTIYW4vYx8hGvbZc_zlAe-4_kwMg/s1348/Screenshot_20221106-053939%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1348" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmFHP49NYuulChWvmV_pCLj5lkEpc-R9JhCi-o4K0Cjl8b284dEjy7CQaM70pU51CC3Nba-NM_JwaK9UTWN15jVkWVmbRhRmd4cWROvEH51QUBRD791ilI3CFRPRu3eBy7FXq268kLywqbP0LZ_Pn5gHTjkdt-yGTIYW4vYx8hGvbZc_zlAe-4_kwMg/w214-h400/Screenshot_20221106-053939%5B1%5D.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Harding's Wood. Up the locks, turn right, round the loop and back over the aqueduct.</i></div><br />Modern motorway junctions do this sort of 'loop around' shenanigans all the time, but in its day, Harding’s Wood Junction must have been looked upon in awe. Another of Thomas Telford’s engineering miracles.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We tied up just north of Poole Aqueduct, then moved on to Scholar Green the next day. That night was Halloween, and our 25</span><sup><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes'; vertical-align: super;">th</span></sup><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> "Getting Together” anniversary, so we put a pumpkin on the roof, lit a bunch of candles, smartened ourselves up and went out trick or treating. Well ok, no tricks and just the one treat; a very nice celebratory dinner in the Rifleman’s Arms. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Scholar Green was the first time we’d been able to stop for more than one night since leaving the dry dock. Our mission was to get up Bosley locks, between Congleton and Macclesfield in order to get to Bollington where Brian (you remember Brian with the fuel boat?) now owns and runs <a href="https://www.bollington-wharf.com/" target="_blank">Bollington Wharf </a>and had agreed to let us leave Legend there while we went to France for an extended stay. Dave had offered to give Harry a hand in the workshop, he'd be doing the day-to-day and general dog's body </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">stuff so that Harry could get a couple of projects finished. Ann-Marie and Frankie were both looking forward to a lovely long spell with Thibault and Axelle, but the whole thing hinged on getting the boat somewhere safe. The Bosley flight had been closed due to water restrictions since early on in the summer, but CRT had allowed bookings for boats to get back to marinas and winter moorings during half term. We hadn’t been able to get there in time for that, but our hope was that if we got close, and they allowed more passages, we’d be ready. Naturally, although CRT couldn’t commit to any future promises, they were constantly monitoring the situation. After half term, Karma stepped in and had a word with the rain gods, leading CRT to </span>declare that<span style="font-family: inherit;"> there had indeed been sufficient rainfall to allow for continued passages up and down Bosley, albeit only three days a week. So, Cinderella, you shall go to the ball. Our plans would work, Legend would be safe and sound, and we could have a lovely long family holiday in the south of France.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">For the time being though, we could breathe a sigh of relief and slow down long enough for the blue tits to find our bird table.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-46491136506199152922022-11-02T11:27:00.000+00:002022-11-02T11:27:08.217+00:00Northwich Dry dock to Middlewich. River Weaver, Manchester Ship Canal, Shropshire Union Canal, Middlewich Branch.<p> <span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Occasionally, the logistics of having a car and being Continuous Cruisers get a little complicated. Most of the time we just move it along a bit then walk back down the tow path and collect the boat, or vice versa. We enjoy</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> the walk</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">, it keeps us fit, </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">we usually incorporate some shopping or a visit to somewhere </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">and it really isn’t an inconvenience. However, when there are big moves involved, especially if they involve rivers, it requires a bit of planning. After leaving the dry dock in Northwich we had to go back down the Weaver, the Manchester Ship Canal, the Shroppie and the Middlewich branch, retracing our steps round the big circle that had got us there. As we would be heading south on the T&M when we got to Middlewich, (rather than </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">n</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">orth back to Northwich) we couldn’t leave the car behind like we did the last time, so we needed to come up with a different cunning plan. Yes, Dear Reader, it would indeed be ever so easy to get a bus from Middlewich to Northwich, but where’s the challenge in that? It would also mean un-knotting the purse strings, and you know how reluctant we are to do that. We studied the map and found the ideal spot; just round the corner from Screwfix in an industrial estate in Winsford, which was about a mile and a half from the Middlewich branch, and a nice five mile walk back along the riverbank back to Northwich. The 48hr moorings below Hunt’s Lock gave us the perfect opportunity to clean a week’s worth of dust and muck off Legend’s roof, put all our ropes into soak and get the car moved.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">And then we were off. First stop was the services on the river in Northwich. There had been a fair bit of rain in the previous couple of days, which was great news for our plans as it meant there was a good chance that the Cheshire locks and the Bosley flight would be open again, allowing us to get up the Macclesfield canal for the winter. However, it also meant that there was a good flow going down the river, making mooring up on the services quite tricky. We’d forgotten how quickly things get exciting on a flowing river, especially as our good ropes were in the wash and we were using our reserves, but we managed to make the turn and moored up pointing into the flow. Going with the river past the boat lift and back down to Runcorn was really speedy.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8f0NA8A6vbytgfXZ5ltyq2m-auhruSCtH9xtoJs_q_p_tvR6u-bUKVPvSBabK0EWWa21C6QwpJPbzLqca6IX-MZe5hYEv_VXkE_em1vIkZCIcqEtjTVgHaNPYcdh1voDmSfuTNerNVUUMpOzGJYzxwpdoIqCMBOFZEjn-843uk-t4s4tq9-erltmaA/s3735/20221023_135057427%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1786" data-original-width="3735" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8f0NA8A6vbytgfXZ5ltyq2m-auhruSCtH9xtoJs_q_p_tvR6u-bUKVPvSBabK0EWWa21C6QwpJPbzLqca6IX-MZe5hYEv_VXkE_em1vIkZCIcqEtjTVgHaNPYcdh1voDmSfuTNerNVUUMpOzGJYzxwpdoIqCMBOFZEjn-843uk-t4s4tq9-erltmaA/w400-h191/20221023_135057427%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLmuQshb4i0X3ROunbo_w-20_OaEeLI2KMIiSOIG--q8su52ybIlXgmplBNJnTZvwHeh_thNgnDhYtlwBWRZ-LlukHXsic5NKROVqWiJ4jDMlEOVXkl_LPonZn_ISfpFF1tZGJbw3TGbb0FP9oALn5VenftNy9Hb00ZjJRInHxtjr_nuLQc94lF56DA/s4029/P1140694%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1740" data-original-width="4029" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLmuQshb4i0X3ROunbo_w-20_OaEeLI2KMIiSOIG--q8su52ybIlXgmplBNJnTZvwHeh_thNgnDhYtlwBWRZ-LlukHXsic5NKROVqWiJ4jDMlEOVXkl_LPonZn_ISfpFF1tZGJbw3TGbb0FP9oALn5VenftNy9Hb00ZjJRInHxtjr_nuLQc94lF56DA/w400-h173/P1140694%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />We stopped at Barnton Cut and Sutton Weaver on the way down, both of which are on canalised lock channels.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSz_YqRHNxtZelE5h_W0KzIUI25z2953NlsDottNvOiGdCgfhHyK4teYq2sOU7FyAFscu_JHHzQT4_Xv_1Gp2Lazi3P8FBnt8VXOJ5DLS8Xd9C_DJv15O7j8OqfTFu7-R9K5N7Ydxip8bDk60DpXVNobTtK4BvSwReTT0QX_uqDnFIGo7Lqc9Y5pbvug/s4365/P1140693%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1899" data-original-width="4365" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSz_YqRHNxtZelE5h_W0KzIUI25z2953NlsDottNvOiGdCgfhHyK4teYq2sOU7FyAFscu_JHHzQT4_Xv_1Gp2Lazi3P8FBnt8VXOJ5DLS8Xd9C_DJv15O7j8OqfTFu7-R9K5N7Ydxip8bDk60DpXVNobTtK4BvSwReTT0QX_uqDnFIGo7Lqc9Y5pbvug/w400-h174/P1140693%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />On these calm sections there is very little flow, which makes mooring very easy; you don’t have to turn into the stream or any of that </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">malarkey</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">, but they still go up and down as the flow on the main river increases and decreases. At Sutton Weaver there was a submerged shelf</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> along the bank below the moorings</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> It only stuck out about six </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">inches,</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> and we didn’t notice it when we tied up because the river was quite high. Later on, as it went down,</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> Legend caught on it, making us lean over. Dave went out in the rain and pushed us off. Then </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">it</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> went down</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> further</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">, the ropes </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">tightened,</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> and we leaned the other </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">way,</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> so he went out again and loosened us off a bit. Predictably, we woke up at about five in the morning back on the shelf again. It felt like the river was playing some </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">childish</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> game.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">A bit later that morning, at a more sensible time, we phoned the Ship Canal Harbour Master to make sure they were expecting us and to check on any shipping movements. He gave us the all clear, so with a couple of hours to kill before our booking through Marsh Lock, we had a little cruise past the lock along the rest of the Western Canal.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3m4OqJ3aMOJaxXKB39kuIL42KwLkh7gXFEhxJb6N0IiZDHJxPHCmS1zCJ2ZtY6YPFr-HzN-d0nG8LVV-tf7qnb0FB_copOozggBxCNaLwGgJooMoQPmtSS9AaFaYBCUnfu-3p7m6EDfXDMUaBy9AG5zXY-lKIwACio79JH3ukLCLYtQWu2dsERQSfuQ/s1600/c823855f-4b80-4337-909a-c529494769d2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3m4OqJ3aMOJaxXKB39kuIL42KwLkh7gXFEhxJb6N0IiZDHJxPHCmS1zCJ2ZtY6YPFr-HzN-d0nG8LVV-tf7qnb0FB_copOozggBxCNaLwGgJooMoQPmtSS9AaFaYBCUnfu-3p7m6EDfXDMUaBy9AG5zXY-lKIwACio79JH3ukLCLYtQWu2dsERQSfuQ/w400-h225/c823855f-4b80-4337-909a-c529494769d2.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />We thought we’d get to Western Point </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">L</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">ock right at the end, but just after the junction with the derelict Runcorn and Western Canal we found a low bridge that stopped us.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7k71uSD6xYS9HSEh7kS5L48cUVUdsPenPvUjLF1fPu4tVDHJWX6rGTofWJ4zV94LyxcESusyNjloUpf-RMrpa2FKNNladAZl9z_qVH_WBGpOxCRF-LRjAzWv2s7TM1nZJYqebVIVoC_WyhD0vFHUI35jc8B9Q96iL06FTgRq_cME_CCHbBLyZLKiIw/s2320/20221025_094106321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="2320" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7k71uSD6xYS9HSEh7kS5L48cUVUdsPenPvUjLF1fPu4tVDHJWX6rGTofWJ4zV94LyxcESusyNjloUpf-RMrpa2FKNNladAZl9z_qVH_WBGpOxCRF-LRjAzWv2s7TM1nZJYqebVIVoC_WyhD0vFHUI35jc8B9Q96iL06FTgRq_cME_CCHbBLyZLKiIw/w400-h185/20221025_094106321.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMs9fMuXYzYmwMSS8NSr6DKyYTXoHc24Lw5McAh7YxfFlIbEVfmc5jVutvn1Qw6LSJwm4c-YN2o2uKWtX-z0mk4pKqsHADrBo8u3k-_OBsmLbeNzzsoBYdf9bYWk_m7AiZDifaF67VIPuIEyctd9gdMySh1TQC-J0QWGc-CT3eqrXLqrR9N2Fk8Q-I4w/s3296/20221025_094127102%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1483" data-original-width="3296" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMs9fMuXYzYmwMSS8NSr6DKyYTXoHc24Lw5McAh7YxfFlIbEVfmc5jVutvn1Qw6LSJwm4c-YN2o2uKWtX-z0mk4pKqsHADrBo8u3k-_OBsmLbeNzzsoBYdf9bYWk_m7AiZDifaF67VIPuIEyctd9gdMySh1TQC-J0QWGc-CT3eqrXLqrR9N2Fk8Q-I4w/w400-h180/20221025_094127102%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><i>The old lock gates leading to the derelict Runcorn and Western canal.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />It might have been possible to swing the bridge and carry on, but we didn’t have time to find out, so we turned round and went back to Marsh lock where we found two CRT lock keepers waiting to let us out onto the MSC.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7f27SrKDPEAcTqhrYW7BrHviL3HOS_qAhvucckXAj0W2gBX1D4D5vCOESWbFoBJPL_m2xBfL-kogWlDtDvRCPRDtSFuWt22-YOLi9ix9z2CZWx9qZ2q-W9FGDozCSlWZDQtcC7Xp9ult-bBDNiqcpPFDUsv09tOrbANT_PjQYlRVAGrzpOOAit3r34A/s4500/P1140703%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2237" data-original-width="4500" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7f27SrKDPEAcTqhrYW7BrHviL3HOS_qAhvucckXAj0W2gBX1D4D5vCOESWbFoBJPL_m2xBfL-kogWlDtDvRCPRDtSFuWt22-YOLi9ix9z2CZWx9qZ2q-W9FGDozCSlWZDQtcC7Xp9ult-bBDNiqcpPFDUsv09tOrbANT_PjQYlRVAGrzpOOAit3r34A/w400-h199/P1140703%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br />The difference in the Ship Canal from the last time was incredible. It was calm and sunny, there were only two big ships on it and they were both tied up in the docks on the Mersey side.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9bskl5msqapyW5RikzOig3kxbD1qTyjlSucfDclq1cT-KqZqoKJoMD6wI3yf33t0DH9S-rdVN_KTooz42-RnmZRQDirrFlYa2kbcObWQ4NzrZdSohqtfnG_g-LnvRPagnAs72zAXnpc9O2CnUzdu9sSVMdfwR13_jD8G8MykSwgi7K65FM4-vfLMFA/s3260/20221025_102656741%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="3260" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9bskl5msqapyW5RikzOig3kxbD1qTyjlSucfDclq1cT-KqZqoKJoMD6wI3yf33t0DH9S-rdVN_KTooz42-RnmZRQDirrFlYa2kbcObWQ4NzrZdSohqtfnG_g-LnvRPagnAs72zAXnpc9O2CnUzdu9sSVMdfwR13_jD8G8MykSwgi7K65FM4-vfLMFA/w400-h144/20221025_102656741%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGiyZpuLINhMPgDVV0-1h-7qDUBVuqHsphgIaBUqRG_Li0J6m1m6lp8NZ21xxJekSZskMvRLlyWwIQOLsA6wowFNRmlakAzuuYlfWUGn63Az7QCxcWedE7TvFrqFmjj4f8DWw_Gyy-H6MDKNwoRCzsGegqEqvDC28UE9c7KByhccvZ5A-EbnCLZhax6w/s4491/P1140707%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2224" data-original-width="4491" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGiyZpuLINhMPgDVV0-1h-7qDUBVuqHsphgIaBUqRG_Li0J6m1m6lp8NZ21xxJekSZskMvRLlyWwIQOLsA6wowFNRmlakAzuuYlfWUGn63Az7QCxcWedE7TvFrqFmjj4f8DWw_Gyy-H6MDKNwoRCzsGegqEqvDC28UE9c7KByhccvZ5A-EbnCLZhax6w/w400-h198/P1140707%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZdpI9mqW1rbahIh1ZFGkWcqBELYcUYH-AHTh5OWwb9J7tpVNFUMklwZzpf-raUd0x7BW-WLyYBlIoXaHPjvdoUvA9g0FkPErFOqPr3jAaocsuhAbJKE9AeY0a9c2xZuYPmEGpYOumhGGWRzWJmBmA0krLzA0Ju6xShoUZ0VfXmpm6QbZYeADuj2bcg/s4010/P1140711%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1842" data-original-width="4010" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZdpI9mqW1rbahIh1ZFGkWcqBELYcUYH-AHTh5OWwb9J7tpVNFUMklwZzpf-raUd0x7BW-WLyYBlIoXaHPjvdoUvA9g0FkPErFOqPr3jAaocsuhAbJKE9AeY0a9c2xZuYPmEGpYOumhGGWRzWJmBmA0krLzA0Ju6xShoUZ0VfXmpm6QbZYeADuj2bcg/w400-h184/P1140711%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"><i>The view of the Mersey Estuary, just over the bank.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwqmV1CQm4gdoXvbqMaiehM9AnwBvrXiuR70sCvMRV-OqajboCAW6kEREqZ_xUNzWz-RELXHzH0u7KKWPniZSWeg_Y-eNfnqLsgnu-P53CXvK8nD5xW24dvbwzLUcSwyLwG77pbZ96mIpVbbA9P43bnflJjhCd1lMpJCliIbTPqTRJoIlfo_Mhc5bnA/s4589/P1140706%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2243" data-original-width="4589" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwqmV1CQm4gdoXvbqMaiehM9AnwBvrXiuR70sCvMRV-OqajboCAW6kEREqZ_xUNzWz-RELXHzH0u7KKWPniZSWeg_Y-eNfnqLsgnu-P53CXvK8nD5xW24dvbwzLUcSwyLwG77pbZ96mIpVbbA9P43bnflJjhCd1lMpJCliIbTPqTRJoIlfo_Mhc5bnA/w400-h195/P1140706%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">A flock of Lapwings kept us entertained with their aerial acrobatics.</span></i><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqPedW_1VYaeT8MdFqhaWlkwl8eoaQ-JMhC-Wk-W88h_9uOTOdF5MKRPFVRUvq4XEyMLE2UVxQM_-fcwndpQgyznDFj5J7mLDrZFthK3-xQwXePnFkJy3SBaJaqinkvLPGKWkk36eYPfNDC1vfCIlmLONGWfTM0ZtlO8087hbH8Gi7oHSNwZ-Zt76p2g/s4103/P1140722%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2191" data-original-width="4103" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqPedW_1VYaeT8MdFqhaWlkwl8eoaQ-JMhC-Wk-W88h_9uOTOdF5MKRPFVRUvq4XEyMLE2UVxQM_-fcwndpQgyznDFj5J7mLDrZFthK3-xQwXePnFkJy3SBaJaqinkvLPGKWkk36eYPfNDC1vfCIlmLONGWfTM0ZtlO8087hbH8Gi7oHSNwZ-Zt76p2g/w400-h214/P1140722%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The only thing we saw moving was the little crew ferry at Stanlow.</span></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittYP_ZiMRlWUAa0rHT8aDsFZQsJC81sy5E_X9atWhFs9blni_ViUO229hNPBWTjlP_9bBykeWxN4tT8KOEfWMH9Ha6he28v1j0_RUJ3q9OD-Lr1LdEWw4T1X7-87GEG6ekpeA46gvrVI121bgf7EOWyX7DQhzW0rxh9K1QXhirssz2iCQUIc5ZxD_jw/s3674/P1140718%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="3674" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittYP_ZiMRlWUAa0rHT8aDsFZQsJC81sy5E_X9atWhFs9blni_ViUO229hNPBWTjlP_9bBykeWxN4tT8KOEfWMH9Ha6he28v1j0_RUJ3q9OD-Lr1LdEWw4T1X7-87GEG6ekpeA46gvrVI121bgf7EOWyX7DQhzW0rxh9K1QXhirssz2iCQUIc5ZxD_jw/w400-h186/P1140718%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br />About </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">halfway</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> down we heard on the radio that the </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">2,000-tonne</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> dredger<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV2P7BcXFfo" target="_blank"> Deo Gloria </a>was coming into Eastham Lock off the Mersey and heading for the QEII dock, we thought we would be crossing bows, but the harbour master very kindly held it back till we were safely in the lock at Ellesmere Port so we didn’t see it.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mk5GaiiHkAJGB9xsFXv0DU3_pfUTN-yHU0Q6LvlOF66bx8VnSLtuYJTnBQNcHm5SiQUNvLEn2lK-EPE7oVU46A53OQuQpFlTAq36ge0hb5vOlVunUbeGQwopRTXbxR9GWmNzz0_0KkLQCTYNQSB09C9fn1u_S1z9h8n37mYLf5Y4DjOxEjqXsC5iKg/s4571/P1140728%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2449" data-original-width="4571" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mk5GaiiHkAJGB9xsFXv0DU3_pfUTN-yHU0Q6LvlOF66bx8VnSLtuYJTnBQNcHm5SiQUNvLEn2lK-EPE7oVU46A53OQuQpFlTAq36ge0hb5vOlVunUbeGQwopRTXbxR9GWmNzz0_0KkLQCTYNQSB09C9fn1u_S1z9h8n37mYLf5Y4DjOxEjqXsC5iKg/w400-h214/P1140728%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>Heading towards Ellesmere port lock entrance.</i></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjruWvoEwIrC5SnbcsEe2p_OcCxrUirUnmnT4NRLezy3hMWNYwvDpjOx7Ek0f7Lb0YYOgsGtRmqbJLefOcNgBYdzyucSiCK9N_YV_xnmwxsAO5G_1J1obBF0K8FwAcojfsfJ6PQlarHN3qcudzWDPJ8EceXEMV8th1EEjzgAe-LcDZX_i24Y1ssy-2-ww/s4089/P1140729%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2097" data-original-width="4089" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjruWvoEwIrC5SnbcsEe2p_OcCxrUirUnmnT4NRLezy3hMWNYwvDpjOx7Ek0f7Lb0YYOgsGtRmqbJLefOcNgBYdzyucSiCK9N_YV_xnmwxsAO5G_1J1obBF0K8FwAcojfsfJ6PQlarHN3qcudzWDPJ8EceXEMV8th1EEjzgAe-LcDZX_i24Y1ssy-2-ww/w400-h205/P1140729%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Turning in...</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqGIrrhDlTmyxMzFbab4JPLOOF_T1C1I_66sOMj8lywM4RY0_37Q4CPKj8qbXeK4Ysez6OMPsFdYh374V_kDYx-JMZ6HDD9XHjnyv_sYQIYvQ--dtsizPUyX92MAauII80XLCFGFzuN4k5R2oA7YOIiueKUiFfOA_xtWO8YouEygzmmi1pZMlpWwsNA/s3631/20221025_120142557%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1819" data-original-width="3631" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqGIrrhDlTmyxMzFbab4JPLOOF_T1C1I_66sOMj8lywM4RY0_37Q4CPKj8qbXeK4Ysez6OMPsFdYh374V_kDYx-JMZ6HDD9XHjnyv_sYQIYvQ--dtsizPUyX92MAauII80XLCFGFzuN4k5R2oA7YOIiueKUiFfOA_xtWO8YouEygzmmi1pZMlpWwsNA/w400-h200/20221025_120142557%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>...and safely in the lock.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div> Ann-Marie caught a glimpse of the dredger going past as we were working up Ellesmere Port locks. It was a bit bigger than the dredgers we usually come across. </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQjm3LDAs3A5CpjjPeuJKRv-2Sh8unMzgmfAZeT5N0zpwvqYauVCHVrV3idmeH4izyvNkE8lAqJXkjZf05nBO5fKifvvzifETu6NsVooH-JlIJs-R5xhAs3irk2OsWhd0JD970UDSOcLqUaGtXRyhIwscYHr-DOtYSg0v-HqiKvuoAjIClMGyVP0zDA/s2000/e0541a46-bab5-4ec6-8d3f-84818945e46b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="2000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQjm3LDAs3A5CpjjPeuJKRv-2Sh8unMzgmfAZeT5N0zpwvqYauVCHVrV3idmeH4izyvNkE8lAqJXkjZf05nBO5fKifvvzifETu6NsVooH-JlIJs-R5xhAs3irk2OsWhd0JD970UDSOcLqUaGtXRyhIwscYHr-DOtYSg0v-HqiKvuoAjIClMGyVP0zDA/w400-h225/e0541a46-bab5-4ec6-8d3f-84818945e46b.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>Working up the locks in the museum.</i></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">We got up the Shroppie to the top of the Chester staircase locks by close of play that day,</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> about 20 miles from where we started. It was really lovely going up the staircase; two very nice volunteers and lots of very interested Gongoozlers to chat to.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9S5zHOt0w2H2un3XHpPGOOEYW8M2fcu5v9CWoqsvYZuUF9OjUVnMVThMUGeaAkKJBLoJwimfOXvBWRBjiyrWqBiefDnDsQoB1PIHjPpawLeP9NaSr7aPMx5Vn1jeCcqZzUX9Pn5U1tVrs-UQGstpgBHtARRtWykEhmr5lYpoKKn-ysfyljcJG_SonZA/s1600/97fa1ba3-5dd5-496f-87f9-bb10626437fd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9S5zHOt0w2H2un3XHpPGOOEYW8M2fcu5v9CWoqsvYZuUF9OjUVnMVThMUGeaAkKJBLoJwimfOXvBWRBjiyrWqBiefDnDsQoB1PIHjPpawLeP9NaSr7aPMx5Vn1jeCcqZzUX9Pn5U1tVrs-UQGstpgBHtARRtWykEhmr5lYpoKKn-ysfyljcJG_SonZA/w225-h400/97fa1ba3-5dd5-496f-87f9-bb10626437fd.jpg" width="225" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrDJ_ThY5pzedEppWklA7u2YSsftbSRhfB_VQHFcPxs6Y59zBDEHP3bJDnh0Y7ipVKf2uiOR3hCbk2W0NgORBrKwQ8NZHyMQi3L27jyZ-Cbs72-G38ytFxMaCQzEofT9ma4mKvjnKscE-YPKnwBCt4P-mML5bU0oLdcwkWrS-0aLBhrE-rNBwUBiE_w/s4608/P1140732%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2274" data-original-width="4608" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrDJ_ThY5pzedEppWklA7u2YSsftbSRhfB_VQHFcPxs6Y59zBDEHP3bJDnh0Y7ipVKf2uiOR3hCbk2W0NgORBrKwQ8NZHyMQi3L27jyZ-Cbs72-G38ytFxMaCQzEofT9ma4mKvjnKscE-YPKnwBCt4P-mML5bU0oLdcwkWrS-0aLBhrE-rNBwUBiE_w/w400-h198/P1140732%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />In the morning we carried on through Chester and up the Shroppie, sharing locks and leapfrogging all the half term hire boats heading back to their bases at Middlewich and Nantwich, making it another chatty friendly day.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></span><div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGSyPINmxoX2L6WhzTKFcmd2UIKg4fNfz_gBtpfRNwnLR8NxPMXkKLWxteJdwaP9xpYC3T-iHP_d-iEQqwbvisbE42cRCgTjzqFlOOe-IOsf0lfVkOvFJpTXC1o2kQ20aVQWl2NjjdkjTNzlEM82rvAgoxMFqROC55T9IDY6Wic7ZlsoJRaw48KPHAA/s4565/P1140736%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2251" data-original-width="4565" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGSyPINmxoX2L6WhzTKFcmd2UIKg4fNfz_gBtpfRNwnLR8NxPMXkKLWxteJdwaP9xpYC3T-iHP_d-iEQqwbvisbE42cRCgTjzqFlOOe-IOsf0lfVkOvFJpTXC1o2kQ20aVQWl2NjjdkjTNzlEM82rvAgoxMFqROC55T9IDY6Wic7ZlsoJRaw48KPHAA/w400-h198/P1140736%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymGc0o9I96taksLx5fdxeoz7z6PxaTGzsQ2l3WO1-4F3hwyWWH1qdwQC1_idrMZm2U_4n-OLlDusg2zxICrhe4EvnEPKoYEGk-MwaHQ1aH7Tj8LT28JfFKsy8H9TpofzHviT0VXT5ZDpMESpbHLaUio2l3C02mOAsHtEA52u5E6qso0ltWuoxhIhiGw/s4608/P1140738%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2466" data-original-width="4608" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymGc0o9I96taksLx5fdxeoz7z6PxaTGzsQ2l3WO1-4F3hwyWWH1qdwQC1_idrMZm2U_4n-OLlDusg2zxICrhe4EvnEPKoYEGk-MwaHQ1aH7Tj8LT28JfFKsy8H9TpofzHviT0VXT5ZDpMESpbHLaUio2l3C02mOAsHtEA52u5E6qso0ltWuoxhIhiGw/w400-h214/P1140738%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br />We stopped at Calverley for the night and took advantage of the lovely hot shower at the services, then forged ahead in the morning, joining the throng of holiday makers round Barbridge junction and across the Middlewich Branch.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNanRTQ2k0BHfd_uxdt62lnXEwWsBa7dGmRaXi16j6_01jWyVkT_hjQpAxF-MKX9uMJYJGRr_syapq3WfQ1yAomsY7gPPQ2IeHkiwLw0r34ylU_-rPPjtSq7uWbgElqPcfz0u4rjppWzE7-PAX40u6f5ElcbQ-iO_l9BINnwutfx08ptqvRoGyAwGaLQ/s3776/P1140742%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1830" data-original-width="3776" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNanRTQ2k0BHfd_uxdt62lnXEwWsBa7dGmRaXi16j6_01jWyVkT_hjQpAxF-MKX9uMJYJGRr_syapq3WfQ1yAomsY7gPPQ2IeHkiwLw0r34ylU_-rPPjtSq7uWbgElqPcfz0u4rjppWzE7-PAX40u6f5ElcbQ-iO_l9BINnwutfx08ptqvRoGyAwGaLQ/w400-h194/P1140742%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYt3ZXUHKfPVtgM702pET19ma9m9F_DIZH3B8-vPAq4eYfXg06hMP2AUHdtE-3N6QmJDgBJydDoBsGepPqmM7OC4kvnT8XmI2VLHXpWhX1eoOqkjhxWwxnjDnyMVlAei3sKm4kxnaL5bnySYHarqRN_URQhnF1YIMfneiqLv0-0l1MSA64vbRpm240g/s4281/P1140745%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2327" data-original-width="4281" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYt3ZXUHKfPVtgM702pET19ma9m9F_DIZH3B8-vPAq4eYfXg06hMP2AUHdtE-3N6QmJDgBJydDoBsGepPqmM7OC4kvnT8XmI2VLHXpWhX1eoOqkjhxWwxnjDnyMVlAei3sKm4kxnaL5bnySYHarqRN_URQhnF1YIMfneiqLv0-0l1MSA64vbRpm240g/w400-h217/P1140745%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Ann-Marie doing a spot of gardening on the move.</i></div><br />We stopped before the last two locks at Norman’s Bridge. As it was a sunny afternoon Dave got the red bit of the swan neck painted</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> and</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"> then, with a sense of closure and a job well jobbed, we walked the mile and a half to Screwfix in Winsford to recover the car.</span><p></p></div></div>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-1370934151979187362022-10-29T13:43:00.001+01:002022-10-29T13:43:20.056+01:00Northwich Dry Dock. River Weaver.<p> <span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">It’s a widely held belief that there is no point blacking the base plate of a steel narrow boat. The theory goes something like this;</span></p><p class="15" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">1. </span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">It’ll all get scraped off as soon as you are back on the canal.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="15" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">2. </span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">All the corrosion takes place near the surface and at over 2’ below there is very little electrolytic activity.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="15" style="margin-left: 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">3. </span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">The base plate is 10 mm thick and it’s the sides you should be more concerned about.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">While there is merit in all the above, after getting underneath Legend for the first time in our ownership, and possibly the first time in its life, we can tell you, Dear Reader, that the base plate does indeed corrode. Northwich have a 4000-psi pressure washer, a beast of a thing, and after Matt had gone over nb Footloose, Dave donned his waterproofs and goggles and began removing all the weed and loose material from Legend’s bum.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7lboR3Nno2LFUcKZJ5Vaf2pTnivabteWhlxReMdn2Tqb28LoGz8OMfkn2Doo_OQKBtbMJfHAoazMkO_TLDrF-ZQQZJ04JopRZEVec7FgHteLHbnKjFWbNhnqM2EKvxlRI9lnxBj0wNovw525ntW9pAFdFkN0tbYqevUeW6aHJkUuTqQNtuxkwSmDpQ/s767/IMG-20221015-WA0000%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="767" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7lboR3Nno2LFUcKZJ5Vaf2pTnivabteWhlxReMdn2Tqb28LoGz8OMfkn2Doo_OQKBtbMJfHAoazMkO_TLDrF-ZQQZJ04JopRZEVec7FgHteLHbnKjFWbNhnqM2EKvxlRI9lnxBj0wNovw525ntW9pAFdFkN0tbYqevUeW6aHJkUuTqQNtuxkwSmDpQ/w400-h379/IMG-20221015-WA0000%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /> After attacking the sides on the back quarter and getting used to how flippin’ powerful the big pressure washer was, Dave lay down on the sophisticated Low Level Mobile Access Device (the bottom of an Asda trolley with a bit of wood on top) and started of the base plate.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAff1mQGsLfZNL5f0es7-Wri-xw5nKOUyNsopfKszucnLt3cJWHR8LArEF8qzUxQ66tb7lE1h1cxz8IO5oPKI8a3yGCZ-DT4Ax8ZN6q0dfRHhg-HV8Ks3oPexdFpVIgqFVrWMkddtkA3qz7jSC1854yW8U1qERXcsD3GjGV1awp-jaBDsmN9XXjuCoVw/s1023/IMG-20221015-WA0002%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="1023" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAff1mQGsLfZNL5f0es7-Wri-xw5nKOUyNsopfKszucnLt3cJWHR8LArEF8qzUxQ66tb7lE1h1cxz8IO5oPKI8a3yGCZ-DT4Ax8ZN6q0dfRHhg-HV8Ks3oPexdFpVIgqFVrWMkddtkA3qz7jSC1854yW8U1qERXcsD3GjGV1awp-jaBDsmN9XXjuCoVw/w400-h205/IMG-20221015-WA0002%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iGu7-kFS7-cz2AB9Bp2iDMsIuUqAj12IeFS6ldPd-u4uJLDDPA0BvqpFU95vnsUD4LKkUZugs7mdgUvdyKayXVNVtOBk5DFukZKqa8UILG-fKgIu05NF7Ug_iysIqmQ8buShhmkLzBXPQQ8kmSALNFph8ZWOKREPhF8eoJcaMibYfbzCuNhQSRi_rg/s870/IMG-20221015-WA0003%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="870" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iGu7-kFS7-cz2AB9Bp2iDMsIuUqAj12IeFS6ldPd-u4uJLDDPA0BvqpFU95vnsUD4LKkUZugs7mdgUvdyKayXVNVtOBk5DFukZKqa8UILG-fKgIu05NF7Ug_iysIqmQ8buShhmkLzBXPQQ8kmSALNFph8ZWOKREPhF8eoJcaMibYfbzCuNhQSRi_rg/w400-h210/IMG-20221015-WA0003%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /> The amount of material that came off was frankly shocking. Big chunks of rusty crap went flying everywhere leaving Dave wet, filthy and with his eyes smarting despite the goggles, and worrying for the rest of the week about the integrity of what he’d left behind.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLqyctk9eNwXmzeagJdWmvb7oPCnjWyILS4e8P1mwJAFfiUEk-SoCa9PCTeUTc2icpxDzi_Hxvy7AMDBEQSNQj5LBvu005mZxKuWbqUPPXBemo2nP4V93UnmldEhs9pA6yeItpEakwJr6rNLdGf2kbX8imVq_A6j4WoVBhIgAYjCErrxXls4jdH2s8A/s924/IMG-20221015-WA0005%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLqyctk9eNwXmzeagJdWmvb7oPCnjWyILS4e8P1mwJAFfiUEk-SoCa9PCTeUTc2icpxDzi_Hxvy7AMDBEQSNQj5LBvu005mZxKuWbqUPPXBemo2nP4V93UnmldEhs9pA6yeItpEakwJr6rNLdGf2kbX8imVq_A6j4WoVBhIgAYjCErrxXls4jdH2s8A/w333-h400/IMG-20221015-WA0005%20(2).jpg" width="333" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /> It took him all his grit (sic) and the rest of the day to finish the job, but it was very much worth the effort.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFdd01yTra3EknsGv9wwqj-KJ5qRC82ZCPd0JDCMFEdLnXH63KlM7lBQrsi0yEBUNxLfuyONND4gbIfQEJnLYd5PGX7Z8iAd7kjRWGepcsDB_C2oupNQ2UX8NGhHmLiazTzIVQAjFqy77aE9SjuPR1vkRUTqueEAOuithUq-e6zf9od57V5RYkww7MJQ/s4096/20221016_093559392%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFdd01yTra3EknsGv9wwqj-KJ5qRC82ZCPd0JDCMFEdLnXH63KlM7lBQrsi0yEBUNxLfuyONND4gbIfQEJnLYd5PGX7Z8iAd7kjRWGepcsDB_C2oupNQ2UX8NGhHmLiazTzIVQAjFqy77aE9SjuPR1vkRUTqueEAOuithUq-e6zf9od57V5RYkww7MJQ/w400-h225/20221016_093559392%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">We are now firmly converted to the “Yes It Does” camp, along with Matt, who’s had nine years of seeing boats come into his dock in a similar state to ours, and our new favourite marine surveyor, Mike Carter, who’s surveyed an endless procession of boats with severely reduced base plate thickness. They both think that the belief that it doesn’t need doing is supported and encouraged by all the boatyards where it just isn’t possible. Discuss.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">While Dave was in his own little wet, rusty hell underneath, David was busy sanding down the red and cream on the back end and the black on the tumblehomes.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzXZHfegpbJ3FlCL--3qDLSwX6eEeGKRfIVHld41UlO9ii8iOJq0_18laDNnZSmm3XSV0LRe34nCG-A26_bsN2lVrWyrQ5nfa2CkYPrumv6K934KeqXIiXImANXNEBZ3Aq1q62Gq8w_jSgF1vxrccVoWUQdBv2O4fq8Did8OV_nqxlCLFmjOM-3-sGA/s3916/P1140680%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1939" data-original-width="3916" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzXZHfegpbJ3FlCL--3qDLSwX6eEeGKRfIVHld41UlO9ii8iOJq0_18laDNnZSmm3XSV0LRe34nCG-A26_bsN2lVrWyrQ5nfa2CkYPrumv6K934KeqXIiXImANXNEBZ3Aq1q62Gq8w_jSgF1vxrccVoWUQdBv2O4fq8Did8OV_nqxlCLFmjOM-3-sGA/w400-h198/P1140680%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><i>David with the sander and Dave under the cloud of spray.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgQqQu10EhJYVdKIhg8JKhjj7xUUt-hxoMVD7tjeg41YE1H8UqNE1x0PpoOedu2K9jz9-KX8wAL07GgnSZoSA4pKEAa_cmAAbtRbt4xMGAZH_X3wrB3xYL8PEXAU9b1T1bqoi154Jmh6WaZDUO4_95IcmTFDslp_NkGdoNW4XNLocmt_4smwA6L4vSw/s4608/P1140681%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2359" data-original-width="4608" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgQqQu10EhJYVdKIhg8JKhjj7xUUt-hxoMVD7tjeg41YE1H8UqNE1x0PpoOedu2K9jz9-KX8wAL07GgnSZoSA4pKEAa_cmAAbtRbt4xMGAZH_X3wrB3xYL8PEXAU9b1T1bqoi154Jmh6WaZDUO4_95IcmTFDslp_NkGdoNW4XNLocmt_4smwA6L4vSw/w400-h205/P1140681%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgU21QAYaQoi4La1Xd4nfVFrNJmIJ4qkg3_G7ZB3AXs5r4hVa-F15uoLVUf69A-kaWZyHDyjVfL-Vx-tKMeLN1K5oG1bCW_uOW3P4qs0x-bgHLz6Z5oM1P0k06w23Bm3q_DZVUWyjqReJdOfDYohrnoJZslAFIlmBLECtSaJ4bl6DnQ3uUOpGZfu2nA/s2549/20221017_092728637%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1525" data-original-width="2549" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgU21QAYaQoi4La1Xd4nfVFrNJmIJ4qkg3_G7ZB3AXs5r4hVa-F15uoLVUf69A-kaWZyHDyjVfL-Vx-tKMeLN1K5oG1bCW_uOW3P4qs0x-bgHLz6Z5oM1P0k06w23Bm3q_DZVUWyjqReJdOfDYohrnoJZslAFIlmBLECtSaJ4bl6DnQ3uUOpGZfu2nA/w400-h239/20221017_092728637%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IpI3-wxQ2NQmgpN3uymUfl2EvbTFqLi335h0JDP8dwTppHRZnTG9UPgi8sNHWwPzKDqjY2mU53_vVaKBMyb6roQdzcgR-CZwIPY9pciMHUlpWjFE3titaJU1-VsZbzg1Oq0TYRdgKh3an2Wu5zEwIuKw7d09haBj8VULa3GROlXwYm4LkDyTfSba9Q/s3617/20221017_114443421%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1796" data-original-width="3617" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IpI3-wxQ2NQmgpN3uymUfl2EvbTFqLi335h0JDP8dwTppHRZnTG9UPgi8sNHWwPzKDqjY2mU53_vVaKBMyb6roQdzcgR-CZwIPY9pciMHUlpWjFE3titaJU1-VsZbzg1Oq0TYRdgKh3an2Wu5zEwIuKw7d09haBj8VULa3GROlXwYm4LkDyTfSba9Q/w400-h199/20221017_114443421%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />By lunchtime on Wednesday the Boyz had 3 coats of blacking on, the back end and tumblehomes were finished, Dave was wondering why he hadn’t found out before that pile rollers are a lot more robust and at least twice as quick as foam ones, and David had washed down the cabin sides leaving Legend looking very smart.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Dave had also taken the decision to rub down the name plate on the bow and start again.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcLORqO_L4K6X8nW9Yr8xTd-DSF0M1h71bbrKAD6p-5nuDurI57qQsTb8N3XybPG167v3SBLfZKk5gLQuVMmwZRgvahetIaMF780yNm4c_HDGiPHAd9Jqy2XQDsg3Zl6AZ3wDWPPtcaVXGKLtwSfzcuXNGVs0l12HmM-h4i6gM-aum09KmHoKy8Jqilw/s4079/20221018_094411366%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2085" data-original-width="4079" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcLORqO_L4K6X8nW9Yr8xTd-DSF0M1h71bbrKAD6p-5nuDurI57qQsTb8N3XybPG167v3SBLfZKk5gLQuVMmwZRgvahetIaMF780yNm4c_HDGiPHAd9Jqy2XQDsg3Zl6AZ3wDWPPtcaVXGKLtwSfzcuXNGVs0l12HmM-h4i6gM-aum09KmHoKy8Jqilw/w400-h205/20221018_094411366%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9R5G0EvF6_bDpkeRnwSSONX8CgDBbtcmI7bFawXXkEdoPPtwa1esDcSN4VV38D_kcvlZw3LC1dVsZoa3jaA5MjzGZBjRSvmg5ZKBLhoqvGph7TbRHEAzJmbWFLRNwavaGpnLS69MjU2gvAz7BI4P2MKRrZA-qne8sff-MEiSUbMI3e1rCTHkswHxvVA/s1529/IMG-20221018-WA0003%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="1529" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9R5G0EvF6_bDpkeRnwSSONX8CgDBbtcmI7bFawXXkEdoPPtwa1esDcSN4VV38D_kcvlZw3LC1dVsZoa3jaA5MjzGZBjRSvmg5ZKBLhoqvGph7TbRHEAzJmbWFLRNwavaGpnLS69MjU2gvAz7BI4P2MKRrZA-qne8sff-MEiSUbMI3e1rCTHkswHxvVA/w400-h225/IMG-20221018-WA0003%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkKvziDWvNVSNtw5PDEf8gL3YkIOCurisI6uwwTz7NuBcK5I0mbYZ_G_WMrT6uLzShXwmdJLVkbZxOoK8AhEutNwBmlrXWZAVATMZpMVVQxx0pMP2vxOU3Ott7bSCYJ_wfatDb_QesvMc54byyxKM7m1im2wiGHOd-bmSZeRnTMnz1hrOCZci1f_49mw/s2547/20221021_114304042%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1545" data-original-width="2547" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkKvziDWvNVSNtw5PDEf8gL3YkIOCurisI6uwwTz7NuBcK5I0mbYZ_G_WMrT6uLzShXwmdJLVkbZxOoK8AhEutNwBmlrXWZAVATMZpMVVQxx0pMP2vxOU3Ott7bSCYJ_wfatDb_QesvMc54byyxKM7m1im2wiGHOd-bmSZeRnTMnz1hrOCZci1f_49mw/w400-h243/20221021_114304042%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><br /> For the time being, Legend will become the Boat with No Name and we haven't decided what to do about that yet, but we think having the name on the back of the boat and a pattern on the bow would look quite good. David got two coats of cream on the bow as a canvas for whatever we decide. In the afternoon they got the tiller and rudder back in their slot (always a struggle because it’s just so damned heavy) ...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOiKI6eO-wHS9rluFyL-9SEKdX9HXI26qlW6U0W-9Coh51CwTHACYPRKawAWaqC2Zi5byGABjIK0MS3otrT885HCs_Sw1bN87N1KtY4Bb-jv7Sn-SXpu0PdLDF5ju1zqIOZ8GJ6ow7gIUBsN24LNGNHmpRUoT7eBXp09yp2P8hvsV3YmG-oEGsmQblA/s4607/P1140684%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="4607" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOiKI6eO-wHS9rluFyL-9SEKdX9HXI26qlW6U0W-9Coh51CwTHACYPRKawAWaqC2Zi5byGABjIK0MS3otrT885HCs_Sw1bN87N1KtY4Bb-jv7Sn-SXpu0PdLDF5ju1zqIOZ8GJ6ow7gIUBsN24LNGNHmpRUoT7eBXp09yp2P8hvsV3YmG-oEGsmQblA/w400-h198/P1140684%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Legend's tiller and rudder. it should split into two </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">parts,</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> but it won't, and although it heavy, it's easier for two people to manhandle it as it is.</span></i></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt;">...refitted the rear fender frame and painted Legend’s name on the dock wall.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiqXzjGZcg77wnf0Lqvg_lmw43gE4ftQJMAy8RoTUK5K6jY5MKYw_ooJo8m1p1NJUUELWIbwtoPXqfMjw710fgr6c5T6mC2qPkdrERO9VplmdfUxjjSAWWFUmCrrxmIFMO_cc3HRbdArAxC_JTVgWWt0LlPBkXtZ2l4XGg59FuCR0jMfZCKmfNdcuiuQ/s1019/IMG-20221019-WA0000%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1019" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiqXzjGZcg77wnf0Lqvg_lmw43gE4ftQJMAy8RoTUK5K6jY5MKYw_ooJo8m1p1NJUUELWIbwtoPXqfMjw710fgr6c5T6mC2qPkdrERO9VplmdfUxjjSAWWFUmCrrxmIFMO_cc3HRbdArAxC_JTVgWWt0LlPBkXtZ2l4XGg59FuCR0jMfZCKmfNdcuiuQ/w400-h283/IMG-20221019-WA0000%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">It wasn’t all work though. While various coats of paint were drying, they looked around the lock island...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmonddb4qe7Jg-RLTtRFRQVbaQkucORweWBBI6ITt0c6vr47tu5aYJPI1YR_A3zeNP3Lx7EX3XtYue1HoQ4g_FZbMp_qVgI-LqrQANdbGY1GWDjWKieWtSbyZUkNNOGLnmbA6eTg1JYSFpsSq1Km84uE6DRzpJi1bqw4Q4LoxXhLTsDIW1e7BnYTxKlA/s4075/20221018_105642651%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2090" data-original-width="4075" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmonddb4qe7Jg-RLTtRFRQVbaQkucORweWBBI6ITt0c6vr47tu5aYJPI1YR_A3zeNP3Lx7EX3XtYue1HoQ4g_FZbMp_qVgI-LqrQANdbGY1GWDjWKieWtSbyZUkNNOGLnmbA6eTg1JYSFpsSq1Km84uE6DRzpJi1bqw4Q4LoxXhLTsDIW1e7BnYTxKlA/w400-h205/20221018_105642651%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />... and Dan, the chap who owns Safe Hand, invited them to look around his monumental “project”.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhInD-8A7JYo6ev6nz3FE0EouZD6t6ZR-4GgXezdErl8U7gw6bN25VSVv54LUZD_UHzQWlVyEtWngLwbaTVFawCf8wIhyFugGu3G4FqwjYNo9QfIqBjsbmQ7FCWRRq9mE1XCBP0JZY07buqQKMAmVdhp0Qk-9mR5AeZxC2_wyO9JTRJ53l3vOI4JvU18w/s4096/20221014_111403947.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="4096" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhInD-8A7JYo6ev6nz3FE0EouZD6t6ZR-4GgXezdErl8U7gw6bN25VSVv54LUZD_UHzQWlVyEtWngLwbaTVFawCf8wIhyFugGu3G4FqwjYNo9QfIqBjsbmQ7FCWRRq9mE1XCBP0JZY07buqQKMAmVdhp0Qk-9mR5AeZxC2_wyO9JTRJ53l3vOI4JvU18w/w400-h225/20221014_111403947.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">He’s converting the old tanker into a </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">houseboat</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> and the amount of work is colossal. It will no doubt be amazing when it’s finished, he’s been at it for four years and has at least four more to go, but what he’s accomplished so far is impressive.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">On Thursday Dave pulled the weed hatch out and blacked it, something he should have done on day one but, with all the pressure washing excitement, forgot. David left for home later on in the morning, He’d been a real help and Dave wouldn’t have got anywhere near as much done without him. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyCmmdycrN8dPYXvUfOMqES6rkXWKSpU3PCz_jKjAe7LGNAHg-xjm65wEfULUsw49JXxLQny7vRX8HDGdAEjWFg63fSe23syyTl-QTEwEMlMRBZSqYEETcU_8FkdB9dcX62nC0DbSPDSneGBXsMbwsMtdEm17IhB6aQTCLDorcIs4LQ1cSa-Ml51RJA/s3323/20221021_114231255%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1831" data-original-width="3323" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyCmmdycrN8dPYXvUfOMqES6rkXWKSpU3PCz_jKjAe7LGNAHg-xjm65wEfULUsw49JXxLQny7vRX8HDGdAEjWFg63fSe23syyTl-QTEwEMlMRBZSqYEETcU_8FkdB9dcX62nC0DbSPDSneGBXsMbwsMtdEm17IhB6aQTCLDorcIs4LQ1cSa-Ml51RJA/w400-h220/20221021_114231255%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaO5PMQr8DGlM2sLnyNnmI1XaDXs5nnxPtBGN0mFMZVEmkDTqc5UZpXctWhwvdjf6ibDFOXQeB58GGl55KTUr43uK_37wakfEz4wUb2-6IEe90XIgyyr4TEthELch9KXIx9jjVOQqSTZ9s30qELOZ_5sOJhRuDirXTAJmmiLvEdojaRIBSC8pp51k3Yw/s1024/IMG-20221019-WA0003%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1024" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaO5PMQr8DGlM2sLnyNnmI1XaDXs5nnxPtBGN0mFMZVEmkDTqc5UZpXctWhwvdjf6ibDFOXQeB58GGl55KTUr43uK_37wakfEz4wUb2-6IEe90XIgyyr4TEthELch9KXIx9jjVOQqSTZ9s30qELOZ_5sOJhRuDirXTAJmmiLvEdojaRIBSC8pp51k3Yw/w400-h260/IMG-20221019-WA0003%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />After he’d gone, Dave put the front and rear fenders back on</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> and had a clean through inside ready for Ann-Marie’s return. She came back with tales of lots of good times, girly days out and lovely food.</span><div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></span><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH56GizCJT8mGKV49c6iQBRmFHv0t-Af-HOoB8MyfdYlhfWK2p96MiK9fyueN1kmk2uHqXbTnWz1KEsEmYvBJjCmlCa0G8z73jVTr3RHDueOBtrOFCO8ct37avNnrNuQ9JywTbmc_r0D7cZZG_U-MQlPkOOnqtFc1GyFuQeOxfzqyS9spdocLcwT5NbQ/s1596/IMG-20221017-WA0020%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1596" data-original-width="1511" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH56GizCJT8mGKV49c6iQBRmFHv0t-Af-HOoB8MyfdYlhfWK2p96MiK9fyueN1kmk2uHqXbTnWz1KEsEmYvBJjCmlCa0G8z73jVTr3RHDueOBtrOFCO8ct37avNnrNuQ9JywTbmc_r0D7cZZG_U-MQlPkOOnqtFc1GyFuQeOxfzqyS9spdocLcwT5NbQ/w379-h400/IMG-20221017-WA0020%20(2).jpg" width="379" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDUD_930KmavKOzjj9-Ju4mLG7cxJCbLAy0y71pJf6YiljmLXu3_zU6aZoWWHU2-kWBl0sd65oqQUKVXLdsb7iK-XJIWSof4y11tEZ7T11XoZekgjCc0rY_eyudRGzgcilfyqUN4W6a6eC5ZtsEZ-hicXEcZboL2cm-phh0qs0wO8nygcCXrsAxR7_Q/s3772/IMG_20221017_192222%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1864" data-original-width="3772" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDUD_930KmavKOzjj9-Ju4mLG7cxJCbLAy0y71pJf6YiljmLXu3_zU6aZoWWHU2-kWBl0sd65oqQUKVXLdsb7iK-XJIWSof4y11tEZ7T11XoZekgjCc0rY_eyudRGzgcilfyqUN4W6a6eC5ZtsEZ-hicXEcZboL2cm-phh0qs0wO8nygcCXrsAxR7_Q/w400-h198/IMG_20221017_192222%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Despite going to the moon and back, she’d had an awful six-hour drive home through fog, rain, roadworks and accidents, so we had a lazy afternoon on the sofa catching up with strictly.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Friday was spent mostly putting as much washing as we could find through the machine while we were still plugged in and getting us all set to go back in the water. Ann-Marie had a Covid booster booked in town and on the way back we stopped at “The Cod’s Pollocks” for a chippy dinner. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">In the morning Ann-Marie went through the boat with the hoover while the power was still on, then the dock crew arrived and began the refloating procedure. While the water came back into the dock, Dave kept a close eye on the inspection hatch under the wardrobe.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYm1tMsilVeoBLln8h4Gt6sVaGVu9MWtXt2i-shdOw2AtNWu3wH-c9p5OtcwlNU7c7AbwVSYLRBKlggvJ0cFmDSLdbvcbtgCbuFAcsWWIi9am0820fLUvFddhXsy0N5LLLgwMvp4CtDOwptn-tWu17FwjvshcMhilBkdXkGsBbJ7bh0mMdC16gmxtcIg/s4079/20221022_083837256%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2146" data-original-width="4079" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYm1tMsilVeoBLln8h4Gt6sVaGVu9MWtXt2i-shdOw2AtNWu3wH-c9p5OtcwlNU7c7AbwVSYLRBKlggvJ0cFmDSLdbvcbtgCbuFAcsWWIi9am0820fLUvFddhXsy0N5LLLgwMvp4CtDOwptn-tWu17FwjvshcMhilBkdXkGsBbJ7bh0mMdC16gmxtcIg/w400-h210/20221022_083837256%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx706ecF5J2yBbrG7XVWondGk65iOwEQpjPRQxX0-m7iApnkt6hAl3YO_f1bjm3vVO_AA88sZJZoLGWvv3Bkg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br /> He really was quite concerned that the pressure washer might have compromised the integrity of the hull; if there were any leaks, that was where the water would end up. Happily, by the time the dock was full it was all still dry and remained so for the rest of the day. (Dave’s anxiety gradually decreased over the next few weeks and he went from checking it every five minutes to hourly, then daily, then every few days. The inspection hatch is on his monthly check list, so before long we’ll be back to normal.)</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWWsReIr9AzYY9xaNI844zrJVgnzfCgh2dIm4wZ9BD_C4drQq0a4TelFuB3ghYAVS4Ldk7wCtVFVCLKK8Yx91OEbUP0q4AHG-ZZEvm39InA_J0f-KDDwp5LCeXX9t8r7ZmW_xMj1wDrVkw5K_B2b9dROX1_E6khmdCa_eFFAA_kfuzHf0xaK50W38VA/s2249/IMG_20221022_083847%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1448" data-original-width="2249" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWWWsReIr9AzYY9xaNI844zrJVgnzfCgh2dIm4wZ9BD_C4drQq0a4TelFuB3ghYAVS4Ldk7wCtVFVCLKK8Yx91OEbUP0q4AHG-ZZEvm39InA_J0f-KDDwp5LCeXX9t8r7ZmW_xMj1wDrVkw5K_B2b9dROX1_E6khmdCa_eFFAA_kfuzHf0xaK50W38VA/w400-h258/IMG_20221022_083847%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTM2m4s7DKkI81RN6J19X183ZnoMCpw-6RbBW7bdoVhkanmpbKtfPAoKpECG1tvo_ndKDeMUgQgN5zIYQ2WJYhB1Ey76DtOsbztfG1l7I-5NMNZV2YkKeFox7GbJzIkxMosrnNzptvIIVhHoe8RIOvEvYFRA37FR6h16WBNdbCLNqxf1vwj_gRT_Xr6w/s4000/IMG_20221022_083931%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2012" data-original-width="4000" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTM2m4s7DKkI81RN6J19X183ZnoMCpw-6RbBW7bdoVhkanmpbKtfPAoKpECG1tvo_ndKDeMUgQgN5zIYQ2WJYhB1Ey76DtOsbztfG1l7I-5NMNZV2YkKeFox7GbJzIkxMosrnNzptvIIVhHoe8RIOvEvYFRA37FR6h16WBNdbCLNqxf1vwj_gRT_Xr6w/w400-h201/IMG_20221022_083931%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMbn-l9eyK6D7DeoN9yaYxe3ZZAws-E9Pf0mgPF4mCVpYTYp86-vwlsLcWDS9feeqHEIfvYOwNLqTRzDHVOuaDCuwyqPjdheCRB4HnBl5wTJRA7DF0BZ1BgTE78H_F42BuORE6fBEjG2KnxvzOIaV857yMcEDNuC_NCiWVDIvr3oDY4HEwk_temZlaA/s4096/20221022_085024216%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1885" data-original-width="4096" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMbn-l9eyK6D7DeoN9yaYxe3ZZAws-E9Pf0mgPF4mCVpYTYp86-vwlsLcWDS9feeqHEIfvYOwNLqTRzDHVOuaDCuwyqPjdheCRB4HnBl5wTJRA7DF0BZ1BgTE78H_F42BuORE6fBEjG2KnxvzOIaV857yMcEDNuC_NCiWVDIvr3oDY4HEwk_temZlaA/w400-h184/20221022_085024216%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">The dock crew hooked the gantry crane up to the lock gate and hauled it out...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVHPT9NTubJtFWz9AgPg-3DajpWGGSKuZBqZa1twLSvww3998qrycJT-uQ7uYUEPGBgNXrxiLX5oenDIWK2yy9g89srZjhjtkyU0RRvraGA6nb1yCJmqRKOKJDT_4mz3vWbkupwbh7_pGoyumL_uTwNsWxtbuQwYysO9pZhItTgXoYMVJl6nZYXmM5A/s4000/IMG_20221022_090225.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="4000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVHPT9NTubJtFWz9AgPg-3DajpWGGSKuZBqZa1twLSvww3998qrycJT-uQ7uYUEPGBgNXrxiLX5oenDIWK2yy9g89srZjhjtkyU0RRvraGA6nb1yCJmqRKOKJDT_4mz3vWbkupwbh7_pGoyumL_uTwNsWxtbuQwYysO9pZhItTgXoYMVJl6nZYXmM5A/w400-h225/IMG_20221022_090225.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><br />...then Hamish backed Footloose out into the weir channel. With lots of thanks and goodbyes to Matt and his crew, we carefully backed the Boat with No Name out, being so, so careful to not bump our shiny paint on anything, then turned and followed Hamish round to the lock landing. The only thing that we didn’t tick off our list in the dry dock was painting the tiller swan neck, but that will get sorted somewhere along the cut over the next few weeks. Otherwise, it was a very successful docking. Of course, painting the base plate had set a precedent; we would have to do it every time from that point on, which would mean finding boat yards where that was possible. However, that was for the future. For now, we had our little (nameless) home back in the water and looking lovely, life was grand, and the next horizon awaited us.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p></div></div>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1265606216177862801.post-74183872311599829942022-10-26T07:58:00.003+01:002022-10-26T08:01:23.505+01:00Taylor's Bridge to Northwich. T&M, Middlewich Branch, Shropshire Union, Manchester Ship Canal, Weston Canal, River Weaver.<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After we got back from our Grand Tour, the next thing on our horizon was our booking with <a href="http://www.northwichdrydock.com/" target="_blank">Northwich Drydock Company</a> on the River Weaver and, more importantly, our journey to get there. Under normal circumstances, from where we were moored on the T&M, it would be a simple case of booking a passage down the Anderton Boat Lift the day before, spending the night on the visitor moorings on the river in Northwich, and then going into the dry dock in the morning. However, the boat lift was out of action and would remain so until the following spring. Apparently the safety bolts, which slide into the gates when they are in the raised position and prevent them falling in the case of cable failure, had not passed a safety inspection, and needed to be re-designed. Because it is a listed Ancient Monument any replacement has to be sympathetic to the original structure, so the design and replacement process will no doubt be long and arduous. We had thought we’d have to cancel our booking, but when we spoke to Matt from Northwich Drydock Co., he suggested getting there via the <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/search?sxsrf=ALiCzsbwkHmI6JhOsRIs4op7sDOPV97MqQ:1666757516396&source=univ&tbm=isch&q=manchester+ship+canal&fir=cneU89gFapBVEM%252Ckez2J3chrP29FM%252C_%253B0OrgDcfJETjnFM%252CIRPRh0C0jM097M%252C_%253BOcYW-ZuMBW6w3M%252Cxrd6dt4HBm5lqM%252C_%253BIqlEl7dafnSuEM%252CyM0rT7F5e-ooEM%252C_%253BKbSEn3YUeyGhHM%252CiiYeJ6lNBZA53M%252C_%253B9prCIa-77Hd2dM%252CXIM_Uxgsxc-_MM%252C_%253BmC1AfRspVuGUmM%252CQy4vOMQRdZ7cmM%252C_%253Bt-87ry68wNhjJM%252ChfTNYQjHFc1UnM%252C_%253B77uaX-ITVcXDMM%252CYfK1zRXKXJKcZM%252C_%253BEckPiXfbx-mvcM%252CL5CG-9BYL0hXeM%252C_&usg=AI4_-kTDV6SFQryG31F83qAJDOgr6cYxcw&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjv38PNg_36AhXeSkEAHdvVBUsQjJkEegQITRAC&biw=1366&bih=657&dpr=1" target="_blank">Manchester Ship Canal</a>. That sounded a bit daunting, but exciting at the same time and as you know, we're not adverse to a spot of adventure. It would involve a mad dash round a huge circle from Northwich on the T&M, south to Middlewich, along the Middlewich branch to Bordesley Junction, north on the Shroppie, through Chester and up to Ellesmere Port where we would drop down the locks onto the Ship Canal. An hour and a half on the MSC would bring us to Marsh lock at the mouth of the Weaver, then a sixteen mile trip upstream on our favourite river would get us back to Northwich, fifty feet below where we started.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Manchester Ship Canal is owned by Peel Holdings and it is, as you probably know, a big commercial waterway, with large ocean-going vessels regularly going up and down to the oil refineries and docks at Runcorn and Ellesmere Port. Peel holdings aren’t exactly keen on small, wobbly, pleasure craft crawling about on it, but they will allow you to go if you jump through enough hoops. Matt was extremely helpful in the hoop-jumping department. He sent us all the forms we needed to complete, recommended a surveyor to give Legend the required Seaworthiness Certificate, and helped us with booking lock passage on and off the MSC with CRT staff at Ellesmere Port and Marsh lock.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The seaworthiness certificate was the first thing. A very nice chap called<a href="http://www.marinesurveysltd.com/" target="_blank"> Mike Carter </a>came along while we were still at Taylor’s bridge and gave Legend the once over. He inspected our life jackets, anchor, bilge pump and front and back lines, then chatted with us about our experience on rivers and boating in general. He also showed us some maps and aerial photos of the ship canal, the locks and the VHF radio reporting points. Happy that we were aware of what we were taking on, that Legend was capable and that we had the kit and experience to handle it, he signed our certificate and wished us a safe trip.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We had a few days moored around Northwich while we ran some errands...</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatru-VZVqI3kXHDxS8GeYjyIFxVbHTCrhrDWskP7YGp0BVzjaPlzxqoBS-SRGzBt82eE0nrn-oBKJCUZhobpb1ghF2YLqyRwjMM6b0IBHtbL_rsr6pvgQ0g3oN_G5OAdt-4G9rJ7NMcHJ5E8uefaU9cw7uNDXyjRCl6-xXxv4LqJy9bTJpgWzsluZYQ/s2575/221003%2006%20Roberts%20Bakery%20Northwich%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1637" data-original-width="2575" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatru-VZVqI3kXHDxS8GeYjyIFxVbHTCrhrDWskP7YGp0BVzjaPlzxqoBS-SRGzBt82eE0nrn-oBKJCUZhobpb1ghF2YLqyRwjMM6b0IBHtbL_rsr6pvgQ0g3oN_G5OAdt-4G9rJ7NMcHJ5E8uefaU9cw7uNDXyjRCl6-xXxv4LqJy9bTJpgWzsluZYQ/w400-h254/221003%2006%20Roberts%20Bakery%20Northwich%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Roberts Bakery, with the loaves cooling on the carousels in the window.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1TI_o0kXVmLE3gu-WdTxvGbSsPn4n2N_FFbvpDnFg0LNT8NaeGpvkoqaUQ7qPSunogBYc0v2Ur_wDjnwKEZLkHFhaG7flqQEU_ujT4-4Wklm0I9x4g4Rn8eTH2ZwNmEkocpfMt9ozGlU7uqFkBLyy_hZO15lX31o_pf5ol7lRF57ZvdbMoRzLgknpA/s3688/221001%2004%20Northwich%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1871" data-original-width="3688" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1TI_o0kXVmLE3gu-WdTxvGbSsPn4n2N_FFbvpDnFg0LNT8NaeGpvkoqaUQ7qPSunogBYc0v2Ur_wDjnwKEZLkHFhaG7flqQEU_ujT4-4Wklm0I9x4g4Rn8eTH2ZwNmEkocpfMt9ozGlU7uqFkBLyy_hZO15lX31o_pf5ol7lRF57ZvdbMoRzLgknpA/w400-h203/221001%2004%20Northwich%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div></i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...did a parkrun...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9oespo7yyuq_mQdALDnyoj8bOkJwnwTt6Y0mLFmZpxOMr4rU--Bah16591SqeXig1cXK2z6EjRW4nZROVUKla-tRLitPjxmCy8Ex4XTz7Z08dXxqFPb1A2PvII_CoQQH0pDVmK-cfN4B4AD3HAEFGwJj1KzWeYOZY8v44E1lIoa6nJvhninpOvLFTg/s1865/221001%2002%20Northwich%20Parkrun%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1477" data-original-width="1865" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9oespo7yyuq_mQdALDnyoj8bOkJwnwTt6Y0mLFmZpxOMr4rU--Bah16591SqeXig1cXK2z6EjRW4nZROVUKla-tRLitPjxmCy8Ex4XTz7Z08dXxqFPb1A2PvII_CoQQH0pDVmK-cfN4B4AD3HAEFGwJj1KzWeYOZY8v44E1lIoa6nJvhninpOvLFTg/w400-h316/221001%2002%20Northwich%20Parkrun%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...and swapped the wardrobe and bedding over to winter mode, then abandoned the car in the drydock car park and set off. A few big boating days took us down to the Middlewich Branch...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGVBKZ9KuT0sFRvfWNOVtSCBxB7YVA3r9kJ811WiY30wSNxxpPQtcKXTNk84FoasJvAsm_Rlpk40KXbOWfE8L3fkiF95lhjvW7nXFnEejnXpG0nCHspYOLffLfy_P2nhQsxiw09Gb3Lt1ApvI-pq-zwJXqWP1C94pw-WqQMQAiAI7fLVAim6k4S6o5Q/s3396/221004%2003%20Davenham%20to%20Calverley%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1559" data-original-width="3396" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGVBKZ9KuT0sFRvfWNOVtSCBxB7YVA3r9kJ811WiY30wSNxxpPQtcKXTNk84FoasJvAsm_Rlpk40KXbOWfE8L3fkiF95lhjvW7nXFnEejnXpG0nCHspYOLffLfy_P2nhQsxiw09Gb3Lt1ApvI-pq-zwJXqWP1C94pw-WqQMQAiAI7fLVAim6k4S6o5Q/w400-h184/221004%2003%20Davenham%20to%20Calverley%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKG_Nt0JrM4QCQOGk8CVjnNw-Kwf8EZSnugOHuE00Kcq4yckFKGM3E2Xnrn3HZ7wJdM-GCLO7s5TOXkUUMYXt683iS5PDaD3qeRJRnILjQZX-OQ2ay3vzACzR61fWGePg5sPHx0tE4E2LYPRjDC35OszEAC8eIRm_9wXlBeJ6wAzOXZOGL_yAdLPI8iA/s4102/220929%2004%20Anderton%20Boat%20Lift%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2007" data-original-width="4102" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKG_Nt0JrM4QCQOGk8CVjnNw-Kwf8EZSnugOHuE00Kcq4yckFKGM3E2Xnrn3HZ7wJdM-GCLO7s5TOXkUUMYXt683iS5PDaD3qeRJRnILjQZX-OQ2ay3vzACzR61fWGePg5sPHx0tE4E2LYPRjDC35OszEAC8eIRm_9wXlBeJ6wAzOXZOGL_yAdLPI8iA/w400-h196/220929%2004%20Anderton%20Boat%20Lift%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Passing the entrance to the Anderton Lift. Here's what you could have won.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlVsUK1CqMa9Q2_4__lJ4R5-2u-LMzEK1A6MXI12_VT3HcTawysqdphnjTH6DAPjjArogvMKx_hAqHz9aiLqmri-hu5bcQvoe4Bf7ojG_Q_Q36P67vS03foWa2Jn256X2saolYUe6Lwwc0IeHwhrpDX3HaoA-i1UGUDzs2YGSuysRh-eytsm8FoLpxw/s2557/220928%2006%20Marbury%20Country%20Park%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1473" data-original-width="2557" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlVsUK1CqMa9Q2_4__lJ4R5-2u-LMzEK1A6MXI12_VT3HcTawysqdphnjTH6DAPjjArogvMKx_hAqHz9aiLqmri-hu5bcQvoe4Bf7ojG_Q_Q36P67vS03foWa2Jn256X2saolYUe6Lwwc0IeHwhrpDX3HaoA-i1UGUDzs2YGSuysRh-eytsm8FoLpxw/w400-h230/220928%2006%20Marbury%20Country%20Park%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Moored up on the edge of Marbury Country Park</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5O5rffDF5SAOY4fZjBjYDO3Xu1uaIOvvHvilNiMH3Yh0gv-wwq8_D-R3LvhuSObFt3Kt2x2jZFbkV6rcdaLrHE9rTkNCqbkNzq0XP8NUzr-ESUAWIfhalYrxrFkNYhHSoCaT1rGInTjl0-RecGf7-4L8Y4bKM5gBwjnEMgZOk9FaYBwprdDfPDNKqUQ/s3264/220929%2006%20Landslip%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1840" data-original-width="3264" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5O5rffDF5SAOY4fZjBjYDO3Xu1uaIOvvHvilNiMH3Yh0gv-wwq8_D-R3LvhuSObFt3Kt2x2jZFbkV6rcdaLrHE9rTkNCqbkNzq0XP8NUzr-ESUAWIfhalYrxrFkNYhHSoCaT1rGInTjl0-RecGf7-4L8Y4bKM5gBwjnEMgZOk9FaYBwprdDfPDNKqUQ/w400-h225/220929%2006%20Landslip%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">The April '21 land slip at Soot Hill, near the Barnton Tunnel.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMW9AISPhCdAvtRFBupVsZkgE_OClF05nYWr6RY3wvrA-IujlLfxvR7CvVb248mQy5nCX529mjCLCUocLoxZZTKPhtfIAx_QstGuxCTQb-L6JiiY6AMz0efpZkWT5vDvzXVIqZUA0bsWCcmfMB7OqbhVgi0oAfFnApBT2Cbmrk2Rnx7MBV5v3FF1lhQ/s3627/220929%2009%20Marbury%20Park%20to%20Billinge%20Green%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1894" data-original-width="3627" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMW9AISPhCdAvtRFBupVsZkgE_OClF05nYWr6RY3wvrA-IujlLfxvR7CvVb248mQy5nCX529mjCLCUocLoxZZTKPhtfIAx_QstGuxCTQb-L6JiiY6AMz0efpZkWT5vDvzXVIqZUA0bsWCcmfMB7OqbhVgi0oAfFnApBT2Cbmrk2Rnx7MBV5v3FF1lhQ/w400-h209/220929%2009%20Marbury%20Park%20to%20Billinge%20Green%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Approaching</i></span><i> the salt works at Middlewich.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...across to Barbridge junction, north on the Shroppie and down Bunbury staircase...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWA--M2IErXOo5VSQSWYB92zw9QFVDu5iKayEgZeATSk1rzUhLVDwZCnrxio0hZFM729OLB0agaQKoWcvvZoHcE89l4Ln5-x_1yzSYvyRqXgSpDAGENZjelKyo-wwoIihaxzJNlyGBCHyhUog3E5xHQCv_zg2VUKLGsTV58lxbwv2K5U1AOOWL6vArA/s3929/221005%2001%20Calverley%20to%20Beeston%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1969" data-original-width="3929" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWA--M2IErXOo5VSQSWYB92zw9QFVDu5iKayEgZeATSk1rzUhLVDwZCnrxio0hZFM729OLB0agaQKoWcvvZoHcE89l4Ln5-x_1yzSYvyRqXgSpDAGENZjelKyo-wwoIihaxzJNlyGBCHyhUog3E5xHQCv_zg2VUKLGsTV58lxbwv2K5U1AOOWL6vArA/w400-h200/221005%2001%20Calverley%20to%20Beeston%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...below which we came across a rather sad and abandoned looking shed-of-a-boat adrift in the middle of the cut.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wADREfp6hWprGczwhCZ5eahUPYfGau_maWd52lCOPQM1WsdeAJU-L1j3zCSlpn0fSQky3C18mqyRfQi0Z-CCxwl_cVtXhyIP6_3Xhy-t91SWtbfwTr-Qn0xZ71r-PDACI_AsxGrhIpp3pK3189ZCtfTXWYa8UiIAKhMMc5wWzBhMbZiAY25u4o-DVg/s3087/221005%2003%20Calverley%20to%20Beeston%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1594" data-original-width="3087" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wADREfp6hWprGczwhCZ5eahUPYfGau_maWd52lCOPQM1WsdeAJU-L1j3zCSlpn0fSQky3C18mqyRfQi0Z-CCxwl_cVtXhyIP6_3Xhy-t91SWtbfwTr-Qn0xZ71r-PDACI_AsxGrhIpp3pK3189ZCtfTXWYa8UiIAKhMMc5wWzBhMbZiAY25u4o-DVg/w400-h206/221005%2003%20Calverley%20to%20Beeston%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We got a rope on it, towed it to the bank and tied it to a tree.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zOc8PkPZAWKkbHA7Ecqc9x1xZVSihQmw9opU1nkLzFdyrgfGIfyl54kpZ2rLw-D0NEIIyMwxQxJB2ltO0BzIDcgy_Of6ngG9JWc0gHTT-z1NMS-_5qb98-xYSeQI_dF8r2Bk6CW-TdBtVMCftnauJaDzal9yqCNYpa8RupE8HiEzHiVkeaf6-31InA/s2531/221005%2004%20Calverley%20to%20Beeston%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2531" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zOc8PkPZAWKkbHA7Ecqc9x1xZVSihQmw9opU1nkLzFdyrgfGIfyl54kpZ2rLw-D0NEIIyMwxQxJB2ltO0BzIDcgy_Of6ngG9JWc0gHTT-z1NMS-_5qb98-xYSeQI_dF8r2Bk6CW-TdBtVMCftnauJaDzal9yqCNYpa8RupE8HiEzHiVkeaf6-31InA/w400-h214/221005%2004%20Calverley%20to%20Beeston%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Ann-Marie sent CRT a what-3-words location and told them what we’d done, hopefully they’ll be able to contact the owner, but it won’t surprise us if it’s still there on our way back. We shared Beeston locks with a lovely hire boat crew...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMk_AwtN0NR0D0YodE73BxG-7_V01FGRZ0JWBRDjvAVDuc1YnynbLcEg4Qk4m6bvtueyCiJ4BRpm1S8F4GgsXJmfj0G7EiJpMhm9rd7ERe3AX1Rqh0v6umlUTWIvxBMIbM3xhHW0YrW8tE-M7QaY_0PqMgvNid_htNjCXF72zRGIu-xsOevS1y4jIRA/s3530/221006%2002%20Beeston%20to%20Chester%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1770" data-original-width="3530" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMk_AwtN0NR0D0YodE73BxG-7_V01FGRZ0JWBRDjvAVDuc1YnynbLcEg4Qk4m6bvtueyCiJ4BRpm1S8F4GgsXJmfj0G7EiJpMhm9rd7ERe3AX1Rqh0v6umlUTWIvxBMIbM3xhHW0YrW8tE-M7QaY_0PqMgvNid_htNjCXF72zRGIu-xsOevS1y4jIRA/w400-h200/221006%2002%20Beeston%20to%20Chester%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...stopped at Wardle lock to avoid the hail, and then carried on to Chester...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Ky1k-mF0DC5hD_lC9Vfea01qCWm-csQ8urCXfZS0BWzybWtXgHzya22L7an2TFc90Z674P9GT_DzDoJKJBiLSMXJOfieMpdtPagZEzV_X96oLGpBefGLXWI3T9LaM3PUuBnHo46Ds9zIUuUPs9lY3eBSuM6OZMxyo8NzqpVQ5lnb8wRkSA_rA1vz5Q/s3487/221005%2005%20Calverley%20to%20Beeston%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1950" data-original-width="3487" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Ky1k-mF0DC5hD_lC9Vfea01qCWm-csQ8urCXfZS0BWzybWtXgHzya22L7an2TFc90Z674P9GT_DzDoJKJBiLSMXJOfieMpdtPagZEzV_X96oLGpBefGLXWI3T9LaM3PUuBnHo46Ds9zIUuUPs9lY3eBSuM6OZMxyo8NzqpVQ5lnb8wRkSA_rA1vz5Q/w400-h224/221005%2005%20Calverley%20to%20Beeston%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chas Harden's hire base at Beeston. We hired "Shadowfax" from there many years ago and went to Llangollen.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0pzrAnAG5PawdxPw3f_e9iCeWsuPJZV48ehvavS2Sm-Zm8Tk8Py_vcLA2_5-J2unX4aNY1mitNwJyGDn6Zv1ArOyit2axYTeMCCZGDY_gPw9ZSz0tRd_RzmLc2fPOpqh14UlgqziWKloQnmEeQPx46zcuHeIiaLau_1UkR3FJMG1nPsgvKWuOWwiDA/s3264/221006%2003%20Beeston%20to%20Chester%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1919" data-original-width="3264" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0pzrAnAG5PawdxPw3f_e9iCeWsuPJZV48ehvavS2Sm-Zm8Tk8Py_vcLA2_5-J2unX4aNY1mitNwJyGDn6Zv1ArOyit2axYTeMCCZGDY_gPw9ZSz0tRd_RzmLc2fPOpqh14UlgqziWKloQnmEeQPx46zcuHeIiaLau_1UkR3FJMG1nPsgvKWuOWwiDA/w400-h235/221006%2003%20Beeston%20to%20Chester%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">The canal through Chester follows the line of an ancient Roman dyke at the bottom of the city walls.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></div></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">...where we went down the big triple Chester staircase with Nb Excalibur and moored up in the basin.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEbGm0nsRlflvey4mJyuazuCk3S5yU6RTixx8To9zreQ5x0yi54HSRnU-iX2B1an3I4-7nImLt_DtyTb-zjTfXbkbH6lmxJ8A0DPsC2o6dcD6yeb5sHWLEd_x3BNw0_nXUn2nTEn_UuzXkKT6hdipQyLn5iMAAQGEE2eLTCz8PaihgaTljXfhYrC286A/s1951/221008%2010%20Chester%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="1951" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEbGm0nsRlflvey4mJyuazuCk3S5yU6RTixx8To9zreQ5x0yi54HSRnU-iX2B1an3I4-7nImLt_DtyTb-zjTfXbkbH6lmxJ8A0DPsC2o6dcD6yeb5sHWLEd_x3BNw0_nXUn2nTEn_UuzXkKT6hdipQyLn5iMAAQGEE2eLTCz8PaihgaTljXfhYrC286A/w400-h194/221008%2010%20Chester%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We stopped there for two days while we bought a new printer and did the parkrun, (or parkwalk in our case as we both had painful Achilles tendons)...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWXD7v8o4Z7aztZ8UsIq7gBlcCifpXv9OxphhGEl9fnGabN_loM_Nzubhw2p_lN7-Vw5Af1P5Cc_KXvKf2VPs74KuaLdRaQN9RPkVVths9f1OHpOe1c_4ptcORwly-pQw9MteCMmIWQN9YDNaKewfzZcMtqYNSxtoO7hMC1lPFXi0YJrkc3nSxjbyCQ/s2327/221008%2009%20Chester%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1223" data-original-width="2327" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWXD7v8o4Z7aztZ8UsIq7gBlcCifpXv9OxphhGEl9fnGabN_loM_Nzubhw2p_lN7-Vw5Af1P5Cc_KXvKf2VPs74KuaLdRaQN9RPkVVths9f1OHpOe1c_4ptcORwly-pQw9MteCMmIWQN9YDNaKewfzZcMtqYNSxtoO7hMC1lPFXi0YJrkc3nSxjbyCQ/w400-h210/221008%2009%20Chester%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Parkwalk today.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...and had a day walking round the walls and along the wonderful Rows...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0O36mOxiSR4QbV4nAqQ4j4O06ul79VYldo6BbPLm3_tqUQP_3S7GRJV28iGpNMZaHU0aXSO5A15IYAs6n8X6sliu4co_VBXOksFH7RYg5m1ephkHp3Ldopa4K_Azm7zeCBsmho4MKHkU08feC0nKUEVV5v7I0FRBo1NueV--KjTs515KSx4EvPkAfQ/s2793/221008%2006%20Chester%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1724" data-original-width="2793" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0O36mOxiSR4QbV4nAqQ4j4O06ul79VYldo6BbPLm3_tqUQP_3S7GRJV28iGpNMZaHU0aXSO5A15IYAs6n8X6sliu4co_VBXOksFH7RYg5m1ephkHp3Ldopa4K_Azm7zeCBsmho4MKHkU08feC0nKUEVV5v7I0FRBo1NueV--KjTs515KSx4EvPkAfQ/w400-h248/221008%2006%20Chester%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbm3JmV1iDXQueK8PWMx14cupkEmfwyQRObpaEkRfLn7tYXxiRYvhookN16reGaT2QonRzK_gqsBe4noZbgxzyr7LvnWvMF-Lon1rSCdAmC9OJJlFCc7Q09YVlNqCIG23vzSMqGtzyBS1anfkNSSKDiIF-u5CI27l-Up4oryDdyk03h_LioRKk24-EOA/s2731/221008%2011%20Chester%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1470" data-original-width="2731" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbm3JmV1iDXQueK8PWMx14cupkEmfwyQRObpaEkRfLn7tYXxiRYvhookN16reGaT2QonRzK_gqsBe4noZbgxzyr7LvnWvMF-Lon1rSCdAmC9OJJlFCc7Q09YVlNqCIG23vzSMqGtzyBS1anfkNSSKDiIF-u5CI27l-Up4oryDdyk03h_LioRKk24-EOA/w400-h215/221008%2011%20Chester%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fir-Icfmx-YwUaXMcrOh3OeMmy9LFokCsUhFMbiNCYYCgdpm83QoXc8CCKHdI5r7VoYvswZ49Bu2k63TKyE78M-IZxR3ItcoUQ_hdvAW8ull4TrRnJo1-XJVRkd9Mrdx-7MHGiFZP1Ygj87hF4kQ4HTxQ2ubCb7721PtAFNIZlkSr_zy4dj0sJrErQ/s3789/221008%2013%20Chester%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1686" data-original-width="3789" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fir-Icfmx-YwUaXMcrOh3OeMmy9LFokCsUhFMbiNCYYCgdpm83QoXc8CCKHdI5r7VoYvswZ49Bu2k63TKyE78M-IZxR3ItcoUQ_hdvAW8ull4TrRnJo1-XJVRkd9Mrdx-7MHGiFZP1Ygj87hF4kQ4HTxQ2ubCb7721PtAFNIZlkSr_zy4dj0sJrErQ/w400-h178/221008%2013%20Chester%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Ddkfbk9dfIi7TW_9lRW8SWiYninlF4Ng_Y7WX5F4HWarD-psXxFYLOlRiJVUvyZMZlqUqBvXD1sU_mggVbEGEg9bLYiv638-iqmq4CuSDDc5sSyuwx7MPEPzGaFuX7qvKpBgG7Hu0rvpOWtqDDp25hK5ncOevq-4P9EMUJK8ohUCkett31vkdWbnUw/s3467/221008%2015%20Chester%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1829" data-original-width="3467" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Ddkfbk9dfIi7TW_9lRW8SWiYninlF4Ng_Y7WX5F4HWarD-psXxFYLOlRiJVUvyZMZlqUqBvXD1sU_mggVbEGEg9bLYiv638-iqmq4CuSDDc5sSyuwx7MPEPzGaFuX7qvKpBgG7Hu0rvpOWtqDDp25hK5ncOevq-4P9EMUJK8ohUCkett31vkdWbnUw/w400-h211/221008%2015%20Chester%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...before we cast off and went to moor up at Caughall Bridge by the zoo. We’d moored there nine years previously, but it was nothing like we remembered. Although there were signs proclaiming it to be a 48hr visitor mooring, and there were mooring rings if you dug around in the undergrowth, it had a submerged shelf that we bumped on and there was no signal whatsoever. It’s funny how our priorities have changed; back then we just wanted somewhere quiet, these days it’s all about solar, parking and signal. And a nice view of course.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Next day we stopped off at Cheshire Oaks Retail Park for a final shop before heading to the end of the Shropshire Union canal and the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjjZw7FJJPIr2R1rhiRdew5ibt_3rYtLBYrAG6ZA2KEzstIxAvKvDkwe0Rj934W4o9p-kELPb_gj4nfyLyyWov9m3oF2N7rfzgeXI3jNWyj87jseJILKguArN0KdyBH_da6PJXuZp1znm1vkBN2BbDEsr-avXqgaV5zCBEh5HjkAP-tnInB0n3X43lQ/s2099/221009%2003%20Chester%20Zoo%20to%20Ellesmere%20Port%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1161" data-original-width="2099" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjjZw7FJJPIr2R1rhiRdew5ibt_3rYtLBYrAG6ZA2KEzstIxAvKvDkwe0Rj934W4o9p-kELPb_gj4nfyLyyWov9m3oF2N7rfzgeXI3jNWyj87jseJILKguArN0KdyBH_da6PJXuZp1znm1vkBN2BbDEsr-avXqgaV5zCBEh5HjkAP-tnInB0n3X43lQ/w400-h221/221009%2003%20Chester%20Zoo%20to%20Ellesmere%20Port%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Walking back from the retail park we came across this wood-burner showroom.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We were really lucky when we got to the port because the final member of staff was just leaving and he kindly told us how to get in and where to moor. We pulled a big mass of Pennywort out of the top lock entrance, then dropped down the two locks taking us through the museum...</span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hhro0IOmVERbkX65llv8347_NgsomjChbn4jK6EygSyQp77XmDQSufFWxCPrdpjrBt-ATmQtZ9lnX2fxbRkD2ov5sLqLO-AoDiOUcuYkxGBxQwHNgiuAfs3cdnC1T6hTUg-T6ME97mkik25hULheoVlPTKpsi0IonzYvURDZa3OuyM0tWXD_AZk4VA/s3708/221009%2005%20Chester%20Zoo%20to%20Ellesmere%20Port%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2120" data-original-width="3708" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hhro0IOmVERbkX65llv8347_NgsomjChbn4jK6EygSyQp77XmDQSufFWxCPrdpjrBt-ATmQtZ9lnX2fxbRkD2ov5sLqLO-AoDiOUcuYkxGBxQwHNgiuAfs3cdnC1T6hTUg-T6ME97mkik25hULheoVlPTKpsi0IonzYvURDZa3OuyM0tWXD_AZk4VA/w400-h229/221009%2005%20Chester%20Zoo%20to%20Ellesmere%20Port%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /> and into the bottom basin. We moored up in exactly the same place that we’d been nine years previously when we went there for an Easter boat gathering.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFx7XB4JxpnqN-Cw_Qif4MxFO3u63gh7Y5X1fA_EeM5_nIRk0_yVDfi1M6nng1ElEF8SBA1hxse_CurFz5r1B2p5vDIzQVrX8INO7wIXMtOqOPJ5keEyXLRNxEg0CULKmefkKx0741k8PfI1wvezeYae8wfQTAYtPu9_aPtuzhxjgOxMDKOHZlujanQ/s3683/221010%2004%20Ellesmere%20Port%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2121" data-original-width="3683" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFx7XB4JxpnqN-Cw_Qif4MxFO3u63gh7Y5X1fA_EeM5_nIRk0_yVDfi1M6nng1ElEF8SBA1hxse_CurFz5r1B2p5vDIzQVrX8INO7wIXMtOqOPJ5keEyXLRNxEg0CULKmefkKx0741k8PfI1wvezeYae8wfQTAYtPu9_aPtuzhxjgOxMDKOHZlujanQ/w400-h230/221010%2004%20Ellesmere%20Port%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now...</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhslhRONrJPfVeVBYQuYZtv3ZV6t_fXTxlay45wI7hX2WgneEMqUxUQ6EYSllPIr_sN_PNjNmLKE_c4Wp5x-oMRAaULCQ2_SIOA0TVuAE-BUbtAFdZrjIE2e8M5wyZ6OOl614pEFe1BlYRXq2_vp6dhCgipS-TgfpFaPS89XJiKBV9k7_iCOfgmDV0xPg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img data-original-height="303" data-original-width="864" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhslhRONrJPfVeVBYQuYZtv3ZV6t_fXTxlay45wI7hX2WgneEMqUxUQ6EYSllPIr_sN_PNjNmLKE_c4Wp5x-oMRAaULCQ2_SIOA0TVuAE-BUbtAFdZrjIE2e8M5wyZ6OOl614pEFe1BlYRXq2_vp6dhCgipS-TgfpFaPS89XJiKBV9k7_iCOfgmDV0xPg=w400-h140" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">And then. There were a few more boats.</span></i></div></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the morning, Dave was up at dawn and out for a walk to check out the ship canal, then phoned the harbourmaster to check we were all ok to go. He told us that there was a possibility of a tanker passing us, but otherwise we’d have clear run. Our booking through the lock was at nine and it all got a bit worrying at about five-to when there was still no sign of any CRT people to open the lock. We were just about to phone up when a volunteer appeared, but due to a bit of confusion it was still twenty past nine before he opened the lock for us.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZa7mq6wKQBAo7n2lme4eaaymWcIBlFnB6p6B_YCL5Zd2ezPzIDpPSjewB9gMo68f5tTTO7xuLDSiEi3nJ11M6NYnT2SNvfH4ztj6S9zBqZTRj9FW3NHEumi0d-FqvQadbAFY-kRbsRxcbi0NKgkQG2YNz88jN-Zoy1rG5ERC4j9inCEVg7VYFmFptOA/s3435/221010%2008%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1612" data-original-width="3435" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZa7mq6wKQBAo7n2lme4eaaymWcIBlFnB6p6B_YCL5Zd2ezPzIDpPSjewB9gMo68f5tTTO7xuLDSiEi3nJ11M6NYnT2SNvfH4ztj6S9zBqZTRj9FW3NHEumi0d-FqvQadbAFY-kRbsRxcbi0NKgkQG2YNz88jN-Zoy1rG5ERC4j9inCEVg7VYFmFptOA/w400-h188/221010%2008%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We gave the Harbourmaster a call on the VHF radio to let him know we were about to enter his waterway, he said we were ok to go and told us that the tanker wasn’t moving, which was nice, and then we were out on the big, wide MSC.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyi3J2EPBMJQFhLUiip510LfPj4oeFkEbWnqGLEf-xowJiUDT9YGuffh0aBCJsS4cN9nqRxYJEQwdudX4e_l8xCMhhACPHrQU5E8MqsJlPJXF23L8VdWn2mjwFQ22diiEzTVAwMpes5XGdCoelEZws-kOYn60IVcqDdcS9CUN9_N6D0RUkaJOSOBgZA/s3841/221010%2012%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2214" data-original-width="3841" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyi3J2EPBMJQFhLUiip510LfPj4oeFkEbWnqGLEf-xowJiUDT9YGuffh0aBCJsS4cN9nqRxYJEQwdudX4e_l8xCMhhACPHrQU5E8MqsJlPJXF23L8VdWn2mjwFQ22diiEzTVAwMpes5XGdCoelEZws-kOYn60IVcqDdcS9CUN9_N6D0RUkaJOSOBgZA/w400-h230/221010%2012%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyDeANPZNZ_-hzD72ratyYGeJIeAxYtKAtvj2vCeRjA8ZY6dgJDbsM1elMtsBfD3k2DEaDbb8JDlKZSuZiW5NN86e3mseAcUj3qS7IoIzdj5eGDsZrPuZFrFFQ4h3VI8xTP3RqG9GKWvC6BR4muZXj1NA4SfRE1wL1tuXBViNFIBK1ByaLr6dAr5iBw/s3771/221010%2013%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1937" data-original-width="3771" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyDeANPZNZ_-hzD72ratyYGeJIeAxYtKAtvj2vCeRjA8ZY6dgJDbsM1elMtsBfD3k2DEaDbb8JDlKZSuZiW5NN86e3mseAcUj3qS7IoIzdj5eGDsZrPuZFrFFQ4h3VI8xTP3RqG9GKWvC6BR4muZXj1NA4SfRE1wL1tuXBViNFIBK1ByaLr6dAr5iBw/w400-h205/221010%2013%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsL0WVjZ2pSuEbAie7SaOoOwMPDRWsxFROhGM1rV48Ed6c8ailEmq2Vlob2LiVvUtSeFb-LQkgpslooS0GrkBpAXQd5RvcVf4ve4-48vFJiJ0Si2w32A_7CNdC_kgiXt8_Vn3rsqGYN-RfkCQ5zbMCfSKa0LX3OQON2DNmWe1fEE8gabavWOUMQ3gVw/s4257/221010%2014%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2303" data-original-width="4257" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsL0WVjZ2pSuEbAie7SaOoOwMPDRWsxFROhGM1rV48Ed6c8ailEmq2Vlob2LiVvUtSeFb-LQkgpslooS0GrkBpAXQd5RvcVf4ve4-48vFJiJ0Si2w32A_7CNdC_kgiXt8_Vn3rsqGYN-RfkCQ5zbMCfSKa0LX3OQON2DNmWe1fEE8gabavWOUMQ3gVw/w400-h216/221010%2014%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And it is big. And so are the ships. About a quarter of a mile after turning right at Ellesmere Port we reached the beginning of the refinery where we had to call Weston point on the radio and report our position.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeD5tzQ_oNqsRmjj5XUkUYp5D24UMpE_u1Lgf0kGIEtTqFb6xNrcdtg7EOp8Jbi3cnIJPT8CCcuiTiw1NNHFXSV-pifW7znXH7qhHv594rBUJLm0y6C9OhZhnI40d9n0NB91Bj91KFfghtT2HrvXwxcnio2idJa3VA4YTy_-6d2O5pU2PmuSqSIUNZBg/s3593/221010%2017%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1680" data-original-width="3593" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeD5tzQ_oNqsRmjj5XUkUYp5D24UMpE_u1Lgf0kGIEtTqFb6xNrcdtg7EOp8Jbi3cnIJPT8CCcuiTiw1NNHFXSV-pifW7znXH7qhHv594rBUJLm0y6C9OhZhnI40d9n0NB91Bj91KFfghtT2HrvXwxcnio2idJa3VA4YTy_-6d2O5pU2PmuSqSIUNZBg/w400-h188/221010%2017%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />All the way through that section smoking and naked flames are banned, and they like to know about any moving vessels. We got waved at by the crews of some very big ships...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz-tqEXhPWw9hjs7lrqX7jb-GW6ytvFQfYraSFCABOkfrJKu9Eq12pk5AdEU87_LQ5ABfdn5I_PjMFWV_GQWA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...and pushed sideways by the wake of a dredger, but after that we left the pipes, tanks, wharves and smells of the big industrial refinery behind and carried on along the long straight to Marsh Lock.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RFrVKWUGMou5bDWyrPr71Pt251tQaBlgeLUb-4AWkRrCUy8rhGJNHn2ZMesqe8O-dnFfG-HXiGaR8KFB3Q__mdziHQPIzTW2o1nwT_e-x7oWZJA7c3mHAtF4yiNkZIYc7JVOuz9-4F-a5fDWHqEtGAnt0Y7iV1v_qmO0PpvZbJ8kt0u4A776TPkzBA/s3046/221010%2023%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1511" data-original-width="3046" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RFrVKWUGMou5bDWyrPr71Pt251tQaBlgeLUb-4AWkRrCUy8rhGJNHn2ZMesqe8O-dnFfG-HXiGaR8KFB3Q__mdziHQPIzTW2o1nwT_e-x7oWZJA7c3mHAtF4yiNkZIYc7JVOuz9-4F-a5fDWHqEtGAnt0Y7iV1v_qmO0PpvZbJ8kt0u4A776TPkzBA/w400-h199/221010%2023%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">The little crew ferries at Stanlow that transport sailors to the opposite side.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxCk16MjwvxpCLvWRr6HuZ5cZGiRIQ2TP67wQAhdtL8-71gek2cnheqJ7ax3-3jVKuV5RGqGOnxTeGUWd-0yq0cxuIchK1fpeOpI3mbGxAg-iehH1h1oyG2wcgQ_YJLHgqKTNfLiWSqzGYPDsTuZdGX_iSAd5jyUcbRefOt96iGp_q-MhqNTb_X_37Q/s4333/221010%2026%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2319" data-original-width="4333" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxCk16MjwvxpCLvWRr6HuZ5cZGiRIQ2TP67wQAhdtL8-71gek2cnheqJ7ax3-3jVKuV5RGqGOnxTeGUWd-0yq0cxuIchK1fpeOpI3mbGxAg-iehH1h1oyG2wcgQ_YJLHgqKTNfLiWSqzGYPDsTuZdGX_iSAd5jyUcbRefOt96iGp_q-MhqNTb_X_37Q/w400-h214/221010%2026%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The River Mersey was just over the other side of the left hand bank, and we were surprised by the amount of wildlife we saw. There were no end of seabirds, lots of lapwings and cormorants, plus various flavours of geese and sheep all over the place. We hadn’t expected a big commercial waterway to be so rural.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4SEvI3EpttnLGu1i1v5U9_IXd2tBH-Vy_tM7GQTc4XYCDsEt-W-CGA0qzIsi9Dhf5GXmzV6UQFpYYepboNKQuPoI-F8DA9OAGOdGDBzfrTZMbeulacKjFH4hoRgm1sGF9raX68RMsGVMu81QdQvp4xdun1gFXtUsa7zBzA1lzCZunCtHatrpJhuCGaQ/s4231/221010%2033%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2307" data-original-width="4231" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4SEvI3EpttnLGu1i1v5U9_IXd2tBH-Vy_tM7GQTc4XYCDsEt-W-CGA0qzIsi9Dhf5GXmzV6UQFpYYepboNKQuPoI-F8DA9OAGOdGDBzfrTZMbeulacKjFH4hoRgm1sGF9raX68RMsGVMu81QdQvp4xdun1gFXtUsa7zBzA1lzCZunCtHatrpJhuCGaQ/w400-h217/221010%2033%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKeY3ZRuYv7oY2oGI9LczUsMTkJj-JRHvMdC-EhSdKHR1Ph-hnXd8S27nOrovz6KttLm_nhvd_bI5NAjFkUGKVbjwUlDppcSxVqG-SAu2Zc7MTGGWXWY7GavsrPOTz8xT1gDaUi6rT7KBaIpSETr9FPx6N7_BHq-R6qJA1DL7g_DWhGlOE62qaoi0c9Q/s3419/221010%2036%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1558" data-original-width="3419" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKeY3ZRuYv7oY2oGI9LczUsMTkJj-JRHvMdC-EhSdKHR1Ph-hnXd8S27nOrovz6KttLm_nhvd_bI5NAjFkUGKVbjwUlDppcSxVqG-SAu2Zc7MTGGWXWY7GavsrPOTz8xT1gDaUi6rT7KBaIpSETr9FPx6N7_BHq-R6qJA1DL7g_DWhGlOE62qaoi0c9Q/w400-h183/221010%2036%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The junction of the Ship Canal and the River Weaver is a wide “Y” shape. We were coming up the stem, the canal continued off to the left and the river came in from the right. Marsh Lock, which would take us onto the Weston Canal was on the opposite bank of the river, in the crook of the “Y”, so we had to cross the wide mouth to get to it. We’d been warned by Mike that the river deposits a lot of silt at the junction and that there was a dredged channel across to the lock, marked by red and green buoys, which we needed to follow to avoid getting stuck. So, with the flow from the river coming at us from the right, and the wind, which had suddenly picked up and was funnelling across the junction from the left, we aimed our little boat between the buoys, at the even littler looking lock entrance about quarter of a mile away on the far side of the river mouth.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBc79DJZuC6U_bHFt7RCqsF2Z6PFvQktcyf0SY6X-Po3gEccelp51V0ebzn2HkI1UADTMtc2adfja8AfKfsCNr90kfQG7xyGSqzy9wWn1RsidbLQ9QlKZjR2RSWH4l8RTy88CZuYgBBoi_ZoL0KQgZW9e_Q5iCziAm2Iv2zPfHMKRQFZyG5HZWhSmi-Q/s3031/221010%2041%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="3031" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBc79DJZuC6U_bHFt7RCqsF2Z6PFvQktcyf0SY6X-Po3gEccelp51V0ebzn2HkI1UADTMtc2adfja8AfKfsCNr90kfQG7xyGSqzy9wWn1RsidbLQ9QlKZjR2RSWH4l8RTy88CZuYgBBoi_ZoL0KQgZW9e_Q5iCziAm2Iv2zPfHMKRQFZyG5HZWhSmi-Q/w400-h203/221010%2041%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Steering between the buoys. the lock is just to the right of the big golf balls.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bhACwH2ho5Aqvgca8M7Mi7i7hSoh0ij_OtpcY3-UKMP_nw5v6d_jJHHFg2IhZvIER7pf-u1Nu-iz0dv8L58fN7WFsePmapc-B85rlU4EjOeqDelaOrKZq_-b24DuKsR-Ot-sF3J_knUAkl7lQ8Smm25pa-r8-cQ-arSv4D6UnaCR8gesof66_Yl3Sg/s3620/221010%2044%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1992" data-original-width="3620" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bhACwH2ho5Aqvgca8M7Mi7i7hSoh0ij_OtpcY3-UKMP_nw5v6d_jJHHFg2IhZvIER7pf-u1Nu-iz0dv8L58fN7WFsePmapc-B85rlU4EjOeqDelaOrKZq_-b24DuKsR-Ot-sF3J_knUAkl7lQ8Smm25pa-r8-cQ-arSv4D6UnaCR8gesof66_Yl3Sg/w400-h220/221010%2044%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Crabbing sideways towards the open lock gate.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />As we got closer, with more open water behind us, the wind got stronger Dave had to crab Legend more and more to keep us heading for the open lock gate. It all got very hairy for a while, but Dave held his nerve and we finally got there, hurtling sideways through the gate into the calm shelter of the lock with full reverse thrust. With both of us pumped full of adrenaline we gently bobbed about in the middle of the lock while the lock keepers worked us up onto the navigation.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4V5UVemJkRgxZj8GJn0ZPPJGEw6BCyBEOJr3Wp-1E880HY_NbH71RQ7ZwXHUKQPxnqbTcGDuHW7MfJMrHXyOFIhaGV70-S_t990_FrJl7fzGa0tVBsW_HXQ7w2JdSzDV5JzN6wq45ebVdvuXO4I9yQ8U4IBzOxuNjBPsMnFOscRuLyXVKPQPKzgNVjw/s2513/221010%2046%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="2513" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4V5UVemJkRgxZj8GJn0ZPPJGEw6BCyBEOJr3Wp-1E880HY_NbH71RQ7ZwXHUKQPxnqbTcGDuHW7MfJMrHXyOFIhaGV70-S_t990_FrJl7fzGa0tVBsW_HXQ7w2JdSzDV5JzN6wq45ebVdvuXO4I9yQ8U4IBzOxuNjBPsMnFOscRuLyXVKPQPKzgNVjw/w400-h231/221010%2046%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">It doesn't look that bad from the shelter of the lock, but it was howling out there.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtVBczvqkwxAcPLva1gG3sRKVK1827MzLyCLTyP9DORaM7JTr4rl6IrySnhJsIzJVNDc7rwTKF67ebyj-DVNCQqMUVJR0rLugMIWxszo4jyOxXBwAbJc-RmaFbz2BYzwGqhDb5BdPzToY34NYb_eAVBtEeI0AGGtU36Nx5mYi8rNL5eDcRWbjmgTHA3w/s2752/221010%2050%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1502" data-original-width="2752" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtVBczvqkwxAcPLva1gG3sRKVK1827MzLyCLTyP9DORaM7JTr4rl6IrySnhJsIzJVNDc7rwTKF67ebyj-DVNCQqMUVJR0rLugMIWxszo4jyOxXBwAbJc-RmaFbz2BYzwGqhDb5BdPzToY34NYb_eAVBtEeI0AGGtU36Nx5mYi8rNL5eDcRWbjmgTHA3w/w400-h219/221010%2050%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />It was a proper knee trembling and crazy laughter moment, and it took us a while to calm down. We chugged up the Weston Canal to Sutton Bridge...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrL8-Ga1MowPXAo9NTuYq24WSXK7qgjfKBFSrv5WtAuy0fltk3WSLyRj263I_7qfiXoQem6tFAP6NohpkJUDkKNmUmqn8rjGUW6YG73soUtVSMR3Um5isHf_SDsk08oWXxjamf0kCYuZ_TtiHCCG-Z9Fjt81v38x53ifgf5IONLDbuFBpjNtr-3qLuHQ/s2880/221010%2052%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1295" data-original-width="2880" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrL8-Ga1MowPXAo9NTuYq24WSXK7qgjfKBFSrv5WtAuy0fltk3WSLyRj263I_7qfiXoQem6tFAP6NohpkJUDkKNmUmqn8rjGUW6YG73soUtVSMR3Um5isHf_SDsk08oWXxjamf0kCYuZ_TtiHCCG-Z9Fjt81v38x53ifgf5IONLDbuFBpjNtr-3qLuHQ/w400-h180/221010%2052%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoaHvAcXSoqm_O4wCx6hgym8tsCWv6dBqOVAWGhomzsfkNsjdSf1r1VLpYz-oF2Ii_lJyChBFB3FZzOeJVu5ebMn5UxJyMtxud7MYMRTp2XCiq2x3c6uZXHptQqxltwMVQTsWLPQRDBovbC-uz1fLR_hZTppx8w4wRy8d-5MLdJNUOSPqPfVBi_Z5dw/s3630/221010%2053%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2041" data-original-width="3630" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoaHvAcXSoqm_O4wCx6hgym8tsCWv6dBqOVAWGhomzsfkNsjdSf1r1VLpYz-oF2Ii_lJyChBFB3FZzOeJVu5ebMn5UxJyMtxud7MYMRTp2XCiq2x3c6uZXHptQqxltwMVQTsWLPQRDBovbC-uz1fLR_hZTppx8w4wRy8d-5MLdJNUOSPqPfVBi_Z5dw/w400-h225/221010%2053%20Ellesmere%20Port%20to%20Sutton%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />...and moored up next the steam ship <a href="https://www.thedanny.co.uk/" target="_blank">Daniel Adamson</a>.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFoiB9TNxu8UCdZ7Ksum5Pvg8ZmrxBoHWq0paXWicH0fO5ptraaysXuUivDUfyD2ZM9vZG3CekTu3OlhnC5Uuyc9KQLWEjUbiAK-kmO9thP814TYb-ipcVkzFSHaPwz-1Ny54nLlOrEpOOH71PEEPJftlsApLIhTBif-9vSKgEfSQREjGKMrFgL_82w/s3310/IMG_20221011_105852%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1871" data-original-width="3310" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFoiB9TNxu8UCdZ7Ksum5Pvg8ZmrxBoHWq0paXWicH0fO5ptraaysXuUivDUfyD2ZM9vZG3CekTu3OlhnC5Uuyc9KQLWEjUbiAK-kmO9thP814TYb-ipcVkzFSHaPwz-1Ny54nLlOrEpOOH71PEEPJftlsApLIhTBif-9vSKgEfSQREjGKMrFgL_82w/w400-h226/IMG_20221011_105852%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />After lunch we had a lovely walk to Frodsham and back over the fields, then Dave got some wood cut up while Ann-Marie sorted out and indexed our photos on the computer. It was very nice to get back to normal after all the excitement.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The following day we moored at Devil’s Garden, a really beautiful spot on a wide bend of the river.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHWQcakn6ptzb3-cB_rVZ9ZxXuJEsVTjRVFPVHc0UYZz1taBGne4Rte6OkvUNXxa62d8osK3sPILGqukHJchIPcT-DLHNlMM3FvCa9lWZJzgy2FOGyUo4TyqZfO-n7XMVJX8KdiuNE1u3ilkUll9qoqFJAPEtPa4PU_pGglH15D8JdQt0DLKWL9zacA/s3960/20221011_172634925%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1662" data-original-width="3960" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHWQcakn6ptzb3-cB_rVZ9ZxXuJEsVTjRVFPVHc0UYZz1taBGne4Rte6OkvUNXxa62d8osK3sPILGqukHJchIPcT-DLHNlMM3FvCa9lWZJzgy2FOGyUo4TyqZfO-n7XMVJX8KdiuNE1u3ilkUll9qoqFJAPEtPa4PU_pGglH15D8JdQt0DLKWL9zacA/w400-h168/20221011_172634925%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We’d stopped there the last time we came this way, and it was even better that we’d remembered. With the Anderton Lift out of action there was very little traffic on the river, and we had the mooring to ourselves. In fact, we pretty much had the whole river to ourselves; on average we saw one other moving boat a day. The afternoon was mild and calm, so Dave got his paddleboard out for what would probably be the last time that year and had half an hour going up and down the river. From there we went through Dutton and Saltersford locks...</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwXivRO1wVgKTpdJCy_Bm19_20HrJ62l4Rt2w1DzaxPT1SImMyoYKdASXQ9DNRqEksnTn-oEMI59URJfOC9Mw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />... the river running parallel to the T&M where we’d been nine days previously, and with perfect timing, got tied up at Barnton Cut visitor moorings just before the rain arrived, and had a popcorn and telly afternoon. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The next morning we were going to have an early start but it was really foggy, so we held off moving till it cleared. Just as well too, we were outside cutting wood and sorting the spring bulbs out when a wide-beam dredger appeared out of the fog pushing not one, but two wide-beam barges side by side. OK, the Weaver Navigation is quite wide, and it’s perfectly possible to get past something like that in a narrowboat, but it was really foggy and he was taking no prisoners. Thank goodness we’d delayed our departure! The sun broke through and we set off to Northwich, passing the Anderton Lift and the country park, then stopping at the services before tying up between the iconic swing bridges on the visitor moorings. The last time we were here there was a boatyard on the opposite bank with a side launching slipway. It was abandoned and rather derelict and looking very sorry for itself. It has now been replaced with a shiny new Waitrose and the developers have made a nice feature of the slipway, retaining some of the tracks and trolleys. A rather touching tribute to Northwich’s boat building heritage.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the morning we moved about half a mile up the river to Hunt’s Lock, passing the CRT yard, under the footbridge linking the lock island to the town, and past some of the glorious historic river boats that are moored around there.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6V-qfuCsyp-0M_SjW5tqL8wue9fNL1eUPasoyWqB93haMNA_XJ_N7f1jT-sZ078dm7oWBSbv2HNa37IR7n1umPkGIoamWR8ppN42ty080DVIEq6v8v_Y_9fXA_1H3raVexZDsXtQu7tV-tEAEKp_vAYDTx8IXlVjzXM9UZeTe3iRu3Rr6UkBQPcYpqQ/s3694/20221014_103525743%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2051" data-original-width="3694" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6V-qfuCsyp-0M_SjW5tqL8wue9fNL1eUPasoyWqB93haMNA_XJ_N7f1jT-sZ078dm7oWBSbv2HNa37IR7n1umPkGIoamWR8ppN42ty080DVIEq6v8v_Y_9fXA_1H3raVexZDsXtQu7tV-tEAEKp_vAYDTx8IXlVjzXM9UZeTe3iRu3Rr6UkBQPcYpqQ/w400-h223/20221014_103525743%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">The back end of Yarwood's wonderful boat yard.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP32bvrW_HXuqg8cI_CBO9Y5W0JZPEh01k5Df2LBwqomBmx3U4TKjak_ahqzT1bttMq4ySZwyP8gx8o4cLr-k5W8Sht9X33nH_JrFgEh_MCFyFpcvVFe1jqeFmTKv36MN_0niCIuT2gbNbQ3nC3FwNhShxH_CNYpCCNcAWP_OMsS7vGElwwbN2OMt3UQ/s2627/20221014_110909731%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1453" data-original-width="2627" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP32bvrW_HXuqg8cI_CBO9Y5W0JZPEh01k5Df2LBwqomBmx3U4TKjak_ahqzT1bttMq4ySZwyP8gx8o4cLr-k5W8Sht9X33nH_JrFgEh_MCFyFpcvVFe1jqeFmTKv36MN_0niCIuT2gbNbQ3nC3FwNhShxH_CNYpCCNcAWP_OMsS7vGElwwbN2OMt3UQ/w400-h221/20221014_110909731%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">The south end of the lock island. you can see the remains of the side-slip. Matt and his volunteer crew have plans to restore it to working order.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijd9K-ZA4q9-HBXH8FGEgeDuhPh5Sk8_NpIF5z3uFhSOtVaFaeHS1qcubPCTtBoeAVDQ450MOg6hNwszMYfAy02VBVZY662PuKyN772UFcqVkUU5WcPYiyS1ES6Bkg7VV-5PxGm5RHnxfR78GM-Qyyj-sZLoRYVhX-1NY-Zyw0r_ij4_kj_A0yUHMOiw/s2918/20221014_111140731%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1547" data-original-width="2918" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijd9K-ZA4q9-HBXH8FGEgeDuhPh5Sk8_NpIF5z3uFhSOtVaFaeHS1qcubPCTtBoeAVDQ450MOg6hNwszMYfAy02VBVZY662PuKyN772UFcqVkUU5WcPYiyS1ES6Bkg7VV-5PxGm5RHnxfR78GM-Qyyj-sZLoRYVhX-1NY-Zyw0r_ij4_kj_A0yUHMOiw/w400-h213/20221014_111140731%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Yarwood's</i></span><i> from the river</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvVlrk3j5kUOEjnioDlW3HKE2RP-8h49aB7rdFu2Uqj8u3XGY6E_TDpcBLzQqcB_p9fH_J2wXGlcps-agh6sqqvaOdSbzlGGNHA2T-DuWyQp-B2FXAVuLjfjVGCPUFQjLfmLong2OQRjZJDv31-QJ8UiqVhbxQEsqVwLv1etON4b3iPO6KWhep2ZTMA/s2913/20221014_111050681%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2913" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvVlrk3j5kUOEjnioDlW3HKE2RP-8h49aB7rdFu2Uqj8u3XGY6E_TDpcBLzQqcB_p9fH_J2wXGlcps-agh6sqqvaOdSbzlGGNHA2T-DuWyQp-B2FXAVuLjfjVGCPUFQjLfmLong2OQRjZJDv31-QJ8UiqVhbxQEsqVwLv1etON4b3iPO6KWhep2ZTMA/w400-h188/20221014_111050681%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30TKIEHOIC9kRZJ5MezjwOUCACNraCqMU-6bZt_WWFmZ2ORLLFBzFScoYMWOzFArcvRTYjU9TcQIuir7od70RmUvMAZd2B2N03rWyuf9ofy3ltytwl2t5X3s9WHpmPTjVC-SSOmLNrjs-zVEmH8_OiiSZqSox8iYF_ZTpALUMEEgPPEDhrQyHxnj_pg/s3955/20221014_111403947%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2183" data-original-width="3955" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30TKIEHOIC9kRZJ5MezjwOUCACNraCqMU-6bZt_WWFmZ2ORLLFBzFScoYMWOzFArcvRTYjU9TcQIuir7od70RmUvMAZd2B2N03rWyuf9ofy3ltytwl2t5X3s9WHpmPTjVC-SSOmLNrjs-zVEmH8_OiiSZqSox8iYF_ZTpALUMEEgPPEDhrQyHxnj_pg/w400-h221/20221014_111403947%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Safe Hand, an ex-Lever Bros tanker, used for transporting palm oil for soap. Previously called Lux. Saved from the scrap heap and now in private hands undergoing a seriously brave transformation.</span></i></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdHD6Qqv1uHihQrq8Yykd2zMNl_FwcN5hZYIDf6tk2ZVUu74me_A4hjEW8SNRZMx4i9xkZoXPShyXH3x_D1xwopLMbYAdQUpKvolQ6m1RZdRIIiiieNp034pXvQubFiJe5SsxyOfpXLT4jKhOItRIM4VPW7nWwufp47EEUPPePZpCuccYUJ9h7PKZNg/s3086/20221014_111346082%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1591" data-original-width="3086" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdHD6Qqv1uHihQrq8Yykd2zMNl_FwcN5hZYIDf6tk2ZVUu74me_A4hjEW8SNRZMx4i9xkZoXPShyXH3x_D1xwopLMbYAdQUpKvolQ6m1RZdRIIiiieNp034pXvQubFiJe5SsxyOfpXLT4jKhOItRIM4VPW7nWwufp47EEUPPePZpCuccYUJ9h7PKZNg/w400-h206/20221014_111346082%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The dry dock is on the lock island under a railway arch alongside the weir. To get there you have to go up the lock then back on yourself down the weir channel on the other side of the island. Our booking was for nine the next morning so we moored up just before the lock, ready to go as soon as it opened at eight-thirty.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the morning we were joined by David, who was giving Dave a hand with the work. Ann-Marie was swapping places with him and going to stay with Kate for the duration. We know it’s all very stereotypical, but that’s just how we are. One of the lock keepers was late, so it was about half past nine by the time us and Nb Footloose got up the lock and round to the drydock. One of the two boats we were replacing was Saturn, the historic charity owned horse boat that we’d last seen being bow-hauled over the Pontcysyllte aqueduct on the Llangollen canal carrying the Olympic torch. It had been in for blacking and we later found out that it spends its winter months safely tucked up just around the corner. We think there must be far more historic boats in Northwich than there are in the museum at Ellesmere port.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGqUEEonaK_OCDwbKsD6n1jY9Jfrx3zOt9KF7tPx229_51q2-SGEnSOmuFJ5yTKQUlDmI2HZUjO3U-drsIrLjywiTnStKSiqfXLIRiiozRkPKoG0K1zJX9P7sJbdkvS_wG3C7035APiRKHvLrCOvZxibr36Wa2YR8NTwHvCXG7E4na8yX6fIylqUY7w/s3984/IMG_20221015_093753%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2073" data-original-width="3984" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGqUEEonaK_OCDwbKsD6n1jY9Jfrx3zOt9KF7tPx229_51q2-SGEnSOmuFJ5yTKQUlDmI2HZUjO3U-drsIrLjywiTnStKSiqfXLIRiiozRkPKoG0K1zJX9P7sJbdkvS_wG3C7035APiRKHvLrCOvZxibr36Wa2YR8NTwHvCXG7E4na8yX6fIylqUY7w/w400-h209/IMG_20221015_093753%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As soon as we were in the dock the gate was craned back into place, lines were put on the back and front of both boats to position them in the perfect place, and the sluice was opened in the front wall draining the dock into the river below.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwI87s6m6hHjxhk18hz6u57JiQWeDdlBrGP3GCOxndq6ivL8XnYorZYoARNXMrFCb9v_1XxRf4eAEIy97jYXg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Northwich is really deep. Unlike Stourport, where we only dropped down about two feet and the gunwales ended up level with the dock sides, in Northwich we started off level with the gunwales then dropped a good three feet before our baseplate touched the bearers. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EyiqtbpSkL18B_-xdx4YzoUvKFD_jLAEZ3lQt-hUvZWfJq01MW37f4w9egzdgpkV33JFMy4uMYj-VIyW7Q8af-CVNsF7oR7xY-mlvb0zvAa1KJ-E2oRMDe6jwzw4i8bWJoa-enWweaC44jlNpd4oAOSU0GMOWR1Q-0UZ63NBppajvhwS2eHq5TT5YA/s3739/20221015_100303284%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1868" data-original-width="3739" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EyiqtbpSkL18B_-xdx4YzoUvKFD_jLAEZ3lQt-hUvZWfJq01MW37f4w9egzdgpkV33JFMy4uMYj-VIyW7Q8af-CVNsF7oR7xY-mlvb0zvAa1KJ-E2oRMDe6jwzw4i8bWJoa-enWweaC44jlNpd4oAOSU0GMOWR1Q-0UZ63NBppajvhwS2eHq5TT5YA/w400-h200/20221015_100303284%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />As soon as the water had drained out, two pairs of warehouse steps were craned in, and we were ready to get to work. David and Dave waived Ann-Marie off and while Matt started on Footloose with the pressure washer, they got Legend and themselves ready for a week’s worth of grafting. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We’ll share our respective</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> diaries about what we each got up to in the next instalment. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0000pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div>Dave and Ann-Marie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09530873175510537751noreply@blogger.com0