Emerging from lockdown

We can now go out on the boat and from tomorrow virtually all restrictions are lifted. 

Day trips are permitted now as long as we don't stay on the boat overnight. But the boat does not need returning to it's home mooring so can stay canalside overnight unoccupied. I still find it absurd that when we are moored miles from anywhere it is deemed safer for us to walk to the nearest conurbation, get somebody to drive to our location, pick us up, drive us home or to use public transport and then to make the return journey the following morning. But the plus side is that by doing all the journeys we know we have checked our eyesight!

Here we are on the Stockton flight

Cape of Good Hope

Hatton flight

 and finally resting. 

I can post again

After two years of not being able to upload photos to this blog, once again I can. 

We have had many adventures in 2019, a shame not to be able to document them but hopefully we can start doing this again now. 

Stoke Golding

We are now about half way up the Ashby Canal, at Stoke Golding.

Unusually they are offside visitor moorings.



We made the turn in quite well. And there is a disused stop lock.



We had a great breakfast this morning before setting off. I needed to find a Saturday Guardian, which proved very difficult in this part of Coventry but I ran across a wonderful cafe that did breakfast and then drove me back to the moorings.

It was delicious.



The Ashby is interesting with many sandstone bridges.





But all three pubs in Stoke Golding were meant to be open at 14:00 on a Saturday but only one was. Good job it was the GBG pub.

Hawkesbury Junction

We are back out on the boat again. Yesterday we made it as far as the Barley Mow at Newbould.

After much cleaning, washing and ironing



and eventually a call out from the car rescue team to start my car and then a new battery we took Kenny and Gracie home and got back to the Boat.

Today we are moored up by lunchtime.



And are going to visit the Greyhound at Hawkesbury junction.



Its a GBG pub and does good food.

The pumphouse here looks interesting, I hope it gets restored.



But this is our current view as we relax.

Back to base

We have made it back to our marina after 17 days on Magpie ii.

Yesterday we stayed in Braunston.

Gracie enjoyed feeding the ducks.



There was a frenzy when the food was thrown in.



When we went to the Boat House for tea, Alison couldn't help but notice that the free WiFi after a day of no internet meant everyone was making the most of their devices.



This morning we went to the Gongoozlers Rest for breakfast.







When we sensed a gap on the rain we made a run for it and stayed dry.



You can either sit out in the sun or just make use of the marina WiFi.

Braunston

Today we arrived back in Braunston. Yesterday we decided to stay in Napton as my back was playing up.

We found a delightful village shop and a craft cidery where purchases were made.

We made the most of the fresh air and sunshine.



Today we walked around Braunston and visited the Guardian's number 1 canal side pub, The Admiral Nelson.

The Folly

We have made it to the Folly at Napton today.

The young lady behind the bar recognised me as her former teacher. Just another example of the small world we live in.

Some interesting sights en-route.

Fancy a bath here?





Looks fun to me.

This boat is by the canal but with no access to it.



At least stopping at 14:00 means you get a mooring.