Foie gras and gagging

Time to move from here.  Nice sunny day was forecast, I like those.  We moved the boat along one jump onto the water point and topped up again.  I went ahead and filled the lock, David did the water and mopped the side down, then wiped it so its all nice and shiny.

Just as we got into the lock another boat appeared from around the corner behind us, they wanted water too so we waited in the lock for them, it didn’t take long at all.

Past the delightful Dundas Arms here at Kintbury,  where I was treated to a FAB late lunch yesterday of foie gras then ham hock with sweet potato mash in cider sauce…. 

We sat in the sun in their pretty garden with water flowing past both sides.  I am not sure I could relax if I had children there, but as the only people in there it was lovely. 

The people we were travelling with were very jolly, the lady was from Denmark and the boat was called 

“Villekjær”, I wish I could pronounce it but it is a family name, in fact her grandfather was one of five brothers, they jointly brought the name in 1911 and it become their surname so if anyone has that name they are descendants of those five brothers.  The female offspring have it as a second name so it carries along both sexes. 

The canal really did look very lovely this morning, there were wooded sections but then it opened out with nice rolling hills and fields which is more of what I like.

This section had previously had a VERY strong current.

We think this is a Grey Wagtail....

How attractive is that...?

David racing ahead while I walked.

Open rolling hills.

I have included a few shots of the river sections that flow in and out of the canal so if you had seen it on this blog as we came up this section all those weeks ago Reader, you could compare to the relative calm waters of today. 

HERE

We parted company with NB Villekjær, they went off for a last day of their holiday blow out lunch.  

The man walking away on the towpath was the captain of this boat moored on the landing , saw us coming and set off...

We wanted to moor in Newbury, this was because we were going home for a week or so and wanted to get onto what we had been assured were 14 day moorings.  So we came in to the upper section of Newbury above the lock and it was fairly busy, there was a free bit but on closer inspection had a lovely jagged edge due to some ripped armco so no thank you.  We kept looking, but had to go through the swing bridge.  

Newbury swing bridge.

Then we spotted moorings immediately before the lock, only 24 hrs but we decided that we would stop there, walk down and see what was available, if nothing then stay there and move down the next day.  A nice amble through town, the pubs and waterside bars were just beginning to get some customers in as lunchtime approached….  Nobody parked in Victoria Park, this would not be my favourite place to stop due to high numbers of swans and ducks, but there was one lovely WaL sized space there on the 14 day moorings.  Great, just what we wanted….  Now then a dash back to WaL through the lock, Hurry Up QUICK!!, before some other boater comes along and nabs it.  We scooted back and I got on at the front to unlock the door, then this disgusting smell came from somewhere….

OMG! It was my shoe, nicely covered in fresh doggie doo, isn’t that nice?  We only have one section of carpet on the boat but yes it was on there….

David went to play with the lock and I got the 1001 spray carpet cleaner out,  (this was a complete fluke that I had it onboard), so there I was spraying rubbing and gagging.  Uttering a few oaths under my breath for the owner of the dog who had thought it acceptable to allow it to poo right there and not pick up.

Quite a crowd at the lock watching the boat, I would too if I were them, offices are boring after all.

Easy and controlled through here today.

David appearing past the Newbury Narrows.

All the tricky bits done..... well today anyway.

So the carpet cleaned somewhat, at least the revolting smell had gone, through the lock, I was doing my best to take snaps whilst jogging down to warm other boaters of our rapid arrival on this fast flowing section,  then the canal/river quickly opens out again and the heat is off.

Moored up, tennis on, Murray knocked out of the French Tennis semi’s pretty quickly.  I had been on a trip around John Lewis Home, a very enjoyable trip too it was.  Then packed, jumped into the car and home, real home that is to go help our daughter move house.