Beautiful Blues and pickle.

We went a walking the next day, to the very end of the recently restored canal to this bridge, then over the fields.  

When David was talking to the Society members, he was told of the great controversy and this is only hearsay, but Leicester County Council were in ownership, the canal society are in the process of getting ownership back there was money available that could very possibly have gone missing, an ex-Labour MP is denying any financial impropriety and the local farmer, who had limited access to his fields we think that meant but when asked what bridge he wanted insisted on having this whopper for his combined harvester, after it was built it was discovered that with this limited access he did not have any right to insist on a bridge of this size and consequent expense.  

All of these unproven allegations do not come from me you understand, but when David and I looked about the bridge which is said to be ugly, out of keeping and ridiculously big, cost a fortune to build but we didn't see any corn growing that might need a combined harvester, I tell you Reader you couldn't make it up.   

"Ugly and out of keeping bridge"

"Ridiculously big bridge" 

The current terminus of the canal, with a turning circle for only a 52' boat, do not take that as gospel, we didn't try.  But you can see a bit of the intended route.

We walked over the fields and towards Snarestone, it was lovely and warm and before long David unzipped his warm fleece.

I saw this gorgeous blue butterfly and if anyone can identify it then please do so in the comments.  I was surprised how close I could get to it, I took this close up and withdrew so as not to disturb it, then as I looked about in this scraggy, seemingly unused paddock of grasses dock and dandelions there was a mass of butterflies.  

The Ox-Eye daisies coming to an end now, and I'll miss another year's opportunity to collect seeds. 

We half thought of having a swift half in The Globe pub but it was shut, but we did discover the exact whereabouts of a farm shop here, its a new-ish one, the owners are still developing it, currently its a trailer parked outside a barn, (on the main road very close to the village church) they have fridges with milk, cream, local cheeses, bread, vegetables, salad and delicious local chutneys, jams and good bread. 

Support them if you are near the produce was good quality.

Delicious.

Back towards the terminus, these are the visitor moorings just before you get to the winding hole where we winded and then reversed through the little swing bridge and then on backwards around the bend.

 

After a cool start to the day it was a lovely end, we sat in the sun and later had salmon steaks for supper.