Friday 17 September 2021

Here we are again, happy as can be....

Greetings dear Reader, yes I expect you thought we'd left the country, but no.  

We've been tucked up at home awaiting the birth of another beloved grandchild in this case a girl, mother and baby had a bumpy start after she made a lightning entrance to this world, the midwife managed to catch her, but mother was on the poorly side and an SOS call was made.  So although it was just heavenly to be with her big darling sister for some time it's pretty wonderful to be back on WaL.

We had a wonderful quick journey up from the south coast, one of the best ever.  We were to have travelled up the afternoon before but as I had been up four times the previous night with Darling Big Sister we delayed it to the next morning, we were all packed and ready so decided to leave 05:30-06:00, which we did and what a jolly good thing too as Extinction Rebellion were out in force on "Our" section of the M25 that day shortly after we passed through.

Funnily enough I support ER's aims but not their methods. 

Please welcome Emma to the world.

and her big sister.  This is us having a picnic in the park. Happy happy days.


We left Great Haywood Marina, still unsure until we approached the marina entrance if we would go north or south, in the event I won and we went north!

Here below is us, we were spotted and photographed by Nev Wells from NB Percy as we came out of the marina entrance, you can read it all here   HERE, it was lovely sunshine but I was very soon chilly when the clouds moved in front of the sun, but that's September for you.



Thank you Nev for allowing me to use your photo.


We had decided to have a bash at the Four Counties Ring.  We've not done it before, but some years ago ex-boaters Steve and Denise from then NB Riversides Escapes another Fernwood Boat and a beauty at that, wrote out for us detailed notes for the Ring as they particularly liked it.  Thank you Denise if you still read the blog from your Motorhome.

Well you know what it's like when one half of the boat crew think one thing and the other half think another...?  Well I had quite thought that we would find the first sunny spot and moor up, the boat looked like a bomb had hit it and I wanted a nap after driving.  David on the other hand said 
"WHAT?"  
"Moor up?  We've only just got started" 
So on we went for ages, well an hour, we did moor up just outside Weston.  I had also wanted to go to all the fabulous pubs on this section, the trouble is they are a bit close together and that would mean having a blow out meal each day for three days.....

So we passed by The Saracens Head at Weston, with the firm intention of driving there from Great Haywood on our return.  

 Just north of Weston on a paddock were approximately 200-300 Canadian Geese, ghastly creatures to my mind but I must try to be more like Chris Packham and love them.... but that will take a while.

Supper was quiche, coleslaw with peaches and cream to follow.  

I was in bed at 8pm and lights out at ten past.  Seems Grandma's take longer to get over broken nights than when I was in my 20's, I don't know why. 












7 comments:

  1. Enjoy your cruise. I have blogged about living a life on the canals just doing the four counties. I've done it quite a few times now and prefer clockwise as it avoids the two sided queue for Wardle lock and going out of the lock chambers into the bywashes at Tyrley and Audlem is easier I find.... but small details and last time we did it it was anticlockwise as we set off for an out and back but got to Great Haywood a bit quicker than we expected so kept on going around !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Nev, this time we are following advice in our notes from Steve and Denise the ex-Boaters who firmly said only go down Heartbreak Hill. I have in the past gone uphill on HH but that was when we had Amanda with us and she is indefatigable. We also did descend a few years ago with three youngsters and did the whole of HH in an afternoon!
      I have heard horrible things about the Bywashes over at Tyrley both going up and going down.....
      Lisa

      Delete
  2. Canadian Geese are just rats with wings!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Both David and I completely agree with you Tom.

      Delete
  3. Hi Lisa, we are on the Shropshire Union heading North so watch out for us and we'll have a coffee or something stronger together if we meet. We'll watch out for you.

    Are you going clockwise or anti- clockwise round the ring?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Both,
      We will be going south on the Shroppie. Yes do keep a look out for us, would be great to see you both.

      Delete
  4. As for the by washes. When lower gates are open crack open a top paddle. The flow is then into the lock and that reduces the fliw down the by was. It doesn’t waste any water as it would have gone down the by was any way

    ReplyDelete