What a Lark!: All good things must come to an end.

And so it came to pass that our time was up and we must leave Bugsworth Basin and the sweet village of Buxsworth and the pretty town of Whaley Bridge.

The people we have spoken to have been friendly, happy and chatty (Well obviously not the horrid man with the water tank and trailer but I don't think he's a local!) we have very much enjoyed ourselves.

Like most people we wanted to water up before we left this morning. A boat went passed us onto the water point fairly early, it was one of a trio of boats that David had chatted to previously, these three boats had travelled down from Yorkshire together, he'd talked about his "two mates" as well. This morning he said to David that I'd better go wake him or he'll think we've deserted him.... Added to which in another conversation he described how when coming up the flight people on other boats had been tearing around rushing rushing and he didn't want that again going down the flight.

These were all clues that we have three single handers travelling together in convoy. We let them all water up and depart. Slightly chuckling at the thought of three single handers in convoy, they looked to be in their 70's holding everyone up.

We had planned on stopping on the canal for a few days more before doing the flight, you remember Reader that the flight is only open three days a week.

So finally our turn and David reversed out of the arm to wind (Turn around), almost getting wedged but no we filled and pulled away.

A gloriously sunny day. One of several recently, something I wasn't really expecting in Derbyshire in May almost June.

We had been moored up on the left beyond the foot bridge. Sunny but D wearing his thick fleece.

For Sale hint hint.

This little sweetie had a bunch of ducklings with her that got separated by WaL, quite a lot of screaming but a happy reuniting. Turns out she is a Mandarin duck.

Approaching the sweet factory. Sickly smell in the air again.

I was walking to do the lift bridges and saw this lovely view across the valley here.

Lovely electric lift bridge.

Suddenly the yellow flag Irises are all in bloom.

As we approached bridge 20 there was a space to moor... I didn't hardly have to plead at all for David to pull in and moor up. It sounds easy but in fact took three attempts to get in, a barrage of shocking language, the crosser he gets the more I tend to giggle... The pole was used by me a bit ineffectively but in the end we were fairly happy with a "Wild mooring" type arrangement that is to say the back was sticking out. Bit shallow although it was almost exactly where we had stopped previously.

Funny that.

We went to have lunch at The Crown at Hawk Green again. Seemed rude not to as we were leaving.

We sat out in the sunshine and loved it. A Newfoundland dog arrived bringing its owner with him.

I told the Landlady how much I like this area and Hawk Green and she said you wouldn't say that when there's snow everywhere echoing David's response to my suggestion of relocating.

So that's probably that then.

Late Lunch was camembert wedges and their homemade lasagne then affogato.

We waddled back to WaL, sitting in the cratch, I was pretending to read but mostly just gazing at the view.