A whizz and a wash

We did that back to front thing again today, we went cycling this morning and boating this afternoon.

Off to see the village of Winnick as we often do.  Its a good place to visit as the church sells books and jam.  
Guess who forgot the money?

So by-passing the church, past the divine Bridge Cottage and down past a very interesting property that has Llamas 
(or Alpacas), Debby do you know the difference?
Then back towards WaL in a big sweep.

But first, after waiting and waiting and waiting last evening, the hares appeared....  such big cuties.  We thought there were about five scampering about.  

Winnick Manor or Grange or other

The devine Bridge Cottage after a recent wash and brush up.

Windmills behind the village, we counted six

I call these the Footballers Wives gates.  I loathe these ones.

There were three, this was the only one smiling.

 Today's Pretties;

Pretty sure this is Honesty

and this is a blue one.

Fast ride back to WaL

So we set off at about Elevenses Time, we wanted to water up and grumbled loudly at a boat not filling and of course moored on the water point... He finally came out and suffered a withering glare.

NB Enterprise.  I can't find anything about her......

 We moored up short of Watford Locks in the snow then later in the cratch it was boiling in the sun......

This crept over and then it snowed again.

This was taken without and filters or jiggery pokery.  Minutes later the entire sky was grey and snowing again. 

Supper was broccoli and stilton soup and an orange.

A quick Flit

Just a short hop today.  Down to yet another of our favourite places.  Bridge 22.

Usually at this time of year Hares can be spotted frolicking in the field opposite, but so far no signs.  David has remarked more than once what a mess has been made of the spraying of this field, its tinged all over yellow.  Trouble is with farming, ones mistakes are public to other farmers and much comment is made.

Peter spotted and hooted us!  For those of you who don't know, Peter is a single hander, he is out during the week all summer.  He reads avidly on his kindle, is ex-RAF and a keen bird and areoplane spotter oh yes and is 84.  If you see him to say hello.

Nice little bit of dredging happened, just after this we passed a boat and we went mildly aground, so they could do more.

Oops.

I do like a bit of blossom.

Near to Winnick village.

We often walk to Winnick, last time we did there were signs up all over Say No To Wind Farm.  
Looks like they lost.  
I was discussing this issue with a daughter about how controversial they are, the noise, the sight of them in beautiful surroundings and this was her reply " Get over it mother, its better than a nuclear power plant"  so I suppose that's that then, the next generation speaks.
   

Ah, my first brood seen.

Stunningly good maintenance work on this bridge. 

Amusingly these ladies were nudging and tickling him, he remained nonplussed. 

We arrived in a drizzle which quickly became a shower, moored up, argued over my chain placement, (He was right) and snuggled in.

Supper was salmon, broccoli, wedges and rhubarb surprise.

Lycra, Rupert and bacon.

"Put more layers on" says he with authority, he always tells people what a cold woman I am.

So my new NZ merino wool undergarments went on, he went out and spent time playing with his new pumpy toy and with rock hard tyres off went went, to see The Naseby Battlefield.  

Yawn yawn I hear from from non history lovers, sorry bear with.  
Almost at the bridge this dear thing was having a drink, I do hate to think of the water quality, but dogs too drink out of the filthiest puddles.

A lovely shortish ride got us to here, I was boiling, while trying to working out which articles of clothing to decently remove, these came haring past;

Some helpful suggestions about clothing came from them.

 Needless to say I was walking up this hill, they didn't stop for breath I don't think and some of them older than me too.

I walked to the top.

Actually the battle of Naseby in The English Civil war took place outside Naseby village and between two others, so there are different places to see it from.  

It was a defining moment for the Royalists, who lost and from reading the information boards, was from iffy tack ticks, pity really as the Royalists surely had better outfits. 

The flag marks one of the spots

Interestingly, today it is far harder to see the places as we have trees and many hedges, back then in 1645, the only hedges marked the parish boundaries and few trees, we wondered if King Henry 8th was responsible for that.  

This Prince Rupert of the Rhine chappie had an interesting life HERE.  Any Canadian Readers?

Further on, this was the view from East Farndon 

northwest-ish, 

Horse.

 This is the same shot with the zoom;

WaL is close by to the lower ploughed field.  I said I didn't want to go too far today! 

I do appreciate a nice gate, I would like one of these at home.

This is a public footpath, you'd have to bend yer head and knees

Two types of pretty blossom seen today growing in the hedgerows, this first one looked like an apple blossom to me, Debby? 

Just past its best but beautiful or what?

I was struggling a bit by the time we got back to the boat, 13 odd miles is a bit much for MY first ride of the year....

 We set off almost immediately, heading for another pretty mooring south of the Welford Arm,  several boats moored there but no afternoon sun, this is the main criteria for me when mooring up.

Leaving the Laughton Hills at about 1pm

Just around the corner were these darlings, they gambolled along with us 

I for one am delighted that these shrubby bushy trees have been decimated, glorious views right through here.  But its only a question of time as this hedge will be rejuvenated and fill out thicker than ever.  Good for the birds I guess. 

Darling launch at South Kilworth, where's the loo?

So finally moored up, we had done about six miles (Don't tell the Boat Sharers, they never do less than 18 hours a day when they are on WaL)!  It wasn't a silent afternoon as the Gliding Club located near to here was very busy....  They went home for tea and we laid in the cratch in the full sun, reading and perhaps a nap took place.

Look carefully and you can spot the towing string.

 Supper was breakfast, that is to say bacon, avocado, roasted tomatoes, mushrooms scrambled eggs and annoyingly no sparkle, that wasn't in the fridge.  It is now.  

Lastly the sky did this last night after I had finished the blog.
No filters

A Grand Day Out

Today dawned clear sunny and chilly.  I took the precaution of putting on my thermal navy polo necked top, together with scalfy wrap and long wool cardi.  Yes we were actually going boating. 

Not that far but to my absolute favourite spot on the system, to 

The Laughton Hills.  

Ghastly there, don't come!

Its luxury not having many boats to share it with, hardly any in fact we passed by two moored boats whom I swear we see each spring on our way out, the only moving boat was leaving this spot at 09:30 just as we finished for the day.

Liking this reflection thingy going on.

So today as David urgently needed the little boys room, I moored up solo handed.  I remembered how to tie "My knots" after attempting the back twice and the front ropes three times.  I guess I'll get better.

Picked up handbag, car keys and away we went to meet Darling Friends Joe and Lesley from NB Yarwood, twas with them and other two boats that we went on an almighty trip two summers ago 'Across the Wash'.  They have overwintered on dry land this winter and we met them at Geddington.  

Where the heck is Geddington I hear you utter.  Well its in Northamptonshire and it has an Eleanor Cross.  What the heck is a Eleanor Cross I hear you utter......

This is a national heirloom

Lesley Joe and Floyd

So these crosses were erected to mark the overnight resting places of the deceased Queen Eleanor of Castile after her death in 1290 on her way to London for burial, although as was the custom her internal organs remained at Lincoln Cathedral close to the place she died.  

The procession took 12 days, at each town these crosses were erected over the the next two years so let me help you Reader, that is 725 years ago.  The procession finished in London where a final cross was erected, The Chere Reine Cross 
(Dear Queen in French), a replica still stands there but now known as Charing Cross.  Of the 12, only three remain standing, of the three, Geddington is the best preserved and intact.

Absolutely fancinating to history buffs like us nerds, boring as cabbage to others.  Read more about it HERE

This is also at Geddington, for my new Reader, Kay in NZ, its a Ford across a river or stream, it runs next to an old Pack Horse bridge.

Looks great fun, I've never done it.

Then we drove onwards to Wadenhoe, this is an ancient village also in Northamptonshire.  Its one of the wonderful places we stopped at when travelling up the river Nene, after our Wash Crossing.  

Guess who's coming to dinner?  Yes Amanda and David drove 90 mins for lunch..... pretty long way if you ask me.

L to R David (Boat owner), Lesley, David, Amanda (Boat Sharers) and Joe.

A simply marvellous lunch was had by all, a stroll around the village and up to the church and much reminiscing was had about our trip in 2015.

Goodbyes were said and on the way home to WaL David and I took a bit of a detour, we went back to beautiful Geddington and watched the village cricket with a very exciting finish! 

Trees and streams all around the village cricket pitch, how very English.

Oh what big fun and joyfulness, I went through the ford twice on the way home!!!!!

"A river runs through it" *

* A great favourite film with Brad Pitt when he was young and hot.

Oooo nearly forgot to tell you, lunch was baked Camembert, salmon in lemon sauce on a bed of crushed new potatoes with broccoli and we shared chocolate and orange cheesecake..... 

Heartily recommend  The Kings Head at Wadenhoe on the river Nene with moorings in the garden for £10 a night or off of your dinner bill.  I'd stay a week.

The sky did this tonight, that is how it was with no Photoshop.