Moving Marinas

Paul turned the engine ready to head for our new marina but the starter battery was dead. Paul replaced it and we headed out him driving the boat and me the car. I had a fabulous drive to Marston Doles through picturesque scenery, England at her best. I passed rolling fields with black headed lambs and stone cottages topped with thatch. More unusual was the thatched dovecote.

I parked next to the lock and spent the next hour drawing the illustrations for The Intrepid Pony Escapes. I tried out the walkie-talkie but Paul was out of range. Instead I heard a desperate woman saying her son needed a wee-wee!

By the time Paul arrived we had enjoyed hot sun, rain then hail and wind but we locked down in sunshine.

 

Next morning we tackled the Napton flight. I drove to a hump back bridge part way down the flight and walked Lottie to meet Paul. She took exception to the herd of Water Buffalo (the only herd I've seen in England) and barked, but they stared majestically as if to say haven't you ever seen such beefiness. As we locked down the Napton windmill was etched against the sky. I'll miss this corner of England


On one of my stints at driving the boat I passed a farm that bred rare sheep. They had mottled brown and white wool on the front half and plain white behinds. The lambs were frolicking in the sunshine. A mile further on shire horses and foals grazed peacefully. Once they would have been a common sight but now they are rare having been replaced long ago by the tractor. The moorhens were modest in their off spring boasting only two black fluffy chicks whereas the ducks competed vulgarly for the most offspring. Eight is not unusual but today one had ten chicks and the winner had thirteen. Now that’s a big family.

 

Hartshill

 

I reached Hartshill first parked the car and walked to meet the boat. Unfortunately I turned the wrong way and went a mile before I realised the bridge numbers were getting higher not lower. Never mind a power walk is good for health. We had a scenic evening moored near the old BW yard at Hartshill. The area was peaceful and the reflections were superb.

On the sixth day of our epic voyage I left the boat after locking at Fradley and started the two mile walk back to the car when I realised the car keys And the walkie-talkie were in the boat chugging away. I ran waving frantically and caught him before he had passed the moored boats and picked up speed.

The new marina was idyllic, quiet with wide lakes and green spaces unlike many cluttered marinas. Lottie loved it as she was given a dog treat in the office.