Pink Hair, Wet Ewe and Nettled Legs

Highlight of week has been that Amy came to stay one night with us and brought her boyfriend Hayan who we had not met before…. and yes, he is a lovely boyfriend - mum approves !!! They came on Monday and we gave them the Baptism of Fire by doing 16 locks over 5 miles down into Stratford upon Avon from the Edstone Aqueduct. Neither had done locks before but they picked it up quickly even though Amy is a bit lacking in the muscle department ! We visited a couple of pubs Mon evening including The Garrick which is said to be the oldest pub in Stratford - and we were suitably impressed. Then Tuesday - the 16 locks over 5 miles back up to the Aqueduct so they could pick up the car to drive back to Nottingham. It was great to see them and I made sure I got my quota of hugs which I have been missing for the last 10 weeks and enough to keep me going for a bit ! Foxxie was overjoyed to see her Amy again - and after they had gone was mooching around - she was even sitting on the towpath this morning looking in the direction where they disppeared from view.

This last week has been the first time that we have been stationary for 2 whole days …. It was a great spot in the middle of nowhere just before Edstone Aqueduct (which at 200 yards is the longest aqueduct in England). We even had to go without television cos no reception ! Dai did have a bit of excitement when an ewe decided she wanted a swim and so jumped into the canal shouting for her 2 lambs to follow !! Thank goodness they were very sensible lambs and just stood on the bank bleating while Dai and a fellow he-man boater grappled with mum to rescue her. Mission accomplished with sheep no worse for wear and Dai with nettled legs (no, I didn’t laugh …. much)

This week we have done Stratford upon Avon and now turned around to go back northwards on the Stratford Canal and are currently moored opposite the Fleur-de-Lys pub in Lowsonford whose food we sampled on the way down last week. The Fleur-de-Lys celebrates the meat pie and offers about 10 different pies (plus lots of other food) and the veg they come with are cooked right - still got some bite, not at all soggy like so many veg in eateries ...... “No, we can’t eat there tonight” I have just been told when I reminded Dai how much he enjoyed his lamb pie with chips and veg last Thursday night, “we have salad stuff we have to finish up or else it’ll be no good except as duck food …. but we might just pop over for a pint or two later.”.

Not sure yet which way we will go once we hit Kingswood Junction tomorrow ….. either (a) carry on the Stratford to Kings Norton (and then another decision - Worcester or Birminghm) or (b) back onto the GU in the Birmingham direction.

Since last blog we have done … 23 miles and 55 locks.
This makes total since Setting Off 10 weeks ago ….. 447 miles and 424 locks.

Amy of the Pink Hair sharing a Special Moment with mum !

Dai avoiding a lock wall
(No, that's not his jug of beer by his feet - nothing so exciting! it's just water)

cast iron split bridge .... these bridges were built in two halves separated by a one inch gap so that the towing line between a horse and a boat could be dropped through the gap without having to disconnect the horse.