Getting our boat back

Friday 15th July

Back aboard Jannock and culture shock! Whilst we were moving all our stuff back aboard more boats have passed us than we saw for an entire fortnight on the Scottish lowland canals. We can recommend the Scottish canals for many reasons, but if you want a two city break with a degree of solitude, peace and quiet, go for edinburgh – Glasgow, Forth and Clyde plus Union canal. Just use a cab, bus or shank’s pony to visit the Kelpies as the locking experience was not good on that little run.

Once everything that we needed was in and positioned in the right place again, Brenda set of northwards in Jannock whilst Graham did a mini car shuffle to be picked up a couple of bridges on – the car parking is slightly better at Banbury Lane bridge. We cruised to Weedon, choosing this as a sensible overnight stop before tackilng the first self service locks we’ve done in a month or so. As we passed Rugby boats they had just lifted a boat out for survey – damn, always wanted to watch that happen (as long as it’s not your own boat) Our early stop meant we had time for a perambulate around Weedon and weedon Bec. A closed road meant a perambulation around a housing estate was necessary.

Opposite the Ordinance Factory we found our first Mirabelle plums of the year. It is good to see industry at the Ordinance factory again. Those historic buildings are lovely and being used should keep them and their history alive & well. It’s facinating – look it up.

A camping boat passed us, not seen one of them for a fair few years. We heard it coming, a rhythmic hot bulb diesel of some sort – blowing lovely smoke rings as well. Who’d have thought that camping boats would be back in fashion.

Graham & Brenda