Left at 09:15
arrived at 14:00.
Miss Niamh Poppy Bell
is 14 today, lots of hugs and kisses sent over the airwaves to a lovely
Grandaughter. XXXX Have a great day Niamh hope you get loadsa dosh and have fun
spending it. Bright but cooler and
breezy first thing, Derek had his cardi on.
There is lots of activity on the water, people washing boats (pesky
gulls) and passing on good wishes as others set off on their way. There was a boat going through the bridge at
8 and the lockie had been to check the boats, if you stay here longer than the
stated 48 hours its £25 per night, phew !! good job we’re moving today. We set off for the water point at the other
side of the road bridge and as we were washing the pooh off the top of the
cratch and roof and then filling up with water, a Dutch Barge came to the
pontoon to wait for us to finish. We got chatting to the couple and I said how
lovely their boat was, he complimented us on ours and invited us to have a look
inside if wanted to. They are Christian
Fellowship Boaters, they both had t shirts with the logo on, a fish of course,
plus they also display a fish in their windows.
It was lovely, plenty of room, you could sit 10 people round their
dining table in the wheelhouse! It has two bathrooms, I large bedroom and a
room with their books and computer and lots of office type equipment in, which
is large enough to fit a double sofa bed in, with room to spare. It was of course full of stuff, they are
collectors like me and this is their
home after all, it was spacious by cosy too.
They used to live in the Marina in Newark for two years and then had it
lifted to Gloucester. He used to be in
the RAF and was a pilot for a long time, they had a fancy to have the boat
taken over to France but had not sorted out the finer details of that trip
yet. His wife went into town and we
chatted to him, Derek of course could talk electrics, diesel, engines, toilets
and other man stuff. I just loved the
sheer luxiary of space, we left them at
the water point (it would take 2 hours to fill up there tank) wished
them a good day and set off Sainsburys.
They were really nice people and it was a lovely start to the day. At Sainsburys we both went in and got stocked
up with a few provisions, particulary water, beer and coca cola for when the
kids come (the beer is’nt for the kids) and then got back on the water, it was
getting warm again, this is very odd, its beginning to sound like a long
playing record ! 24 in the cratch. We had elevenses on the way, there were
gentle ripples on the canal, it was getting quite busy with NBs passing, then a
little flotilla of Ducks came bye, a mummy and 4 quite small ducklings, we haven’t
seen many ducks really, more the big
birds, geese and swans, of course inland those pesky gulls. Its lovely and
breezy riding up the canal, approaching Saul Junction at 1 and it looks busy as
usual. There are a few canoes outside
Wyecliffe College Boat Club, cant see anyone but looking like they re doing
some maintenance. A group of people beyond the path bridge sitting under a
willow tree, it looks like there are a few wheelchairs, maybe they are waiting
for the Willow Tree trip boat, it caters for the disabled mostly and is off its
mooring, they all gave us a cheery wave as we passed by. The Cafe car park is quite full, there are
lots of people up on the terrace overlooking the waterway enjoying lunch in the
sun. Beyond the road bridge there is
group of large white geese sheltering under another willow tree. Freherne Bridge is the next bridge, its next to an
industrial estate and an old flour mill, signage advertising diesel and end of
line fabrics!!! My heads plotting a cunning plan for when we come back??
Passing a large house (I think its called Saul Lodge) where the guy there is
still doing his fencing ? it must feel like the Forth Bridge, he’s been doing
it all the while we have been up and down this waterway!!! Arrived at Splatt Bridge 2ish made lunch and
just about the eat it when an old couple (in their 80s we found out) came by us
and asked if they could squeeze on the moorings in front of us, Derek moved
down and little and helped them with their ropes. They have had the boat for a long time and
appear to be continual cruisers, that’s having a licence but no fixed moorings,
hence no fee paid. The lady was telling
Derek they were going to have to sell the boat due to ill health, they had got
a bungalow in Frampton-on-Severn, she wasn’t keen but it was her with most of
the problems, she cant get on and off the boat very well at all. The old guy was settling her and the dog (a
mini Oddie? Welsh terrier) and then walking down to the last bridge to get his
car, drive to the car park at the road bridge in front of us and collect them
both to go to the bungalow as they were having carpets fitted. Derek ate his lunch, I ate mine whilst he was
talking. We plan to go for a walk into the village when its cooler, the booklet
and everyone we have spoken to say its a lovely village. We decided to not wait too long and went for
our walk, or should I say a mile long trek??
We took a short cut the old guy had told us about, through a field with
horses sheltering under a tree, there were about 6 or so of them, over three
stiles, not a problem, until that is we came to a herd of cows just before the
Lytch gate to get onto the pavement.
There were about 20 or so cows, I don’t like cows.!!!Derek said they
would be O.K? one of them stood right in the middle of the path and stared at
us, Jess had a little grumble, it stood and stared, then he, it was an in tact
bullock! Turned and walked one pace and looked back at us again!!!! Agh!! I
certainly wasn’t going to try to get through them, he was menacing, notice a
path to the side of us with a small latched gate to the pavement , we gingerly
made for that, I told Derek it would be the long way back, I wasn’t chancing my
arm with those big guys. We walked to
the beginning of the village green, apparently its the longest green in
England, over a mile long? Decided enough was enough, we thought we would get a
lovely cold shandy at the pub, it was shut? Could have a hair cut and spray
tan, but didn’t fancy that. Set off back
through what is a very picturesque village, it had some lovely properties and
beautiful gardens. Some of the
properties slightly shabby chic, with a fading elegance, in the now very warm
sunshine, were very pleasing to the eye and the senses. The garden were making me homesick for my
little patch of heaven. I picked the
property I wanted Warren Cottage, it was white with black woodwork and a garden
to die for, full to the brim with lots of lovely flowers, what bliss that would
be. We walked through the village
passing the Church and cut through the horse field back to the boat, we were by
now very very warm and tired. Had a nice
rest and a cuppa with chocolate(needed it ) then a while later we had our tea,
we had prepared it yesterday so not much effort required, I did yet more
sewing, Derek walked the dogs and chatted to people on the towpath, they were
sitting out watching the setting sun over the estuary. Another eventful day in Gloucester.
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