Fradley Junction…
Friday 27th May
I am so behind with the blog, but we will be posting about a BIG adventure on Saturday, so to save any confusion, here is the Odyssey, as Homer would have written it if he’d had Twitter!
The Odyssey started on Good Friday (March 23rd) after a winter in the rather luxurious (but cheap!) Mercia Marina. Indigo Dream has had a bit of a spruce up with a new sofa and curtains – very smart 🙂
We moored up in Limehouse on the afternoon of 26th May; we’ve had lots of cruising gaps for various dog crises, jam making, world voice day and the inevitable work!
Day 1: Sun, Mercia Marina, crowds, Bruce & Sheila of nb Sanity Again, move to visitor pontoon in case of wind – not greyhound related!
Day 2: Mercia/Alrewas: Clouds, cold, boating buddies from Leeds, locks, rain, RAIN, no soggy doggies – stayed inside and sniggered at us!
Henry Beanz and the law….
Day 3 & 4: Alrewas/Hopwas: Cold, rain, slow service at Tame Otter pub, drama as boater next door arrested – drunk and beating her husband 😦
Day 5: Hopwas/Atherstone: Rain & locks, Ollie hound attacked by geese! , no takeaways, good Co-op, Eric nb Cherie & new doggie – cute!
Day 6: Athersone/Sutton Stop via Coventry Basin; good weather, no locks; supper at the Greyhound with greyhounds – sweet!
Day 7: Sutton Stop: Sunny, Sunny, Sunny! Rest day watching the world go by; long walk with the Beanz, afternoon nap – lovely 🙂
Day 8: Sutton Stop/Stoke Golding: ID’s first time on the Ashby; meet old friends on nb No Can Do with Flossie Galgo; dreary cold weather.
On the run….
Day 9: Stoke Golding/Bosworth Marina: Cold & dreary; friendly marina, good pump-out; problem with instrument panel – 3 weeks to solve.
Day 10: Bosworth/Stoke Golding: R solo, instrument panel not fixed despite much effort, Archie & Herbie in strife but recovering!
Day 11: Stoke Golding/Hillmorton Bottom: R solo to Newbold then joined by hounds; cold & dreary; early finish & evening on board
Day 12: Hillmorton/Buckby: A natter of boating bloggers: No Problem, Seyella, Moore to Life & Jubilee; busy in Braunston, hounds had fun 🙂
Day 13:Buckby/Stoke Bruerne Top: Locks (lots); get fleeces left on nb No Problem, torrential rain, Blisworth tunnel (wet), mooring spaces.
Murals at Fazeley Junction
Day 14: Stoke Bruerne Top/Bottom: Sun, locks & greyhounds, lots of each – perfect! Engineer fixed instrument panel – loose alternator belt
Day 15: Stoke Bruene/Old Wolverton: Old friends on towpath & boat – good company, 6 greys & staffy, new dreamers Buzz & Benny, thunderstorm
Day 16: Old Wolverton/Globe (Br 111): Hot hot hot! 6am start, solo to Fenny Stratford, joined by R & Ollie – wonderful day for cruising
Day 17: The Globe (Br 111)/Cowroast: Pump out, fond memories, favourite canal places – Marsworth & Tring Cutting; pub grub at Cowroast Inn
Day 18: Cowroast/Frogmore End: Wonderful day with old friends from Berkhamstead, welcomed 2 new Indigo Dreamers, hounds Max & Ruby 🙂
Beanz on tour 🙂
Day 19: Frogmore End/Home Park Lock: Evening cruise – better than slouching with the TV!
HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY INDIGO DREAM!
Day 20: Home Park Lock/Coppermill Lock: Wonderful Cassiobury Park, Rickmansworth Festival madness; Coy Carp pub now dog friendly – hurrah!
Day 21: Coppermill Lock/Paddington: Familiar waters, fuel fill, slow going past moored boats, glad of pre-booked mooring Rebrandt Gardens.
Day 22: Paddington/Limehouse: London jam-packed – only 6 visitor moorings (St Pancras – Limehouse), not our home waters any more 😦
I will post more photos from our first month’s cruising over the next few weeks – but the Odyssey is far from over so I’ll really have to try harder!
Indigo Dream hobnobbing with Brindley at Coventry Basin
Cruising in style…
