A Busy Few Weeks
14th September--4th October
Monday, 14th, Tuesday, 15th Wednesday, 16th September
It was hardly surprising there was no noise from the Mill House last night--it's closed for renovations. I don't know for how long, but let's hope it turns back into a more individual pub, rather than the chain pub it has become.
Today we went back along the Puddlebanks towards Napton. We went as far as Bridge 107 to turn, then turned round and came back to moor at Fox's Gate, one of very favourite moorings. We stayed here for a couple of days, and my quilting friend Margaret and her partner joined us on their boat on Tuesday, on their way back to their winter mooring, and we spent Wednesday quilting together--Margaret and I that is, not Trev and Alastair! We spent a day quilting and Margaret showed me how to make a table runner.
Thursday, 17th September
Margaret and Alastair left before us, but we shall see them again tonight, as they're mooring in Braunston. We cruised back to Braunston later in the day, and ended up moored next to M&A again, and stayed for a couple of days.
Saturday, 19th September
We moved on apace today, going down the three Hillmorton Locks and through Rugby. Trev did a quick shop at Tesco, which is conveniently placed near the canal, and then we cruised on again, through glorious Warwickshire countryside and moored at Newbold, just before the tunnel. Catharine and Mamdooh came to see us, and also Mamdooh's brother, Mashood, and we all went to the Golden Lion at Easenhall. The landlord was charming, the food was excellent, but the service was clinical to say the least. It was almost like being served by an automaton, and repartee or casual conversation were absolutely not allowed!
Sunday, 20th September
We left the mooring early, because we really need to moor at Ansty tonight. We didn't think we'd get in there, it's a popular mooring, but there were hardly any boats about today and there was plenty of room. Later in the afternoon, Trev's friend Alan fetched us to go to a barbecue at his house. It was Alan's son's fourteenth birthday and all the family was there. We had a good evening with them all.
Monday, 21st, Tuesday, 22nd September
Off we went again, passing through Hawkesbury Junction, which is the end of the Oxford Canal. Here it joins the Coventry Canal and we carried on to Marston Junction, where we turned right on to the Ashby Canal. It's surprising how quickly the scenery changes. One moment the Coventry Canal passes through a very urban scene, but immediately you turn onto the Ashby it's vey rural and tranquil. The Ashby is sometimes called the geriatrics' canal, as there are no locks! It suits me, any way. It's rural all the way, passing near to villages and a small town--Market Bosworth--but never through them. It's quite a shallow canal, and so slow going, but we weren't in a hurry. We were on our way to put the boat into Trinity Marina near Hinckley, as we were off to France for a few days.
We moored in a lovely spot known as Hospital Bend for a couple of nights, and then went into the marina on Tuesday, ready to start our next adventure.
Wednesday, 23rd--Tuesday 29th September
Today we set off on a trip to France. Warwick is twinned with Saumur, on the River Loire, in France, and the Twinning Association had arranged a trip there. They needed a few more to make up the numbers, so we were invited to join, by friend Cherry, who is a member. We left the marina and caught a bus to Nuneaton, then a train to Birmingham New Street, crossed to Birmingham Moor Street and then a train to Warwick. We walked from the station to Cherry's where we stayed overnight. At 4.00 a.m. we all met up at the bus station and got on a coach. There were only sixteen of us, and so we all had a seat each, and dropped off to sleep.
The ferry crossing was from Dover to Calais, and then on again all the way to Saumur, arriving there at about 7.00 p.m. Our hosts met us and whisked us away to our homes for the four nights we were to be there. We were hosted by a charming couple caled Denise and Alain, and they lived in an old town house, built in 1847. It was very tall--twenty-two stairs to the first floor and eighteen to the top floor--where we were! I needed oxygen by the time I got to the top.
The first day we were taken on a walking tour of Saumur by an English speaking guide, who really knew his onions! He was most interesting to listen to, and obviously loved his subject. Saumur is a lovely old town on the Loire, with little streets and interesting architecture. In the evening there was an international get together in the Halle des Fetes, where there were over two hundred people and more than twenty nationalities. We were formally welcomed to Saumur by the Mayor and there was an excellent buffet.
On the second day we visited the chateau of Villandry, where the gardens are a special feature. They are planted out in geometrical patterns, with tiny yew (or was it box?) hedges, and all the beds are filled with vegetables! Not flowers, but vegetables. Some of the vegetableswere decorative, but most were edible, as in beds of cauliflower, celery, beetroot, pumpkins, and they were so attractive. When they are ready to be picked, the whole bed is emptied and sold locally, then it is replanted. The chateau itself is pretty, and furnished, which makes a change from other chateaux I've seen which have been empty.
Click here to see a video of the chateau of Villandry and its gardens
On the third day we visited Fontevraud Abbey, which was interesting, but a little stark, as it was not used for any purpose at all, and was empty.
Click here to see a video of Fontevraud Abbey
All in all, it was a wonderful short break, if a little bit of an endurance test, as far as travelling was concerned. We met some wonderful French people, and a new group of English people, with whom we travelled, and had good fun.
We got back to the boat on 29th September, and stayed in the marina overnight, getting ourselves sorted out and doing the laundry.
Wednesday, 30th September, Thursday, 1st, Friday, 2nd Saturday 3rd October
Today we set off for the far end of the Ashby canal. The Ashby canal is a cul-de-sac, built originally to bring coal and lime from Leicestershire to the south. It now offers a delightful thirty mile stretch of cruising in total peace and tranquility and we had a delightful, uneventful cruise to the far end and back. The weather has certainly turned colder now and I am petitioning for the stove to be lit! So far the vote is fifty/fifty, but I'm hoping to be able to get my way soon.