The day after the weekend before.

Travelled 3.9 miles in a time of 1 hour 55 minutes.

Last evening we watched the Shackerstone Festival site come down after what was one of the best festivals we have ever been too. The fun fair people worked through the night to take down all their rides.We then walked up to The Rising Sun pub for a pint and to listen to the folk music being played by some of the musical boaters, it was a great evening.

I had another disturbed nights sleep, which I hate as it can make me a bit of a Curmudgeon, but having dozed off I woke up to the sound of boats moving off homeward bound for many of them. The sun was streaming through the portholes on the pigeon box, so I knew we were in for a fantastic day. We were ready to set off at 9.55am having allowed the engine to warm up for a bit as it had not been run for over a week, this gave us a chance to natter to boaters leaving and others who were staying for an extra day or two. 

Getting off our festival mooring took a bit of an effort as we were on the mud, but we eventually got off, Andy on NB Khe Ry very kindly waited for us to get into the channel before taking our slot. We were then on our way to the terminus of the Ashby Canal, passing and waving to boaters we knew along the way.

I do love this stretch of the Ashby Canal because it is so quiet and pretty. I almost ended up in the water. I went down into the galley to make a coffee and when walking back along the gunwale with the coffees, I slipped, thankfully I was on my knees on the gunwale and had hold of the hand rail, so pulled myself back up on to my feet, but it was a close run thing. I know I am going to have bruises on my shins because I really slammed them on to the gunwale, so watch this space I may just post photographs LOL...... Or maybe I won't, it may put you off your food.

At Snarestone tunnel a boat was already on the way through, so we waited for them to come out before we entered. It is only a short tunnel, but only one way traffic.

We arrived at the terminus of the Ashby Canal and Hazel on NB Firefly was on the sanitary station, so we winded and began reversing to breast up with her when Terry on NB Matty Kate came out and opened the footbridge across the canal for us so we could moor up on the 48 hour moorings on the new bit of canal which is open. It would have been rude not to take up his offer of a mooring, especially as the others were pretty full, we may just have got on the end of the moorings by the bridge, but it would have been tight, as it stands we have a nice concrete bank mooring which is quiet for us and the animals. When we arrived we passed Mike and Phillipa on NB Garnet. Mike first spoke to us further back on the Ashby as we were passing them, so it was lovely to sit down and have a proper chat over a beer. Mike and Phillipa have come back to the UK from Garnet, Ontario, Canada hence the name of the boat, bought a narrowboat from Calcutt so they can cruise the UK waterways. It was wonderful to hear their thoughts on the canals so far and the progress they feel they have made in this down sizing and new life style. We look forward to seeing them again and to hear their stories. 

Whilst we sat chatting to Mike and Phillipa a stunning little steamer came past.

Chantilly would look the part on the Thames.

There is one thing that has been annoying the boaters moored up here today and that is a German Shepherd cross. It looks like it is crossed with a huskie and it lives in either the pump house or the house near it. The dog it seems is allowed to roam where it likes and that is down on the moorings. It does not have a collar but is very placid and a wonderful nature. It is possibly bored, so comes down to play with other peoples dogs. It has however been annoying some of the dogs and their owners. Due to this dog coming around this evening, we have kept the doors shut, because I do not want Marmite attacked. Again it comes down to dog owners taking responsibility for their dogs.

After chatting and leaving Mike and Phillipa to their B-B-Q, we chatted to other boaters moored on the 48 hour moorings about the festival weekend, it was then Andy arrived on NB Khe Ry, he had been in our festival mooring spot, to pick up a solar panel. He walked back to our boat with us and we had a nice natter with him. So today has been another fantastic day. Dinner was a salad as it was to warm to cook. The TV went on just in time to see Ellie Simmonds with another Gold in the Pool. The London Paralympics are truly incredible and the GB team are competing out of their skins, it makes you feel so proud, when you see what this team has and is achieving. Ellie Simmonds is a real swimming super star.

Had a lovely shower and so now I have my feet up to watch the rest of the Paralympics. I am hoping I get a good nights sleep tonight, because otherwise I will be resulting to something to make me sleep. I have a feeling it is a Menopause thing, because this has happened before and it does generally sort itself out. I do however like my sleep.