Moving on out......

Well we’re officially OUT. Of the marina that is. After 26 days tied up to a floating pontoon we came out and spent last night on the bank just above Pillings Lock. It’s been OK, but if it hadn’t been for us spending a week on the east coast near Whitby, then a weekend with the family in Sherwood Forest, I’d have been going stir crazy long before now.

Moored at Pillings Lock
Pillings Lock and weir from downstream

We’ve had a couple of trips out on the boat, one with Sue, Trev and the lads that I’ve already mentioned, and then last Saturday we took Kay, Paul and Samantha on the same run out.

Turning round at Mountsorrel (photo courtesy of Paul)

And we took the opportunity to get our Eberspacher heating boiler serviced. It’s done nearly 1000 hours and was due. Jim Packer did it, a useful all round boat engineer and a pleasant bloke as well.

Just across the pontoon from our mooring was an Aqualine boat called Muriel. On Sunday we chatted to the owner for the first time, turns out he knows Derek and Gloria from NB Completely Foxed, whom we met up on the Macclesfield Canal in August. Hiya both, thanks for the comment on the last post. Been up any good hills recently, Gloria?

The seasons seem to have turned properly while we’ve been off the cut. Most of the trees are now yellow and gold, and the water is often covered in floating leaves. On one of our regular walking routes, Meg and I came across a farmer tilling a field ready for sowing winter wheat. The week before the same field was full of sugar beet!

Clear Field
Millers Bridge

On both sides of the access lane (Flesh Hovel Lane, apparently there was a slaughterhouse somewhere around!) to the marina, there are horses grazing in the fields. We are in fox hunting territory after all. But there are also these chaps, who I don’t think will do much jumping over hedges in pursuit of Reynard, even if it were still legal. They’re so laid back they don’t even bother to get up when you cross the field.
A couple more pictures of the marina…..
We moved on to Mountsorrel today, the same cruise we’ve done twice in the last couple of weeks, but without guests this time, and with no return ticket. Stopping here tonight. The weather has been pretty good, fine and clear.

The river near Barrow
But last night was cool, with a frost in the sheltered bits.

Frosty Teazel
All set to change for tomorrow though; wet and windy weather coming in.

And the posts will be back to their usual regularity now we’re on the move again…

Since last post… Locks 9, miles 9