A bit of a cock-up on the catering front…

Recognise the quote? Geoffrey Palmer as Reggie’s brother in law Jimmy. Of course, it was the incomparable “Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin” with another great, Leonard Rossiter, in the title role. Sadly, both of these brilliant comic actors are no longer with us.

My cock-up was in the water supply department, I thought we’d just about have enough to last until we returned to Skipton today, but when the water pump started sucking air during the washing machine’s final rinse cycle at 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon, I realised that I was wrong.
 The only option was to up sticks and head back half a day earlier. Not a big problem, through Bradley Swing Bridge, turn around, back through the swing bridge then about three miles with another bridge at Snaygill to get back to town.
Apart from the rain, that is. After a fine, breezy day, as soon as we set off it started to rain, and it came down like stair-rods at one point.

Mags coming back through Bradley Swing Bridge after turning around.  

Heading off towards Skipton


By the time we’d got to Snaygill the rain had stopped and there was just a glimmer of brightness back in the sky. Bad timing, I guess.

Coming into Skipton, the conical hill on the horizon is Haw Park. Extensive quarrying has changed it’s shape, and it’s height.
It’s lost about 50 foot off the top. That’s a lot of stone…

We filled with water at the services alongside the bus station, then pulled in right at the end of the 3-day moorings opposite, almost up to Belmont Bridge. Not ideal, but beggars can’t be choosers. Only one night anyway.

This morning we were keeping an eye on two hire boats moored further back, and as soon as they left we were off, reversing back to occupy one of the spots. Better here, not overlooked by the apartments and if it comes out we’ll have sun all day.

This afternoon Meg and I headed off to the vet again. We saw Nisha again, but then also Sam to make sure that all bases are covered. They believe she has a bladder infection which is making her miserable and off her food, and possibly the Metacam she takes for her arthritis is irritating her tummy with her not eating much.
So she’s off the Metacam for a few days, with a paracetamol-based painkiller to manage her joint pain and anti-biotics for the infection. We’ll go back again Friday morning, by which time she should be on the mend. Hope so.

Locks 0, miles 2¾