Return to Barton Marina.

Our plan was to move up to Alrewas come Saturday, after catching up on washing and shopping. Than on Friday we discovered that the whole section from Barton lock to Wychnor lock was to close today until the 26th of this month. This would mean we would be stuck at Alrewas for nearly a month. This would make getting rid of rubbish in this time impossible, as there are no bins in Alrewas. With this in mind I phoned Barton Marina where we were due to over winter from the 1st of December and asked if we could go in early. They kindly agreed, so on Saturday morning we entered the marina for the winter. This is the end of our second season, in which we visited the southern rivers and canals. To sum up, the Thames was a pleasure to cruise even the tidal section from Brentford to Teddington Lock. We had mixed feelings about the Kennet and Avon canal. There is some lovely scenery and some nice places. On the down side it is hard work in parts and some of the locks neared some work to make them work as they should, add to this the sections that are down to the width of one narrowboat due to over grown reeds. If something isn't done soon we will loose this canal and that would be a great shame. The Oxford canal was a chance to relax again after clearing the lines of permanently moored boats from Sheepwash to Dukes Cut. I know this makes money for British Waterways but too many spoil a nice canal. So now it's baton down the hatches and sit out the bad weather until March, when once again we will leave Barton and do all the little bits in the Midlands that we have missed, Like the Caldon, Sratford on avon, Worcester an Biirmingham canals and of course the BCN.

A Trip to Yorkshire.

Alot of dashing about since my last posting. We left Barton Turns on the Saturday and went down to Shobnell Marina, where we got a quote for our shower re-tiling and an extractor fan putting in the bathroom. Then we moored at Shobnal Fields so we could meet our son Richard and grandson Aaron at Burton on Trent station on Sunday, they were stopping with us till the Wednesday. On Monday we went down to Willington, returning to Shobnal on the Tuesday. After Richard and Aaron had left on the 11-27 from Burton, Marlene and I took the Doublefracture back up to Barton turns.

Then on the Thursday we took a train from Burton to Wakefield, then a bus to my mothers in Allerton Bywater. More visiting on Friday when we went across to Featherstone to see Marlene's sisters. After a quiet day with mother on Saturday, and a visit from my sister Carol and her partner, complete with Halloween masks(see picture) we went out for a meal with my sister Jennifer and her husband. A restful Sunday then on Monday morning we took a bus to Leeds, then the number 36 to Ripon via Harogate to see Richard and Gill and the other Grandchildren(Louise, Luke,Megan & Duncan) Returning to mothers on Tuesday. Thank goodness for free bus passes.

That leaves today, when once again we took to the buses and trains and returned to the boat.