Willoughby to Hillmorton. 3 Locks.

This was the view from my "Office" window yesterday afternoon.




It was soon filled with four hire boats packed with Pirates wending their way to Braunston. The amount of effort they had put into their costumes and decorating the boats was very impressive, one even had a false cannon (at least I hope it was false).


Then, as quickly as they had appeared they had gone and looking past the Giant Hogweed, serenity was returned once more.






If yesterday morning was good, this one was better.







Truly autumnal, we waited around in the stillness until it cleared, not really wanting to fire the diesel up and ruin the silence.

So after a fairly late start we were off to see where we would end up.

Passing under this poor old bridge you just cant help thinking, please stay up there a little bit longer, 55ft longer.

Not far from here we were hailed from the passing narrowboat "Indigo Dream" saying how busy it is along here today, and (as we drew level enough to read names) that he follows the Blog.

So hello to the skipper of Indigo Dreams, do you write a Blog of your own?

The first lock of the day was reached well into the afternoon after we had passed the "Pirates" who were returning to whence they came and had stopped for lunch.

What a difference a hangover can make, all the Johnny Depp'ness had evaporated, but to give them their due they were still dressed up.

These locks are unusual as there are two narrow ones abreast of each other.

We haven't seen any like this since the Trent & Mersey, two boats down this time but it could have just as easily been one up and one down, as it is so busy here this must save so much time nowadays as it did in the past.

One more to go and that "look" is in the sky again, a mooring for the night was quickly found.

This, as it turned out, proved to be a little too hasty as we have moored opposite a field where the farmer has been spraying his land with something that he has been keeping in a very warm place for a very long time.

Until next time.........................