Here endeth cruising for 2012

So sad to be coming to the end of cruising, especially as the weather has been not at all bad this last month but I suppose tomorrow is another day as they say...........so I suppose I must be thankful for a good almost 6 months cruising.   Below are two of my last pictures of the season....

Moored just before the junction at Braunston with Braunston Church.

Off on our last trip to Clifton

We had a good Pot Luck supper on Petroc with Klim and Tina from Brindley last night so were up way past our normal bedtime(which tends to be very early on the boat!)

Geoff and Barney had a good long walk across the fields to the village at Barby before we set off for the last 3 locks at Hillmorton today.    We had a little rain on the way back but then it all cleared up and we are back at Petroc's winter home at Clifton Cruisers.

Sad to be finished but great to see Phil and Victoria again.

Now starts the sorting out and cleaning up process.......maybe we will even throw away some of those clothes we've had on board all summer which have not seen the light of day..........or maybe not......

5.46 miles, 3 locks, 2 hrs 30 min
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Nearly back to Clifton

Anything to delay our return is welcome....I hate coming to the end of our season........so when Klim and Tina on Brindley suggested a stop at Barby moorings and an evening get together the answer was definitely an affirmitive.

We had a leisurely start to the day, I walked to the shops as I was doing starter and pudding, Tina was doing main course.

We then needed to water etc.  We decided we would turn left at the junction if the sani point by Midland Chandlers was free, but turn right if not and go to the other one and turn ourselves around by the Marina.

We thought our luck was in as the one by Midland C was free so we turned left, only to discover that the elsan point was out of action and the maintenance man was working on it.  So after watering we pulled over to a mooring spot and Geoff had to wheel one of the cartridges back.

Then we just had the couple of miles to the moorings where we had agreed to meet Brindley.    We have never stopped here before.  It is so close to our base at Clifton that we are normally in transit, but it is lovely, with a nice wide towpath and well out in the open.........we don't like being surrounded by trees.

3.24 miles, 0 locks, 1hr 57 min