Unexpected twice

 Yesterday I put a picture on of last nights sunset. What a difference 35 minutes make.

Going out tonight as an unexpected meeting of friends this afternoon so I'm keeping this post short! Got to shower, cook dinner, do blog....all takes the time you know!

So.... As we left Branston Water Park the same new bridge but from a different view. Oh and the name of the new bridge...Nurton Bridge just in case you want to mark it up on your Nicholson guide.

 After a quick Morrison shop (moor at bridge 33b Marston Brewery bridge and walk through the estate) we made excellent progress to reach the last of the single locks on this trip. From now on its wide locks all the way back to Langley.

Dallow Lane lock

 No sooner had we exited the lock and just around the bend...a Swan. Not just any Swan but a Black Swan. Most unusual and unexpected to see them on the canals. They come from New Zealand you know, we saw many during our time there.

 As I mentioned before, most of the vegetation has been cut back from Wychnol lock to the River Dove aqueduct near to Eggington. Lovely open canals which are a joy to cruise. There still are the odd places where seeing around the bend to a bridge hole is a problem and one such place is by The Millhouse by bridge 29, not branches, but reeds that are a nuisance here.

Arrived at Willington by early afternoon and after using the facilities cruised the last half mile to moor by the footbridge near to Mercia Marina.

Approach to Willington

  Ian wanted to replace the seal on one of our cassettes so we walked to Midland Chandlers at Mercia Marina. The first thing to hit us was the new buildings (first started earlier this year) are almost complete. More retail units and a Resturant should be up and running by mid-December.

And there was a Market on. Lovely Dutch cheese was on offer at the cheese stall so just had to purchase the seeded Gouda as well as the smoked variety. Loverrrly.

Ian walked back to FS without me as I wanted to take some photos. Then when I made my way back...OMG, it's Roger and Pat The Cats Whiskers and who we spent some time with in New Zealand. So that's is why we are off out tonight, for a good old catch up!

 Cooking that Steak and Ale pie tonight. For the first time in 9 years of living on FS, I have cooked it on our stove. Put on at 8am this morning, and will be ready shortly. If this works okay I'll be doing a lot more stove cooking.

 Have a look at this photo, what can you see.

I would never have seen it if it had been anything other than the colour blue.

And wildlife,