DOG FRIENDLY BRITAIN

 

We enjoyed a leisurely morning with a 9:00 shove off. It was another chilly but gorgeously sunny morning which lifted our spirits as we faced another long day. The big bonus was that there were no locks for the first two hours. It was definitely a mosey.

The canal was a winding path with some sharp turns and narrow brick and stone bridges.  Again, we had a lovely scene of green rolling hills, farmlands, and happily grazing livestock.


We passed some workers dredging the canal. We asked what they were going to do with all the silt and were told it would be used for fertilizer, and that it was very effective.  The rich soil along the edges of the canal was evidence of that.

We experienced more traffic today than on any previous day. At least 6 boats passed us. It is fascinating to see what boaters tie to the top of their boats. We have seen more than one clay Buddha stature, painted buckets and watering cans, bicycles, coal bags, firewood, planted flowerpots, yard art of all kinds, naked manikins, carved pumpkins, flags and pennants, and one moored boater had an inflatable alligator tied to the boat bobbing in the water. Passing boaters always greet us and many have warned us of obstacles ahead like a dredging operation. David has been complimented on his tilly hat more than once.

So far we have always had the locks to ourselves. Today we had 5 in a row. I walked the tow path to each one. By the last one, I was feeling achy and loopy. David was yelling to get my attention about a paddle I had not lowered. I had lost my “lock rhythm”.  Leaving that open for the next boater would not have been good.

We made it to Napton On the Hill and found a local pub called The Wharf.  It was filled with knickknacks throughout with pots, hats, harnesses, and lanterns all hanging from the ceiling. We were tempted to run off with one of their pots.

 The British people love their dogs. We see many on narrowboats and on the tow path with their owners having a stroll.  But we were surprised to see so many big dogs brought into pubs.  At tonight’s pub there were at least 8 dogs, and all were incredibly well behaved and all on leashes.

We had time before the kitchen was open so played some cribbage. One barmaid came over and said that we reminded her of her parents in Belgium. They love playing cribbage, too. 

The music in these establishments has been primarily American music from the sixties and seventies. The owner at tonight’s pub asked us how we liked the music and claimed the music was in our honor…wink, wink. We could hear him singing along to the tunes.

We ordered fish and chips. David always asks for garden peas and I ask for mushy peas. How did we ever get together?


                                                    Waiting for me to open the lock


                                             The captain's perspective


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