Luckily, the Water Park (flooded gravel workings) had provided a 'dog-dip' where he had a cooling, albeit brief, paddle about before returning to the boat.
The next morning, Richard had found out that our friends Sam and John (nb Fairies Where Boots) and Little Dave (nb Mon Ami) were about due to get into Burton on Trent later that day. Our engine fired into life, and we set off earlyish, to get a decent mooring in Burton.
Things turned busy suddenly, as Branston lock was looking like a big traffic jam, where a multitude of boats had arrived in quick succession to come up through the lock. We helped the hire boater up and dropped the motor through. Richard had to stop someone further back in the queue, below the lock, giving instructions to 'move up'. There is always an impatient busy body! If they had come up, on foot, to the lock, perhaps, they would have seen we needed to pick up our butty.
Hey hey! it's Sam on the front of her boat coming through the bridge at Horninglow, Burton. We hitched a ride and guided them to where we had moored back in the town. Dave followed closely behind on his tiny narrowboat. Both boats had been stuck waiting for the Trent to recede, delaying their holiday by a few days. The relief on Sam's face, to get onto the canal, was clear to see! (Although not on this picture, sorry, technical difficulties!)
Dave's boat is in the foreground, us behind with Sam and John behind us.
Shobnall Fields moorings on the offside.
Richard, Sam, John and Dave went for a guided tour around Marston's Brewery the next morning. A reservation has to be made, as a dedicated guide is brought in to take visitors around the factory. This was a detail unbeknown to us a few years ago, when we had the boys with us. Richard said he would take them, if they were interested, as he said it was well worth the trip (and he came away with a goody bag!)
Later that day, Matti and Kathy on their beautiful old boat 'Old Friends' arrived unexpectedly and we got them to parallel park against us. A mini banter ensued, unplanned and very civilised!
We said our goodbyes the following morning, and dropped down through the last narrowguage lock on the Trent before the doubles start at Stenson.
Over the aquaduct at Egginton Wharf with the river Dove below us.
An observatory in the attic!
Mooring outside the pub at Willington, I opened the shop and had a lovely couple of days painting and talking to other boaters and villagers alike. Richard's parents spent the Friday with us, halfway through their family royal visit to all the relations in the region!
This is called sunshine!!!!!!!!!!
Nice bridge at the Nadee Indian Restaurant......yes Richard, please look where you are going!
We moored for the weekend at Stenson, nipped into Derby via the bike, then the bus and back and sat out the rain! Again!!!
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