Oct 1

For Mortimers:  PPFOTM (It’s a Mortimer thing- you wouldn’t understand!)

We toured up the Caldon canal to Froghall, and back. A nice diversion, with great valley scenes. I had done part of this canal in 2009, and what a difference now: many of the derelict areas are now new housing developments, and the canal isn’t the dumping area for all sorts of debris that gets around the prop. We had a good trip, though the weather is decidedly autumnal. Showers and cool nights mean the stove is beginning to be a necessity. C&RT (the Canal and River Trust) are doing a great deal of work on the towpath along this canal, making a paved superhighway instead of a muddy track in the grass. Good for walkers and bikers, but doesn’t help the canal so much. We saw a burned-out boat that they were preparing to crane out of the canal, and that, along with the work boats for the towpath works, made lots of traffic. I hope they also trim the trees that stick out across the canal, making meeting boats a dodge-em affair between the trees and the oncoming boat!

Kerry is regaining his skills as helmsman, and that provides a welcome break for me. I get to do the locks now, sometimes, meeting and chatting with those we see at the locks.

We’re off to the pottery museums today, with photos for the next posting. The sun is out, and another great day is promised.