To Royal Leamington Spa

Jan woke me in an excited state to tell me there was ice on the water.  <Jan here That woke him up>   This had the effect of making me want to snuggle even deeper into the bedding.  Eventually I straightened out the joints and hobbled to the side hatch with the camera.

It was certainly chilly and misty but it didn’t look like ice on the water.  A closer inspection revealed the entire surface of the canal to be covered in foam!  Why?

All I could think of was that Jo (nb Hadar) had been up early and washed Keith’s socks.  Good girl!

The thought of washing dirty laundry got Jan into a high state of excitement   <Jan here I seem to be always portrayed as If I am In an excited state>  and kept pestering me for approval to start the washing machine.  Readers you wouldn’t believe the extent she goes to acquire dirty laundry.  I had to go into the bedroom and change my underwear and socks before she would allow us to leave the mooring!

We stopped at the water point above Cape Top Lock to fill the tank.  Whilst the tank filled I set the lock.  Suddenly it got rather noisy and crowded for an early Sunday morning.  From behind the hedge a large group of fishermen appeared and started grabbing spots on the towpath.  Obviously a fishing competition was about to commence.  We descended through the first lock with Jan gently moving fishermen off the lock gear.

The second lock was against us so I played dodge the fishing lures whilst Jan filled it and opened one gate.  As Waiouru started to descend Jan noticed a boat approaching from the opposite direction.  At least Jan wouldn’t have to close the gate when we left.  However the boater stopped and moored on the water point below the lock and stayed on the boat.  Bugger, obviously only stopping for water.  Jan opened and closed the gate before reboarding the boat at the lock landing.  The boater on the water point stayed on their boat until we had left.  Then they walked forward to the lock to open the gate???????

Now we had clean clothes on and the washing machine was going, so either we need to do a pump out or that’s one strange boater!

The moorings at Lidl appeared to be occupied by the same boats but we managed to squeeze in just before the winding hole and Jan went to do some shopping whilst I minded Waiouru.  On her return a decision was made to keep going to Royal Leamington Spa and find a pub serving a Sunday roast lunch.  The long line of 48 hour moorings near the railway station was empty which enabled us to moor in the sunny spot.  Up went the rotary line on the stern and out went the clean washing.  Then we walked into Leamington Spa looking for lunch.  Eventually we found a pub on the south bank of the River Leam.  It was almost empty which should have raised a warning flag.  Aunt Bessie’s frozen parsnips and potatoes.  Nothing home cooked about the meal.  I was going to take a few photos of Leamington Spa but the camera battery decided to go on strike after the first shutter click.

River Leam in the middle of Leamington Spa