It's been a busy week and I have not had time to sit and update our adventures recently, so here goes with a short update.

Last weekend we made lots of new friends. We seem to have been accepted into the 'Crick Marina Boaters & Drinkers Club'.

After a couple of hours cruising up the Leicester Arm of The Grand Union Canal on Saturday we approached the junction with the Welford Arm. This is quite a short canal with one lock before arriving at Welford Marina. This canal was originally built to feed water onto the Leicester Arm which is well above sea level with lock flights downwards at each end. Foxton to the North and the Watford Flight (see previous posts) to the South. It was built wide enough however to carry boats.
As we arrived we were surprised to be greeted by fellow moorers from Crick Marina who had also made the journey to meet up at the Wharf Inn on the Welford Marina later that evening. There were at least 3 other narrow boats from our marina. They invited us to join them, which of course, we did.

The Wharf Inn on the Leicester, Northants Border.

We were introduced to quite a number of the locals including the original 'Milky Bar Kid'! And we were also invited to a BBQ on Sunday evening back at Crick. Which of course we had to attend. It would have been rude not to.

Before traveling back on Sunday morning we took a stroll into the village of Welford to find a newspaper and a few provisions and along the way we came across Postman Pat with his Cat carved out of a tree. (As you do).

Local Postie?

The BBQ went well and so after quite a lively weekend and the lure of good weather we decided to take another day trip out on Monday. The excuse was to pick some sloes that Sue had spotted on our travels over the weekend to make some of her home-made Sloe Gin. The sloes were only accessible from a boat so it gave me a chance too to practice maneuvering such a long boat as Sue harvested her crop.

It turned out to be the beginning of the Indian Summer that we are all currently enjoying and a great excuse for a long lunch moored at a very quiet spot in the middle of nowhere. 

 Alfresco Lunchtime.

Peaceful...

It's unfortunate that we have not been able to take advantage of the rest of the sunshine this week because lots of more important things had to be attended to, but we intend to get back out there as soon as we can.

I will of course be reporting again when that happens.