June 13, 2025 - We're motoring to Elsmere today for our last grocery shop and some exploring in the town. After a morning on the canal we stopped for water and then walked to town. After a few hours we hopped back in the boat. We hit a winding hole to turn around because we want to moor tonight at Blake Mere, outside of Elsmere (back the way we came from). We hit another winding hole so that we're headed the right way in the morning (towards Trevor to drop off our boat in a few days). We had seen Blake Mere earlier in the week and had decided that on our way back we would stop there for the night. It's a beautiful little secluded lake with views of the lake from the boat.
daisies!!!
someone cut this chair into the end of the log, a perfect spot to gongoozle from!
back through the bridge
walk to town
nothing much going on in the winding hole in Elsmere
lots of roses
downtown Elsmere
more flowers
pretty hydrangeas and a very blue door
pretty brickwork behind the street sign
herb garden
The Red Lion for lunch (on the way there we were told it was the best pub in town)
vegetable soup for lunch (it was pureed, I was expecting vegetable pieces, but still good)
then braised beef, which I split with Kev and he got fish and chips which we also split. It was A LOT for lunch.
a clock building (not a clock tower)
our backpacks are full of groceries after our Tesco run
more laundry out to dry (and a bike rack on the front of that boat)
we parked right in front of this dock on Blake Mere
great view
we brought out our table and chairs for an upfront view of the lake
wine with a view
The Age of Aquarius
the evening was just a bit chilly so another fire!
games and a fire even better!
June 14, 2025 - It rained off and on last night and still looked a bit overcast this morning. We're headed back by Elsmere so we will fill up with water and moor, for a half an hour while Kevin and I walk to town for more beer and sourdough bread. We bought a loaf yesterday at Moolah and it was the best sourdough I've ever had. We need another! We stopped early for the evening and hopped on the canal path for a walk into the teeny tiny town of Hinford to get some exercise. Jeanene made a Sunday Roast on Saturday (for a Father's Day Eve celebration for Jim & Kev).
Soft boiled eggs in egg cups (that amazingly were on the boat!)
last views of Blake Mere
one beast of a boat
Kev & I are at the helm this morning
It's a busy morning at the water stop in Elsmere!
A peacock was wandering through the boatyard
"No Worries" is getting some fresh paint.
Success, we've got another loaf of sourdough!
Kev and I met up at the winding hole (he stopped at Tesco) for our walk back to the boat
it looked like rain, but it held off...just very windy
tracks in the field
my turn at the helm
the hairy coos are out...but I can't get anyone to look at me
pretty views of the countryside through the bridge
Hi Kev
A bridge through a bridge
the heron didn't want us getting too close
We see these structures close to a lot of the bridges, which seem to house loading planks (you can see a plank sticking out of the short structure on the left). Not sure if they are still used, but they are probably from when the canal was used for shipping. The wagon would bring the supplies to the bridge, where the barge would be waiting to be loaded using the planks conveniently located next to the bridge to load it up.
A walk along the canal path to "town"
this seemed to be the center of town. A street sign, post office box and 2 buildings on the opposite corner.
It's Sunday Roast on Saturday for Father's Day Eve!
And chocolate cake from Tesco! Yum!
