Enjoying the lower Staffs and Worcester

10 locks.

Again this morning, the spirit was willing but the mind said "stay in bed"!! However,it was a gorgeous sunny day and the canal beckoned. We set off and wound a few locks and worked up an appetite for breakfast. Chef Marcus cooked on the move and as a result, tasted better than usual. Again, uneventful was the word to describe the day. A few hours were spent moored in the sun at Kidderminster.

Moored in the sunshine at Kidderminster

This was when we found that the locks on the Severn closed at 4pm and we'd have to spend the night at Stourport. James bought more Lego in Kidderminster and spent a few happy hours in the front cockpit assembling it. A warm and cosy evening was spent in the Basin. We even found a whole load of discarded firewood in the skip- very dry and all small sizes.

Our first full day on our first proper holiday

18 locks

Despite our best intentions, we didn't get as quite an early start as we'd intended. However once we were up, the boys were raring to go. The heater plugs are definitely playing up, so Marcus started the engine using the trick with the jump leads, which we learned when the motor home heater plugs were playing up!! An uneventful cruise down the Staffs & Worcester. We were not particularly slow, but only managed to get as far as the roundhouse ruin before we moored up.

Steerers Eye View

We had been dodging showers most of the day and we'd had enough by evening. The little wood stove kept us toasty warm, but it does have to be fed with wood regularly!! I found a lovely bit of pine, nice and dry, so Marcus sawed it up and it burnt beautifully & smelled great too. Some achy muscles on me- must be out of practice and had a few too many cream cakes!!

Cruising through the dark!!

We arrived at the marina really early, having picked James up from his school trip at Southwell. Once the clothes & food was on board, we all looked at each other and thought "lets leave the marina!"
Needless to say that darkness fell really fast and by the time we were at the Fox & Anchor, James & Marcus were mooring up in the dark. All warm & cosy inside NB Harebell tho and an early night for her crew.

Fantastic Mr Foxes

We had heard from Fox Narrowboats that Ambassador had passed their marina few days ago and was heading up the Ouse. That most likely meant that she was heading through Ely. Which was where we knew we could purchase a cooker for Harebell, so once we had raided "Harebell's Drawer" for some savings, we set off for Ely in the pouring rain. First stop was the Chandlery and to buy the new oven. We went all upmarket and chose a double oven and separate grill. Am now getting renewed enthusiasm for being able to cook some delicious meals, cakes and puddings. Also we'll be able to cook toast and bagels, nomnomnom.
We wandered down to the river and I was, I'm proud to say, the first one to spy Ambassador moored through the trees. She'd been cleaned up and was looking a lot more loved than when we last saw her.

Ambassador moored at Ely

I was so pleased that she'd been bought....the tell tale damp smell was coming through the windows. We managed to speak to the new owners who were really pleased with the boat. They'd found out about the windows and discovered a few other boat niggles, like the batteries and a few engine issues. It was great to see her on the move and doing what she was built for. However, as mush as we were pleased to catch up with the boat that started it all off for us, the comparison yet again showed us how well we'd done with Harebell and how much we love her.

A rainy afternoon in Ely is not something I would recommend- To be fair though, most of the UK was probably just as gloomy- but we passed the a pleasant afternoon in the city nonetheless. Typically, the sun came out just as we were due to leave and we spent a lot of the journey home trying to block the sun from the car!! As we drove through Upwell, James spied a boat moored on the Well Creek and lo & behold it was a Foxy!!  The car was hastily abandoned at the side of the road and we all 3 poured out to have a look- A little disappointing that she was a cruiser stern, but still unmistakably a Charlie Fox boat- Foxtrot. The "V" at the front looked a lot smaller than on other boats and there seemed more room in the front, but perhaps it was because there was no cratch. Honestly, boats are like busses sometimes!!
All in all, a great day.