A Brilliant Day!

Tuesday 15th July, 2014 at Wootton Wawen.
After what we felt was a rather disappointing start to the South Stratford Canal, today was one of the loveliest days we have had on the waterways; not only in terms of weather, which was glorious, but also on account of the beauty of the canal and the people that we met.
R made another of his special egg and bacon breakfasts with middle back bacon encircling the egg; M thinks she could get to like this on a daily basis that it's probably advisable to stick to our normal porridge in the interests of weight and health!
Nearby, according to the guide books (and a sign on bridge 40) was a farm shop, so we set off up the lane to Finwoodhill Farm.

The farm is a beautiful listed building and the owner is a delight. All their meat and eggs come from their own animals, who spend their entire life on the farm. They farm Dexter beef cattle and Gloucester Old Spot pigs. Sadly, another customer had just bought their entire stock of eggs; however, the rooster seemed intent on encouraging the hens to lay more!

We did buy some beef steaks and pork loin. We had the pork loin for dinner and it was delicious.
As we walked back down the towpath, we met a new friend, little Banksey, who lives on a narrowboat with his owners. They had found him abandoned on the towpath six month ago with a badly broken jaw. As a result, Banksey was left with a tooth sticking out over his upper lip - so he looked from the side just like the Gruffalo!

Back on MM, we set off to the south west. By Lock 31, we had another of our special "Many Meetings". Yesterday, we had fallen into conversation with three absolutely lovely people walking the towpath. It turned out that they are renting the barrel roofed cottage next to Lock 31, a property owned by the Landmark Trust, and when we went through the lock, there they were - Diane, Peter and Betty, happily relaxing in their gorgeous little cottage. They truly are delightful folk, we do hope to see them again some day and we would certainly love to rent the cottage one day.

By now the countryside had opened out into classic Shakespeare country. More charming barrel-roofed cottages, quaint split bridges (the gap in the middle to enable the towrope to go through without unhitching the horse), ripening golden wheat fields and not a road in sight or sound.
We appeared to have the canal to ourselves. Although the towpath was still a bit overgrown, the edges were full of wildflowers - meadowsweet, vetch, trefoil and campion, and the air was sweet with their fragrance.

Bucket Lock Cottage was stunning, despite its name - but not for sale.

Preston Bagot Cottage was for sale and absolutely gorgeous - but undoubtedly outside our price range!

After a pleasurable day's cruising, we arrived at the tiny village rejoicing in the charming Anglo-Saxon name of Wootton Wawen. A beatiful mooring next to an old oak tree beckoned and that's where we moored.  M pegged out the washing and we then sat down in our folding "Director's" chairs on the towpath with a gin and tonic to watch the sunset. Bliss!

A perfect end to a lovely day.
Today: 4 miles, 8 locks and 3.7 hours.
Trip:74 miles, 65 locks and 48.5 hours.