Saturday 2nd June
We would have liked to have stayed at the Shillingford Bridge Hotel for a few days, it was so peaceful there but at £20 per night it would have proved prohibitively expensive so we have come another 10 miles and 3 locks and are now moored in Abingdon which is anything but peaceful! It is packed here as you can imagine with it being Jubilee weekend. In fact we were lucky to get a mooring at all.
The first one we tried was a bit too high to get George off easily but would have had to do if we couldn’t find another one. Ken went off for a recce and spotted a space on the opposite side of the river, near the swimming pool, so we moved over. It is the ideal height for an aged dog but is not without it’s problems, as we subsequently found out, it is technically in the ‘no dogs’ area of the park although there aren’t any signs near right nearby! As we are tucked up beside the swimming pool (as I said) and not actually in the main bit of the park where all the kiddy winkies play and as there were no more spaces anywhere and as it is going to be pissing down with rain and freezing cold tomorrow (so the park hopefully won’t be very popular) we figured we would risk it!
There was a lot going on in the park this afternoon though, some kind of fair I think and the obligatory morris dancing etc so it was quite busy. Fortunately for a couple of grumpy old gits like us the park festivities have not carried on into evening! Another bonus was that as it was so cold today the swimming pool was virtually unoccupied as well!
Talking of the temperature what has happened to the Summer? Yesterday – I was sitting on the bank all afternoon and evening in cut offs and a t shirt. Today – I was freezing on the back of the boat in jeans and two fleeces. Tonight I have lit the fire!
We had a bit of a walk round the town and while passing the church we noticed there was a wedding being held there today. On the way back there was an ambulance outside, looks like it was all too much for someone! Talking of weddings, today is our 13th wedding anniversary, ahhh. We only know this because Mum texted this morning to say happy anniversary, we had both totally forgotten, hopeless romantics that we are!
After our walk round the town we had a couple of pints in The Old Anchor, where there is a beer festival and BBQ which is going to last all weekend with live music and more morris dancing. Then we continued over the river, down to Abingdon lock, then back over the river and through the park (where we spotted the ‘no dogs’ signs) back to the boat, very pleasant.
The people moored behind us bought their boat from Aston Boats in Beccles so after they spotted Waveney on the side of ours we dropped into a conversation about boating on the Broads etc. They keep it here in the marina at Abingdon now though because they actually live in Birmingham and it is easier to get to.
We are staying here tomorrow, unless we get chased off by the dog warden!
