A full size bubble

It’s rather nice to have our full sized bubble back after 3 months. During October half-term it was just 2/3 of its proper size.

We’ve had a lovely journey from Skipton back to Chorley. We chose a super day to descend our final flight of locks for 2020, last Tuesday and actually managed get sun all day. Due to this area being in tier 3, we have to stay put and only move for fuel & water, which suits us just fine.

Foulridge Tunnel.

Air shaft in the tunnel with water pouring down.

It’s so sad to go past miles of rubbish thrown over people’s walls & fences through Burnley and Blackburn.

And of course this rubbish ends up around our propeller. John reports the water is bloody cold!!!

 

Some of the urban graffiti is very artistic.

 

The industrial landscapes are breathtaking through these towns.

But the amazing reflections at Riley Green, totally made up for the rubbish.

We’re having fun with the grandchildren while their postmum is working her little socks off delivering so many parcels.

We’ve been up to Healy Nab, for a mud bath!!! But such good fun and the view over Chorley is amazing, even if it was a bit too misty for a photo.

The kids each made a batch of mince pies, bake off stylee.

And I couldn’t resist scraping the saucepan after John made slab (that’s what we call ‘tablet’).

I’m loving my spinning advent calendar, with 10g of fluff to spin each day. Most days I’ve managed to snap a photo of it outside.

 

Travelling in the snow

We headed off from Skipton on a dull day. We had to go a couple of miles & 2 swing bridges to wind (turn around), then head back through the bridges into town to get some diesel.

We could see the snow covered moors as we headed off.

By the time we’d got fuel it was snowing quite heavily and then a stop to fill the water tank.

We kind of guessed there was some snow on the way as we had seen a snow plough in town during the week.

We really did enjoy being in Skipton for 6 weeks. Best of all was walking on the moors. I loved taking my spindle up there with me.

We had lots of jackdaws on the bird feeder who ate lots of fat balls.

We popped into Wight Brothers off-licence to get some Christmas treats and just had to try some beer from a local brewery in a 3 litre carry bag, which came with a syringe, so we could squirt beer into the glass to create the head the northerners like!!!

Plus, we were a bit naughty and dipped into some Christmas choccys!!!

I am loving taking part in the Advent fibre swap, with 10g of fluff to spin each day.

Our first stop on our westward journey was at Gargrave. We strolled to visit our friends Martin & Helen in a nearby hamlet. We weren’t able to go inside, so had a nice natter outside. We walked there along a bridleway but made a silly decision to come back along part of the Pennine Way, or Pennine bog may be a better name, the mud was over the top of our boots!! However, the views were amazing from up on the hill tops.

We forgot to take pictures of Martin & Helen’s beautiful, stone cottage, so here’s John pointing to the house.

We were followed by the most amazing rainbow.

There was a gate on a stone style, so we guessed the sheep must be good at getting over the walls!!!

Our third journey stop was along Marton Pool, also known as ‘the twisties’, the canal has lots of tight bends that follow the contours. This is one of our favourite spot to moor. We were spoilt with a fantastic sun set and reflections.

And sun rise, featuring my spin for the day.

We cruised past Kennet, the restored Liverpool short boat at it’s winter mooring at the top of Greenberfield locks.

We are now officially in Lancashire, classified as in tier 3. We need to get to Chorley so John can have his important annual eye test, which is already a bit late.

We moored at Foulridge Wharf and just couldn’t resist a take-away all day breakfast roll from the cafe.

The wharf at night is very pretty.

I just can’t resist taking pics of most of the sheep I see.