Thursday 2nd September

The last day of this part of our trip. Before we set off we got all the bags and boxes out ready for packing – one of these being Millie’s basket. We were just about ready to cast off when Millie jumped ashore and headed into the undergrowth! I could just about see her but she just stayed put however much I pleaded with her. We decided to have a cup of coffee and ignore her – as awkward as cats are she soon came out. We felt that when she saw her basket she decided that she didn’t want to go home! We set off down the last five locks back to the marina. We did most of them with Liza and her crew – a very nice couple who were just out for a few days. As usual there were lots of people watch at Newbury but we negotiated the lock with perfection! Greenham Lock is the last one for us and we went down it with a rowing boat! The marina isn’t far from the lock and it’s a lovely stretch of canal even though behind the hedge and trees it is quite industrialised. We thought that Bugbrooke Marina was tight to get into but getting into our new berth is even tighter!

Trip statistics. 25 days, 150 miles and 178 locks. Canalplan says that there are 28 swing bridges but I reckon there are more than that! Millie would like to add that her total of mice brought on board was 12 plus one live one which I caught and put back on the bank!

We are now at home for a couple of weeks though I think we are taking Robert and Laura away for a few days. Somewhere around September 29th we will head east, back onto the Thames and then onto the Wey and Arun Canal.