Now I am really away.

This was yesterdays post, no internet signal at my mooring last night.

A nice day, the boating Gods smiled on me, the weather was chilly but bright and fairly calm.

I woke about 7:30 and had a nice full breakfast, eggs, bacon, mushrooms and tomato’s, then I emptied the cassette and filled the water tank.

At 10 o’clock I set off and cruised along mostly at walking pace, this section of the Basingstoke is mostly just wooded, although I passed a few nice properties this one was the only one I had the camera ready for.

At Dogmersfield there has been a landslip on the towpath, so a bit tricky through there at tickover, it’s only just wider than the boat and on a bend so very narrow but got through ok, then I came to my first swingbridge, these along with lift bridges are difficult for a solo boater because the controls are on the non towpath side, normally you would stop on the towpath, a crew member crosses and opens the bridge, you go through and wait, they close the bridge and walk back across it to rejoin you, so on your own none of that is possible, fortunately for me this particular bridge had a short section to moor on either side of it on the non-towpath side, and just as I was tying up having got through a very kind couple closed and locked the bridge, so it was back aboard and continue on, I think it went well, but it was probably an easy one.
Of course being a Sunday I came through an angling match about 30 pegs at a guess so tickover again, most of them ignored my good morning greeting but some did not, one said “ you are an unusual sight, not many narrowboats on this canal”.

At about 1:15 I arrived at my intended overnight stop, moored up and walked into Fleet.

Much like any other town but a little bonus for me, I intended to stop at Millets in Woking and pick up some gloves and a chute, as luck would have it the Millets in Fleet is closing down so 30% off everything.

My mooring for the night, 30 yards to the pub, whats not to like.

For some reason I struggled to get the stove going tonight, it's not been a problem before but it didn't seem to want to kick into action, perhaps this sack of coal is not so good, anyway after a couple of hours it's fine now.

Dinner was followed by a shower, watched Strictly results, and then I thought it would be rude not to partake of a couple of beers, being so close and all.

To date: 1 Swingbridge: