Sunshine in Oddingley

Friday 29^th March (Good Friday); Tibberton to Oddingley

Yesterday’s rain was almost gone when we got up.  It was still very cold when we left Tibberton, and  windy, but the weather improved as we made the short hop to our favourite spot in Oddingley. 

We were tied up by 10 and soon off on a planned walk with Jess – a lovely plan it was, to cross the railway and walk through the fields to the woods on the hill above Dunhampstead, where we hoped therre might be a few early bluebells in flower.  The start of the footpath looked forbidding – not only was the field flooded, the footpath sign had vanished, the farm gate was padlocked shut (which is fine) but there was no proper stile, and the bottom rail of the fence was too low for Jess to squeeze underneath. 

Instead we followed the towpath to Dunhampstead, hoping the Forge canalside tearoom might be open for a coffee in the sunshine – but it was firmly closed.  So along the road we went to check out the Fir Tree farm shop and café.  This was the old Fir Tree pub which closed some years ago and now seems to be a private house with the old restaurant extension, converted into a café, doing a brisk trade in plates of Full English (but no dogs allowed).  The farm shop part was tiny, some jams and random vegetables but with a good selection of what looked like sliced bread from a local bakery, not the mass-produced factory stuff.  We returned along the towpath where we spoke to a couple of boaters who said the footpath access issue is common in this area, so if your dog is too big to lift over the fences (not a great thing to be doing anyway  when the ground is so wet and muddy) you are blocked from lots of paths.

Mud splashes from Jess jumping on board and shaking

 

 

There were threatening clouds as we returned but they blew away.  The weather stayed bright and breezy and we will stay here for the rest of the day rather than return to the marina.  It’s a lovely mooring spot, one of our favourites, open and sunny so it’s great for the solar power.  We are so glad we have it now - Dave was delighted to find the leisure batteries were full when we returned after the winter!  So we relaxed in the sunshine, and got on with various minor jobs including two more outings for Jess.

‘Jess, on boat!’

 She is pretty good now with the ‘On boat’ command.  'Wait', to keep her on board till it's safe, or convenient, for her to get off, needs more work though.

During the afternoon more boats moored and several passed by as people started their Easter breaks.  One commented on the problems the wind was causing them.

Oddingley almost ‘full’ with five boats moored

It was a mixture of March winds and April sunshine and showers.  One boat went by so fast it created a wake and rocked all the moored boats.  Perhaps they were trying to outrun the coming shower – well they didn’t, it was very heavy, and serve them right!  There was some lovely rainbows as the showers passed through, mostly doubles though my photos don’t do them justice.

Rainbow arching over the level crossing

The other end

1 mile - more rainbows than miles!