Perseverance on the Cotswold Canal at Stonehouse

Perfect day out! Friend Symon had arranged for a group of us to hire the tour boat and two crew (he is one of them) for a trip from Ebley, outside Stroud, to Stonehouse, the next town.

After a pub lunch in Stroud, we walked the several miles to Stonehouse along the canal, and stopped to admire some find old tombs in St Cyr' s churchyard, before heading back to the boat. A wedding was being held in the grounds of the nearby Stonehouse Course hotel, which looked idyllic.

Once back on the boat, I volunteered to help open the gates of Ryeford Double Lock. This process took a while, but was livened up by Jon and Symon's dog Dilbert, a staffie, chasing a Labrador bitch, even into the water. Some families had stopped to watch our prowess through the lock, and a young boy was commenting. Eventually he shouted,
" Oh, he's trying to hump her! Maybe they'll have staffrador puppies! "

The dogs were then put on leads, but the boy protested,
"But they love each other! They want to be together""

It was a hoot. The bitch's owners weren't very concerned.

We carried on and eventually met up with the boy and his family again at Ebley, where I had marmalade ice cream. Very Paddington Bear.

From there we walked back to Stroud, and drove up to Jon and Symon's place for tea. I have blipped their farm before, it is a wonderful spot, backing on to the Cotswold Way. Robin and I fit lost on the way, but found a very beautiful herd of cows on Selsley Common...

Robin drove me back in the setting sun, and we sat in his car listening to Carol King's version of
" You've got a friend" and reminiscing, while the sun sank behind the memorial chapel in Stroud Cemetery.

By hiring the boat, we raised £105 towards the restoration of the Cotswold Canal. Anyone can do it: two crew are provided, and a good time is guaranteed. Bring a picnic, hop on board, and ahoy there...see you at the Ocean.