Power restored!!

Barry was up fresh-faced (well bristle faced anyway) by 0830 and seemed fine. The same couldn’t be said for Pete who emerged from his boat around 1030, just before we set off back to West Stockwith! I think he muttered something about having a sore rum-head …

Another laborious journey on this extremely shallow and weedy Chesterfield canal, we must’ve only been travelling at one mile an hour for much of the journey. Still, we get the opportunity to reflect on the past, present and future; you’d certainly have time to smell the roses if there were any floating past! Barry didn't even take a photo along the way, the weather has been pretty miserable today though which didn't help.

The guillotine lock at the entrance to the River Idle, close to West Stockwith Lock, just off the tidal Trent

Hurrah! The inverter had safely arrived and Barry collected it from the lock-keeper and successfully installed it restoring our 240 volt power supply. To celebrate we thought we’d partake of the local ale at The White Hart where they brew their own ‘Idle’ beers. There’s an idle dog, an idle boggin, an idle chef and an idle sod! The pub is right beside the River Idle, hence the name. Unfortunately they didn’t do beer mats with the different ales, but they did win the ‘Campaign for real ales’ (CAMRA) pub of the year award in 2008. We’re not terribly sure how they managed that, as although Barry thought the beer was good, the locals weren’t terribly friendly so we only stayed for one drink.

We ventured back to the lock basin and went to The Waterfront pub. Not the best move and we were back on the boat a short time later! We’re wondering if it’s Barry’s stubble that’s making us look like a couple of down and outs and that’s why we’re being ignored, or whether this area is just extremely snooty! We think the beard has to go …

The White Hart at West Stockwith