These are the adventures of Andy and Sally Rawnsley on their narrowboat "The Puzzler". We have been living on the boat for over nine years now and are still loving it. Our Ulster born Shih Tzu, Shannon, has grown up, and has taken over the boat! After three wonderful years in Ireland, we transported The Puzzler to The Netherlands, and spent a year there. In 2015 we went southwards, to reach the north of France by June. After glorious weather throughout the summer, we arrived in Roanne in late October, and enjoyed our winter in this friendly port. We cruised extensively in France in 2016, 2017 and 2018, returning to Roanne each winter.


Saturday 7 September 2013

1st - 5th September. From Lough Key to Cootehall, Leitrim, and the Shannon Erne Waterway. Sailing on to Keshcarrigan, Kiltybardan and Haughton's Shore.

We spent a couple more days at Lough Key, enjoying the walking and the company there. When we set off on Monday the water of the lough looked very dark behind us.

However the sun came out on Oakport Lough, as we sailed on down the Boyle river, and gleamed on the surface of the lough.


We moored at Cootehall, and were treated to this sunset through the bridge.


"Life's a yawn!", says Shannon, as we rejoin her namesake, the Shannon river. The Iron Mountains can be seen in the background.


While Andy got some diesel at Leitrim, Shannon stalked a duck on the roof of The Puzzler. It is not really very worried at all.

 Moving on through the bridge for water, and some craic on Big Blue, we set off on the Shannon Erne waterway. A young helper controls the bows of The Puzzler.


Shannon came off at each lock to help. There is plenty of time to relax, below the control panel, while the lock is filling.


The weather has improved again, and is warm enough for shorts, here at Lisconor lock.


At Kilclare Middle Lock, the sudden waterfall over the top gates confirm that a boat is coming down the next lock.

Keshcarrigan seems a very lonely mooring, when you are the only boat on the jetty. Admittedly, there were three more boats here last night.


The village at Keshcarrigan nestles among the trees, beyond the long jetty.


There is work going on by the weir above lock 8. This is scheduled to go on for a month, but it is not clear what is being done.


Lock 8 is probably the deepest on the Shannon Erne Waterway.
Kiltybardan is a floating jetty, with no access to land. As we were mooring The Puzzler, Shannon found some fish scales which just asked for a dog to roll in them! Later on she discovered some fish bones, hidden down a crack in the jetty. Having been forbidden both of these treasures, Shannon was not impressed by the mooring. We like it here though!


As a protest, she decided to collapse across the barge pole, and go to sleep on the roof.


On leaving Kiltybardan Lough, Slieve Anierin can be seen again behind Andy.
Church Island is ahead of us on Garadice Lough. Shannon enjoys walking round the top of the roof,and is very surefooted. However, after leaving Haughton's Shore, she turned sharply to look at a horse on the bank, and fell in! Swimming at her full speed, she soon caught up with the boat, and was pulled back on board. She was a little shaken, but was back on the roof in no time.



Haughton's Shore is as peaceful as ever.


Walking along the shoreline back to Garadice Lough from the harbour, the distant woods and fields are a real Irish green.


Meanwhile, out on Garadice Lough, a cruiser approaches in the sunset.

1 comment:

  1. She is really living up to her reputation of doing impressions of "road kill" with the barge pole. I think she must be double joined.
    Tiger dog and I are on our wind down too and are in a no 3 Rooskey, the broadband cell is down. Lucky I just bought an O2 smartphone. Looking forward to the foreign blogs. How are the Dutch lessons going. Best of Luck.

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