31st July - 5th August 2018. On from Sedan on the canal de la Meuse, with a detour for a fuel stop at Pont-à-Bar on the canal des Ardennes. Then on to Haybes, finally joining the Belgian Meuse below Givet, to arrive at Namur in Belgium.

Martin and Jenny left us on Tuesday, and we pushed on to go up one lock on to the Canal des Ardennes, at Pont-à-Bar. The lock control pole made a handy bollard!

There was a tame ragondan (or coypu) there, which really enjoyed slices of apple. Shannon literally quivered with excitement, as she has a love affair with ragondans!

Up one more lock to Pont-à-Bar to fill up with fuel. We would have enjoyed visiting the Canal des Ardennes again, but this pic (from the noticeboard)  of the collapse of lock 21 at Neuville-Day, shows why the canal is closed. It is very sad. The canal de la Meuse is also now closed due to lack of water, both at the junction with the Marne-Rhine canal, and, more recently, at Stenay too, so we have been very lucky to get through.

Continuing on the Canal de la Meuse, houses are squeezed in below the trees, along the river banks.

Trees dominate the banks here.

Sometimes it is difficult to see how there can be a way through!

At Château-Regnant we found Esme, and caught up with Chris and Diana, until 1am! We now have a great deal more information about Belgium, so many thanks to them for that. It is lovely to see friends again.

Monthermé is another small town which fits on to the outer edge of a bend in the river. This waterway is by now mainly river, with canal sections.

We managed to squeeze three boats into Deville lock, with The Puzzler going across the lock.

This chateau is very private here.

An hour later the trees are closing in again.

Our geraniums have really liked the hot weather!

We stopped at Haybes again. It does not seem like three years since we were here last. This is a very pleasant village.

Here is the cat burglar! Last night it was so warm that we left the outer side door open overnight, protected by the mosquito net. At 5 am the cat must have stepped on to the top of the netting, and then fallen into the boat, taking the net with it! Shannon practically exploded, and ran up and down the boat, screaming at the top of her voice! No sign of the intruder, but he must have made a very quick exit!

We moved on to Givet, with the cliffs leading on to the citadel.

The citadel overlooks the town.

We moored on the wall, pretending to be a commercial, but no-one minded. No shade here, but with a high wall all our doors can be open, with no risk of Shannon escaping.

It is late for cygnets, but these ones look very healthy, with two white babies, which is unusual.

The river is much busier now, as we move on into Belgium, with many more marinas such as this.

The church in Dinant is practically built into the cliff, which dominates the town.

The locks are now bigger, and we are travelling with 5 other boats. Four of them are faster, so they wait for us in each, and the other slower cruiser keeps us company!

Ahead, these houses on top of the cliff must have a fantastic view!

We couldn't decide whether this was an actual house, or just a garden ornament!

Approaching Namur, our last town on the Belgian Meuse.

The citadel of Namur, which we explored three years ago.