8th - 16th September. From Trial Bay to Enniskillen via Upper Lougnh Erne.

Time to cut some more wood. This tree has lain here beside the Woodford River ever since April 2011, so was overdue for removal!

To get the bows on to a safe access for wood collecting, we tied up with the stern temporarily half way across the river. This did slow the hireboats down! Boaters familiar with the Shannon-Erne should be able to work out where we are.

There always seems to be a rainbow at Derryvore, in Trial Bay. Could this be because it always rains when we are on this mooring?

We wait until Monday evening to move on, as the weather all day has not been good, with a lot of rain. The sky is still threatening, but if we do not go a few miles tonight, then it makes tomorrow a very long day.

The sky is lightening as we turn on to Upper Lough Erne. This photo was taken only six minutes after the last one, (no editing) showing how quickly the weather can change here in Ireland.

In the morning at Geaglum.

Some of our newly collected wood is inside the cratch, but most is on top, as seen here at Geaglum.

There were over 25 birds on the pulpit of Inishturk, across the bay.

Moving on, we sail under the Viaduct, which is the main route between Derrylin and Lisknaskea.

Even though it is quite late in the year, the reeds along the sides of Upper Lough Erne are still as attractive as ever.

Last year these markers were nearly under water, when we came this way in late October.

The old railway pillars on the approach to the Ardhowen Theatre mooring tell us that we are nearly back at Enniskillen.

Enniskillen Castle looms majestically ahead of The Puzzler.

At the Round "O" all the ducks, swans and geese are back too for the winter.

"Down at the harbour,
 Early in the morning,
 Two little tug boats,
 All in a row".
Can anyone else remember this ditty from our childhood?

2nd - 7th September. Back down the Lough Allen Canal to Leitrim, then across the Shannon-Erne Waterway through Lough Garadice and on to Aghalane.

We had to wait quite a while at Drumleague Lock as the lockkeeper was busy at Drumshanbo lock. We were considering working the lock ourselves when he arrived, so asked if that would have been OK.            "Definitely not" was the reply! He might have been quite upset if we had already done so!

Hazard ahead! We were just deciding how fast to push this fishing boat out of our way, above Battlebridge lock, when it was pulled in to the side. There was to be duck racing here this afternoon, with the lock sluices being opened to create a flow on the canal. Plastic ducks, by the way!

We turned left to go through Leitrim, and on to the Shannon Erne Waterway. The byflow below the Tirmactiernan lock (lock 15) is always an attractive spot.

At Lisconor lock (lock 12), we caught up with two penichette hire boats which were sharing the lock. It was quite a tight fit for them.

Boat crews walk between locks 11, 10 and 9 as these three locks are close together. Once The Puzzler was safely coming up in lock 10, Sally walked on to lock 9, ready to empty it, as soon as the penichettes had gone, so that Andy did not have to wait when he got there. Andy was to open the top gates of lock 10, once the lock was full, and sail round the corner to lock 9. This stone boat is just below lock 9, and is an interesting sculpture. After preparing the lock, Sally looked at this boat for some time, before returning down the canal to see The Puzzler still in lock 10, with the gates open, but with no sign of anyone on board. Was this cause for concern?

However, as Sally approached the lock, Andy emerged from The Puzzler with two ladies. She was told that they had shown great interest and had been having a guided tour of the boat! As they too were going to Keshcarrigan, they sailed on with us, and were kind enough to bring us some fresh vegetables later on, which were much appreciated.

 It was nice to meet John and Bill again on Celtic Duke at Keshcarrigan. We last met them on Lough Ree, over a year ago.

The sky was different yet again today.

Castlefore lock, has no walkway over the top gates and this makes the lock look rather incomplete.This is the first of eight locks which take us down to Upper Lough Erne. For new viewers of our blog, the control panel in the foreground is the push button method of working the lock. No heavy paddles to wind here!

The Shannon Erne is a waterway with many different parts, narrowing in places through the trees.

Just round the next corner it opens out again into St. John’s Lough.

The reflections are excellent by bridge 18.

The Shannon Erne is certainly scenic, here above Ballyduff Lock.

Church Island looms ahead of us on Garadice Lough. We hope that the old mooring on the far side of the island is free.

We are in luck! This isolated island mooring is one of our favourites.

Next it is on to Haughton’s Shore, where we are having our new cratch cover fitted. These nomadic craftspeople are a real asset to Ireland. Their canine crew is waiting to board.

When we were here last autumn, this jetty below Skelan Lock was completely under water.

This herd of Friesian cattle must be expecting rain.

By bridge 26 a cat is watching the world pass by. This mooring is now in use again.

The bottom walkway at Corraquil lock makes a good picture frame!

Click on this photo to see the brilliant green on the trees in the distance. It is a shame that we have lost the sun on the jetty at Aghalane so early.

April to July 2012. Update on our route on the Waterway Maps of Ireland.

In 2012 we left Enniskillen in April and went to the south through Upper Lough Erne.Turning westwards, we then crossed over to the Shannon on the Shannon-Erne Waterway. At Leitrim it was a detour to the north to visit Lough Allen. We missed this desolate, but attactive, lough last year as the weather was never suitable when we were passing. Next it was on to Lough Key, with a visit to Boyle again, before continuing on down The River Shannon.

Our original plan this year was to go on to The Royal Canal at Richmond Harbour, and do a there and back trip along the Royal, but not go into Dublin. However there was currently a water shortage on the summit level of the Royal Canal, so it was closed to navigation. Because of this we headed on southwards, through Lough Ree, with a trip up the River Inny and on past Athlone. At Shannon Harbour we joined the Grand Canal to go eastwards towards Dublin, planning to turn back at lock 12, and then go to see the River Barrow, before returning along the Grand Canal to the Shannon. We managed to go down the River Barrow for about a third of its length before having to turn back, due to too much water in the river. The plan now is to complete the Grand Canal to Dublin, then return to the Shannon on the Royal Canal.

1st - 3rd May. On the Shannon - Erne Waterway

We called in at Riversdale Marina for a footrest to be welded on to the starboard taff rail. Graham was very efficient and it was done at once.

Moving on to Ballinamore for the night, we were treated to another stunning sunset.

On Kiltybardan Lough, the jetty is anchored in the middle of the lough, which is quite fun.

It was calm when we arrived but we had a bumpy evening, out on the lough!

This hillside, near to the Shannon-Erne Waterway, has been stripped of all its trees. There does not seem to be a policy here of replacing felled trees.

We continue up Castlefore lock, which is the deepest lock on this waterway, and it leads us on to the summit level.

Slieve Aneurin can be seen in the distance in the Iron Mountains, beyond Lough Scur, which is part of the summit level. When we reach Lough Allen, later this week, we will be on the other side of these mountains.

 As we travel along the Shannon-Erne Waterway our surroundings keep on changing. This rocky cutting is very distinctive.

Further on, however, the banks are suffering from landslip, probably due to boats cruising too fast along this stretch.

On leaving the summit level, we start going down the three Kilclare locks. Eight locks in all will drop us down to the River Shannon, near to Leitrim.

This penichette, on hire from Ballinamore, was the first boat we met today.

These kayakers were on a 6 day sponsored "paddle" from Killaloe, which is at the south of Lough Derg, up to Enniskillen, on the River Erne in County Fermanagh. Quite an achievement!

We were lucky to find a mooring at Leitrim, where the jetty filled up with boats by the evening.