Early April 2016. Final week of Bridge. Last supper in Roanne! We leave the port with Debbie and Toad on 9th April.

We have had an enjoyable last week at the Bridge club, playing rather better than we did in March!
We were given a lovely farewell speech and a present of some Champagne.


We like this view of The Puzzler from the other side of the port.

Our daughter, Debbie, arrived for a visit and we all went to Rook for a splendid curry with Pete and Jan. Our last supper in Roanne! Jill, Graham, LizAnne and John were there too, so we had a great evening.

Walking round Roanne, we met the town cow, which gives milk on demand! Apparently once your bottle of milk is full, it moos to let you know!

Toad drew one ticket in our sweepstake for the Grand National, but his horse did not win. He was most upset! Find Toad Rawnsley on facebook!

On Saturday we found time to play table tennis on the concrete tables in the park.

Debbie tested Dad with some sneaky shots, but he eventually beat her.

However, she now had her eye in, and beat Mum.

We are ready for departure at last.

Looking back to our mooring for the last five months, we have many happy memories of our time here, beside Frédéric on Willusty. Il a été le meilleur ami de Shannon!

Having left our mooring, we did a detour around the port, to a cacophony of boat horns and bon voyages. It really made us look forward to our return in November.

This is hopefully the last time that we see Matilda Rose! Perhaps I should rephrase that, and say that we will be delighted when she finds a nice new owner! Look for her on Apollo Duck.

We also had a farewell committee at the lock, as Cassandra, Mary and Brian joined us there.

Out of Roanne lock and off to the rest of France for seven months.

7th - 11th October. On down the Canal du Nivernais from the summit to Châtillon-en-Bazois, then on to Cercy-de-la-Tour.

Yesterday, Madam éclusier had told us that there was no bakery at Bazolles. This morning she met us at the first lock with two baguettes, even though it was not her lock. What a service! Locks 4-5-6 are a set of 3rise locks at Chavance, and today we have Monsieur éclusier looking after us.

This wide cill is under the bridge, in the top lock. There is no sign at the lock as warning of this, though presumably our éclusier was keeping an eye, that The Puzzler did not sit on the cill.

This lockkeeper was with us for nine locks altogether, including the 3rise and two double locks, presumably because it is late in the season. Normally it is less than that. Eventually we reached his own house, an attractive smallholding, with goats too among his livestock, near to Orgue lock.

We travelled on to Châtillon-en-Bazois, where we moored near to the Chateau, which is built inside a meander of the river Aron. The Nivernais Canal follows this river from the summit down to the river Loire at Decize, a distance of 66 kilometres. The gardens of the Chateau are very formal, with water features among the hedges.

Sadly, the Chateau itself is completely shrouded by scaffolding, but it is still quite imposing.

Some locks are surrounded with flowers, like lock 17 at Eguilly. A lot of work goes into these gardens, by the lockkeeper who lives there.

Our lockkeeper breaks for lunch from 12 until 1.00, but he had left lock 19 at Villard ready for us, so that we could wait in the lock.

The wall of the small building by the lock was a basking place for little lizards.

At Brienne lock we liked the small neat cottage with blue shutters.

Moving on, the trees beside the canal are still very green, despite the autumn feel to the air.

This heron was not upset at all when we passed quite close to him, as he stood serenely on a branch beside the canal.

Mooring below Bernay lock, we went lizard spotting again. Here they were much bigger, but our film star had lost part of his tail at some time. Despite this, he looked very healthy.

Approaching Cercy-de-la-tour, the 12th century Roman church towers over the houses. The blue narrowboat is also heading for Roanne for the winter.

Walking up from the canal, we can see the 13th century tower, to which Cercy-de-la-Tour owes its name. The original tower was destroyed during the French Revolution in 1795, but was rebuilt in 1883 by the Marquis of Pomereau. It could not be exactly as it was, due to houses which were in the way! However, it is still very imposing.

This statue of Notre Dame was built in 2008 to replace the original one which had been built in 1958, on top of the tower, to overlook the town.

The narrow streets of Cercy lead us up to the tower and the church. Sadly, Debbie and Matt are leaving us tomorrow, to return to England.

Never mind being too shy for us to see him out in the country, this kingfisher is sitting beside The Puzzler on the railing on our jetty in Cercy.

Meanwhile, Shannon is looking after Toad Rawnsley, who is wearing his new England Rugby top. He is a very important visitor, who has his own facebook page, having travelled all over the world!

28th - 30th May. On to Fisherstown and Athy on the Barrow Line. The River Barrow to Leighlin Bridge.

The reflections are good today. We have been very lucky with the weather during Debbie's visit.

Shannon is learning that bridge holes are useful pickup points, after a morning walk along the towpath from last night's mooring.

Debbie helps Dad at the tiller.

The road lift bridge at Monasterevin is always the place to annoy passsing cars! The aqueduct over the River Barrow immediately after this bridge shows a quiet river below us this year.

We spent a lot of time at Fisherstown last year, waiting for the floods on the River Barrow to abate.

Once again, Tuesday night is music night at the Fisherstown Thatched Inn. With nine musicians there, it was really good.

Apart from Lowtown at the Grand Canal junction, then  Monasterevin, Vicarstown is only the third place to see many moored boats on the Barrow Line.

At Athy, we lock down on to the River Barrow.

Our first night on the river was above Maganey Lock. This was a lovely quiet spot.

Shannon went exploring across the top lock gates on her own.

She spends a lot of time reclining on the roof of The Puzzler, enjoying the scenery along the river.

When approaching Carlow, some moorings can be seen to the right of this island. However, do take care here. The navigation channel runs to the left of the island. There is a long sandbank which lies upstream of the island, running out in front of it, where we went too close and ran aground last year!

After passing to the left of the island, and going through the left arch of Carlow Bridge, it is then a sharp right across the top of the weir to reach Carlow lock safely. Visitors may find this a little scary!

However the water is gentle enough today for the heron to stand on the weir for a spot of fishing.

It is an attractive view, looking across the river to the Mill at Milford. Carlow was the first town to have electricity in Ireland, which was generated here, and Milford Mill is still in use, generating electricity.

The first cygnets of the year are now hatching. We saw this family soon after Milford Lock.

Shannon loves sitting on Debbie's knee.

The bridge at Leighlin Bridge is the oldest on the river, being built in 1320 by Maurice Jakis, a canon of Kildare Cathedral, to facilitate movement within his diocese. It is a very pleasant mooring. We are able to moor on this bank as The Puzzler does not draw too much water.

Shannon was not allowed to chew Toad when he was visiting, much to her disgust. She did not realise that this is the famous Toad Rawnsley, who cycled to South Africa and also has his own page on Facebook!