Overnight it had rained heavily and when we awoke it looked as if it would abide by the instructions of the weather forecast and stay that way until the afternoon.
However, by the time we explored outside, it was already coming to an end and a plan to take a photo of this somewhat rare event of rain was thwarted. Instead we resorted to one of the raindrops that were lying on the surface of the boat.
We were still surprised that no-one else at all moored here overnight - when we came back to the junction later in the afternoon after our trip up to Welford, there were several boats already tied up so perhaps yesterday was an exception.
After the little rain over the past few days, its seemed to us that everything was so much greener.
We turned right at the junction and made our way along the arm into Welford where we used all of the services (including a book exchange) before mooring ready to walk into the village.
We have spotted Postman Pat on previous visits here but were saddened by his somewhat forlorn state today. Later, we chatted to a local lady who told us that it had been vandalised no so long ago. It was originally the stump of a tree that the council had cut down. Another lady who lives in thew house close by paid for an artist to come and create this attractive, if somewhat out of place, character. It would be a pity of this quirkiness was erased.
At the village shop we picked up a newspaper and one or two food items. In the past we have, at this stage, turned around and walked back to the boat. Today we felt we had time to wander further up the hill. At one stage Welford was a significant coaching stop and this road through is still an A road. However, it now has a 20 mph speed limit, suggesting the present inhabitants rather regret the amount of traffic that passes along the narrow street.
We were surprised by the number of large houses that form much iof the High Street. Some are in good condition but others are a bit the worse for wear.
At the time we first saw it, the close called Abbey View seemed an unusual name and the houses behind looked like a mixture of converted farm buildings with some new build. Later, at the church, we discovered that at one time there was indeed an abbey in the village, although nothing now remains. It was transferred to nearby Sulby before being demolished during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Atterbury House has had a lot of work done on it but our Google searches turned up nothing about it other than at one time a comp-any director lived here but all of his businesses have now been dissolved.
This former pub near the top of the village is currently unused. A planning application in the window dated 2014 indicated that then someone had the idea of converting part of the property into flats whilst keeping part of it as a bar. Despite some work having been done,. it seems to have all gone very quiet.
We then visited the church, a typical village parish church that has been adapted and changed over many centuries.
Christine was rather amused by this grave that looks rather like an Egyptian mummy! However, all of the inscription had been weathered away so we could not learn more of who it was that had been buried here.
Inside the construction is much the same as in many English villages although the organ, originally in the south aisle, now dominates the west end. It does seem a little out of character.
The north wall had some monuments that caught our eye, especially as they are relatively recent.
These two, one above the other, commemorate a distinguished army doctor who died in the First World War.He was married to Lilian and her memorial is below - she lived a long life after she was widowed surviving until 1974.
Not far away on the same wall is this even more recent memorial, to Lord Tom Boardman, a Conservative government minister, former Chairman of NatWest and a member of numerous company boards. His obituary in the Guardian paints him as very much on the right wing of the party, having views on immigration not dissimilar to Enoch Powell (although less inflammatory in his speeches) and unhappy with Ted Heath's rescue of Rolls Royce. It seems that he was well respected in the village.
Alongside the churchyard there is a row of modern thatched houses. Nit sure that the idea has worked all that well!
Time then to walk back to the boat and when we reached it it seemed best to have lunch!
By now the sky had plenty of blue patches and the single lock on the arm seemed much more attractive than when we arrived earlier. The nearby gliding centre was especially busy this afternoon. As we worked through the lock we saw at least three gliders being towed aloft, just overhead, and several more later on.
The new marina at Kilworth has just started to take boats - most of the pontoons were empty and in pristine condition but we could see just a few on the far side.
Much of the final stretch towards Foxton lies below a small escarpment with a gradual fall down to the canal and beyond the other side.
We moored just a little short of the Foxton flight.Alas, we could not find a spot with a tv possibility.
10.5 Miles - 2 Locks
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