The day started off cold & grey, but we thought that we would go for a walk anyway as we hadn’t been very active over the last few days. So with Izzy in the buggy we set off up the towpath to Fretherne bridge and back through the village. The rest of the morning was spent with Izzy feeding the ducks and then they left after lunch.

We had arranged to meet freinds Jim and Mo at Patch bridge this evening and also some of Heddi’s school collegues were coming to see us the next day. Patch bridge woulkd be easier for them to find as all you have to do is follow the signs for the Wildfowl & Wetlands trust. So we chugged the couple of miles down to find a mooring. We needed somewhere easy to get on and off as Rachel isnt very mobile. When we got there it was packed with boats, mostly large GRP cruisers. The most accessible moorings here are on the east bank, the west bank has quite a slope and no firm edge to moor up to. There was one space on the east bank, but it appeared to be a water point. We asked some local boaters who said that there was another, official water point up nearer the bridge, and that it was OK to moor by the other one, so we did.

By now the weather had improved a lot and we sat outside with a glass of Pimms awaiting the arrival of Jim & Mo.

They came just after 7:00 bearing a take-away pizza as arranged. We sat outside until well after sunset and even when they left at around 10:00 it wasnt completly dark.