Weds 13th and Thurs 14th April. 11 kms, 3 locks, 2.5 hours and 20 kms, 4 locks and 5 hours respectively.

The weather continues to behave extremely erratically; after I blogged on Tuesday evening we had a fabulous storm which left us with a full rainbow (that’s not my thumb – it’s the top of the rear deck canopy).

When we left in the morning it was sunny again and the dogs chilled out on the back – the ‘step’ is required for Baxter these days and, also, one to help him up onto the sofa; without the steps we find him with his front legs planted up on something and standing, patiently, waiting for someone to come along and lift his back legs up.

Our destination for the day looked good for both village amenities and walking and, before we moored, we had a phone call from Peter and Janet in Roanne to say they had some post for us and would run out with it.

We moored up and enjoyed a late lunch out the back in the sunshine before they arrived. 5 minutes later the weather came in again with hailstorms big enough to hurt!

The rain never really stopped and I abandoned my attempts to walk Muttley when the deluge re-commenced and I realised that we’d moored a long way short of where we’d intended. This is the village we should have moored adjacent too and the last of the manual locks on this canal – the remainder were automatic and we were back on the pull cord system.

We waited for a barge coming up and gave them plenty of space as they seemed to be having a problem coming out of the lock – the chap on the top seemed more interested in the lady’s prowess with a boat hook than he did in steering.

We were also entertained by a man in a dune buggy

and experienced some solar panel envy

With nobody else about we were able to stop in the last lock of the Roanne et Digoin canal and re-water, empty off our re-cycling and let the dogs have a pee before turning right onto the Canal Lateral a la Loire – the opposite direction from where we are heading – for a mooring we’d spotted when bringing Matilda Rose South

Once moored below Digoin aqueduct, we were all intrigued by the two ladies, two dogs and a goat out for their evening promenade; all were off of leads (including the ladies) and Daisy retreated to Francoise’ gunwhales – dogs and cattle she can deal with but the jury is still out regarding goats!

My plan was to stay there today and maybe have some well deserved lunch out in Digoin, courtesy of our bicycles.