Escape from Aston Marina!

We have been going a bit stir crazy in the marina for the last 3 weeks ...it is very handy for having access to electric and water etc. but it just doesn't compare to being out and about cruising the canals!   I can see that living on a marina would be quite handy if you had a job or you had been cruising for years and just wanted a base - or, of course, if you were physically incapable of operating the locks and bridges etc.

We needed to do the 'marina thing' this winter as I will be away for a few weeks, so the boat will be safe, but we are already thinking that next year we will harden up and stay out on the cut!

So we were up bright and early (not) and cast off for our weekend in........Stone!  Yes - we are the great adventurers !!

Bombo assumed his position and away we went ...


Through the marina bridge ...

 

And into Aston lock ...

It felt really good to be on the move!  Even the dogs were loving it !

 

 

Next lock by the Star pub (in Stone) ...

And that was it!  We are moored in the centre of Stone. We passed NB Ferndale, who have also escaped, so we are meeting them tonight for a couple down at the Swan.

After tying up we went for a walk up to the dry dock to arrange for a date for blacking Caxton - they cannot fit us in till April! We also went to Fullers yard but he didn't feel confident in his crane lifting out Caxton :(

Any suggestions for any other dry docks in this area?

We had a walk through Stone town centre on the way back - it is a great little town.  There always seems to be something going on in the way of market stalls down the main street - and the people are really friendly.  Elaine invested 3 quid on some thermal socks - now she might stop nicking mine !

We will stay here 'til tomorrow and then have another mooch about!  Elaine's brother might come to visit this weekend, so that'll be good - he also has some bags of wood for us (which he has laboured hard to chop into convenient sized pieces for us!) - so they will keep us warm in the months ahead !