Wind in the Willows (Tales from the Riverbank)

Fraser talked last time about how we reached Rouen and removed our mast so we could fit beneath the many bridges we’d encounter on our long journey south to the Mediterranean. In this episode, I will bring you with us along the last stretch of the tidal Seine and onwards through France to Paris. WhenContinue reading “Wind in the Willows (Tales from the Riverbank)”

We’re In-Seine

Fraser’s unique take on our journey so far. Once we arrived in France, we felt that we were nearly in the canals, but not quite yet. For starters we still had a tricky 14-hour passage to get us to Honfleur, which lies at the mouth of the Seine River. We set off on Friday atContinue reading “We’re In-Seine”

Deux Irlandais en France

Dartmouth to Cherbourg Having enjoyed a week in Wales, a week in Padstow and almost a week in Newlyn, we decided it was time to crack on.  A nice 4-5 day weather window sent us scurrying eastwards, as per Fraser’s blog.  We spent Saturday night in Dartmouth, tied up to a floating pontoon that was coveredContinue reading “Deux Irlandais en France”

Barberry Goes Home

Newlyn to Falmouth (£7 to boil the kettle) Spoiler alert- I’m writing this from France on our ‘rest day’. I’ll pick up where we left off: ‘waiting for a weather window’ in Newlyn (or ‘lazing around’ by its less formal definition). We have two bikes stashed on board, both folding Bromptons, one elderly cast-off andContinue reading “Barberry Goes Home”

Doom Bar, Emmets, and Drowned Rats

We spent a week in Padstow, not because we were stormbound but because we were having such a lovely time. Barberry was tied up to the harbour wall, right in the heart of this picturesque little Cornish town, and we often overheard some fascinating snatches of conversation between the tourists, sitting on the benches justContinue reading “Doom Bar, Emmets, and Drowned Rats”