Barge-ing around! An Autumn Outing!

29 comments

Once upon a very windy cloudy Sunday, Madperth thought her life lately is fairly tame, not a lot going on???
Well today I went on a trip on a barge with the VISOR Group. I thought, OK, I love boats, but surely there isnt much that can happen, & I’d been asked to blog it, but said to one of my companions, "What am I going to write about? Water, trees, water, trees!
we met up at our usual place, a local club, only to be told that we couldnt go in because of the changes in the lisencing laws!
So we headed off early to go to Ratho!
Hmm! One of our drivers decided HIS way was better than mine & took us on a lengthy diversion, adding half an hour to the journey!
SO we went to the pub, (as you do!)
Then headed down to the mooring.
Anyway, there were 20 of us, so we were split into 2 barges, owned by the Seagull Trust, a charity who aim to keep the barges going, & do a pretty good job!

This barge is for sale!! Tempting!

Water

one of the group, soaking up………the gloom!

Oh, look! A buzzard!

Trees, colours are changing!

Water; pretty view, but careful, theres a cyclepath in the area!

This barge with the boarded up window is a restaurant!! Not sure I’d be THAT hungry!

A little island in the canal,

And on the island………..
Says it all really,

where’s my paintbrush??

Where will this take us?

Oh!

Then we ’parked here, couldnt think why, until……

Yes, our other boat had to turn to let us head back!

I thought to myself, well this was pleasant! Not exciting, but we’ve had a nice time! No blog here then!
HOW WRONG I WAS!!!

So there I am, sitting right on the front of the boat, happily snapping exciting things like railings

and pretty effects on the water, when………

Nothing! We’d stopped! Our other boat was WAY ahead, & ours had broken down! They kept telling us it had never happened before, but to be honest, none of us minded! at one point we drifted in to the side so I had a snack of elderberries & brambles!

I spotted this log, it’d look good in the garden!

we waited about an hour to be towed back, but meanwhile, they tried pole power!

Man power! He must be pretty strong! I spy……….

The cavalry! The other boat had to reverse back to come & get us!

Our rescuers!

This cheeky b tried to climb on the rail to ‘do’ titanic!!

Yeah, yeah, G! Very funny!

The highlight of my trip!!!

Land ahoy, could we be getting off soon? we’d been on the barge for nearly 3 hours, at slow motion (or none) so we were all a bit cold & ready to get off!

Yes! We got to land, but not before having someone shifted from the mooring!!

Yes, our rescuer was still hauling us about!

So our tame wee barge trip turned out to be fairly eventful, & we did have a laugh, & were amply provided for with hot drinks & biccies, so after out little excursion, we went to Kirkliston to the best chippy I’ve eaten from in years, then home, about 2 hours late, but nobody cared! We all loved it!!

28 Sep, 2009
15 likes

Comments

Healerwitch

Oh what fun....having the day take a new turn and give what little adventure there was to be had...Good job at making it a wonderful day! :)

28 Sep, 2009

Sue_birming..

Looks lovely Marie. Haven't been on a barge in years and we've got loads of them around here with all of the canals. MUST go ! :-)))

28 Sep, 2009

Sandra

glad u had a loverly day....looks a nice place to visit.

28 Sep, 2009

Oddbillie

Only you Marie, only you!!

Looks a nice little trip though and having never been on a barge it was nice to come along for the ride.

Loved the railings, by the way.....:0)

28 Sep, 2009

Sanbaz

looked like you had some fun there mari, love the barges, lots round lancashire, and those pretty swans and signets, "spell check" lol good pics to :o))

28 Sep, 2009

Arlene

~I can never get over the aqueducts over the road~did that feel weird?
Glad that alls well that ends well!

28 Sep, 2009

Ian_digs_v2

Looks like a very relaxing day out to me Hatter, I'm pleased you took lots of photo's but that log looks bigger than your garden?

28 Sep, 2009

Lily2

Back to the top of the blog Marie, your life tame? I thought you were struggling to keep up with it all! It was all going so smoothly wasn't it, does this sort of mishap follow you around by any chance lol.
Great blog and pics, shame the sun didn't put in an appearance for you.

28 Sep, 2009

Spritzhenry

It sounds quite errr.... relaxing, really! Life at slow motion. Good for us all to slllooooowwwwww down at times! :-))

28 Sep, 2009

Tulsalady26

I would love to go for a trip on a barge maybe one day i'l get there.glad you enjoyed your day and the photos are great.

28 Sep, 2009

Usernut

I don,t go on barges or boats or anything that goes in the water..lol but it looked relaxing.

28 Sep, 2009

Bobg

Great blog Marie, where was the canal? It looked good I love a canal barge cruise, yes it is slow and most canals have a 4knot speed limit.
Usually barges are quite heavy things, but once they are under way being hauled along they are easy to keep going, just a bit of brute force to get them going in the first place.

28 Sep, 2009

Lincslass

Smashing blog Marie with lovely photo`s,there`s something special about railings,isn`t there. It sounds a great way to relax and you even got a bit of excitement thrown in, pleased you enjoyed it..........

28 Sep, 2009

Aliwya

great blog Marie, loved the light effects on the water :o)
I've always fancied a relaxing barge holiday................. just floating along the canal stopping for lunch in a nice country pub..... back to the barge.... float along to the next pub for tea....float....... pub for a spot of supper......
can you get arrested for "driving" a boat under the influence??? :o))

28 Sep, 2009

Sanbaz

sounds great Ali, i must admit i fancy one of them hols to, if we get some sunshine one summer :o)

28 Sep, 2009

Aliwya

yes wouldn't it be great San, no phone, no t.v, no unwanted visitors Mmmm, just the sound of nature & water......... would miss the Goy fix though lol x

28 Sep, 2009

Sanbaz

lol laptops are great for that Ali :o)

28 Sep, 2009

Junglejen

Looks like you had a lovely day, chips too...yummmmm

28 Sep, 2009

Fluff

Notice you got the barging jargon right by the end of the trip MP...'parking' changed to 'mooring'! Lol!!
Sounds like you had a fab day out on the water...fun isn't it?!!!

28 Sep, 2009

Madperth

Hi GoYs! Thanks for all your comments! Yes, it COULD only happen to me!!
it was VERY relaxing!LOL! I even had time to do some of my Uni homework!
I know Lily, my life does go at a relentless pace usually, but it still seems tame! Must be behaving too well, or no time to get up to much mischief! Lol! Theres a diff between having too much to do & having fun!! :~))
The sun did come out a bit, but we were under the trees!
The swans were gorgeous!
As for the chips, yummy as they were, I'm STILL suffering for eating them!!

28 Sep, 2009

Blodyn

You enjoyed your day then :o)

28 Sep, 2009

Madperth

LOL Fluff, the first time we didnt moor, we just sat & waited!! I LOVE boats! I used to renovate them, thats why the barge for sale was so tempting! Shame I'm skint!!

28 Sep, 2009

Madperth

Sorry BOB!
The barges & canal are at Ratho, near Ingliston (where they have the Highland Show) just outside Edinburgh.
The trips are run by a charity called the Seagull Trust, & you have to pre-book. No charge, but a donation is obviously encouraged!
Google Seagull Trust if you're interested!
Usernut, the canal is 4 feet deep at its deepest point! You'd be fine!

28 Sep, 2009

Usernut

No, i,d stick in the mud and sink under...lol

28 Sep, 2009