Liz had to work on Saturday morning, so we didn't leave home until 1.50pm. We left the marina at 2.30pm and headed for Dunham. It was hazy, but very warm. It's a lovely time of year. The hedgerows are full of blossom - mainly hawthorn, but also some horse chestnuts. The rhododendrons have huge buds on them, they will be in flower soon. There was also an abundance of flowers along the banks. So many different colours. We must get a decent book of wild flowers so we can identify them all. The cottage gardens were full of cherry blossom, wisteria and lilac. We saw swallows and wagtails, there were several large broods of ducklings and we heard our first cuckoo of the year. We moored in one of our favourite spots - overlooking the old corn mill, which has now been converted into apartments. It was such a beautiful evening we sat out on the towpath until quarter to ten. We watched mist creep across the fields.
Another hot day on Sunday. Although there was a bit of a haze, the sun was already warm at 8.00am. We heard the cuckoo again this morning and then looking across the field through the binoculars, there it was sitting in a tree. I've never seen a cuckoo before! We spent the morning cleaning brass. There's something very satisfying about cleaning brass in the sunshine. The towpath was busy with walkers and cyclists. We turned round and set off back to the marina after lunch. There were lots of boats moving today. Everyone enjoying the first decent weekend of the year. Here's hoping for many more!
