22 Comments
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Colin Booth's avatar

What a great trip, I would love to do it. Born in Yorkshire, I left in 1957 and didn’t get to return until December 2024. Only there for a week so didn’t get to see enough. Loved the photos.

Ralph Turner's avatar

Many thanks, Colin. That's a sizeable gap in time between going and returning to your place of birth. We lived in North Yorkshire for 15 years before moving north of the border.

Jim Graves's avatar

Beltin' 😎 I would love to do a cruise on t'cut, but physically my missus and I can't operate the locks.

Ralph Turner's avatar

Cheers, Jim. On our iwn, my Missus a d I wouldn’t get very far. Although I’m ok physically, she’s disabled. We make it work by going in convoy with my Mother-in-law and her hubby so that there are enough of us to steer the boats and lock through. If the opportunity presents for me to moor up after the lock, I’ll nip back and help the other boat through.

Could you persuade your son to come along with you to do the donkey work, so to speak?

Jim Graves's avatar

I could probably persuade him to give it a go.

Todd Haughton's avatar

Looks like a great trip, Ralph - welcome back! I am looking forward to the next chapters.

Ralph Turner's avatar

Many thanks, Todd. I’ve got a fair bit of sorting of photos to do for the next one (and three rolls of film to develop at some point - maybe a separate post for those).

Paul Jenkin's avatar

Great series and I'm sure Percy would much prefer to be with his loved ones....

Ralph Turner's avatar

Many thanks, Paul. Young Percival was quite content most of the time. Not so keen when we were going along, so was a bit clingy to my Missus. Of course, when he caught sight of Irene's Mum, his favorite person in the whole world, that was it, the rest if us were well down the pecking order!😬😄

søren k. harbel's avatar

Nice one! I look forward to the next chapters!

Ralph Turner's avatar

Thanks, Søren! 😃

KewtieBird’s Photo Journey's avatar

Awww, Percy!!! What a sweetie. And enjoyable images too. 😃

Ralph Turner's avatar

Thanks, KB😀.Percy - sweetie snd little tyrant rolled into one lol. He's got us wrapped around his little fing... um, talon😏😊

John Colson's avatar

Lovely read (and images of course). I had a friend who spent many years living on the canals and he had so many interesting stories of his life on the cut. I imagine you have many to!

Ralph Turner's avatar

Many thanks, John, I appreciate it 🙂. I have one or two, but I imagine your friend has quite a few more, as someone who lives aboard ☺️.

Lin Gregory's avatar

Oh wow that's quite a trip you had planned there Ralph - hopefully the canal will be repaired soon and you'll get that trip over into the depths of Wales! As it is it sounds like it was going to be a memorable family trip with Irene's parents and their boat too. I do love that storm brewing image, such beautiful colours. And of course there's Percy - he is a handsome chap, gorgeously turned out. I bet he kept you all in line for the whole trip - I'm wondering if his language has got any more colourful since the holiday?!🦜😂

Ralph Turner's avatar

Thank you, Lin, much appreciated. Yes, we were at his beck and call all his waking hours. His language didn’t get any worse with us, unlike ours with him at times! 🤬😂🤣

Lin Gregory's avatar

🤣🤣🤣

Deborah Gregory's avatar

A warm welcome back to you, Ralph. Hope you and Irene, well ... all of you ... had a wonderful five weeks. Lucky buggars! What a lovely opening to your Four Counties Odyssey. Your photos of the Spitfire in evening light, those bridges, rusting hulls, even the dusty old Beetle ... hold such quiet beauty, capturing that in‑between time before your journey truly began. I especially loved the "together, waiting" moment ... and how Percy, of course, taking it all in his stride. Looking forward to Part Two already! 🙏💖🦜

Ralph Turner's avatar

Many thanks for your words, Deborah 🙏🙂

perfectlight's avatar

percy looks awesome!!!

Ralph Turner's avatar

Thanks!😃. Life onboard revolved around him lol.