One week to go

This time next week, we'll be at Stocktop Top getting ready to take Debdale out on another trip.

We'll have some friends with us for the first few days, so the plan is to head to Market Harborough, before dropping them off at Buckby Wharf on the way back.

In the middle of the holiday, we're doing the RYA Inland Waterways Helmsman's Certificate. We've booked a day with Douglas Nethercleft, who's going to meet us at Calcutt Locks. I've spoken to a couple of people who've done the course, who say it's well worth while even if you have a fair amount of experience, as we do. We're hoping to learn some boat handling tricks that you wouldn't necessarily pick up just by trial and error.

The second week, we'll head down the south Oxford. Turning right at Napton Junction will be new territory for us. We're not sure how far we'll get, so we'll keep going until mid afternoon on the Monday, when we'll turn round and start heading back to Stockton Top.