Great Day out ......... then aaa.....aaa.......aaaaargh ............

I decided to have a day out at Grafham Water yesterday. Before setting off, I drove Alf to the footpath walk, in the hopes he would settle in the van.

We were out for a foraging day, but the blackberries along the way didn't yield many ripe ones. Alf's behaviour was very peculiar. He was fine trotting along the footpath but resisted going near the hedge while I picked the berries. I put him on his expanding lead so he didn't stress too much.

This small bowl includes the berries picked at a location in Northamptonshire.

We had a long walk and he did all his business twice. Unfortunately, he was reluctant to get in the van and spent the whole jounrney standing on the passenger seat (with safety harness), tail between legs, panting. 

We arrived just in time for the picnic lunch I had packed in the cool box. Alf needed a long drink and again, was reluctant to come back into the van.

He eventually settled down beside me while I ate my lunch. I then walked him to the payment machine and back. He was not so bad getting back onto the passenger seat and even lay down a couple of times as we travelled to our next destination.

When we brought the boat back from France, we found a permanent mooring near Ringstead, on the River Nene. The site had space and facilities for a couple of tents or small campervans. I was going to see if the Marina still had the same Manager and if the facilities were still in place.

Barry, the Manager, remembered me, and Eamonn, and Levant. He gave condolences when I told him Eamonn had died, then revealed that his wife had died the month before Eamonn. We chatted for a bit and I told him the story of selling the boat and buying Levant II.

Yes camper/caravans were allowed, but only if the owner had a boat there. He then reassured me I would be welcome to overnight any time and that he would tell the other staff that it was ok. What a lovely man. 

I then took Alf along the old Greenway track as far as the bridge over the Nene, picking blackberries as we went along. Again, Alf was wary of approaching the hedge. He remembered the walk and galloped ahead to the fishing lake. 

The ripe blackberries were more plentiful, but the hedge trimmer had done such a barbaric job on the brambles, that there were very few within reach. As we approached the bridge, I noticed that the elderberries had been spared above hedge height and added them to my bag. 

At the bridge, I took some photos of boats moored on the river at Willy Watt's Marina. I had been thinking that I might buy a day boat, as I am really keen to get back on the water. Having seen the price of second hand day boats (a bit like caravans and campervans, prices are through the roof and very unreasonable) I decided that when the mood struck, I would hire a day boat. Willy Watt has two sorts - electric and diesel. 

With a guaranteed overnight berth at Blackthorne, this would be viable and not break the bank.

The Greenway is part of the miles of track around Stanwick Lakes. This makes an ideal location for lots of country walks or a day out on the river.

By the end of the walk, it was time to head for home. I gave Alf another drink and we piled back into the van. On the way back to the route to the A1, there is a steep climb out of Ringstead; a long, very steep climb. I realised as I overtook a car that had stalled and had its two-way-flashers running, that I was in the wrong gear. As I went down into second, something felt very wrong. It was as if my rear end was grinding along the ground. I went down into first, the engine jerked and there was a smell of burning, but the grinding had stopped and the rev counter dropped. I finished the hill at about 15miles an hour. Luckily there was no one behind me.

I approached the junction with the A45, and made one of the best decisions I've ever made. I decided not to take the country lanes past Grafham Water, which was the way I'd come. Instead, I turned onto the A45 that joined the A14. I reasoned that there might be something wrong with the van, and I didn't want the RAC to try to find me on country lanes.

A45 to A14 went without a hitch. Alf was trembling and panting again so I took things steadily and carefully to avoid bumps and jerks. As we approached the intersection with the A1(M), I noticed the lights change to amber, so I slowed right down. What a good thing I did. As I began to brake, the brake pedal hit the floor. I pumped it a couple of times - nothing. I was approaching stationary traffic so I took the speed right down by going down the gears. Then I applied the handbrake. It worked. 

I turned on my emergency lights and decided to head for the nearside lane. I had been in the right-hand turning lane which would take me to the A1(M)

As the lights changed to green, I pulled over slowly and headed for the hatched section of the road underneath the flyover. I brought the van to a stop next to the barrier and phoned the RAC.

Ten minutes later, Sean arrived, assessed the damage while I waited under the bridge behind the barrier. He fiddled, looked underneath the back and front, then got back in and tried the brakes. They worked. He was reluctant to let me drive home as I had described the burning smell on the hill. He jacked up the front of the van and spun the wheel; wheel bearings knackered. Sean instructed me to drive very slowly into the seervice station, got out his lego-style ramp, drove Levant II onto it (the rear end was very near the ground) and towed me home. He even put the van on my drive. It's now next door, having wheel bearings replaced, a full dervice (it is due) and an MOT (that, too is due).

The only physical casualty is the grey water-drain tap, which was knocked off while being towed. I'm feeling grateful that nothing else was injured and that my driving instincts were correct and kicked in, in time.

The day was lovely up to that point. Weather not-so-good, but foraging reaped results. I'm planning blackberry, apple, and elderflower crumble for the Bank Holiday weekend.

Today, I be mainly painting mindfully and suffering the constant inflation of a BP monitor every 30 minutes. It hurts. It's going to keep me awake tonight. Bedtime Lemon Verbena and paracetamol on the menu.