Friday 20th January 2012 - Portland Basin Marina, Dukinfield - So much to do, so many people still to see and so little time.  Even our departure date is slipping as we try to do everything, see everyone we planned to do over the winter.  Tempus fugit, eh!

Subject to favourable weather conditions and having completed the still to do list we hope to be heading off again on 20th March.   Just 60 days left.   In the following three days we will work through more than 50 locks as we go down the Ashton Canal to Manchester then up the Rochdale Canal to Littleborough.  That should hone the muscles a little.  Before Easter the total will have past 100 as we continue along the Calder Hebble and run up to Leeds so we can go visit our grandson one more time before we head south. 

It will then be rivers, Aire, Trent & Soar heading for Crick Boat Show at the start of June.   After that we head for Warwick and the outskirts of Birmingham as we hope to cruise the newly opened Droitwich Canals.  Down the Severn to Tewkesbury we come north again up the River Avon to Stratford ready to attend a wedding in late July.  We need to be back on the Soar at Kegworth before the end of August as we have settled on a re-paint job in September 2012, going back to Andy Cain who did such a good job the first time. 

We will colour our map to highlight where we are, where we expect to be in the short term and all the waterways we hope to visit this year. 

As always we remain open to visitors, family & friends  So if ever we come close by you or if you want to head in our direction then you will be warmly welcomed on board Ramyshome.  Just give us a few hours warning so we can tidy up!              

We gratefully acknowledge the copyright of Jim Shead for this map. Please take time to visit his site at www.jim-shead.com