Midday: The Holly Bush Inn in Priors Marston is worth a visit, just because the landlord is such a nice man and could not be more accommodating. My main bugbear was only having a small cup and saucer for my tea so he went off and immediately produced mugs! He has only been managing the pub for under three months so he is still feeling his way and trying to turn the pub around and get more of a community focus. In the time he has been there he has run four charity events, at no profit to himself and has organised a Christmas fair with all local crafts people. He allows the villagers free use of his car park for school drop offs and when people need to collect their Chinese takeaway – it’s the only restaurant in the village and it operates out of the pub kitchen. Due to covid and all the risks involved for the hospitality sector, it makes more sense for the pub not to employ a chef and waiting staff.
1730hrs: So the saga deepens! It became obvious late morning that we were still not going to get on the boat today so another night at a hotel was in order but I really wanted to move on from the Holly Bush as I didn’t fancy another Chinese. However it proved far more difficult to find anywhere else nearby (remember with no car we have to rely on taxi’s and don’t want to travel miles!) so I formed a new plan. We agreed with the landlord we would stay a further night and then we set off on a 4 mile walk to the Folly Inn at Napton on the Hill where we planned to have a mega sized late lunch. That way we could just have a sandwich for supper.
However when we arrived they were not serving food until 6pm. That would mean us walking back along country lanes in the dark. So we visited the local deli and bought two frozen upmarket meals that could be easily microwaved (having ascertained earlier the pub has a microwave we could use). The four mile walk back was slightly more strenuous uphill, but it was a beautiful afternoon and we had fortified ourselves with a pork pie and two halves of cider at a local cidery that we just happened to pass en route. Thoughts of a hot bath and the GBBO kept our spirits up, even if the prospect of a ready meal was not so appealing! However panic ensued as we walked through the pub door. We were met by an extremely agitated landlord who realised that a glitch in the online booking system meant our room was now double booked and we no longer had a bed for the night!! He had been phoning around other hotels trying to find us something but to no avail. Secretly relieved I might be in for a more exciting dinner, I happily started googling BnB’s near Daventry and before long secured a room for the night with the only downside being the thirty pound taxi fare. Looking on the bright side, my lovely step brother R, who is arriving tomorrow to help us with the locks (we live in hope!) can easily pick us up from this new location as it is directly en route for him from his home further north.
NarrowboatTLC 