Méricourt-sur-Somme (nut harvest)

We left Amiens at 10am on Monday which was rather early for us.  With our non-functioning washing machine, we needed to find a launderette so were heading for Corbie which was a good cruise away.  The weather for the whole day was best described as dull; no wind or rain, just grey, not particularly warm and about 15 minutes of sunshine in the evening just before it set.  We’d arranged to meet our éclusier at the first lock at 11 and for the first time since being on the Somme, had to ring again because he didn’t turn up.  There were a lot of profuse apologies and they admitted to not being very organised as they weren’t expecting four boats to be on the move at the same time.  The other three were heading our way too so must have come in from the sea.

Up by the lock was a horse trough or abreuvoir that was used until the 1940s when the last horse-drawn barges were phased out.  Villages often share many of their street names such as grand rue, rue du lavoir, rue du 8 Mai 1945, rue Victor Hugo etc.  Of course, we always head for the rue du lavoir but often misread the rue de l’abreuvoir and are subsequently disappointed when there’s no lavoir but a horse trough or drinking fountain.  Apparently, the horse trough at the lock was the last remaining one on the Somme.

L’abreuvoir at Lamotte-Brebière lock

When we first arrived at the lock an old man was walking away from it carrying a couple of large plastic bags full of walnuts.  This put Karen on high alert, and she spied a walnut tree which is often the case at French locks as the families in the lock cottages planted them for their own supply.  We busied ourselves while we were waiting for our éclusier by getting the first decent haul of the season.  To be fair, Karen collected far more than me as she was more adventurous.  Each shake of a branch would bring many crashing to the ground and some would bounce into the river running past the back of the lock.  Karen would scramble down the bank to rescue any that were still close to the edge.  It was a good first crop and we felt a bit guilty getting back on board as another lady walked across the lock and started looking too.

Starting the drying process

The lock cottage had been converted to a pleasant looking café bar but was closed on Mondays so we couldn’t take advantage while we waited.

Waiting for the éclusier at Lamotte-Brebière

Once our man arrived, we were soon on our way again and he said he would see us through the next lock immediately after lunch.  We took the opportunity to moor up while we waited and had our lunch too.

Lunch at Daours

We had been assured that there was plenty of room to moor at Corbie, but we only just managed to squeeze in.  Several of the boats on the visitor moorings had been there when we came down and looked like they were there for the winter.  Maybe the Somme département has given special dispensation and is waiving the 72-hour mooring rule because of the situation this year meaning many people have been unable to get to France.

Squeezed in at Corbie

On Monday we cruised 11 miles up three locks.

In retrospect Tuesday was a walnutting day, it was also dry as well as warmer than the last few days and we even had some welcome sun after mooring up for the evening.

We were up and about early as Karen was off to the launderette while I topped up the diesel tank and refilled the jerry cans at the local supermarket.  When we left Corbie, Karen & Buddy started walked and it wasn’t long before I noticed they’d disappeared from sight.  Looking behind me, I could see a large walnut tree and could guess what Karen was doing.  I carried on very slowly but they still didn’t catch up until I’d covered four or five kilometres.

No sooner had I picked them up before we spotted another tree and it took a while to drop Karen off again as the riverbank wasn’t suited for bringing boats in close.  She did manage to get off in the end but not without dunking one foot in the water.  It was hardly worth it as it looked like the locals had recently visited and she only returned with six nuts!  We continued on and moored for lunch below the first lock of the day.

Moored for lunch below the lock at Sailly-Laurette

Checking our emails after lunch we found we’d been accepted for an on-line bridge course starting this Thursday.  Those of you who know us or have been reading the blog for a while may remember we used to belong to Stratford-upon-Avon bridge club.  This was when Karen was still working, and we continuously cruised the area around Leamington Spa and Stratford near her office.  After Karen stopped working and we were continuous cruisers on the Leeds & Liverpool canal we joined the Ilkley bridge club.  Of course, these clubs have ceased to function physically this year and we weren’t surprised to see the first club we belonged to, at Tunbridge Wells, was offering on-line tuition and play.  It’ll be interesting to see how we get on remotely.

We went up one more lock in the afternoon and moored immediately above it on a wooden stage only three metres wide but it did have a cleat and there was a lone bollard about 20 metres further down that we were able to secure to as well.

Overnight mooring at Méricourt-sur-Somme

While I secured the boat and put away the cruising gear, Karen walked down to the lock with her boat hook.  She was off to find the proverbial walnut tree by the lock cottage.  She’d clearly struck gold as by the time Buddy and I arrived she’d already collected a large bagful.  I took over boat hook duties by hooking it over branches and giving them a good shake while Karen collected the nuts which came down like rain and we joked that we should have been wearing hard hats.

Tuesday evening

Coincidentally, Dieta & PJ Korbel got in touch later wondering how we were getting on with the walnut harvest this year,  They have had a bumper crop down in the Loire valley where they are currently cruising.  I’m particularly looking forward to returning to a spot about ten miles north of Reims in a few weeks  Being very rural, it doesn’t get much footfall and the walnuts last year were massive.  Karen says she doesn’t mind cracking open small ones but I’m all for efficiency.

On Tuesday we cruised nine miles up two locks.