Early Bluebells

For some time, BiL wanted to visit one of the canal locks with a cascade-like weir near me which I identified as Papercourt Lock on the Wey Navigations. The forecast was hopeful for a good morning. so today we headed over to the rather potholed and muddy carpark nearest to the lock, donned the wellies and walked along the navigations path to the lock.  It was a little disappointing that the skies were grey, but we all had an enjoyable time photographing around the lock as per our various styles, and Jak was even happier chasing around the adjacent field getting thoroughly muddy (he was made to take a dunk in the water to clean off before being allowed back in my car!).  

My choice was this clump of bluebells with the lock in the background.

Papercourt Lock was built in 1766, but was moved for some unknown reason in the 1780's. The lock keeper's cottage was also "moved" in the 1920's when it was being rebuilt. Legend has it that the lock keeper, a Mr Wye who was one of 4 generations of family working on the Navigation, was dis-satisfied with the proposed location of his new cottage, so one night moved all the surveyor's stakes to a preferable location. The builders followed the relocated stakes to give Mr Wye the cottage where he wanted with a better view of the canal traffic.