Having retrieved the Captain from his nocturnal exploration of the John Pinkerton II, done a load of washing and drying (yes, the chores still need doing), filled Song & Dance with water and emptied all the various waste receptacles, it was late afternoon. The previous day’s cruise up to the castle (in convoy with the trip boats, in company with all the towpath visitors, mediaeval re-enactors and with our guests on board) had been busy, so we set off to repeat the experience when no-one was around, and spend the night on the castle moorings out in the peace and quiet of the countryside.

It was beautifully peaceful until about 20:00, when the John Pinkerton II arrived with a private charter full of loud silver surfers who had clearly been enjoying a free bar during the cruise up canal, so a walk in the dusk up to the end of the canal seemed in order.

Some more freshly baked cygnets were spotted, as were the remains of Lock 30, before reaching the portal of Greywell Tunnel, the end of the canal as far as water is concerned (the end of the navigable section being at the Castle). With a constant temperature and humidity, it’s now an SSSI and one of the most important bat caves in Europe.

On our return to the castle, the rowdy old’uns had departed back to town on their steel gin palace, and we had the castle to ourselves in the setting sun.

The remains of the octagonal keep are all that’s left, but it’s still pretty impressive.

And a delightfully quiet night ensued, while Biggles caught up on his history homework exploring the castle grounds at night.