The last few days we seem to have been inundated with spiders – must have been breeding somewhere. Webs everywhere. And windblown thistledown blowing everywhere except where caught on the ever-present spider webs. They festoon the lock gates, and the boat is positively full of the little (or occasionally large) eight-legged perishers and their homes. Walking into the saloon area from the bedroom at sparrowfart without putting the lights on is reminiscent of Indiana Jones going into the Spider’s Cave, as web stuff catches you round the face. And they produce quite a lot of spider sh1t too.

It’s said that putting horse chestnuts in each corner of the room keeps them away. We’d try that except that (a) it didn’t seem to work last year, and (b) we haven’t come across any conkers yet.

Suggestions welcome…