#365

David's Pen

NB Dane Elm and Chrome Rollerball Pen

(25% of the selling price of this pen will be gifted to the Narrowboat Heritage Foundation, custodians of NB Dane)

EUROPEAN ELM - Ulmus procera

European Elm has is a light to medium brown, sometimes with a hint of red. With an oil finish, it can turn a beautiful golden brown colour. Unless, of course, it's been kept at the bottom of a canal for an awfully long time.

Narrowboat Dane was built by the Mersey Weaver and Ship Canal Carrying Company and used as part of their fleet. She was built in November 1946 and first registered on January the first 1947. Ade from A P Boatbuilding is currently restoring her on behalf of The Narrowboat Heritage Foundation, the work being done is rebottomed with new chine planks, kelson, stem post and soon to receive two new bow planks, gunwales, decks, new back cabin and engine room. The pens that I will be making from Dane are all from a heavy lump of Elm bottom plate.

Even though Whilton isn't the prettiest mooring spot we had a great couple of days here just because the weather was so warm and sunny. It's a lovely part of the Grand Union Canal heading south, once you leave the motorway behind, through the Northamptonshire countryside and sleepy honey stoned villages. One of our favourite villages is Bugbrooke, it's such a welcoming village. We last stopped here a couple of years back - here's a post I wrote about it on our cruising blog - Bugbrooke.

After a brief stop in Bugbrooke we carried on south via Gayton Junction (and a pre festival water top up) to Blisworth in readiness of our next festival. We knew Blisworth festival could get busy if the weather is nice but in all honesty that doesn't always translate to great pen sales. Big crowds on narrow towpaths can get pushed along with the flow and someone wanting to stop and browse may be the other side of the seven deep wall of eyes. Add to that hot children wanting icecreams and dads looking for beer tents and it could all have gone either way for us. 

Luckily Saturday matched our best ever days trading and Sunday set a new target that may take many years to beat. We (including Dudley) finished the weekend tired and very pleased with ourselves.

So what makes Blisworth our favourite free festival - 

• It has to be about the best organised. The army of local volunteers (many of whom are both boaters and villagers) worked tirelessly all year planning the event and then go into overdrive from sunrise to sunset making sure everything runs smoothly.
• The whole village takes part, its not a village festival or canal festival it is both in harmony.
• The three distinct areas, the festival field, canal market and historic boats and the village its self mean there is something for everyone from dog shows to world war II re-enactments to free boat trips and open gardens interspersed with live music and cream teas in churches.
• It's FREE, no car parking charges for the 58000 visitors and no entry fee to the main events field. 

In fact we had such a good time meeting people that I didn't make many pens at the actual event.

Pen #365 was made here on the 9th August 2015 especially for David.