More creative metalwork confirming that these delightful waterways are indeed part of the Eleven Cities Speed Skating Race.

The Dutch do enjoy vintage cars, especially American ones. Yes I know this is a Citroen, beautifully maintained in the very pretty village of Alde Leie where the cafe was welcoming having never seen a narrowboat before and the brand new self service lock responded efficiently to the touch of a button.

             Okay, it's got to be done - two for one in this picture.

Friesland is a twitcher's paradise. Common as muck are oystercatchers, black tailed godwits, marsh harriers, red kites and spoonbills. And they were just the birds that we ignoramuses recognised.

This is typical of the Friesland scenery, here with storm clouds that caught up with us later. We again risked turning right off of the main Dokkumer Ee waterway and carefully negotiated Snail through the narrow bridge that spanned the entrance to the encouragingly named, with all these days of wet weather, Frisummervaart. This, it turns out, is part of the newly opened chain of waterways that forms the 'Elfstadenvaart' which are used when suitably iced over for the famous 24 hour endurance skating race. We think we are the first English narrowboat to cruise it.

                   More fun from the same sculptor

An amusing piece of metalwork at our next stop near Hallum. Here the farmer was not so accommodating when he saw us sheltering from gales and heavy rain by his field so we found a friendlier place nearer the town instead, getting very much wetter in the process. Such is the boating life.

Origami in her new role as mud weight to help us keep a straight line while Snail goes backwards looking for a wide enough place to turn around.

The farm where we were moored had this beautifully maintained windmill in a field. It turns out that the farmer is also the miller and would give us a tour that afternoon. Sadly we didn't want to wait and risk the wind getting stronger with Snail's long reverse to achieve in this narrow and 'undiep' canal.
The farm also produces these straw baskets which we were to see a lot of in this area. They are there to encourage wild ducks to lay eggs inside them which are then 'harvested' to be enjoyed by the village.

Road laying in Helwerd, Dutch style. And to think we naively thought that it was all done by hand.

Out of Dokkum and an inviting little canal off the waterway boasted a depth of 1.30m. Plenty for Snail so we turned in and after a few kilometres pushing through water lilies (always a bad sign) we sludged to a halt. The farmer said we could stop on his bank and we carried on to the town of Helwerd which had been our destination in ever useful Origami. You can just make Snail out on the right where the perspective falls away.

Away at last and quickly in to Friesland. We had heard a lot about how beautiful this part of Holland was, how made for boating with its myriad of waterways. Now we were going to see for ourselves, starting with the market town of Dokkum. And if this was typical, it was going to be good!

Rows of prepared fish waiting for the smoker outside the smokery at Zoutkamp where you can also buy the Dutch version of fish 'n chips if feeling homesick.

We've had an enjoyable winter in Electra. Peaceful, apart from the oinking of the four resident geese and very hospitable acceptance of our presence from the few locals here. This is one of the oldest districts in the Lowlands. Many, many centuries ago, farms were built on man-made hillocks called terps or wierden (depending on where you hailed from) to protect them from flooding. Over the years they have been taken over and built on instead by churches, many with the medieval houses encircling them still forming the centre of ancient villages and towns. The soil that formed these terps was found to be very fertile and in the last century was dug up and sent to less fertile parts of the Netherlands as can be seen in this picture, often compromising the footings of the church.

It's been an unexpected end to our original plans for the year. It turned out to be a year full of highs and rather low lows, but as my son said it was all experience and we are glad to have had it. Next Spring, probably Friesland then south through more of the Netherlands towards Belgium again. But who knows?

The next day the wind had dropped enough for us to make our way past the storm damaged trees, through the lock, under the lift bridge and into our slot at the marina where Snail would spend the winter.

We reached Electra earlier than expected so moored up on the river for a couple of days just before the lock and lift bridge that would take us to the marina which was just the other side. The weather was fine, the water calm. Until the storm finally reached us on the 28th.

Trees on the Van Starkenborg Canal against a stormy sky as we make our way back at the end of October to the Reitdiep and the marina at Electra. A gale has been forecast but apart from the sky, it seems to be staying away

                Our third crew member, or first according to him.

                  Have I done a white one yet?

Meppel turns out to be as interesting as everyone had said. As well as many historic boats and old buildings, it also boasted two windmills. I've spared you one.

We make for the old town of Meppel which many have said is worth a look. This is the nearest we can stop without incurring expense. It's a bit of a walk into town but the surroundings are unusual. These obsolete lime kiln chimneys have been taken over by storks as well as a restaurant.

We begin to realise just how popular ornamental gourds are in Holland at this time of year. There are many roadside stalls selling them as here at Smilde. We're pleased we've joined in with Snail sized gourds that we bought from Pieterburen.

     Happy bridgekeepers, pleased to see us. Germany, please take note.

Occasionally we come across a very new lift bridge such as this on the way out of Assen. That's the place where the famous motorbike track is, sadly too far for us to reach as, unusually for the Netherlands, no navigable waterways anywhere near.

Woody is not usually too impressed with city moorings, it's that grass obsession again, but even he couldn't believe his luck with this on the very edge of Groningen, just behind the mooring.

Back through Groningen city again with its fascinating mix of old and new.

Sadly not opening in a store near us soon - yes, I'm desperate. The choice is not too good around here.

      As well as farming, there's also serious ship-building happening here in north Holland.

Thankfully we made it and headed inland again. There are many large farms around here, many with extensive reed thatching on their enormous roofs.

Introductions and arrangements made, off we go again past Zoutkamp and on towards the sea. We're heading for the nature reserve of Lauwersmeer and stop on one of its islands in hot, glorious sunshine. The next day we get a taste of how quickly the weather can change here. It was very cold and the fog that had descended made it extremely difficult to find the marker buoys that we needed to find our way onto the canals again rather than out to sea.

We were very close in boating terms to the fishing village of Zoutkamp which was in turn very close to the marina where Snail was now booked in for the winter. Decision made to head that way and introduce ourselves, being so close, then carry on cruising until the end of the month.

Another popular pastime here is 'wadlopen', mud walking, where you get togged up to wade out towards the sea in the very far distance following a guide who hopefully knows where the mud will come no further up than your knees. There's a group heading out in the middle of the picture. It's a cold and windy day and we too have come prepared but don't feel inclined to join them. Woody is relieved, he has very short legs.

Opposite our mooring is a Seal Hospital. We leave a sulking Woody behind but see when we get there that dogs are catered for too at the entrance with cage and water provided. There are always plenty of inmates being nursed back to health here. Their problems are caused by pollution, viruses, fishing boats (the trawler net mountain is made from just a few of the tons of discarded nets that the seals can be trapped in) and nature when there are raging storms at sea which separate mother and pup.

It's a credit to Skipper's skills that we only get stuck in the mud on the tight bends once and with relief we find a wide enough place to turn around when we reach our destination at Pieterburen. We moor next to a prairie sized field covered in discarded onions from the recently harvested crop and claim gleaning rights that evening. What we have actually come to see is just over the wooden bridge behind us on the right bank.

We nearly miss the turn off under the bridge,the junction is so tiny compared with what we are now accustomed to over here. We are trying to get to Pieterburen near the coast but have been warned that the waterway is 'undiep' (shallow) and with several acute right angled bends. Snail may be too long to negotiate them and there's nowhere to reverse out again if that happens. But it's a lovely October day so let's give it a try and hope we don't meet anything.