A boat cruise on Rutland Water

A boat cruise on Rutland Water #CountryKids

Last Saturday Monkey and I were invited to Lands’s End – no not the well known Cornish landmark (bit far away for a day trip!), but the clothing company, based in Oakham, Leicestershire.  When I was checking out the route I released we’d be driving right past Rutland Water and a RSPB Nature Reserve.  I wasn’t sure how long we’d be involved with the event, but told Monkey that if we weren’t too late leaving we’d stop off on the way home, especially as the weather forecast was looking great.

Well as luck would have it, the team at Lands’ End had a similar idea, and we were all treated to a boat cruise on Rutland Water aboard the Rutland Belle in the afternoon! We travelled by coach with a group of bloggers and their families to the north shore of Rutland Water and all the while I was explaining to Monkey what we’d be doing.  No it’s not a punt, but maybe a bit smaller than a pirate ship.  He seemed fine with the idea until we left the coach and walked towards the jetty.  Then he decided he hated the idea of going on a boat cruise on Rutland Water, started crying and ran off.  Oh joy!

A boat cruise on Rutland Water

So once I’d caught up with him, and told him that he would be perfectly safe, the boat wouldn’t be trying to break any speed records and that I wouldn’t leave his side, we tried again.  I had to carry him, not to be recommended with a bad back, but never mind, and we got on board the boat.  He agreed to sit on the benches at the top of the Rutland Belle, and we made ourselves comfortable.

A boat cruise on Rutland Water

Mummy you have to sit by the edge, and hold my hand. Ok Monkey.  The boat slipped away from its mooring and we started our trip, and as we edged through the waters Monkey began to relax and to take in the scenery around us.

A boat cruise on Rutland Water

We chatted about other people having fun on the water and the different sports.

The sun shone down on a lovely late September afternoon and we just enjoyed watching the world go round.

The smile was back and Monkey was enjoying himself.  We even got to see a rather splendid aircraft flying overhead, sadly my camera lens doesn’t do it justice.

A boat cruise on Rutland Water 18

Before long Monkey wanted to go downstairs and stand at the front of the boat, he even let go of my hand.

Our boat cruise on Rutland Water lasted for just under an hour and gave us a really good view of the area.  We’ll certainly be back to explore further with Daddy P in the future.  It did make me chuckle when Monkey turned round to me as he left the boat, Mummy, that was great, can we go on it again?  Got to love that boy.

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

9 thoughts on “A boat cruise on Rutland Water #CountryKids

  1. Looks like a fun way to spend an afternoon. My mum and partner are bird watchers and head up to Rutland Water a couple of times a year for the Bird Fair so I’ve heard lots about this but didn’t realise you could go out on trips too. #countrykids

  2. Bless him. How on earth did you carry him on?! It’s beautiful around there isn’t it. I’d like to make a visit sometime-I’ve not been up that way for a while.

  3. Trying to keep up with the whims of the children is impossible – you gotta love them! But it’s lovely to read the gradual changes and how bolder your Monkey is getting, slowly but surely. You’re recording these moments well.
    Looks like you had a gorgeous day, and how lucky with the weather. I went to Rutland as a child but haven’t been for decades, it’s somewhere we should re-visit

  4. What a lovely way to spend the afternoon, and I’m so glad that he relaxed and ended up enjoying it x

  5. What a brilliant way to spend the afternoon with Monkey, it looks like overall it turned out to be a success. It’s a shame he was really nervous about it to start with, at least he relaxed into as the time passed and by the end of it enjoyed the trip. I’m sure he’ll want to go back with Daddy P and show him all the sights you spotted on your tour together. Thanks for linking up with me on Country Kids.

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