Mum, can cows swim?

As I was looking back through the many hundreds of photographs I took this past month whilst away from the Internet and spending time cruising the canals, I laughed to myself remembering the day mid way in to our trip cruising up the Llangollen stretch of the Shropshire Union canal, past beautiful countryside, farms and idyllic gardens beautifully present right on the edge of the canal.

 We were moored up waiting to go through a lock, I'd jumped out the boat to man the lock when suddenly there was a almighty splash, I looked back quickly doing a head count...1,2,3..no not the children...Dogs inside what on earth was that?

Then my youngest jumped up pointing behind  'Mummmm... can cows swim?'

I followed his finger and saw a cow swimming up the canal under the bridge, as I grabbed my camera there was a second splash and another cow had followed down the slippery embankment and into the canal.

The first cow by this time had made its way under the bridge and up onto the bank on the other side, straight into the beautifully kept gardens we had just passed!

We ran over and saw the second cow trying to get out onto the tow path side under the bridge,but the bank was too step so instead she turned and joined her friend in the garden amongst the ornamental flowers and trees!

Both cows seemed completely unfazed by their swim now munching on the plants they had found and trampling the lawn whilst the home owners could only stand back and watch!

They stood their mouths open watching the garden become a snack bar to two huge animals, the lady called across to us that never in all the years of living there had a cow invaded her garden!

Thankfully both cows were unhurt and seemed completely unfazed by their ordeal, the farmer was called to help them back into their field and we moved on through the lock on our way.

But if you ever find yourself confronted by an inquisitive child asking if Cows can swim, you can say well yes actually it seems they can!