Wednesday 3rd September
We were all prepared to leave soon after 9 in the grey and quiet, but were forestalled by a day boat suddenly appearing. Our hearts sank, and we gave them a good start. However, they proved to be perfectly competent (even though it was their first time out!) so we weren't held up once they’d gone up the first lock. We made good time in fact, and by the time we approached the pretty Bucket lock they were well ahead.
The barrel-roofed part of the cottage has been left alone and the extension is mostly behind it, producing a much more attractive house than some of the others which have been extended.
We stopped at Lowsonford for lunch, then cracked on for Kingswood Junction. At the bottom lock of the Lapworth flight we not only had the racket of the M40 to contend with, but also the guy in the lock cottage strimming with a very heavy duty piece of kit.
Decision time at the junction – we’re quite tired, so do we go down the link and moor up, or go on to the Kingswood moorings closer to the pub? The pub won! The locks were not all in our favour, but close enough to lock ahead and we were tied up by 4.30 enjoying tea and cake. The top paddles at lock 15 are oddly distant from the gate – this lock is over two feet shorter than the other locks of the flight after it was rebuilt, but presumably the position of the ground paddles was retained.
I took Meg off for a walk (and to dispose of the recycling) and left Dave washing and waxing the port side of the boat. Later we went up to the Boot for an excellent meal at a very reasonable price - it came highly recommended and did not disappoint. Luckily we arrived in time to get a good table as it soon filled up.
24 locks 6 and a half miles
No comments:
Post a Comment