(as mown by Chris – thanks!)
Thursday – as we made ready to move off this morning around 9, we found the crew of the boat behind were doing the same and we agreed to share the 10 locks to Long Itchington. Coincidentally they also moor at Calcutt, though they were going to stop the night in LI. Very comforting to follow a boat knowing the work will be halved as you get to each lock
it was a scorching day again after yesterday’s rain. Not sure if the ducks were looking for shade, or a shower, or both!
We arrived at Long Itchington in a record 3 hours and as it was our last day decided to lunch at the Two Boats, newly reopened. A warm welcome, great food, and the chef was very proud to tell us he’d grown the tomatoes himself!
It turned into a very long lunch break as the heat grew more intense, but by 3.45 we decided we could face the Stockton flight. We were joined at the second lock by a German family aboard a Willow Wren hireboat; there were so many of them that progress was swift (once we’d had a lengthy wait for some boats coming down the flight) and after another hour’s cruise from Stockton Top we were back in the marina by 7.
For once the wind was gentle enough to allow us to moor stern-in on the pontoon so we enjoyed our evening meal outside on the bow, though we we were slightly bothered by some uninvited guests
And there we are. 20 days, 109 miles, 186 locks. Not the Avon Ring, but it’ll still be there another time. The canal planner says we could have done this trip in 10 days. Glad we didn’t!
20 days of sunshine, great scenery, lovely people, hard work, hairy moments, one or two arguments (!) and at the end…this:
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