Well, according to Viv, it certainly felt like it. We normally do 2 or 3 hours but today we did nearly six hours. But then, we had company. This really make’s a difference. The Canal & Rivers Trust (or Cyclist & Ramblers trust as some call it), would say you must share to save water but to be honest, it halves the work.
Yes, you have two organise getting two huge metal boats, 65 feet long into a lock but the gate moving and paddle lifting is shared. I saw that Danny & Anne on Waterside Lodge, were making moves to go – they were the boat moored behind us at Kilby. So I asked f they’d like to share locks. How far were they going? Oh, all the way to Leicester. Hmm, twice as far as we’d planned but OK, weather forecast is good, in fact very good, so off we chugged.
It was such a pain doing all 5 big locks on our own that we jumped at the chance to do more – shared, albeit 12 more locks!
Danny was waiting at the next lock (lock 30)
Makes such a difference sharing – is that the naughty Viv crossing the lock gates again?
Our companion – Danny. Ex army chap – good company.
Yep, big locks.
Always tricky parking two huge boats in front of a lock
You could tell we were getting close to “urban” when you start to count the garden gnomes
And sheds
Oh, and it IS a wide canal, allowing for widebeam boats, met this charmer as he rounded the corner at Mach 2, glad I fitted my new QE2 horn!
The delightful St Mary’s Mill lock – only one more to go
Mooring #1 – Castle Gardens – OK but we’re two abreast here and it’s noisy and no water . . . so, after a recce on foot, I decide to move 100 yds around the corner to Friars Mill
A much nicer mooring. Full sun, empty – so odd, being a visitor to a city and having a mooring all to ourselves. Secure too – two padlocks to get in and out. Plus water and supposedly electricity, although still not connected over a year later.
Ah, and there’s Viv at the window! Meanwhile Steve goes off to take more pix and call in at the Criterion – on the way, ish. They appear to have lots of beer
But he did pop into the Spar and brought home some much needed vittels – Krit and the ingredients for Margaritas!
And a happy Viv!!
