Thursday 4th April Day 257
An epic day today! We set off at 9am and within moments we are at the top of Atherstone lock number one where we spot lockies at the first lock. We tie up as we need to empty the toilets which involves carrying the cassette over the lock gate as well as the rubbish. Then we have a bit of a towpath natter whilst we wait for our turn as another boater is coming up.
We then crack on and before I’ve even had chance to make another coffee ((WHAT!)) we have done five locks and are moored up between locks 5 and 6 and it’s a wander into Atherstone for essentials ((Not sure jigsaws, wine and beer are essentials)) well they are to us and it’s a good job we did. We have lunch and then decide to crank it, only for it to start raining as soon as we set off and it was a mixture of rain and sunshine as we tackled the next 6 locks in the Atherstone flights. Some of the gates were much harder than I remember on the way up.
I was chatting to a lockie and he said that people wedge the gates and ram the gates to let more water into the locks or to empty! I cannot believe that – apparently, it’s traditional! But its something we will never do – can you imagine if everyone did it the locks – they would be ruined in a day. We also get thanked a few times for cruising slowly past other boats.
Once the locks are done we did think about mooring up but decide to crank it as the showers have left us and the sunshine and blue skies are back and we decide to keep going. Chris bought a DAB radio from the charity shop so with a glass of wine ((Oh I see!)) It wasn’t planned – but note this date down – it’s the first time this year it has been warm enough to stand on the stern, cruising along and enjoying music and a drink without freezing! A blissful, but challenging day and I’m shattered when we finally moor up at Alvecote where we moored on the way to the Ashby and met Country House Gent. I discover that I have an unbelievable good signal ((Oh JOY. I’m sure everyone is very happy you have a signal so you can post pictures of you drinking on the back of the boat on a Thursday afternoon!)) hey, I am writing this at 5.30pm after we have moored and have dinner and with this excellent signal I think I will be cracking on with uploading/downloading vlogs tonight.
As i have a good signal and have a meeting tomorrow I think we might stay here in the morning whilst I have my meeting and get book fest work done as Chris wants to do an oil and filter change now we are cruising more.
Right, I’m off to crack on. Oh one last thing as we moored up, we spotted a huge fox trotting across the field. Sadly, I didn’t get it one camera ((didn’t happen then!)) but it was magnificent. First one i’ve seen this year. Phew. Day done! Until tomorrow. x
Cruising : 6 miles / 11 locks
London bound: cruising miles: 33/198 Locks: 11/174
C.L. Peache 