Repatriation: Day 6

Another cloudy day but a bit warmer, and the sun did make efforts to break through a couple of times.  We set off at just before 8.  As I got ready to leave, a towpath walker stopped for a chat; she also spoke to the angler just down the towpath, some boaters coming the other way, and other boaters still moored up.  We were very soon at Fazeley Junction.

It’s always further from the junction to Glascote Locks than we remember.  Once there, both locks needed turning, but we were soon up.  We stopped on the water point at the top to fill the tank and start a wash load.  While there, Adrian popped along to the Co-op at the next bridge to stock up on veg.  A couple more boats came up the locks while we were there.  It’s not the fastest tap so filling the tank took a while, but we were eventually on our way.  Through Amington the piling is being replaced along quite a stretch.  Near Grendon Dock we passed Harnser, with Brian and Diana getting ready to set off.  At Atherstone Locks, a boat was coming down the bottom lock so we could go straight in.  Another arrived as we left.  Both said the flight had been very busy.  It was 12.30 so we tied up in the pound above for lunch — the first time we’ve actually stopped for lunch on this trip.  After half an hour we were on our way again.

There were a few boats coming down, including one who put the length of our days to shame.  The father was helping his son move a boat he’d bought at Devizes on the K&A to Pillings Lock Marina; they’d set off last Friday, and said they didn’t usually stop until it was almost dark at 10pm.  The traffic meant some locks were ready for us but others we had to turn.  They take an age to fill, but empty very quickly — it’s a rather pretty flight. (Fortunately both of these photos show the clean side of the boat!)

Things came to a bit of a halt below the penultimate lock, as we caught up with the boat ahead, who’d caught up with the boat ahead of them.  It was a former Norbury Wharf hire boat, just bought as they are reducing the size of their fleet.  The family on board seemed to be enjoying themselves.  We got to the top at about 3, so not bad going.  The new marina by Bridge 35 has progressed a lot since March.

We’d been aiming for Hartshill, but it was only a little past 3.30 when we got there so we decided to go on for a couple more miles, and moored through the bridge past Springwood Haven, with one of the nicest outlooks we’ve had all trip.

15 miles, 13 locks. (97 miles, 59 locks)