Sunday, 13 March 2016

And I know it’s gonna be.......

......a lovely day.

A beautiful start to the morning saw me moving away from Polesworth at 10am.

Passing Stiper’s Hill where the boys with toys were out in force, loads of white van man’s having offloaded the bikes either for themselves or their sons and thoroughly enjoying what looked like a fun morning, the photo’s not great, I didn’t put the specs on and it needed a bit of zoom!
While in the field almost opposite more important things were happening, eating.
According to Mr Google there was another recycling yard at Bradley Green right by bridge 48, but I saw no evidence at all, I think it was probably just a registered office address. My theory had been to moor there overnight if I found it ready for Monday opening but instead I decided to head into Atherstone.

With the sun shining and pleasant views not even the thought of 6 locks ahead could diminish my feeling of well being, actually I quite like locks.
Arriving at the first lock which was in my favour I nipped below for a quick comfort break, strolling casually up to the lock I found a lady had started tuning it to her favour, ‘oooh where did you come from’ she said, I pointed to my boat on the lock landing and smiled, nothing was going to upset me today, not even someone turning the lock without looking first, there were four adults on the boat so after a quick chat I headed back to mine in preparation, and went in after they came out.

The next two locks were in my favour due to the boat that had gone down and at the fourth one I arrived just as another boat did wanting to come down, the lock was still empty in my favour again so the couple locked me through that one.

The fifth lock was a bit puzzling because some lazy so and so had left the top gate open with the paddles up, but nobody had been in front of me and it could not have been a boat coming down, so I guess someone had moved off a mooring and gone up, not good from either a correct procedure point of view but also from a water conservation angle, lazy person! Ah but don’t let it spoil this lovely day Alan J

The next lock was full but a boat was heading down so I opened the top gate and waved him in, he was on his own and asked how many more locks he had to go before Polesworth, I told him six including this one, he said ‘it’s hard work on your own’ I just agreed but it’s not too bad on single locks, doubles are a bit harder.

After going through the lock I moored up , it is empty on the visitor moorings, not another boat in sight, yet when I came down before it was almost full, next weekend no doubt will be busier!

I wandered into Atherstone and topped up supplies before settling down with a cuppa, the Sunday paper and Dire Straits on the CD player, what a nice Sunday.


Totals today: 4 miles : 6 Locks


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