It was a little brisk this morning consequentially we delayed our departure until after morning tea. Jan walked forward to set Hillmorton Top Lock whilst I untied Waiouru. It was less than 100 yards to the lock and you can imagine the shock when I glanced behind to see a boat following. Where had it come from!
Being double locks each boat crew assisted the other which made the transit quicker. There were two boats coming up at the middle locks which made it even quicker. One of them was Gosty Hill.
The water pressure from the taps below Hillmorton Locks is particularly poor and made even worse when they are both in use. Still, we’re not in a hurry. So there we were watching the paint dry the tank fill when a passing couple mentioned they occasionally read this rubbish. We then spent an interesting 40 minutes having a towpath conversation with Chris and Pauline off nb Magpies. They are also continuous cruisers. However their plans are to go north whilst ours are to go south. Anyway it was good to meet them.
Lunch was eaten on the move and as we passed Clifton Cruisers Jan could see the changes I mentioned from my visit last week. Looks like there has been quite a site clean up and a new sales office was being erected. It’s one of those log cabin prefabricated timber buildings.
The cafe has a new sign hanging beside the wharf.
However I can’t see them getting much passing boater trade during winter as the boats are moored two abreast on the wharf and 3 or 4 abreast on the moorings.
We passed through Brownsover noting there was only one boat moored on the towpath side. It seemed very empty. Jan then mentioned she had seen nb Oakfield moored above Hillmorton Locks. We still haven’t met Ann and Graham. There will be another occasion.
Jan rather likes the figurehead on the fender boat.
Apparently his name is Fender Fred.
Now moored at Newbold in anticipation of a Sunday roast lunch at The Barley Mow tomorrow.
Tonight’s post is rather late as I have been biting my names watching Scotland play NZ. It was a damned close game with only one point between then on a couple of occasions. I think the Scottish team played their hearts out and the All Blacks weren’t using their main players. In the end the All Blacks managed to draw ahead by 8 points to comfortably win! <phew>
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