Our overnight mooring at Long Itchington. We have a pair and then a flight of 8 locks ahead of us and we are on the look out for a lock buddy.
While I set the first lock.....
Trev found us a single-hander. The boats were tied together leaving the captain free to do the locks.
The plan worked well until we came to the first bridge which was too narrow to accommodate two boats!!!! Once we got over that we settled into a very efficient routine. Ron and I set the lock, Trev brought in both boats, while the lock was filling Ron went on to set the next one while I opened the gates. After exiting Trev assisted with closing the gates and it was off to the next one.
The local walking group enjoying today's entertainment.
Oncoming boats manoeuvred round us in there own way.....
In just over two hours we were on our final lock and I was very grateful for Rons help and insistence in winding most of the paddles.
With ropes untied Ron was off towards Rugby and we had two miles of cruising to Calcutt Boats where we are having the central heating serviced.
We met a pair of hotel boats - definitely a better option than doing the laborious lock paddles!!!
We pass a variation of the weird and the wonderful ....
then its out into the open countryside.
Our overnight resting place outside Calcutt Boats.
Calcutts service area is between locks one and two of the flight of three. This morning at silly o'clock( 7.30) we moved up the locks and moored ready for our central heating engineer to arrive at 8.30
23 locks down and 1 to go then we will be heading for Napton Junction.
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