Thursday 6 September 2012 Welford

We pushed off at quarter to ten, the cruiser that was moored ahead of us was already gone.
First stop was just through the railway bridge on the off side where a householder has a stall selling home made produce.
Just beside this house the ex-working boat Dodona is moored, behind her the owner has a fine selection of toys on the fence posts and hanging from the trees.

We arrived at the bottom of the Watford flight with no other boats waiting. I walked up the flight to book in with the lock keeper and we were straight up as were the two boats behind us.
As we passed under the railway bridge an Eddie Stobart train was passing over head in its smart blue livery. 
The far end of the tunnel was very wet as usual but we didn’t meet anyone and the boat coming up the flight behind us was no where in site.
We pulled over in Crick to fill with water and still didn’t see any boats on the move. We pushed on towards the Welford of the Arm and the latter half journey was quite busy, probably the most boats I have ever seen on this section. At one point i spotted some notices pinned to trees so pulled over to photo one. Its CaRT trying to raise cash to look after voles. As we approached the junction the gliders were about being towed into the air by tow planes. A couple of minutes after 4 pm and we turned into the arm, when we arrived at the lock an ex-Challenger boat had just left and another was entering above it, behind them was yet another ex-Challenger, 3 in a row followed by a private boat. The first boat was full of doom and gloom, it was full, no room, may be better to back out down the arm than trying to turn. We pushed on regardless and their were three mooring spaces big enough for us to get into, so we are quite happy. To night we will eat in the pub, but if you visit and fancy a Chinese then the pub up in the villages does Chinese most evenings except for the night it dose Pizza.