We looked out this morning to see a crane being set up at the Park Lane services and we wondered if it would cause us an holt up, but I think they were justgoing to lift a couple of small tugs and put them on the back of a lorry that was arriving as we passed. One of our reasons for coming up here was to see the Bluebells on the Leek arm and for once the sun was just in the right place. They never look as good in my photos as in real life.
We made our way up to Leek tunnel, there is a fair flight of steps to take you over the top. The fit ones jog up, the rest wander.∟∟
Once through the tunnel we winded at the last winding hole before reversing down to the very end, surprisingly the going got easier after I was past the end of the piling, it must be silted due to boats mooring. When I got to the very end I thought I would try winding and managed 90° before getting stuck in the silt, I didn’t need to wind as I had come up backwards. The notice does say 45ft max.
We then retraced our steps back through the tunnel, the tunnel is mostly lined with stone blocks, but there is a section neat the South (west) end that has been lined with pre formed concrete rings similar to Blisworth but much smaller.
Back in the sunshine and the wind is now behind is, but it still felt cool, I had added a fleece before I set off this morning which was a good move.
As we headed down towards the locks we passed this bench on the towpath. Its one installed by Endon and Stanley Parish Council for walkers to use for a brief rest.
We arrived at lock 9 the top lock to find it full, if the rest are like this we are on to a winner. I walked down to lock 8 to set it just as a single hander was about to come out, so I closed the top offside paddle for him. As we were working down 8 a lady CRT operative arrived, she had just walked up the flight closing every offside top paddle. When she reached us she said she may as well go back down and continue with what she was doing, but I pointed out it was likely he wouldn’t have changed his habits at the top lock, so she walked up and had a word. We continued down the flight and were pleased to see that Long Butts Lift bridge was still raised. We continued just round the next bend where it was a bit more sheltered to moor for the night.
Today’s Journey
10½ miles, 5 locks in 5 hours
No comments:
Post a Comment