An easy run down Atherstone flight

Sunday 28th August 2016

An easy day today, we set off just before 10am and had completed the first five locks in the Atherstone flight in one hour. They were all set in our favour and we met two boats coming up the flight. We moored up just after the bypass bridge as we wanted to pop into town for some essentials.

Atherstone had a 10k run, sponsored by local company Badger, today and the last competitors were heading for the finish line to the support and clapping of a jolly band of enthusiastic supporters. When we were out of sight the applause sounded like the competitors were all running in clogs.

We shopped at Aldi but didn’t come away with as much general miscellany as usual. Then back to Jannock for lunch before setting off down the last six locks. At lock 8, whilst waiting for a boat coming up the flight, I passed the time picking nice ripe plums from the trees alongside the lock – our first plum haul of this year. I didn’t get enough for jam but sufficient for us to eat as they taste lovely.

At lock 10 there was a rope jammed under the footboard on one of the bottom gates, it was really jammed in tight so I suspect it is evidence of thumblining gone wrong. There are a lot of working boats about at present because it is Alvecote gathering this weekend and Shackerstone next weekend.

Out the bottom of the flight and onto Bradley Green services where we stopped for a water fill and to dump our rubbish in the skip. The local moorers there were busy erecting a new security fence and gate. It would appear that the old one was demolished when it jumped out in front of a passing boat, well that’s what the boater told the moorers apparently.

Out past Grendon Wharf and on o a nice quiet overnight mooring, just where the railway line passes behind a small hillock.

Graham