Thursday 25th June 2020

 

After breakfast we walked up to Beeston Castle. It was open but visiting was by prior arrangement only. However, we both enjoyed the walk although it had been hot before 8am and the day just got hotter.

We then decided to head for Christleton and resume our exploration of the Shroppie and visit the castle on the return journey.

Once down Wharton’s Lock it is an 8-mile, lock-free somewhat boring cruise. The countryside is lovely but there is the 2-mile stretch of privately moored boats at Hargrave to contend with. The algae was not quite as bad as yesterday, but there were numerous floating islands of reed, some completely blocking the canal and had to be pushed gently aside with the boat.

 

 

     

                            Floating Island of Reeds                                                                 Slow Moving Boat ahead of us

 

 

Towards the end of the long line of moored boats at Hargrave, we picked up a tinky boat moving at no more than tick-over speed. Fair enough going past the moorings, but our tick over was faster than his and we continually had to go into neutral. However, he didn’t even speed up once the boats were past and he wouldn’t allow us to pass even though he knew we were right behind him and struggling to maintain the slow speed he set. People like this are so annoying. The canals are all about a slower pace, but common courtesy should allow another boat to pass.

We were behind this boat all the way to Christleton. The 4 miles took over 1½ hours. Then at Christleton, he moored on the last of the 48-hour moorings with rings. We continued to the winding hole at bridge 121, turned and moored behind him, not taking the guy on at all, although his wife later spoke to Brenda. 

Yesterday was the hottest day of the year, and today was even hotter! Coupled with my barely-controlled, chronic hayfever, it is exhausting and I felt a bit unwell. Sneezing and coughing, runny eyes and nose leaking like a tap. Hayfever is an absolute curse that completely ruins a hot, dry summer.

We didn’t have dinner until late and had showers before bed, but were immediately running with sweat again. It made for an uncomfortable night made worse because we couldn’t leave the portholes out or the front or back doors open on account of the busy towpath.  

 

Weather: hottest day of the year so far.

 

Day Total: 1 lock; 8 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Lift Bridges; 0 Boat Lift; Day’s running hours 3.5

Overall Total: 925 locks; 1663 miles; 53 tunnels; 61 Swing Bridges; 17 Lift Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; total engine running hours 1142.4

 

 


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