We generally try and arrange our travels to do a flight of locks first thing in the morning. So, aiming to start the Atherstone Flight of 11 locks at 7:00 am, when we would expect them all to be in our favour, we were a little apprehensive that a tug and butty had set off up the evening before reckoning that they would only get halfway before stopping for the night so might delay progress in the morning. Then this morning we were dismayed to see two boats start up ahead of us at 6:45. Progress then seemed very slow but in fact we were not delayed all that much until halfway when we all got held up by the pair as anticipated. Overall it took an hour longer to complete the 11 than our best 2 hours.
The remainder of the cruise to Hawkesbury Junction was routine and made in good time. Our reward for the day was a meal in the restaurant at the Greyhound. Food and service there has always been of the highest standard and did not disappoint.
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