First objective today was to visit King's Lock Chandlery for diesel. Passing a sunken boat a few hundred yards from the mooring, our first obstacle was Middlewich Big Lock - 14 feet wide and the last double lock for the rest of our trip. Pat found that the top gate walkway was broken in a not very obvious way and potentially dangerous. We were second in line for the lock with two boats going up ahead of us, not auguring well for the next narrow lock where there would immediately be a queue.
So it turned out, but made longer by a hire boat ahead who's crew had absolutely no idea of what to do when faced with a lock. Once we got moving all went smoothly and we got our diesel. From there on we had a very easy time with opposite direction boats fitting in perfectly, usually just coming out of the lock ahead as we approached. The fact that there were so many turned out to be due to a festival taking place at Middlewich the following weekend. Arriving at Wheelock, normally an overnight stopping place for us, we had made such good progress that we decided to carry on and stop somewhere else up the hill. Our good luck continued, pairing with a CRT workboat for the first two paired locks. There are some nice moorings at Rode Heath with spendid views, so that's where we are.
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