Another early start right behind anotherr boat going the same way. My intention was not to rush so wouldn't have been a problem except that the boat ahead seemed to be going very slowly. Shades of an experience many years ago when trying to keep behind another boat meant dropping out of gear from time to time. I wasn't crowding this boat so it must just have been telepathy that propted the helmsman to speed up after a while. In the end I was three boats behind when the boat stopped on the Napton flight. I'm always interested in the HS2 goings on at Wormleighton. Some sort of what looks like a road bridge now crosses the canal and I can only assume that the foundations for this will be reused as part of the promised sleek viaduct, or has that idea already been abandoned as cost cutting? As for the rest it just looks an utter mess to me, but I suppose there must be some logic to the huge mountains of spoil. A bit far removed from the old method of cut and fill as used by the old railway engineers. Getting back to journey, reaching Marston Doles it decided to start raining just to add an extra variable into the mixture. There was a boat ahead which fortunately moved off the only lock landing spot just as I arrived. The nearby water point was occupied. The boater ahead was having difficulty with the turn into the lock with the combined effects of a strong wind and the outflow from the backpumping conflicting. Then a squence of upcoming boats helped to a degree with my descent. Being single handed what slows one down is the need to moor up to return to shut the gates, so if this need is avoided by a boat cominmg the other way, or a boat behind offering to do that instead of just waiting, it is a bonus for everyone. Fortunately at the bottom there was a space for a 60 foot boat which I was grateful for. I wondered about a meal in the Folly Inn, but the pub is really quite small and was full of happy punters. There is a large well appointed garden, but the wind and showers made that less than optimal, so settle for a pint and a meal back at the boat.
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