After yesterday’s exertions an easy day was on the cards today, we left Stoke Wharf at about 10:30 and stopped off almost immediately at J. Pinder’s Little Shop Of Chandlery and managed to purchase two more cigarette lighter sockets for my project.
It was a pleasant run down to to Astwood Locks passing nb Chelonian moored up, yes they were the guys who helped us yesterday!
I quite like these Worcester and Birmingham Canal locks, they are easy to operate, well maintained and I rather like the engineering of the paddle-gear too with nicely designed pawls on the ground paddles which are balanced to disengage when you take the pressure off and proper handles on them too so you don’t get greasy fingers as you do on the Oxford canal.
We bought some runner beans at the bottom lock cottage, by that time it was really starting to warm up and a lunch stop outside of the The Eagle & Sun at Hanbury Junction was in order. Naturally we were tempted to order some chips to go with the salad Joy had prepared and drinks to go with it too.
After a brief rest it was nice to pass through the cool Dunhampstead Tunnel, and finally moor up at Tibberton Visitor moorings. After a bit of a rest I fitted the cigarette lighter sockets and then had to clear up the mess before a light tea.
We had just given up on getting a TV signal when a Viking Afloat hire boat moored by us… and it was friends from Heyford! Chris, Emily and their boys Oliver & George on a ‘late-booking’ trip out of Worcester. What are the chances of that???
We sat and drank cups of tea and caught up with each other’s news for perhaps a little too long as they were planning to get a meal at the Bridge Inn but I’m afraid they were too late by the time they got there!
