Wednesday 14th Sept
We miscalculated the distance to where B and B are meeting the electrical chap and it turned out to be 15 miles and 10 locks so they decided to leave early this morning to get there in one day. As it was so far and because we don’t really need to go with them anyway, we decided to leave later and just go to Barbridge. That in itself took us 5 and a half hours. We had our first lock pinched which didn’t make for a good start.
We had just got water and I went up and got the lock ready. Incidentally, while I was getting the water Ken went to get a paper and he also went back to the tackle shop! Why? Well, yesterday he got so carried away with buying this new rod he forgot the very thing he went for in the first place, a pole elastic threader to replace the one I broke re-threading my bracelet, (oops!) so he had to go back.
Anyway, just as Ken was about to pull out to come up to the lock a boat came past him. When they pulled in to the lock approach we thought they were going to wait for Ken to come past as they could see I had got the lock ready and was standing there, but no, the woman got off and the chap carried on in to the lock! I don’t know if they thought I got locks ready for fun or what. Anyway I didn’t say anything. They never even thanked me, miserable gits!
The rest of the trip was more pleasurable and we arrived in Barbridge about 3pm. Of course, as we were moored within sight of the pub we had to take George over there! Unfortunately, out of 3 real ales they had precisely – none! We had to have lager and guinness which we could have at home, cheaper! Still at least himself got a bit of a walk.
Tomorrow we are going to make a start on the Langollen and go up to Wrenbury where we will wait for B and B to catch up.
