Out and about. Saltisford to Tom O the Wood.

Dear family and friends.

We have escaped. This morning at 9.25 am we left our mooring in the Saltisford Arm for our Spring and Summer cruise.

We could not have picked a better day to head out. There was a heavy overnight frost, which was still on the boat when we got up. I filled the water tank with water and helped to sort our cables out, before we waved goodbye to our mooring.

Lock One. Heading up Hatton Locks. This would show how unfit I have become over the Winter. I was actually a little worried I would flounder, because I have one done lock work once since we got back to the mooring last Autumn and that was to help our friend Kate up the locks. But I am nothing if not determined and so set off with a positive outlook.

Almost half way up the flight and I was still feeling good.

Over half way up and I set the locks ahead, whilst Keith closed up behind him. This always works well on the final eleven locks, because they are so close together.

The Spring sunshine shone the whole time. It was so lovely to see the Daffodils out and the ducks taking an afternoon snooze.

Having left the last lock of the Hatton Flight almost three hours later, we headed off through Shrewley Tunnel and onto Tom O the Woods.

We arrived at Tom O the Woods to the sound of the Rooks building their nest. The trees along this stretch are very popular with the Rooks and so we do not moor there, because the boat gets covered in Rook Poop and the sticks they drop. We decided to moor the other side of the bridge, where there was only one other boat.

Due to all the rain we have had, the towpath is very muddy. It makes us both glad we do not have to walk a dog anymore, because Paddy would have been caked in mud otherwise.

Having moored up and done the necessary boat jobs. We took ourselves off to the Tom O the Woods Inn for a much needed pint of Doom Bar. It has become a thing now, that when we head off out this way, we always start our cruise with a nice pint in the pub. 

So day one of our cruise, which has been a fabulous one. We only met one other boat all day and that was on the Hatton Flight. We met up with a friend at the Hatton Locks cafe, which was a nice surprise. I am now looking forward to putting my feet up with a coffee, before doing dinner.

Pop back soon xxx