Now that didn’t take long!

Onward and upward, as they say. But not far in either case…
We chose to stay put yesterday, a few minor chores required doing and we weren’t in dire need of the services. But today the water tank was looking a little low, actually, the bow was looking a little high, which amounts to the same thing, so we toddled off up to the wharf at Red Bull.
The day had started with thick fog, but by 11:30 it had started to lift. As is often the case it’s led to a half–decent afternoon.

Leaving the church moorings.
You couldn’t see the far end of the boat first thing!

There are three duplicated locks in a straight line heading up to Red Bull.

Meg waits to be told whether to get on or come with me up to the next.

Heading for Lock 45.

The moorings below the service wharf were completely empty, an unusual event at any time of year. It was handy though. We could moor on the last rings and be within hose-length of the water tap.

It only took us 55 minutes from setting off to starting to fill the tank. We took advantage of two empty locks, having waited till a downstream boat passed before we pulled pins. Oddly, both chambers of Lock(s) 44 were full…

We’ll have a couple of days here before resuming our journey. It’ll be another short day when we do, a stop at Bridge 133 for a visit to Tesco, through the tunnel and then moor at Westport Lake.

The water has become the characteristic ochre colour, caused by iron oxide leeching into the canal from Harcastle Hill. I always thought it was dissolved ore deposits, but John Sergeant’s guide on Barging Around Britain last Friday evening reckoned it was old mining machinery slowly returning to nature that discoloured the water. First time I’ve heard that… 

Hi Jackie, Tony. I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek when I said the Tim and Pru show didn't disappoint. Always good for a laugh. We'll not be down that way for another couple of months, we're blacking in Stone at the end of March, then back up to Manchester before heading back down.

Locks 3, miles ¾