No point in dashing about…

…We’ll have plenty of that to do later in the year!

Another shopping expedition to the village this morning saw us with enough provisions to last until next weekend, so we pulled pins and set off at around half-ten. It was a fine morning, sunny spells but with a rising wind forecasted to bring cloud and rain after lunch.

A rather large swan above Baddiley Locks
Wouldn’t it be weird meeting that in a flight of locks…

There were 9 locks between us and the Shroppie, now there are 6. We only dropped down the Baddiley Three (sounds like an unfairly convicted group of people, doesn’t it. “FREE THE BADDILEY THREE”… ) and cruised 3 miles today. We’ve until next Friday to get to Venetian Marina, so plenty of time.

Mags holds off while I fill Baddiley No 2

These three locks are close enough together to justify walking between them, Meg joined me part way. She was a bit tired, we’d met several dogs in the field over towards the village this morning and she’d had a good run around. She can’t keep it up like she used to.

Baddiley Bottom Lock, beautiful scenery around here.
Another shot showing the clean roof. KevinToo, I don’t need sunglasses, but only because we’re heading north! The International Interdeck I applied 18 months ago was supposed to be sand coloured. It’s lighter than I expected. It shows all the muck…

It’s half an hour or so to the next lock, the top lock of the Swanley pair, but we didn’t go that far, pulling in soon after Bridge 11. Pleasant open countryside here.


Hi Carol. I’ve nothing planned to keep them occupied, I guess they’ll just chill. I shouldn’t be gone all that long; the race starts at 12:30, I’ll be finished by half-two and back home soon after three. There’ll be no point me staying back for the award ceremony…

Locks 3, miles 3