I am Linda and along with my husband Richard and our dog Muffin we enjoy our summers on the UK's canal system

Thursday 7 October 2010

Tuesday 5th October

Fortunately there were no lasting repercussions after yesterday – just a bit stiff across the shoulders but that was probably due to doing locks after so long. Thank goodness for the washing machine as I was able to wash all my wet clothes and get them more or less dry outside. It was a bit of a grey day but at least it didn’t rain. Before long we were in Reading and this time we took the diversion round Abbey Backwater as we had thought we might stop but in the end we carried on. Going this way you go right past the back of HMP Reading a Remand Centre and Young Offenders Institution, holding prisoners between the ages of 18 and 21 years. It was lovely to get back onto the Thames and because of all the rain we have had the river was running quite fast and we sped downstream! We had thought we would stop for the night just above Sonning Lock but as we had plenty of time we decided to go down to Wargrave which meant going through Shiplake Lock. As we got there I noticed that it was on Self Service (Lock Keeper off duty) so I went to operate the lock myself only to find that there was no electricity and we had to wind the lock ourselves. I did my best (honestly!) but Richard had to do most of it as it was too much for me! Poor Richard was knackered! We found a lovely Millie spot to moor up with the bow tied to a tree.

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