Returning back upstream may make for easier steerage, but didn’t do a lot for our speed against the strong flow and difficult currents and weir streams – the latter were chucking out a fair bit of water. After the first lock we moored for 10 minutes at the replica ancient boat builders site to try and time our arrival for the second lock to be open and ready after lunch as we knew there was a tricky weir stream on the approach and we wouldn’t be able to hover. Temujin was ahead of us and went to cross the stream well over to the right – too far over it transpired as the stopper wave got them and held onto them for a moment before spitting them out sideways. With the benefit of hindsight we stayed further left and only suffered a bit of rock and roll – fortunately we’d already put the fragile stuff onto the floor. We had made better time than expected and, although it was only 1.30, were delighted to find the lock open and waiting for us.

The replica site was thatched with, what looked like, Irises growing along the ridge.

Reaching Long we elected not to reverse into the shallow muddy backwater that we’d stayed at on the way downstream and continued on to breast up on a short pontoon. Temujin, yet again, letting us have the inside position to make thing easier for the dogs. We had a TV signal for the first time in ages but there didn’t seem to be anything worth watching so Muttley and I took ourselves off and found a great walk

Graham did a bit of sight seeing on his bike whilst posting a letter before we left in the morning.