We have moved today, but we’re back where we started. A pumpout and shopping needed today so an early start down Tyrley locks and into Market Drayton. We had intended to use one of the boatyards for the pumpout, but found a BW DIY machine so used that instead. Anyway the boatyard wasnt open when we arrived at 8:45.
After pumping out we went along to the visitor’s mooring by the aqueduct, we were lucky there was only one available space. After breakfast we had planned a shopping trip, but by now the rain was much heavier. The First Mate guide said 18 mins to the shops so we needed to get kitted out in our wet weather gear. We found Netto fairly quickly, but it was quite a bit further to the other shops. As we needed quite a bit of stuff we decided on Morrisons, which was the furthest of all!

It was still raining when we got back to the boat tired and wet. When we went to make a cup of tea, no water! With four of us and little Izzy on board we seem to use a lot more than usual. I reversed back through the bridge to the water point, topped up and returned to the visitor’s mooring. During which the heavens really opened and it poured down. Staying put seemed the sensible choice so we just waited. Then at about 3:30 it eased off a little and we decided to set off to get to the top of the flight.

The amount of extra water in the cut caused by the rain had made the lock by-washes very powerful, and the approaches into the locks very difficult. The only way to do it was to go fast aiming for the by-wash itself and then when the current pushed the bow over put the tiller hard over to stop the stern from being pushed over. The current was so powerful that the water came over the side of the bow and into the front deck. There were several hire boat crews who were finding the conditions particularly taxing.

We arrived at the top at about 5:30 and decided to stay there for the night. The rain had stopped and it was quite a pleasant evening.