Week 4 day 7 – 13th May - Bramble Cutting to Kings Lock.

‘Bloody Fishermen’

The weather although cool was quite bright with the sun breaking through occasionally making the trip to Kings Lock and the various locks a nice relaxing pootle, arriving at Kings Lock quite early.

Once there at the Kings Lock moorings we decided to do the last lock and moor opposite the Pub of the same name. On our exit we found 3 boats already on the Visitor Moorings and the one space left fully occupied by fishermen mid fishing match... and grumpy as hell! As this was an official match there was no way they should have taken up Visitor mooring spaces for fishing pegs. But try shifting them once ensconced, forget it, the only thing your likely to achieve is a mouthful of abusive language.

A boat was just leaving the space by this fisherman and managed to cut his line, and then churned up the water (on purpose) on leaving due to his aggressive attitude. Why set up close to the end mooring ring when you KNOW boats have to pull alongside - that's what beats me. The canals are for sharing but who pays the larger share of the fees? WE DO. !

Lynne deciding to have a polite word with him about us wanting to moor there did not improve this mans attitude - so we decided to reverse and use a short area of the space allocated for the lock - still leaving over 70ft of boat length free for boats waiting to use the lock. Mags and Bill were on their way already to meet us, and we had no alternative place to meet up by this time.

A helpful chat with a man walking his dog earlier this morning, had given us the information that a pub near the town centre called ‘The Narrowboat’ had an ex Naval chef, and provided excellent food. He was right. Mouth-wateringly lovely it was, and by the time our friends arrived we were starving and did the meal full justice!

We are really pleased we stayed put today as it absolutely heaved it down all afternoon, and we have gladly watched others negotiating the lock wet through whilst we are snug and dry. We won't gloat too long, tomorrows forecast is for more rain!