Broken record

Well today was going to be a mammoth day, according to Mark and Sian on n.b Utopian. We were up and ready to leave at 8.30am and sure enough they were already along side us as we pulled the pins outside the Red Lion pub just before Berkhamsted. They had also got the lock ready so we could pull straight in.

We soon got to the Berkhamsted mooring (where Al got a loaf of bread) and we pushed on through the next two locks. Its funny how you get a routine when you have two boats together and how quickly you can get through a lock. We did have some extra help with Tina (Sian's sister) and her hubby Toby who were with us for a bit.  Before we knew it, we were at the summit and that is where Tina and Toby departed, thanks guys for your help and it was lovely to meet you both.

So it was all down hill from here but the Tring summit was very shallow in places and it did put us back on idle. We pulled into the locks at Marsworth and went down a couple before we saw the lock keeper who then was setting up the locks further down and it really helped us make good time. It was good to see the reservoirs still full knowing we've got some more hot weather to come, so they say.

When we got to the bottom lock we picked up some ice creams and Sian brought the locky one for his help

We then were out in the lovely countryside of the rolling hills around us overlooked by the lion on the hill.

The locks all get a bit spread out and we still pushed on with the prize of a cold beer at the end of all this keeping us going.

We got to Iveninghoe Locks where we celebrated by breaking our record of 23 locks in a day and as we got through Church lock we hit 27 locks and 13 miles, a new record.

We arrived at a nice mooring in the jungle, just opposite the Grove Lock pub at 6.30pm, and quickly showered and got to the bar with a well deserved beer in hand, ten hours we had travelled today..

It was nice to see Tina again who had joined us to see if we had made it. After we had eaten we were shattered, but managed to stay till 10.30pm with us all yawning.

We had better go to bed as we have another record to break tomorrow..