Busy Locks Make Life Easy (Mostly!)

I thought Haywood lock might be busy, so made a point of setting off from Shugborough before breakfast only to find myself third in the queue!  By the time I got going again after my breakfast in Great Haywood things were even busier and I found myself in a queue of at least four boats at each subsequent lock.

Boats queueing for a lock on the Trent & Mersey

I didn't mind too much. Lock queues give the single-hander to make a cup of tea or even a few sandwiches, which means you don't have to stop again and there are still enough people who come forward from the queue to help to ensure that I hardly had to touch a gate or a paddle all day. This was not quite so important at Haywood lock (4ft 2in) but very welcome at some of the deeper locks.  Mind you, I could have done without the "help" of one - it has to be said - hire boater who "helpfully" opened the bottom gates of the empty lock I was in as I was walking up to the lift the top paddles to fill it!  "Oh !" she said, "I though you were going the other way!"  But, I'd had a long day by then and so, perhaps, had she.