An early start

I'm not the only one who likes to make an early start on hot days. On many mornings, boats can be seen passing through Hirst Lock and the swing bridge. Here are White Knight and Rhencullen making their way from one overnight mooring to the next. Narrowboats often pair up to traverse the canal. Many hands make for lighter work and two narrowboats fit neatly side by side in the locks. 

I wonder whether bright sunshine is really the ideal weather for a narrowboat trip. I imagine it gets pretty hot inside, so finding a shady mooring beneath the trees must be very welcome. Leaping about in locks, pushing heavy lock gates and trying to shift stiff swing bridges will certainly bring on a sweat! It needed three people's efforts to move the Hirst Lane bridge.