A short cruise this morning of only a couple of hours, the forecast was for more rain and winds of up to 40mph.  We had four locks to do today, and whoever had come down them, had left the paddles up and the gates opened. It worked to our advantage, but was a bit naughty of them.

At one lock, the wind was so gusty, we couldn’t get the gate open, even with both of us pushing and pulling.  Toby put the bow rope through the handle, I pulled it tight, and Toby put Oliver in reverse, it worked a treat.

We moored up about 10.30, and walked to Crofton Pumping Station which used to pump water to the top pound. It’s a 12 metre lift, and each piston stroke could lift 1.1 tonnes of water.  It only runs for a few weekends a year now, we were lucky enough to time our visit with the volunteers cleaning out the boiler.

We then walked to Wilton Windmill which is a couple of miles away.  The windmill was working and the volunteers were milling the flour which only happens ten times a year.  We didn’t realise it was closed to visitors and walked in, they gave us our very own guided tour of the mill working, which isn’t usually allowed.  It was going  15 rpm, which doesn’t seem a lot from the outside, and then you go in the windmill and see the sail passing by your eyes every second at 35mph. It was a beautiful sound, and we bought a bag of their flour and gave a donation.

A walk back across the fields, this is a footpath, and we’re headed for the gap between the trees.

Weather forecast is dry tomorrow, so we hope to make a bit more progress