Light at the end

We left early to make space for others at the water point and drove to the Harecastle tunnel. As we waited with other northbound boats for southbound boats to  complete their 2.67km journey through the tunnel, everyone had a knot-tying lesson. The students are developing an impressive specialist vocabulary in English: hitch (highwayman’s, clove), tiller, propeller, paddle, cill, windlass, bilge… and once it was our turn to go through the tunnel they learnt that ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ exists in English as well as French, Italian and German.

Then up some locks to slightly more robust countryside in sunshine good enough to have lessons at the table on the front deck and for dinner to be prepared on the roof as the boat-baked bread cooled. A friend of John’s, who was at school with both of us, joined us for the evening meal. I hadn’t seen him for over 20 years but we managed to strip away the ageing and recognise each other - though it seemed easier for me than for him. Hmm.

(Hanley along the Trent and Mersey Canal through Harecastle tunnel to Harding’s Wood. Turn onto the  Macclesfield canal to a bit south of Macclesfield.)