LJ and I set off on Friday morning to walk to the lock. Whoa!! towpath completely blocked by big old fallen oak tree with canal almost completely blocked and a huge,split branch overhanging. A boat was just beyond it heading,towards us. Moving pretty sharpish for an old lady, I ran back to try and stop QISMA. Luckily, I got them just as they were coming through the bridge, about 300 yards before the blockage. Banks so overgrown, nowhere to moor so we stopped there. Seconds later CRT were on the scene and told us we were OK to stay put. They were off to call the experts in to remove it.
Hardly seemed anytime at all before they arrived. They worked at it until late afternoon and came back to their vehicle telling us they had cleared the towpath and would be back 0900 Saturday, hopefully with heavy lift equipment.
We had no expectation of the canal being cleared on Saturday. Went into water restriction routine!!
The poor crew stuck nearest to the oak were on their first Narrowboat holiday in a friends boat. It might have been too much excitement!! They did what any sensible boater would do. Retired to the pub!
Saturday dawned. Oh ye of little faith!! 1030 in the morning....boat ahoy!! Tree, roots and all removed. Amazing.
We were something of a tourist attraction!
,
Hundreds of these as neighbours.
The offending oak
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