25th - 29th June 2012. The Barrow line to Athy. River Barrow to Levitstown lock

We stayed at Fisherstown for four more days, going to the Fishersman Thatched Inn on Tuesday again for the Irish music. By Thursday morning, Noel, the lockkeeper at Athy, told us that the water levels were dropping in the River Barrow so, despite early rain, we set off. The next village is Vicarstown, where a small fleet of hire boats is based. The boats here are much tidier than those at Sallins or Hazelhatch.

The turnover bridge at Vicarstown has a stainless steel rail on the parapet, presumably so that any horse ropes will run along it smoothly!

The weather is improving further down the Barrow Line.

However the clouds behind us are still a bit threatening.

At the end of the Barrow line we reach the town of Athy. We pass through Athy as quickly as we can, and drop down lock 28 on to the river. Here we have to steer straight across the Barrow, so as to join the lock cut on the far side of the weir.

 The weir is just beyond the three right hand arches of the railway bridge, with the navigation channel to the lock cut being through the left arch. There is certainly quite a lot of water in the river.

Even in the lock cut it is important to keep to the left, as more water flows back into the main river.

Mud on the banks show how high the water level has been recently.

As horses are not usually allowed on the grassy towpath, we were surprised to see this trotter.

The lifting bridge soon before Levitstown is quite unusual.

It is raised horizontally by winding it up with a windlass.

We moored in the reeds above Levitstown lock, opposite Levitstown Mill. There are two other boats moored here behind us, but there is no-one aboard either of them.

This area of water above the lock is a real millpond, with superb reflections!

We measured the height of the water level below the lock last night. This morning we returned to see how much it had risen overnight, but could not reach the same spot as it was under water! Last time Sally measured it by the fourth upright. The water level has risen by about 16" here, while above the lock it has come up by only 9".

We will stay here above Levitstown lock until the water level goes down again.

Our feathered neighbours are mostly asleep just now!