It had to happen eventually! After so many weeks of glorious sunshine, today was wet, wet, wet. The rain poured down all morning but the crazy volunteers still carried on. Duncan and Mike set off to recce the canal gathering data to support grant applications that needed to be submitted quickly and Sharon did some gardening – watering not required! – and litter picking while most of the vols attempted to lay another length of walkway. A telegraph pole was gently rolled into place but as soon as it was down Rowan noticed a moorhen’s nest full of eggs so we had to restrict our activities to adding the supporting tubes to the end far away from the nest.

As we worked on the pole, we heard a loud bang as a substantial branch fell over the towpath. Chris, John and Andy soon had it cut and cleared. Luckily, Anna was on paw to supervise us.

Tea was taken with goodies baked by Margaret. Sue presented Gordon with a glue pot, windlass and ladle retrieved from the canal that she and Andy had de-rusted and polished. He was thrilled to see the restored pot looking better than new.

That was pretty much it for the day as the rain refused to stop. We loaded the trailer ready for bag laying next week at Bridge 8 and then soggily trudged our way home. Finishing the walkway will have to wait until Mrs Moorhen and her babies have left the nest.