Aval

After Langres we reached the summit of the Canal and started heading downhill (aval) after another tunnel of approx 5km. I steered almost the whole length – my glasses steamed up as we entered and David had to take over for a bit. Locks seem easier to manage when you’re going downhill – mooring is easier as the bollards are visible and reachable. In a deep lock going uphill, it’s much harder to lasso the bollards – or perhaps that’s just me. I’ve come to realise that rope throwing is never going to be one of my top 10 skills!

There are no big towns along this stretch of the canal and the countryside is, as has been the case on most of our journey, beautiful and peaceful.