We set off from camp at 8am, our earliest departure yet. We decided to stick to NY97 because the road is on the course of the canal close to the river and we want to try to quicken the pace a little having had a good rest and a very welcome shower at the campsite.

After several miles we made the approach to Barryville, where already we needed to fill up on water and were pleased to come across a small café and store.

We got talking to Rowland who works there. He was interested in what we are doing and took us round the back of the café to the river side to point out the masonry abutments of an aqueduct on the far side which we may otherwise have missed. It turns out to be Halfway Brook Aqueduct.

After several hours of determined hiking and with the time approaching 12.30 we came across a small outpost of a deli and hot food place. The temperature reached into the 90’s today and by lunchtime it was very hot. We took off our shoes and hobbled about barefoot on the grass. We ordered chicken strips, fries, ice-creams, sandwiches and hot dogs and wolfed them down hardly even chewing. The temperatures are increasing every day and we are exposed to the heat for most of the time.

At lock 63 / Pond Eddy the canal is not visible and between the road and the river there is only a steep bank. A set of concrete steps here lead us down to the river and we swam for a while in the Delaware which was HEAVEN.

After drying off and hiking again we finally, after more than 13 miles pull up where the crystal waters of the Mongaup river flow into the caramel opacity of the Delaware. We crossed the bridge that supports the highway over the Mongaup and headed off the road down a track into the forest. The Mongaup River continues another 500 yards and then tips into the Delaware and this is where we find ourselves tonight near lock 58.

The area is perfect habitat for rattle snakes. Many of the trees are fallen; there are rocky outcrops everywhere and many crevices and holes in the fallen stonework of the towpath and the natural rock so we have to be careful where we are walking.

The hammocks are strung up in the trees and are attracting lots of bugs, more than the previous nights. Spiders are abseiling down the cords and into the hammock so we should have bedfellows tonight.

We are beginning to work as one on this fourth day into the expedition and understand each others thought processes. We noticed today that we are even pre-empting each others suggestions about small decisions such as where and when to stop for breaks. In the heat of the day we might snap at each other but at the end of that day we are still in this together and we must get each other through.