Shugborough Hall Monday 21 Dec 2015

We left the moorings at about 11 am, as soon as I slid out of our slot the wing caught me so I knew it would be fun. At the marina entrance I wanted to turn left, but there was a slight obstruction to negotiate to get out onto the main line.

Still not a major problem. As we leave the marina Diana always goes to the bows to look both ways and today we had to wait for a share boat coming from the right. As he passed the marina the wind removed his hat depositing it in the cut, his wife just managed to run back and save it as it dipped below the surface. We only saw one other boat on the move and that was shortly later when we met another share boat from the same company, ex Challenger and he was wearing a very similar hat. We stopped at Rugeley for a bit to visit Tesco and a bit to eat. By the time we left the weather was much better, the rain had stopped, wind dropped and even a bit of sunshine for good measure. almost opposite Tescos there is a bungalow with a somewhat interesting garden, its normally quite congested through here so I don’t normally have the camera to hand, but at the moment its very quiet so I got a shot.

To the north of Rugeley one of the property owners who has a fake speed camera pointing at the canal also puts on a Christmas seen each year, here is this years display.

The winter moorings between the river Trent and the A51 where completely empty which is not surprising as its a mile from town and about 3 miles and 2 locks to the nearest water point. Approaching Taft Bridge is spotted quite a collection of pheasants  in the field, 20 hens and 4 cock birds. Here are a few of them with a train for good measure.

Colwich lock was against us, well I knew the shared boat had gone by while we were at Tesco’s  and sure enough he was moored a short way above the lock, as we passed he informed me that the hat had dried out well and was again ready for action, we went a little bit further stopping almost opposite Shugborough Hall in the gloom at about half four.
Today’s Journey

10 miles, 1 lock in 3