Penkridge, Cross Keys

Loads of boats had been passed well before we were out of bed, but it was quiet when we set off, but it wasn’t long before we were meeting boats. A short way before Four Ashes the paint scheme on this large building is quite striking, I am not sure if it breaks it up or makes it more noticeable

There is a nice new towpath surface all the way from bridge 77 to Gailey Lock. it looks finished but there are still barriers at the ends. The Gailey Canoe Club find it useful when coaching their spring canoeists .

There are also notices saying that mooring is suspended, it should be noted that the Gailey Lock Moorings fall within this zone, but its easy to walk round the barrier at the end. The notice does state that the work will be complete in June

There were three Volockies on a Gailey lock so as you can imagine things were slow, not helped by the fact they were only drawing the bottom gate paddles 50% until the lock was almost empty. Once clear of that we had a good run meeting boats. You can expect a stoppage soon at bridge 81 as something has damaged it badly.

 

We didn’t linger under it I can assure you. Also one or two of the lock down here need major work on gates. beams and cills.
Right opposite Otherton Boat Haven there is a new coffee shop opened in what looks like someone's back garden.

We had received reports that Penkridge was quite busy wo when we saw a couple of rings free outside the Cross Keys pub we pulled in.

Today’s Journey

 

7½ miles with 5 locks in 4½ hours

Coven, Fox and Anchor

Yesterday I failed to mention that NB Sarina (hope I have the name right) who said they read my blog said hello.
Well you may have notices from the heading, we are still in Coven but we have done over 6 miles, if you look at the map you will see why. As the crow flies its under a mile and a half.
Away in good time again and only met a couple of boats before joining the Staffordshire and Worcester canal. one of them was under, I think Pendeford bridge which is immediately after the stop plank narrows, Blowing his horn when he saw me approaching the bridge was too late, I now had nowhere to go so he had to back up. The motorway bridge on this canal is now as well painted as the one on the Staffs. and Worc, canal .

 

We stopped by bridge Number 2 as its just a short walk from there to Morrisons, the edge is deep and its all piled. Then off again to the only lock of the day at Autherley Junction. Napton Narrowboats were busy cleaning boats, but doing it on the lock moorings it not very helpful to passing boats. Out of the junction and sharp left. Soon we were in the narrows and a lady walking her dog said her other half on their boat was waiting for us. As soon as we cleared the narrows he set off, we had gone by two wide bits before meeting him at the end.. We carried on to moor at the Fox and Anchor for the night. Needless to say I picked a spot with a missing mooring rind, so now we are moored with very long lines.

Today’s Journey 6¼ miles with 1 lock in 2½ hours

Coven Lawn

For some reason we were away before ten, We were soon passing under the first bridge, Today this sign would give the Barristers a field day arguing if a truck was to heavy or not.

I am sure this piece of art work wasn't here on out outward journey and I do wonder if it was done during the recent festival.
Just after this we met Andy and Helen, on the Jam Boat, ex Jam Butty, so that used up the time we had in hand from setting off early chatting to them.
Just ahead of us was Gnosall Tunnel cut through solid rock and unlined, they had cut quite a cutting before resorting to tunnelling.

Later we passed this floating flower arrangement, I don’t think I would want that much on the roof while trying to see where I was going.

At the and of the long term moorings by the bridge as you come into Wheaton Aston someone has created a fun garden.

We stopped at Turner’s to fill with diesel, its up to £1-15 Lt for domestic now which is not surprising when you look at oil prices flying up, it will only get worse. It was only £1-00 a week ago.

Earlier this year we saw very few ducklings about, maybe just 2 or 3 in a clutch, the second hatchings look to be doing much better. I counted 10 here.

I don't think the pipe repair at Brewood was really successful looking at it today,the ends don’t line up. The tow path is still closed under it, I don’t know if the road bridge is, pedestrians were crossing.

We were going to moor in Brewood but it was packed solid on the visitor moorings and after that the edges get quite shallow. as we pushed on there was bit of a smell, that chap must have hell of a separating toilet to get this much solids.

Well it looks like I was wrong about the tree carving in Gnosall, 2024 looks to be the date it was created.

 

 

Today’s Journey

11 miles with 1 lock in 4¼

Gnosall

Bit of a slow day today, too many old friends, Last night that well known boater Bones called in to say hello, not seen her for about 5 years then this morning we stopped to chat with Jerry and Muriel,we did see them yesterday afternoon as they dumped their recycling but other than that it was probably 2 years ago, this was followed by Anne and Olie, we did have coffee and cakes with them on our way out, but other than that its probably a year ago. That is how it is when you are boating, we only manage a wave with Sue who was enjoying an ice-cream at Norbury Wharf. So although we left our moorings at 9-30 it was 4-45 when we tied up. If your in a hurry don’t go boating.

We had quite a slow run through the cutting meeting a couple of boats on the way, the offside growth makes passing tricky but I guess it keeps the speed down. Diana was soon complaining about the smell. my nose might be big but it doesn't work very well. It turned out that the farmer had been slurry spreading and gave it a good thick layer. You can see how dark the stubble is

This chap was quite obliging sitting on a thin branch as we passed underneath him, I did wonder if we would get a present on the roof.

I expect this farmer has the necessary licence for extracting water from the canal as his equipment is not exactly hidden, but I do think he should have made a better attempt at putting a ramp over the suction pipe, it looks like a sheet of broken hardboard, I would have thought he would be liable if someone hurts themselves on it.

Its good to see the fund British Waterways signs up, I hope all my readers have signed the petition for better funding from the Government.

There has recently been a crop fire right beside the canal where a lots of boats have long term moorings, I don’t know if any of the boats were damaged  but the hedgerow and some of their storage containers were.

Thankfully this boat was moored up when we met it and not tacking towards us.

We decided to moor for the night in Gnosall, by now

 

I had an ex-working boat following so we pulled in at the water point to let him pass rather than be in his way trying to moor. As we were at the water point we thought we may as well fill up, there was a gap between the water point and the first moored boat but a bit to short for us, so we reversed a 100 yards and tucked in where a boat had just left.

 

Today’s Journey

12 miles with no locks in 4¾

Tyrley Top Lock

Just as we were off to bed last night the moon was almost setting and just visible above the hedgerow across the canal.

For some reason we set off at nine AM this morning and it worked well, We met a boat at the first lock but had to turn the second then onto the 5 Adderley Locks when a boat had just left the locks.

As we went up there was another coming down, looking behind us there were already 4 queued down below the bottom lock and we had a clean run up meeting just one more.
When we passed this way on our way North this stretch of bank was protected by a removable dam, this is the finished job.

We met several moor ex-working boats throughout the day.
This farm must have been quite prosperous in its day, with a large,square farm house and large brick outbuildings set out like a large letter L

Approaching Market Drayton I could see this house in the distance, not sure what was happening on their roof.

CRT have a lot of activity in Market Drayton, we met them pushing a flat which they moored outside a second flat on the visitor moorings then just through the bridge by the old warehouse there were several moor flats and another tug. In the yard were two large articulated lorries unloading pallets of material.

 

On our way out I noticed a Narrowboat with UPVC portholes, I have seen Narrowboats with UPVC windows many times but this is the first I have seen with portholes.

At Tyrley Locks we caught up with another boat and although they had to turn the bottom lock again we met boats all the way up so all locks were with us.

Part way up the flight are some picknick tables and someone has been thoughtful enough to put a waste bin beside them, it looks to be working as the area looked quite clean.

One of the lock side cottages has a wonderful display of flowers in hanging baskets and on the fence. They also have a large information notice on the wall about the old stables that were there.

Just as we finished working the lock a little Blue motor pulled off the road beside it. it was Muriel and Jerry who live on a boat further along the canal, and they had arrived to make use of the services, what's left of them. We were able to have quite a chat before moving on the the 48 hour visitor moorings for the night.

Today’s Journey 7 miles with 12 locks in 5 hours

Coxbank

Last night we had some lovely sky’s with the clouds reflecting on the canal. These were taken around 10 o’clock, the second on on my phone.

 

What a day, we were about to set off with a nice clear canal and what happens, the chap behind gets me talking, as we are about to push off a Hudson boat comes by so I had visions of following him up Audlem but he turned into Overwater Marina.The Marina are doing their bit raising the profile of Fund the Waterways.

There was a boat ahead of us at the bottom of the flight but a steady flow of boats coming down. While I waited I was able to get this photo, there is normally a boat moored across the front of the cottages.

Things went well as far as the water point  just below the pub, which is where the congestion started then the pound above the pub it just got  worse so we pulled over for lunch. An hour and a quarter later we set off and still caught up with them all around lock 7. I understand at times they had three boats in a pound which caused a tangle with the odd boat coming down. We gave up before the last two locks and called it a day on the 48 hour moorings.
Of course there has been a quick walk up to the top lock to purchase a few goodies for later.

Todays Journey

 

3 miles with 13 locks in 4¾ hours

Coole Pilate

Last night we enjoyed two good meals and a bottle of red in The Old Barbridge Inn. There were very few people in the restaurant but that said that the whole week had been very busy, lots of people eating in the garden.
We left a little before 10 Am. and had just pulled away when Matt came up behind us with a pair of boats heading for Audlem. The temporary pumps that are being used to pump water up from the SU to Herleston reservoir didn’t appear to be running as we passed. The Herleston lock flight remains closed, I am not sure if this is to do with problems with the locks or lack of water above them .

We stopped at the services in Nantwich to dispose of recycling and top up with water. I bought a new metal tap connector for the hose in Lidl the other day and I must say it works well. easy to screw and unscrew from the tap, plus the hose latches easily with no leaks, I will keep the plastic ones as spares. While we were here Minow towing Iford came by.

   
We followed them up to the Hack Green locks where we helped them all through including the boat behind us that was with them. The locks were quite busy with boats passing every time, so efficient use of the water, having said that both the pound between the locks and the long pound above it are running on weir. Once up the locks we did about a mile before stopping at  the SUCS picknick site for the night.

Today’s Journey 7¼ Miles with 2 locks in 4¼ hours