Home Moorings

As we were in Fazeley and supplies were running low ready to go home we had a Chinese takeaway. Another sunny morning and away a little after ten. Met a boat right in the bridge turning into the Coventry canal, luckily I was traveling dead slow.
As we passed the Tamworth Cruising Club they were just getting prepared to lift boats for the winter months.

At Grendon Lock we caught up with a single hander, he had already set the top lock for when he left the bottom so didn’t hold us up. After the locks we met quite a few boats. Just past the Coop stores that use to be a pub the residents who back onto the towpath have decided they don’t like boats mooring there.

They also have notices on there 6 foot high fence. As we swung into the marina the wind picked up, thankfully it died down again as I reversed back down the basin and turned into our slot.

Today’s Journey

2 locks 3¾ miles in 2 hours

 

All our trips for this year please click the map the latest one is in black.

Fazeley Junction

What a day to wakeup to, after a clear starry skied night it was bright sunshine. Leaving at ten the canal was very quiet for the first hour or so. The narrow beam Dutch Barge styled boat has returned to its moorings by the  A38 bridge. While Diana was steering I tackled some of the may rust spots on the roof with Kurust. I know it wont fix it but hopefully slow things down over the winter months. Needless to say as soon as I finished the black clouds appeared, thankfully it didn’t rain on what I had just done.
Passing the Litchfield Cruising Club the parapet wall on the ramp leading to their access bridge has collapsed onto the ramp, maybe a falling tree was responsible I don’t know.

Looking back the transmitter tower at Hopwas, if I had have taken the photo five minutes later you would have seen a plane passing it, its all in the timing, just like my photos of bushes where a Kingfisher had been sitting. You can however see the clouds gathering.
The sunken cruiser is still there as you come into Fazeley, its just the bollards on the towpath have gone now. At Fazeley junction we turned right up the B&F to visit Fazeley Mill marina for diesel. This has recently been bought by the Rothen Group but the phone number is the same.

There is lots of work going on there  with the ground works and the pontoons. It should be noted that the road gates are now kept closed and you need to contact reception to get in.I didn’t check access from the towpath. Once topped up with diesel we headed back to the junction to moor for the night.

Today’s Journey

11½ miles, no locks in 4½ hours

Fradley Junction

A fine morning but very overcast, I was surprised by the number of owl calls I heard yesterday evening.
It was about half ten when we set off just after a boat had passed. Rugeley was absolutely packed with boats unlike last week when we came the other way. We did have a slight amount of drizzle but not enough to put a coat on.  We had a clear run through Armitage tunnel but after that we started catching up with the boat ahead, the one that had gone by just as we were about to push off which was strange as they had been well ahead until now. As we got closer we could see that it was a change of steerer, but not going terribly slow. At Kings Bromley Marina we started meeting more boats and the boat ahead had changed steerer again and had speeded up. JF Boat Building at Kings Bromley Wharf had their crane in use, there are not many places around here where you can get a boat lifted in or out. Also it give you the ability to put a boat on stands so you can get underneath for survey or blacking.

At Woodend Lock the boat we were following had only just entered the lock due to the bottom paddles being drawn as he came against the lock mooing. There were another couple of boats below waiting to come up, so it was just one for one. Down at Fradley Junction the Volockies were on the locks, as we approached Shade house a boat was just coming up, but at Middle lock the Volockie turned it ready for us with no more traffic about. The fungi are doing well on the off side with a fine collection of different specimens.

At the junction we turned into the Coventry Canal, Diana hopping off at the bows to open and close the swing bridge, we were lucky in that there was room to moor after about 4 boats, other than that it looked quite full.

Today’s Journey

8½ miles, 3 locks in 3½ hours

Rugeley

As expected this morning it was raining so we set off at our normal time in full wet weather gear. The boat moored in front of us had already gone We didn’t have the same luck with the locks having to turn all three and the only one we got to leave open was Gt Haywood.
If you have a trad sterned narrowboat but fancy a cruiser stern this could be the answer, extend the rear deck backwards, I assume the rudder is left in its original location.

We stopped for water at Gt Haywood as one of  the taps was free, the pressure jumped up when the other tap was turned off.
Colwich lock cottage was nicely framed through the railway bridge and it even stopped raining for a few minutes.

The boat ahead had just exited Colwich lock so that needed turning, its very slow to fill with the ground paddle still out of use. I don’t know what’s the matter within but the workings are in a pile chained to the base.

I think I posted a photo of the ex working boat Cormorant last week on our way up, well today she looks much different.

With her old top sides laying separately in a heap on the ground. I have no idea how much is original, I do know she had been chopped about a lot.
By the time we reached Rugeley aqueduct it was hammering it down and we did consider mooring there, but its rather close to the road so we crossed the aqueduct found the sharp bend and moored at a bit with no overhanging trees.

Today’s Journey

3 locks, 6¼ miles in 3 hours.

Hixon

Last night we ate at Pasta Da Piazza, being Sunday it was quite quiet and thankfully we were moored close to the town as it was raining both going and coming home. Overnight the wind and rain was relentless but when we got up this morning it had stopped, so a 9am we made ready to set off, by the time we dropped the liens it was raining again. Even though the bywash at Star Lock has been running all the time there has been no improvement in the levelin this pound. It looks to be running through the top and bottom gates of Aston lock as quick as its coming in.
With the rain we considered stopping at Weston, but then it brightened up and the rain stop so we pushed on. It only did it to fool us and started raining again. I wonder how the efficiency of solar panels is effected by dirt, it could be an opening for someone cleaning them. Some we have see on roofs with much less pitch have been dirty all over.
When the tree reaches the high voltage cables will it wither away or cause a good short to earth and a fire, green conifer burns really well.

We were lucky at the locks meeting a boat coming up at each one and made very good progress, mooring on the 48 hour moorings at Hixon by the nature reserve. There were plans to build a marina opposite but nothing seams to have happened and the planning consent expired .

Today’s journey

3 locks 7¾ miles in 3 hours

Stone

Well the geese all departed yesterday evening and we didn’t hear them again until gone 9am today.
Boats were on the move before we were about and definitely before we set off at 10am. to  very overcast morning. We met a continuous stream of boats all the way to Aston Lock where there were a queue of 3 waiting to come down, but no one waiting to go up. The bottom gates of Aston lock are leaking very badly and even with both paddles fully drawn its hard to make level at the top, consequently the pound between Aston and Star Lock is down by at least a foot. Of course all the boats that come up Aston lock to visit Stone for the weekend and then go down again the next day doesn’t help matter. It was a slow run from here to Stone, I always like looking at this garden as we pass, a small garden absolutely packed to the edge.

As expected there were several vacant mooring spots below Stone so we carried on to the water point to fill with water, then dropped back to the winding hole, turned and reversed back to the two vacant 48 hr moorings spots between the lock and the winding hole, mooring at the first one we came to ready to retrace our steps tomorrow.

Today’s journey

3½ miles, 1 lock in 2 hours

Burston

A peaceful night and we were away at about ten. I expected the land between us and Shugborough Hall to be flooded, but it was all like normal with people walking etc.
A few boats had been by in both directions but Gt Haywood lock was against us and once clear of the trees below the lock it was a spring like day.

There was a fishing match going on between bridge 74 and the entrance to Gt Haywood Marina. I think they may have been getting a disturbed morning as most of the boats coming down were coming out of the marina. As we approached Hoo Mill Lock on of the long term moorers informed me we were number 4 in the queue, but by the time we had pulled in it was number 3. There were a couple of boats coming down including an Finesse electric one. By the time Diana brought the boat in there were four behind us and it seems that one of them and the fishermen had words.
The guess were out in force with a lone heron standing guard at the back, I expect we will get an early call in the morning as they were on most vacant pieces of grass land.

Surprise surprise there was no queue at Western lock but it was against us. we were almost ready to leave the lock when fellow blogger Nb. Bonjour came round the bend, perfect timing, we could leave the gates and they could sail straight in.
Then the sky’s started to darken and the clouds gathered as this Swan came low overhead.

The first boat we saw at Hoo Mill had now winded and moored on the Sandon Park, or is it Salt long term moorings. The end mooring use to have a collection of larger than life stuffed toys, last time we passed the boat had gone and now the mooring is being redeveloped.

I just love taking photos of this bridge, it’s such a bold structure to carry a road across a canal. I am sure it wasn’t actually needed.

Up at Sandon lock we caught up with the boat ahead and went up to lend a hand, there was a boat waiting above to come down so the lock was well manned and they were both soon on their way. We only went about another half mile before mooring for the night out in the wilds wit just a hundred geese for company . We had a very  light shower just as we came in to moor but other than that the day has been fine .

Today’s journey

4 locks, 6¾ miles in 3½ hours

Great Haywood

The day started grey and overcast, a lot cooler than recent days with bit of a breeze, followed by a little drizzle, but it didn’t last long, passing under the railway bridge at Armitage the edge of the towpath is getting worse and I expect the rest of the edging stones will fall in soon.

CRT still consider the cutting where Armitage tunnel use to be a tunnel and have wasted money on these

signs just for a road bridge over a cutting, I wonder if they still carry out tunnel inspections on it checking the roof.

We stopped by Tesco for a bit of shopping and as we were tied up also had lunch. The afternoon was much warmer and it wasn’t long before we passed this project boat.

We also passed this fine old craft looking in a bit better shape than the previous boat, especially considering she is older and made of wood.

Of course you cant go through Rugeley without a photo of Naomi's Landing, we passed their boat, Dancing Sheep last week so were surprised to see it back on the moorings.

There were only a few boats moving about today, as it was dry I thought there may be more. Passing Taff Farm, the boat Cormorant has now been cut in half for some reason.

The sun was feel quite warm now if you were out of the wind and it added a little extra to the autumn colours on the vines at Wolseley Bridge.

Approaching Colwich lock a boat had just closed up and left so I scurried up before anyone could turn the lock, I still had to draw the bottom paddles to open the gates. The top gate now has splints and the ground paddle is still covered over with cogs and bits laying on the ground poking out from the cover. Once clear of the lock we carried on almost to Iron Bridge to moor for the night.

Today’s Journey

8¼ miles, 1 lock in 3¼ hours

Handsacre

We had a bit of rain overnight and early this morning a load of geese flew over, I don’t know why they have to talk to each other all the time.
We were away earlier than usual just as a few hundred more Canada Geese went over.I haven’t seen so many geese for probably 30 years on the N Norfolk coast.
The morning was fine and dead still as you can see from this photo, we had hoped to fill with water but there was a boat already there.

We carried on to Bagnall lock and as we were leaving a boat arrived from above, passing under the A513 the towpath side pant work is in better condition than the offside. Of course the graffiti crowd have had a dorb here and there but on the whole its still not too bad. 

Just before Common Lock we passed the entrance to Fradley Marina. Although the entrance is below the lock the actual marina straddles the lock.

We met another couple of boat so hopefully Hunt’s Lock would be with us, as we got closer I could see there was a Volockie on duty who opened the gates ready for our arrival. One of the boats on the long term moorings below the lock has twin electric outboard engines mounted on the stern of his boat, I don’t know if this is his only form of propulsion.

As we entered Hunt’s Lock I hopped off on the offside to close the gate, but I wasn’t needed. The Volockie had a line tied between the two gates on the handrail at the mitre so that he could pull the off gate shut from the side he was standing. He told there were Volockies working all the locks, so I asked him to inform the one at Junction Lock we were stopping for water.
The water tap seamed to take for ages and 2 or 3 boats came by while we were filling up, needles to say the last one was just before we were ready to leave so we had to wait behind them at the lock. We met boats at both Middle and Shade House lock so a steady run.
There is no apparent progress on HS2 in the area of Woodend but the lock cottage still loos surprisingly secure.
Passing JF boat fitting at Kings Bromley their moorings looked almost empty, even the boat that is normally moored on line in front of the bungalow was gone. However there were three boats moored outside their new premises and it looks as if they have their own crane on site which could be useful.

We were now experiencing the odd spot of rain along with sunshine and the sky was turning quite dark in places. We didn’t really have a plan on where we would stop, so when we saw a long gap at Handsacre we pulled in there and not long afterwards another boat filled the gap pulling in behind us.

Today’s Journey

6¼ miles, 8 locks in 4 hours

Alrewas

A bit late getting away today, well we didn’t think we had anywhere to go. The plan was to run down to the winding hole at Wychnor and then go back to Branston Water park for the night while waiting for the Trent to reopen.
We kept meeting boats all morning but every lock we came to was against us, we knew Jules Fuels where ahead of us but they hat a good start on us.
We passed this rather hansom chap, he didn’t hove a feather as we passed, I just wish I could have got the camera out sooner.

By the time we reached Barton Turns lock we must have met 8 boats. There was a boat moored just below the lock and I was rather impressed with his tiller pin, I don’t know how robust it would be.

A boat was approaching the lock from above which like all the rest was against us and I said to him about all the boats and wondering where they came from, his reply was Alrewas, apparently CRT unlocked the locks yesterday evening, but didn’t tell anyone. This was the sign at the marina entrance.

This of course meant a change of plans for us, we would now not be winding above the lock but continuing down onto the river and then to Alrewas. As expect Wychnor lock was against us, but that turned we were on our way. There was a bit of flow on the river but not to much at this end of the river. We passed under bridge 45 and here you can see where the fendering is missing.

With the river being a bit higher a lot of the land is now flooded and these poor cows are on one of the remaining pieces of dry land.

After we passed the weir at Alrewas the flow to the right hand side of the river, where we should be was quite a bit stronger, I would estimate the best part

of 3 MPH. and our speed over the ground dropped well below 2 MPH until I moved over to the slacker water. There was a boat about to enter Alrewas Lock (originally known as Smithy Lock) from above but in the lock cut it was no problem waiting for them. Once clear of the lock we moored for the night just before the waterpoint.

Today’s journey

7 miles, 5 Locks in 3¼ hours