Last night we were moored midway between bridge 101 and where the Saffs and Worc used to be connected to the river Sow and on into Stafford. There are plans to restore this link by a group called The Stafford Riverway Link and they have a web side with more information at http://www.stafford-riverway-link.co.uk/
We were away at 9-30 am this morning meeting a continues stream of boats, one of them in a bridge hole which resulted in a small knock and me reversing back out through the bridge as he was across the canal, he said I was the first boat he had seen all morning.
Workmen were hard at it repairing the railway line supports where it runs along side the canal at Milford Bridge, when we came the other way they were making the hole, today they are bricking it up.
We had amazing luck with the locks arriving at Tixal Lock just as a boat was leaving, I expected to be in a queue but as we approached Gt Haywood lock a boat was almost ready to come out so after hovering for a couple of minutes we were in, with another three waiting below to come up. Colwich was similar with one coming out and one arriving below just as we were about to open the bottom gates. Moored in the pound below Gt Haywood lock was Ling with a load of sand, I am not sure if its the same load that he has been carting around for the past couple of weeks.
After Colwich lock we are on a level pound all the way to King’s Bromley, the reflection approaching the lock looked much better than this photograph depicts.
A short way after this I spotted an obelisk that I can’t say that I noticed before, I assume it belongs to the Shugborough estate, but the photo was taken well below Colwich Lock,
As we approached Rugeley the power station soon came into view, I don’t think I have ever photographed it from this angle before. Passing Armitage of Hansacre, I am not sure which we passed a garden with this chap sitting looking at the outside world probably wishing he was soaring on the thermals.
Just passed the pub at Hansacre the fudge push butty was moored up so we pulled over to part with some hard earned cash. the next treat was a freebee, blackberries growing on the offside a short way before the marina entrance. I made a real pigs ear of swinging into the marina with at least 4 boaters to witness it and that was with no wind so no excuses just shabby boating.
Today’s Journey