Sunday 3 July 2016 Huddlesford

We had a good night in the Samuel Barlow last night, some pulled pork and Doom Bar not forgetting the cheese and bisects and birthday cake. TG from Narrowboat TG Islonian gave us a knock before they left to tell us what coffees they sell from their boat as they trade around the canals at Floating Markets. We were all set to push off at 10 am when the toilet decided to malfunction, it requires a new spring cassette to reset it after flushing. we can still use it but you have to manually reset it instead of it flying shut. We will pick up a new bit on Monday.

We finally pushed off at 1045 heading back towards our marina. We were to meet a steady stream of boats on the way, our fair share of them at bridges or passing moored boats.

There is yet another garden also adjacent to a bridge who are very keen on their gnomes. I have only spotted one Canal Company boundary marker along this canal, they indicate how much of the land the canal company owns on the none towpath side, householders often think they own to the waters edge but quite often a narrow strip belonged to the canal company and now CRT. This one is right by the fence.Above Glascote Locks there use to be a pub by bridge called The Anchor, funny enough the bridge is called Anchor Bridge, the pub has now gone and its a Co-op store so we stopped for a few minuets for Diana to visit both shop and cash machine.

Below Glascote Locks this family of swans and Cygnets thought it may be more comfortable to sit on the road in the sun, yes it is shining today. We stopped very briefly at the CRT offices at Fazeley as they have a recycling point for boaters rubbish, most places its just one big skip.

Passing the other Gnome Land there are a couple of new additions to the clan, these chaps with cloth legs. You can see the size of them sitting on the end of a standard house brick.

We carried on in the sun shine, yes it is shining today, its even warm, just passed Huddlesford Junction where we have moored for the night, its a bit close to the railway but being Sunday there will hopefully be few trains overnight.

Today’s Journey  10¾ miles, 2 locks, 1 junction in 4¾ hours.