Windmill End

 

 Hi nb. Chuffed we moored right at the top of the locks on the left hand side right on the T junction, next time we come this way we will go a bit further and try mooring at Farmers Bridge as there is a Fish and Chip shop there.

Map from Waterways Routes Well the weather was much better today even if the geese did wake us at 4am with their honking. A couple of boats went by before we set off and we caught up with one of them at Blowers Green Lock and later saw them moored at Windmill End. If you look at the map at the bottom of the page you can see there was once a short cut to save going all the way to Parkhead lock and back highlighted in yellow. The is one end of it, there is a similar bridge at the other end.   We passed an angler who had caught a good size bream, I could see his taught line and bending  rod so stopped until such time as he could land it. A little further on we passed under this high bridge, It was at one time a tunnel through a large piece of rock known as Brewins Tunnel opened in 1838 to cut off the originally horseshoe loop of canal that they dug when they came up against the rock, this is also visible on the map below.

We chugged on to Windmill End Junction where we turned right down to Hawne Basin as after 12 days with both the engine and heating we needed a bit of diesel and also empty the toilet tank. Not far down the canal you come to a gauging island but as well as boating through the gauging section you can also boat right round it which seems strange, maybe someone can offer more information on it.

As we approached Gosty Hill tunnel when it started to rain so the brolly was put into use for a few hundred yards before entering the under world. There is quite a bit of floating debris in the first quarter of the tunnel but after that it was clear. Needless to say when we came back into daylight it was raining harder, but again after a few hundred meters later it stopped . A goose thought it would be a good idea to lay her eggs on a bricked up doorway, I don't think it really gives her room a nest.

Down at Hawne Basin we turned into the basin through the quite small entrance bridge, I can swing in with our boat but I thing anything much longer would need to back into the winding hole first. Dee saw us arrive and was soon out to look after our needs, filling one tank and emptying the other, I had just paid my dues when Pat and Sheila complete with dog walked round and took up residence on out bench seat so we could catch up on the past 12 months. It was 3pm  before we said our goodbyes and headed back onto the cut, the plan was to moor just outside  the basin, but as it was now blue sky's and bright sunshine we decided to head back to Windmill End, on the way we passed this Black Country cast plaque, this is the best condition one we have seen, most have suffered at the hands of the spray can cowboys 

Back at Windmill Junction we dropped back about 50 Meters to moor on the visitor moorings for the night.

Todays journey 10.2 miles, 1 lock in 4¾ hours