Tixall

 After hearing the weather forecast we decided to set off a couple of hours earlier than normal to get the hours in before the weather got too hot after lunch, so 8 o'clock and we were on our way meeting a hire boat at the first lock. Not long after that we had the first spits of rain with all over dark clouds. We stopped just above Penkridge Lock to take on water and dispose of rubbish,  it's a tap with good pressure. While the water was filling I turned the lock, a bit slow as only one paddle was operational, in fact we didn't pass through a lock until we reached Tixall where they were all working, one lock had a single paddle both ends.
The canal was quite busy, the rain kept spitting and stopping until about 1130 when it was spitting or raining. I don't know how long this little fisherman has sat on the straight below Park gate Lock but I have never spotted him before.It now looks as if the Stafford Boat Club also have a caravan club as well, the field by the moorings was full of motorhomes and caravans when we passed and I  see they have power points around the field as well.
There looks to be lots of work going on at the Stafford Link, well done them, but I do wonder who will use the river link to get to town once its complete.We pushed on in the showers, Its not too bad when you don't have locks to negotiate as with the coat on, brolly up and back doors closed life isn't that bad. If any single ladies, well I assume ladies are looking for a boat this one looks quite tidy About 12 o'clock it really started to rain and we were approaching Tixall lock so should we stop above or below, a slight miss understanding and we went down the lock and moored a couple of hundred yards below it. I think I should have moored above from comments received, but you don't hear the trains down here. Since we have been moored up it hasn't stopped raining but its not been heavy like a couple of days ago.

Todays Journey 9 miles7 locks in 4½ hours