Deptmore Lock

Off at our normal ten in bright sunshine just after another boat had gone by. I think I have tried to get a good photo of this tree carving every time we have been passed but the angle is always not quite right.

When we arrived a Colwich lock, which was living up to its nickname Cow S**t Lock the single hander ahead was just going in through the bottom gates.

Diana helped him lock up and then it was our turn, if possible I like to tuck the bows in against the gate so the boat doesn't get washed about as the lock empties. As I stood there I watched a pair of Jackdaws on the lock cottage chimney top, I wonder if they well set up home in his flue.

As we were about to leave Colwich Lock a boat came under the railway bridge so we were able to leave the lock open.
The Kingfishers were out in force, the first just sat on some dead foliage as we passed but I spotted it too late to get the camera out, I had more luck with the next two.

  A bit more luck at Haywood Lock as there was a boat waiting to exit the lock and the engine had an unmistakable beat to it, it was the ex working boat called “Ironside” but I can’t find a historic boat with that name.

We continued up the Trent and Mersey canal  as far as Great Haywood Junction where we turned left onto the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal. Surprisingly there were on 3 boats moored on Tixall Wide, I expected more stopping there for Christmas, but it did give me a chance to blow a few cobwebs out of the engine. The long building that stands not too far back from Tixall Wide was looking splendid in the morning sun. I have no idea how old it is and can find nothing about it.

At Tixall lock we met a gentleman who said his son owned the boat permanently moored on the offside above the lock and that it had crossed the English Channel twice, but couldn’t get to the Montgomery Canal as it was a tad too wide. We carried on to the outskirts of Stafford, past the Stafford link where they hope to join the canal back to the river Sow one day and stopped for a short time at Meadow Bridge 99 to explore the bridge that crosses the floodplain of the river Penk, today it was well flooded.

We had often wondered where this bridge went to. Back on board we continued on our way, the floods opposite the Stafford Boat club where even wider .

By now we were within striking distance of our chosen mooring for the night which was just above Deptmore Lock, the weather was pleasant enough to go further but soon the noise of the motorway impinges on the canal.

Todays Journey

8¾ Miles, 4 locks in 4 hours