Great Haywood

Not the most peaceful of moorings last night, a generator running until 10pm and a boat going by at about 6am this morning, With the boat movements this morning we decided to set off slightly earlier, needles to say as soon as I started the engine another boat came along, so we slipped out behind him when yet another appeared. Thankfully the one ahead turned right at the junction and we turned left, just before a boat came out of Junction lock. There were Volockies working the both Middle and Shadehouse locks, so as we reached Middle lock it was almost empty, a short wait at Shadehouse lock as a boat was coming in from above. At Woodend Lock we were third in the queue and no one coming down. After that we met boats steadily all the way to Rugeley,  I even had to wait at Armitage tunnel, I can’t remember the last time that happened.

JF boat builders are making good use of the land they have acquired at Bromley Wharf with one new boat in the water and a hull on  hard standing.

As we passed The Ash Tree pub it started to rain, the sky had been dark for some time. It came on fast so I just grabbed the brolly rather than going for a coat, the rain continued right until we moored up by Tesco’s in Rugeley. A short way past the Ash Tree someone has been growing their own hops for a few years now, I guess its for home brew.

Needless to say as soon as we moored up in Rugeley the rain stopped and the sun came out, however we stopped for lunch and then Diana nipped into Tesco for a couple of things we were short of, when she returned we set off again in bright sun shine. You can’t pass through Rugeley without taking a photo at Naomi’s Landing, well I can’t anyway.

We had just passed the winding hole at the North end of the aqueduct when it started to rain again, really rain so out came the brolly again, thankfully there wasn’t too much wind. Another site that has been cleared is Dave Freemans yard at Taff Bridge with an old FMC boat Cormorant out on hard standing.

We carried on in the rain to Wolsey Bridge we we moored up yet again in the rain, but again as soon as we made fast the sun came out, this was only a temporary planned stop, at 6-30 we were off, we knew that Colwich lock had the top ground paddle out and was causing queues so by going at this time there would be no one about and we would be straight through in 15 minutes  even having to turn the lock first. Once clear of the lock we continued towards Gt Haywood lock until we reached the point where there is bit of a hill between the railway and the canal, it was even sunny.

Today’s Journey  

12¼ miles, 4 locks in 6 hours.