Hixon

Last night we ate at Pasta Da Piazza, being Sunday it was quite quiet and thankfully we were moored close to the town as it was raining both going and coming home. Overnight the wind and rain was relentless but when we got up this morning it had stopped, so a 9am we made ready to set off, by the time we dropped the liens it was raining again. Even though the bywash at Star Lock has been running all the time there has been no improvement in the levelin this pound. It looks to be running through the top and bottom gates of Aston lock as quick as its coming in.
With the rain we considered stopping at Weston, but then it brightened up and the rain stop so we pushed on. It only did it to fool us and started raining again. I wonder how the efficiency of solar panels is effected by dirt, it could be an opening for someone cleaning them. Some we have see on roofs with much less pitch have been dirty all over.
When the tree reaches the high voltage cables will it wither away or cause a good short to earth and a fire, green conifer burns really well.

We were lucky at the locks meeting a boat coming up at each one and made very good progress, mooring on the 48 hour moorings at Hixon by the nature reserve. There were plans to build a marina opposite but nothing seams to have happened and the planning consent expired .

Today’s journey

3 locks 7¾ miles in 3 hours

Stone

Well the geese all departed yesterday evening and we didn’t hear them again until gone 9am today.
Boats were on the move before we were about and definitely before we set off at 10am. to  very overcast morning. We met a continuous stream of boats all the way to Aston Lock where there were a queue of 3 waiting to come down, but no one waiting to go up. The bottom gates of Aston lock are leaking very badly and even with both paddles fully drawn its hard to make level at the top, consequently the pound between Aston and Star Lock is down by at least a foot. Of course all the boats that come up Aston lock to visit Stone for the weekend and then go down again the next day doesn’t help matter. It was a slow run from here to Stone, I always like looking at this garden as we pass, a small garden absolutely packed to the edge.

As expected there were several vacant mooring spots below Stone so we carried on to the water point to fill with water, then dropped back to the winding hole, turned and reversed back to the two vacant 48 hr moorings spots between the lock and the winding hole, mooring at the first one we came to ready to retrace our steps tomorrow.

Today’s journey

3½ miles, 1 lock in 2 hours

Burston

A peaceful night and we were away at about ten. I expected the land between us and Shugborough Hall to be flooded, but it was all like normal with people walking etc.
A few boats had been by in both directions but Gt Haywood lock was against us and once clear of the trees below the lock it was a spring like day.

There was a fishing match going on between bridge 74 and the entrance to Gt Haywood Marina. I think they may have been getting a disturbed morning as most of the boats coming down were coming out of the marina. As we approached Hoo Mill Lock on of the long term moorers informed me we were number 4 in the queue, but by the time we had pulled in it was number 3. There were a couple of boats coming down including an Finesse electric one. By the time Diana brought the boat in there were four behind us and it seems that one of them and the fishermen had words.
The guess were out in force with a lone heron standing guard at the back, I expect we will get an early call in the morning as they were on most vacant pieces of grass land.

Surprise surprise there was no queue at Western lock but it was against us. we were almost ready to leave the lock when fellow blogger Nb. Bonjour came round the bend, perfect timing, we could leave the gates and they could sail straight in.
Then the sky’s started to darken and the clouds gathered as this Swan came low overhead.

The first boat we saw at Hoo Mill had now winded and moored on the Sandon Park, or is it Salt long term moorings. The end mooring use to have a collection of larger than life stuffed toys, last time we passed the boat had gone and now the mooring is being redeveloped.

I just love taking photos of this bridge, it’s such a bold structure to carry a road across a canal. I am sure it wasn’t actually needed.

Up at Sandon lock we caught up with the boat ahead and went up to lend a hand, there was a boat waiting above to come down so the lock was well manned and they were both soon on their way. We only went about another half mile before mooring for the night out in the wilds wit just a hundred geese for company . We had a very  light shower just as we came in to moor but other than that the day has been fine .

Today’s journey

4 locks, 6¾ miles in 3½ hours

Great Haywood

The day started grey and overcast, a lot cooler than recent days with bit of a breeze, followed by a little drizzle, but it didn’t last long, passing under the railway bridge at Armitage the edge of the towpath is getting worse and I expect the rest of the edging stones will fall in soon.

CRT still consider the cutting where Armitage tunnel use to be a tunnel and have wasted money on these

signs just for a road bridge over a cutting, I wonder if they still carry out tunnel inspections on it checking the roof.

We stopped by Tesco for a bit of shopping and as we were tied up also had lunch. The afternoon was much warmer and it wasn’t long before we passed this project boat.

We also passed this fine old craft looking in a bit better shape than the previous boat, especially considering she is older and made of wood.

Of course you cant go through Rugeley without a photo of Naomi's Landing, we passed their boat, Dancing Sheep last week so were surprised to see it back on the moorings.

There were only a few boats moving about today, as it was dry I thought there may be more. Passing Taff Farm, the boat Cormorant has now been cut in half for some reason.

The sun was feel quite warm now if you were out of the wind and it added a little extra to the autumn colours on the vines at Wolseley Bridge.

Approaching Colwich lock a boat had just closed up and left so I scurried up before anyone could turn the lock, I still had to draw the bottom paddles to open the gates. The top gate now has splints and the ground paddle is still covered over with cogs and bits laying on the ground poking out from the cover. Once clear of the lock we carried on almost to Iron Bridge to moor for the night.

Today’s Journey

8¼ miles, 1 lock in 3¼ hours

Handsacre

We had a bit of rain overnight and early this morning a load of geese flew over, I don’t know why they have to talk to each other all the time.
We were away earlier than usual just as a few hundred more Canada Geese went over.I haven’t seen so many geese for probably 30 years on the N Norfolk coast.
The morning was fine and dead still as you can see from this photo, we had hoped to fill with water but there was a boat already there.

We carried on to Bagnall lock and as we were leaving a boat arrived from above, passing under the A513 the towpath side pant work is in better condition than the offside. Of course the graffiti crowd have had a dorb here and there but on the whole its still not too bad. 

Just before Common Lock we passed the entrance to Fradley Marina. Although the entrance is below the lock the actual marina straddles the lock.

We met another couple of boat so hopefully Hunt’s Lock would be with us, as we got closer I could see there was a Volockie on duty who opened the gates ready for our arrival. One of the boats on the long term moorings below the lock has twin electric outboard engines mounted on the stern of his boat, I don’t know if this is his only form of propulsion.

As we entered Hunt’s Lock I hopped off on the offside to close the gate, but I wasn’t needed. The Volockie had a line tied between the two gates on the handrail at the mitre so that he could pull the off gate shut from the side he was standing. He told there were Volockies working all the locks, so I asked him to inform the one at Junction Lock we were stopping for water.
The water tap seamed to take for ages and 2 or 3 boats came by while we were filling up, needles to say the last one was just before we were ready to leave so we had to wait behind them at the lock. We met boats at both Middle and Shade House lock so a steady run.
There is no apparent progress on HS2 in the area of Woodend but the lock cottage still loos surprisingly secure.
Passing JF boat fitting at Kings Bromley their moorings looked almost empty, even the boat that is normally moored on line in front of the bungalow was gone. However there were three boats moored outside their new premises and it looks as if they have their own crane on site which could be useful.

We were now experiencing the odd spot of rain along with sunshine and the sky was turning quite dark in places. We didn’t really have a plan on where we would stop, so when we saw a long gap at Handsacre we pulled in there and not long afterwards another boat filled the gap pulling in behind us.

Today’s Journey

6¼ miles, 8 locks in 4 hours

Alrewas

A bit late getting away today, well we didn’t think we had anywhere to go. The plan was to run down to the winding hole at Wychnor and then go back to Branston Water park for the night while waiting for the Trent to reopen.
We kept meeting boats all morning but every lock we came to was against us, we knew Jules Fuels where ahead of us but they hat a good start on us.
We passed this rather hansom chap, he didn’t hove a feather as we passed, I just wish I could have got the camera out sooner.

By the time we reached Barton Turns lock we must have met 8 boats. There was a boat moored just below the lock and I was rather impressed with his tiller pin, I don’t know how robust it would be.

A boat was approaching the lock from above which like all the rest was against us and I said to him about all the boats and wondering where they came from, his reply was Alrewas, apparently CRT unlocked the locks yesterday evening, but didn’t tell anyone. This was the sign at the marina entrance.

This of course meant a change of plans for us, we would now not be winding above the lock but continuing down onto the river and then to Alrewas. As expect Wychnor lock was against us, but that turned we were on our way. There was a bit of flow on the river but not to much at this end of the river. We passed under bridge 45 and here you can see where the fendering is missing.

With the river being a bit higher a lot of the land is now flooded and these poor cows are on one of the remaining pieces of dry land.

After we passed the weir at Alrewas the flow to the right hand side of the river, where we should be was quite a bit stronger, I would estimate the best part

of 3 MPH. and our speed over the ground dropped well below 2 MPH until I moved over to the slacker water. There was a boat about to enter Alrewas Lock (originally known as Smithy Lock) from above but in the lock cut it was no problem waiting for them. Once clear of the lock we moored for the night just before the waterpoint.

Today’s journey

7 miles, 5 Locks in 3¼ hours

Burton on Trent

Last nights Indian Takeaway was superb, for just under £24 we had enough for the two of us two nights running. Aangan on Castle Way, less than 5 minutes from the moorings and this is what we had.

Popoddom & Pickle
Gorkhali Chicken
Lamb Sherpa
Dal Tadka (Side dish)
Vegetable Pakora
2X Pilau Rice,
2X Plain Naan 

Ordered online and then I walked up and collected it dead on time.
This morning we were off at ten to an overcast but dry morning. A cormorant flew over us, landed ahead, swam round behind the boat and then followed us for about 150Mt. diving and fishing, I must have taken half a dozen photos of its tail

before getting one of its head. It then took off and repeated the exercise, so its something it has learnt to do.  
This is not a happy sight on any mooring, I wonder how long it has been like this.

They say cows and the way they behave is a good indication as to what the weather is going to do. Lying down shows that rain is due shortly but thankfully we have had a dry day.

We were lucky with Dallow  lock as a boat was leaving as we approached so they left the gates for us. We also passed fellow bloggers, The Jameison’s on Free Spirit before heading off to Shobnall Marina to both fill with diesel and empty the toilet tank. After leaving the marina we only went about a couple of hundred meters before mooring for the night, not much point in going further as the river is in flood at Wychnor so we can’t go passed there.
I didn’t waste the afternoon as I changed the primary fuel filter, it’s a year since it was last done but still all looked clean and also the hydraulic drive filter.

Today’s Journey

5½ miles, 1 lock in 2½ hours

Willington

  The weather today was much better than forecast and we haven’t had any rain thank goodness. We hadn’t gone very far when we passed this, I guess he hit the bend just a bit to fast. The police were on the scene, probably to give him a ticket.

Then poor old bridge 17, one side on the point of falling do and the other had already fallen in the cut.

There were three boats on the Ragley Boat Stop moorings and at least two of them were using the electric hookup, I wonder if you need tokens or something from the pub? They are good moorings and still room for more.

Just before we got to the entrance to Mercia Marina, the actual marina is the other side of a road so quite a long entrance channel we were surrounded by Swallows all darting about, these are the only ones I have seen for weeks and thought they had all gone somewhere warm ready for the winter.
On the way down I posted a photo of a train and wondered if it was abandoned, well today I got the answer as dozens of oil tanker wagons were slowly trundling along where it had been parked.

We only met one boat all morning and that was in a bridge hole, luckily I saw him coming and gave way as he admitted he was looking elsewhere, probably the Indian restaurant by the bridge.
We planned to stop in Willington again as we liked the look of the Takeaway menu at Aangan Indian Restaurant, thankfully there were still a few mooring spots when we arrived, but first we dumped the rubbish, filled with water and changed a few books at the services before pushing over to the towpath side for the night.

Today’s Journey

5½ miles 1 lock in 2½ hours

Swarkestone

My word what a miserable night, thunder, lightning, wind and rain until bed time then rain most of the night and nearly all of today until about 3pm.  Our route home is closed at Alrewas due to the river being in flood and not likely to improve for a few days .
Full wet gear on and we were away at about 10am. we were going to get wet whatever time we left, and it was a miserable spot where we were. Dobson’s name is still on the yard doors, I don’t know who is building Narrowboats there now but there were at least three moored up still in primer.

The first lock we came to was with us as a boat was coming out, at least they left the gate open for us even if they did leave the offside paddle fully up. We et a chap there with a CRT jumper on and an ID card hung round his neck, turned out he was a fund raiser and was looking for the best place to stand, I suggested the pub, it was peeing down with rain but he did close up for me.
The next two locks were full and against us. I am on lock duty this trip as Diana has bit of a sore leg muscle, so into the landing stage, Diana hops of with the bow rope, I go ashore and turn the lock. Some of the flow from the bottom gates on these locks can be quite fierce so best not to try and hold the boat on a centre line.
As we came up Western Lock we could se a boat above the lock making ready to leave so we had a locking buddy for the last lock of the day . We were following at a nice speed until the boat ahead had to pull over hard to get past a fallen tree where we think they picked something up around the prop as it was a lot slow going from here.

We passed the  section with the underwater obstruction that I posted about yesterday. Chris Deuchar contacted me with this reply.
”The underwater stone has been an issue forever - primarily because I believe it is the canal bed in this cutting - and angles downward from the side.  Therefore, how far from the edge you need to travel to avoid it depends on the draught of your boat.  Mine draws some 3ft when on the move and needs to be 4-5ft from the towpath edge to avoid this.  This can be disconcerting to oncoming boats who might not realise why one is 'hogging' the centre of the channel.  So, when eastbound, it is a good idea to be ready to give way to any oncoming, westbound craft just west of bridge 11 and the adjacent railway bridge.”
At bridge 12 I met Joules Fuels coming the other way, thankfully spotted in time to just slid over to the offside and pass without problem. Although by now the actual rain had turned to showers there was still much bad weather around us.

A boat was coming out of Swarkestone lock as we approached, unfortunately the single hander had already closed up when the boat ahead arrived,. Both boats were soon in the lock and on their way up, the steerer apologised for his slow progress and thought he had a fouled prop, from his wash I agreed with him, so once out of the lock he pulled over to investigate, we carried on another 3 to 400mt to moor for the night just prior to the waterpoint, the same spot we had lunch at the other day.

Today’s journey

6 miles, 4 locks in 3 hours