Penkridge

Last night we had a fisherman set up camp just ahead of us and another a short way behind, they were there all night and the temperature dropped to about 3°C and they didn’t get a bit all night. I think every one who comes onto Tixall Wide takes this photograph.

A slow chug the length of Tixall Wide, passed all the moored boats including this wooden beauty.

At Tixall lock a boater had just started filling the lock as we arrived and then a second arrived behind him, as the first was single handing we soon had him on his way and we were on the way up.
The weather was strange, we were in sunshine most of the time but surrounded by very dark clouds. I can’t think of another turnover bridge on this canal, I will keep my eyes open.

The pub at Baswich has changed its name to The Radford Bank Inn and is a Stonehouse restaurant. One of the houses along there looks to have enlarged his frontage a bit.

Deptmore lock was full and this was the pattern for the rest of the day with no one coming the other way. Goslings have been about in plenty today. I had only seen 2 up until today.

The cows were doing well with plenty of calves in the field with their mothers.

The farmer along here has tried over the years to stop the erosion of his field with hardcore etc. on this section he looks to have done his best to compact the offside bank to stop his field washing away.

Park Gate Lock like the others was full, what I didn’t notice was the offside top paddle was not down, and a chap from the boat yard dropped. We worked through the lock closing up behind us and stopped a short way up so that I could visit Park Gate Leisure  but unfortunately they didn’t have what I wanted, but as I reached the lock the top gate was now open and the boatyard were moving a trip boat in backwards for a MCA inspection.  
We carried on to Penkridge where there was a boat about to leave the lock, the first and last of the day. Once through the lock  we dumped rubbish and filled with water, I cant remember the last time I saw one

of these on a waterpoint. Once that was all done we moored just before bridge 85 and walked to TFM Store to get some hose. They sell everything  from beer to Morris Oil which looked a reasonable price.

Today’s Journey

 

10 miles with 6 locks in 5 hours