The Staffs & Worcs canal .... 10th October 2013
You can't imagine the relief I felt leaving the
river and closing those cute little lock doors up behind me and shutting that wild and windy river out once and for all!
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| Ariel shot of the way through the basins, the River is down the bottom of the picture, the locks in yellow |
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| Looking back at the River Severn as we entered the Stourport Basin through the first staircase locks |
The first locks we came to were a set of staircase locks, very
old and rickety, but so lovely!
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| Going up.... in the bottom of the first staircase lock, the upper lock is ahead |
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| Looking back, straight out of the lower and into the upper lock of the staircase, |
We went in the bottom one, used the water from the top
one to fill up the bottom one so I was at the level to go into the top one.
Paul then filled up the top one and we were at the
top.... confused???
That wasn't how I felt! Safe and relieved, secure in the knowledge we were on a little canal once more, and off the huge windy river!
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| Leaving the first staircase lock, and about to enter the next set.... you had to be there! |
The next two locks were also staircase locks .... again the bottom lock was empty, doors open, I go in, doors shut, fill the
bottom lock up with water from the top lock, open the doors, straight into the
top lock and fill that up. Then we're at the top! Easier?
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| Going straight into the upper lock of the staircase, doors shutting behind me |
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| Making our way through the basins, theres 4 altogether |
At the top of that lock we were in the big basin, full
of narrow boats all moored up in neat rows. We make our manoeuvre around the
rows of boats moored up and into another basin! There we turn a left corner and
there's another lock!
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| Signs give you directions as you enter the basins |
Under a road bridge, by a cute tea shoppe!
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| Under the low road bridge as we enter our last lock in the basin |
I've never been any where like this before, and
probably never will again! It seemed a crazy place, but full of history! We get
to the top of that lock, our 5th on the Staffs & Worcs canal, and we haven't
been anywhere yet!
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| Then we're up the top leaving the last lock of the basin, the tea shop on the right of the picture |
Just above the top lock there's some 5 day moorings
with rings to tie up to, so that's where we stopped!
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| We pull over on the 5 day moorings by these done-up old buildings, now much sort after apartments |
We were cold and tired, it was 3.45 pm, we'd done
enough for one day, more than enough! We'd made it to the canal once again, and
we were very happy! The wind was still bitter but we didn't care! We were safe
and snug in our little boat on a very lovely part of the canal. Poor Jack had been
in the boat a while now, so first job was to get him out for a stretch of his
legs. We found a disused railway line which led on to horses fields, he was
able to run and chase smells, he was happy with that!
After a lovely hot shower and dinner we settled in for
the evening.
The mooring spot was a bit noisy, it was next to a
busy town road so it was to be expected.
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| These gardens backed right onto the canal near where we moored |
The next morning it was drizzle and rain. We had
planned on stopping here to do our washing at a really convenient launderette
near the canal and then moving off in the afternoon. So we trudged to the Dizzy
Dollys laundry on the high street and did our washing. We explored the shops,
chatted to Dizzy Dolly who made us coffee/tea (never had that before from a
laundrette!) everyone was so friendly!
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| The sun came out briefly as we wandered around the basins, the entrance over to the right of the picture |
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| From the bridge you can see the staircase locks, one goes straight into another |
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| The wide deep locks were built to bring the huge boats into the basin to unload... Paul and Jack go and explore |
We got back to the boat and went to have a nose around
the Historic Basins, we looked around the Chandlery, and Paul had his hair cut
in the Barbers in the high street. It was still raining, had been all day, after
our walk with Jack the day had gone! So we stayed another night!
It's now 12th October and were moving up this
wonderful canal today. It's still drizzling but we want to get out of the town
and into the peace and quiet of the countryside. We walk Jack and take the
tennis ball over the parklands and Paul heads off to get coal from the
Chandlers. It was 11am by the time we set off, and it was still just about raining.
But waterproofs on, we made our move. We leave Stourport end of the canal and
its all really nice.
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| We get out of Stourport and into the wooded countryside surrounding the canal |
As we get further out the canal gets really pretty, we're
on a ledge again with red rock faces on our left and sharp drops to our right.
The canal was cut out of the rocky hillside all those years ago, it's so
different, fascinating.
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| Our first lock out of Stourport, cute and crumbling! |
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| We help a day hire boat through the lock, this canal was cut out of the red sandstone you see in the picture |
We pass a day hire boat messing about and at the first
of our locks today we meet up with another! With some help from us, they're
through, and we make our accent up the lock.
There's lots of tree and leaf debris floating about,
it is autumn so all the vegetation is in the canal. It blocks up the prop and
stops you moving! So every now and again it's a quick reverse with the gears
and that chucks it off, and you're on your way again.
We leave the lock, no power, and after reversing we clear
the debris and were off again. Only a short while and it's our second lock of
the day.
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| Never seen a canal that was so amazing as this one, you can see the history and evidence of hard work all around |
The lock is cut out of the rocks and the whole area
looks stunning! Just around the corner is Kidderminster, although the
industrial part is hidden from the canal, the trees and high embankments cover
up any sign you're approaching a major town!
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| Approaching Kidderminster, they've made the canal side look pretty nice really |
Just into Kidderminster we spot the hire boaters
stopped at a pub and we cruise past them! Ha, lost them at last! Past Tescos we
go and into the town lock, it's a pretty nice area here and you have to land
your boat under a big road bridge, right beside McDonalds!
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| Ha! Lunch stop! |
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| With the lock up ahead, we go under the huge road bridge.... |
There's a huge retail park here, got all the shops you
can imagine. and it is 1.30pm!
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| .... up through the lock..... |
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| .... at the 48 hour mooring we get our lunch and sit on the bench in the sunshine... and rain... and eat! Yummy! |
So we go through the lock and pull over on the 48 hr
moorings above the lock, 30 secs walking distance from lunch ....Mc chilli chicken
wrap and chips .... and it was lovely!
We sat on the bench and munched our lunch! We set off
again shortly on our way out of Kidderminster past a load of brand new houses,
they went on and on for ages, they weren't marked on our map book so they couldn't
have been there long.
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| These houses are so new they're not even marked on our newish map book... the clouds are coming! |
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| A pair of kingfishers(!!?) watch as we cruise on by |
After we leave the built up area the canal gets pretty
again, the locks and canals and all surrounds were dug out of the red sand
stone and looked amazing.
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| The sides of the canal were cut out of the red sandstone once again.... |
We reach Wolverley Court Lock and get clogged up
again with tree debris. So a quick reverse and its free again, and were on our
way, towards Wolverley Lock.
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| At the 48 hour moorings just below Wolverly Lock |
But we stop just before, there's some nice 48 hr
moorings with rings to tie up to, the area is quiet, trees tower over the boat
one side, open horse meadows the other side; the lock up ahead can wait! So we
pull over and get the boat secure and go off to explore on our walk with Jack.
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| We climb high up the wooded embankment and look down over the river valley |
The walk and surroundings were amazing, the red stone
cliffs and the beautiful woodlands, the lovely meadows and the views over the
river valleys.
We crossed the canal at a lovely little bridge and
explored the other side of the canal, tall hills and woodlands line the huge
drop down to the canal. We were out for ages, wandering, we even got a bit
lost! But we found our way back to the boat, rain showers on and off all day,
forecast for heavy rain later! It got darker earlier than usual, we were under
a canopy of trees and the skies were turning a darker shade of grey than usual!
And then it came, in bucket loads. But we were cosy and warm in the boat by
then.
I lit the fire, made another apple crumble and fed a
very tired Jack!
We would have had a lovely quiet night except for the
rain banging on the roof most of the night! We stayed in the boat the next day,
watching boaters going past sheltering under brollys donning their wet weather
gear, looking quite miserable! We go on our walk with Jack over stubble fields
and through lovely woods, there's badgers about here too! We found a load of
wood and dragged it back to the boat to cut up later, that'll keep us warm for
a bit!
Sheltered from the wind and rain all day we stay cosy
and warm in the boat, only going out later with Jack to explore the little cute
village of Wolverley.
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| This road, dug out of the cliffs had eroded with use, just like a lot of the sandstone |
There's a Little Tea Shoppe in the village, as Jack
was allowed in if he was good (which he always is!) we went in and had
fantastic cake and tea/coffee and warmed up behind steamed up glasses.
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| Aah, huge cake and a hot steamy cup of tea.... |
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| ..... while Jack lays on the floor looking on longingly incase of falling crumbs! |
There's houses built deep into the rocky red cliffs,
the church stands proud on the top of a hill, the road carved out of red sand
stone.
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| We make our way down this extraordinary road on our way from the village to the canal |
Monday 14th October and the forecast is more rain. But
we have to move on, our mooring spot is only 48 hours, and our time is up
today. So after our great walk with Jack we put on our wet weather gear and
head off up the lock, Paul and Jack going off ahead to set the lock.
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| Leaving the mooring spot at Wolverly Lock |
It's not raining at the moment but every where is damp
and dark, but that doesn't spoil the beauty and amazingness of this stunning
canal!
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| The narrow canal is stunning, amazing to think this was cut out by hand all those years ago |
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| This lock had two caves that had been carved out of the red rocks |
It's narrow, with lots of sharp bends, towered over by
red rocky cliffs, sometimes eroding to form caves and holes big enough to get
into!
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| The trees just seemed to grow out of the rocks at all angles |
We craned our necks high to find the tops of the humongously
tall trees. On the other side it drops down to the river valley, were on a
ledge again! The colour of the countryside is changing now, leaves of reds and
yellows and browns line the floors of the woodland sort of mingle in with the
red rocky landscape.
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| We take our faithful hound for protection as we explore the dark caves by the locks! |
The next lock we come to was Debdale lock, again dug
out of the red rock, there's a cave by the lock we go into with torches to
explore.
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| The side weirs were so different here, normally they flow beside or underneath the side of the lock |
The overflow weir pools are different here, they're circular and
remind me of an outdoor hot tub, without the 'hot'.
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| Cookley Tunnel, short but sweet |
Next was Cookly tunnel, short but cut out of rock
again, very old with houses towering over the tunnel entrance.
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| Houses above the tunnel cut out of the red stone |
We've got 2.5 miles till the next lock now, so we sit
back and admire the views.
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| This canal is stunning, with sharp rocky faces forming the edge of the bank |
There's a small river runs along the canal, the river
Stour, and between the canal and the river the vegetation has totally been
taken over by the Japanese weedy stuff, its killing off everything else and it's
higher than a man! And it stinks!
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| Jack and Paul take in the view from the front of the boat |
The canal is still stunning, we pass Austcliffe with
its holiday homes, lovely gardens and cute cottages and foot bridges. There's
no walkers about, we only pass one boat all day and a tiny community of boaters
moored at Whittington by the only road bridge on this stretch!
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| And it just gets more and more amazing! |
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| Marks left on the bridges show how the ropes from the horses pulling the boats have cut into the walls |
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| Whittington Bridge, theyre all so old and crumbly, but so cute! |
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| Arriving in Kinver, all tree lined and beautiful |
It's started chucking it down with rain now, we get
through the lock at Whittington and go about another mile, there's 24 hr
moorings here in a village called Kinver.
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| At the 24 hour moorings at Kinver, we went walking with Jack and saw the boat from the top of the canal cutting |
We've been about 4 miles and 3 locks and a couple of
hours, so we pull over and tie the boat up, go indoors, light the fire and have
lunch.
Its still raining when Jack reminds us its time for
his afternoon walk, so waterproofs on again we set off back towards Whittington
bridge and find a lovely walk over fields and up high on the rocky ridges that
overlook the canal.
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| The houses here are cut into the rocky cliffs |
This is such a lovely canal, our best yet! We get back
to the boat and move it back a few yards, we should get a tv picture here! And
we did! First time in weeks and weeks! So we shower in gorgeous hot water and
sit in our pj's and watch telly for the rest of the day while the rain hammers
on the boat outside ..... but we don't care!
On Tuesday morning Paul took Jack out while I met up
with a guy from Wilsons Boat covers. Their offices and workshop was right by
the lock and we spotted them yesterday, called in by chance and arranged for
him to come and do a tiny repair to some rivets and poppers on our cratch cover
at 8.30am. Within 15 mins he was done and a small token payment of 'a couple of
quid' later we were then on our way up Kinver lock.
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| At the water point at Kinver, even that's beautiful! |
Just above the lock there's a load of permanent
moorings and a water point. We dumped rubbish and filled up with water and
dreamed one day when were ready to stop this might be the place to come to! It's
lovely here, there's loads of mooring, and the area is amazing here! Were going
to remember this place and come and visit it again, for longer next time!
We left the water point, past loads more moored boats
and into Hyde Lock, another lock cut out of the red sand stone. As we came out
of the lock a work boat selling all sorts of stuff stopped on the lock
moorings, we got some much needed kindling as we had almost run out.
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Getting the boat into Hyde Lock, still very damp and wet!
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| The views opened up above the lock with forests and open land all about |
The countryside opened up here, big fields and
meadows, and still the familiar woodland to one side of us.
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| The red sandstone rocky sides of the canal still continue along side us as we make our way up the Staffs & Worcs |
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| Entering the tiny Dunsley Tunnel, we've been under bigger bridge holes than this! |
Next is a Dunsley tunnel, only 25 yds, more like a
bridge! It's said to be the oldest tunnel on the canal system but I don't know
who said it! Again it's carved out of the continuously eroding red sand stone.
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| Such a cute tunnel cut out of the hillside |
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| Inside the tunnel you can see the red rocky sides |
We get to Stewpony Lock (see, the horse meat scandal's
been about for ages!) and after that is the junction with The Stourbridge and
the Dudley Canals.
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| The horse meat scandal originated from here! |
We carry straight on past, they're for another day and
we're heading for Wolverhampton!
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| We're heading straight on to Wolverhampton, Stourbridge and Birmingham's for another day |
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| More stunning canal sides... more red sandstone |
A couple of really pretty locks, again cut out of the red
sandstone, and past a huge marina and we see some repairs done to the ever eroding
sand stone. There has been some brick pillars put in to support the falling
down sides, seems to work tho!
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| The red sandstone is eroding away, and there's been some brick pillars built to hold up the sides |
Next is the village of Swindon, not to be muddled with
the town of Swindon!
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| The aptly named Rocky Lock |
Theres 5 locks here together, the last two were
staircase locks where one lock goes straight into another.
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| We go through the village of Swindon |
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| The 4th and 5th lock out of Swindon, the staircase lock |
Soon we were away from all the miserable fishermen in
Swindon ..... you'de think the canals were restored for fishing, not boating,
the amount they were moaning about us coming past!
Into Wombourne now, you don't really see much of the
town as trees and nice houses and gardens line the banks of the canal and hide virtually
any sign of the town.
There's a couple more locks to do before we get to the infamous
Bratch Locks, one's called Bumblehole Lock!
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| Entering Bumblehole lock |
But that's not what we called it!
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| Luckily this is in an area that doesn't suffer from graffitti! |
Onwards to the Bratch locks we go, these are a flight of
three locks, all 10' deep, with only a 5' pound between them that you have to
empty into the side weirs or you may flood out the lock below you!!
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| The Lock Keeper helps as we make our way up the three Bratch Locks |
The C&RT lock keeper emptied the lock above us into the side pound, I went straight in to the empty lock via the 5' pound between locks...... the paddles are colour coded red and blue..... you do it in a particular order.... same with the next lock..... and the last lock..... hopefully these pictures will tell a better story of how it works than I can in words!
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| .... going up, nice and steady in the first lock |
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| Looking back at the first of the three locks, the lock pound is in the front of the picture, only 5' long |
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Entering the second lock, the round lock keepers house on the right.
You can see the third lock just above the lock gates ahead, and the 'mini' lock pound between the two locks |
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| Paul just fits in to the little cut out in the wall, this is where you have to get to open the gates! See the blue colour coded paddles, you have to get emptying and filling in the right order here |
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| Entering the last of the three locks just before the bottom gates shut behind me |
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| We've made it to the top, no disasters today |
When we got to the top the sun was shining.... It was
beautiful!
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| View from the top, and the sun came out as we got higher and higher up the flight |
There were open meadows all around us, farm land and
horses grazing. We went on another half a mile, it was 3.45pm and we were
knackered, we'd done 10 miles and 15 locks today. Just ahead of us was Awbridge
lock and bridge so we found a lovely spot to moor overnight on the grassy
towpath.
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| We found a lovely rural spot in amongst fields just before Awbridge Bridge and Lock |
There was a huge stubble field that Jack had a
brilliant run about in. We had a really peaceful night, we had telly, and there
was nothing and no one to disturb us, just how we like it!
On Wednesday 16th October we set off again in the
drizzle after our walk around the stubble field with Jack.
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| The stunning and quite unique Awbridge Bridge and lock, in the rain... again! |
It was 9.15 and the forecast was for rain most of the
day, again!
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| These funny little faces were all along the towpath here, popping up everywhere in the undergrowth |
We thought we'd do an hour or so today, and then tomorrow we'd stop
at the Sainsburys in Compton then get through Wolverhampton in the afternoon
all in one day. Not somewhere we really want to be stopping overnight.
So three deep locks and a mile and a half later we
stopped by Mops Farm Bridge, there's some public footpaths marked on the map so
it seemed a good place to stop. We'd only been cruising an hour or so but as soon as we stopped the
heavens opened.
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| We sheltered here out of the rain and wind, another boat pulled up in front, seemed they liked the spot too! |
We'd just tied the boat up and it bucketed it down,
right till 2.30pm! So most of the day we stayed in the boat, with the fire lit.
At least we were cosy and warm. The walks weren't very good, we ended up
hunting about for ages for a field to walk Jack in, and eventually found one. We
also found a field full of corn on the cob and stole 5 lovely cobs, but they
turned out to be animal feed and we couldn't eat them!
Back at the boat the weather was a bit nicer and Paul chopped
some wood up and did some fishing.
We've got a telly signal tonight, at last, so we chill
out and watch telly. We had quite a quiet peaceful night here, nothing and no
one about again, all quiet except for a load of geese on the fishing lake by
the boat!
The next day, Thursday, was drizzle, again! It's
getting a bit regular this drizzle thing now, what happened to the crisp autumn
mornings we all know and love?
I took Jack out early so we could get away early, we've
got a lot to get through today as we don't want to stop in Wolverhampton.
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| Entering one of the locks under a low bridge, they all have bridges just before you go in |
By 8.15 we were on our way, through two very deep
locks and several miles. We pulled over on the 48 hr moorings in Compton and
went off to look for the Sainsburys. It turned out to be a tiny Sainsburys
Local supermarket not far from the canal, but we got most things we needed
anyway. Our fridge was full again!
Once shopping was unloaded we set off again, we'd got
one more lock to get through before 10 miles with no locks! This one lock took
ages! There were boats everywhere, two waiting to go up ahead of us and boats
kept coming down too. When it was our turn we went in and it started to chuck
it down with rain, so brollys up, we got to the top of the lock.
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| Leaving the lock and meeting the boat and crew we met on the River Avon at Saltford |
At the top
Paul was talking to a lady we'd met at Saltford on the River Avon near Bath! He
didn't actually realise he had met her before but when I started to talk to
her, we immediately realised we'd met before! We'd actually recommended the Spa
at Bath was well worth a visit when we last saw them, and they thanked us
massively, saying they really enjoyed it!
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| Still pretty here, despite the rain, but now no sign of the red sandstone anymore that we grew to know and love! |
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| But we still have the random faces peering out of the undergrowth at us! |
We all went on our way, they went down the lock and we
went up the lock! Rain on and off all day today, rain coats on and off all day
today too!
A couple of miles on and we went past Aldersley junction where the Birmingham Main Line, the Dudley Canals and the Wolverhampton 21 flight of locks meets the Staffs & Worcs canal.
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| Aldersley Junction, leading to Wolverhampton, but we head straight on to Great Heywood |
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| Aldersley Junction Bridge, the junction of the Birmingham Main Line, the first of the Wolverhampton 21 locks |
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| We cruise the short distance between the two junctions, road, rail and foot bridges tower over us! |
We cruise on past this junction and about 3/4 of a
mile further is Autherly junction where the Shropshire Union Canal that goes to
Chester joins the Staffs & Worcs Canal! That's for another day!
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| Autherley Junction Bridge leading to Chester on the Shropshire Union Canal |
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| Autherley junction where the Shropshire Union Canal joins the Staffs & Worcs, we keep on going towards Great Haywood, seems ages ago we were in Stourport! |
We cruise past the junction and onwards past a built
up area, nice housing estates line the canal now.
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| Tall poplar trees line the canal to one side.... |
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| .... and nice housing estates line the canal the other side |
A little further on and the canal seriously narrows
up. It's only one boat wide here with rocky walls either side and only a couple
of passing places in the whole mile long section. As we enter the narrow bit a
boat comes towards us and I have to back up into the first passing place.
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| We back up into one of the few passing places in the narrow section of the canal here |
He's gone, were on our way and make it the rest of the
way not meeting any more boats!
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| Paul keeps a look out.... |
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| ... nothing coming |
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| Looking back and the sun eventually comes out... but for how long? |
The canal gets wider again now as we go under the M54
motorway bridge, and then once again were out in the countryside.
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| Sun's gone in again now, going under the M54 bridge |
We go under railway bridges and road bridges and meet
up with a few boaters, even a couple of hire boaters. A few tight bends and
bridges later we pulled over just before Laches Farm bridge, a lovely quiet little
spot with a nice bit of towpath to moor on.
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| What a cute picture, autumnal now as we find a lovely spot to moor by Laches Farm Bridge |
We moored here because on our map it was marked as a
walk over the bridge, but when we went to find our walk, it had been blocked in
and we couldn't get up the bridge. So we walked to the next bridge and found a
lovely walk around a huge straw meadow, and into some cow fields. Jack was happy!
After a lovely cosy night watching telly we slept well
in the peace and quiet of the countryside.
Friday 18th October and after our walk with Jack over
the same fields as yesterday we were on our way again. The forecast is for rain
all afternoon so were only going a little way this morning, stopping well
before the M6 motorway that's coming up!
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| The canal is still and damp but it's not raining at the moment |
Our mornings cruise was lovely, reds and yellows and
browns of Autumn dominate the landscape now, open fields and tight corners,
many with lovely bridges places at an awkward angle for navigation! The morning is damp, but not
raining yet.
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| We turn left as instructed, the unrestored Hatherton Branch leads off to the right.... |
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| ... and this huge marina covers quite a stretch of the canal at the Hatherton junction |
We pass a lovely marina and a huge chemical works that
looks out of place on this cute tree lined canal.
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| Somewhere lurking just behind the trees is a huge chemical works .... |
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| .... and here it is, the pipes and buildings go on for about a mile along the canal, just getting glimpses between the trees |
It follows the canal for about a mile, dominating one
side of the canal with big steaming chimneys and pipes that come out from every
orafice possible.
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| The two tiny dots on the roof of this building are people, we saw them moving about, wtf!! |
We sip soup from a mug and take in the total experience
of this amazing canal, the diversity and beauty of what's around every corner,
always something different.
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| Something different... we pass this madly painted boat, a fine example of posh graffitti |
A short while later and were in Gailey, the home of
the Viking Afloat hire boats. They moor two and three abreast along the lock
entrance, once again making navigation tricky.
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| .... as it says, 48hrs max! |
But we stop just before the lock on the 48 hr visitor
moorings, under some lovely oak trees by a little bit of woodland. As soon as
we step off the boat to tie her up Paul and I step in two different piles of
dog shit! There's tons of it here, and we have to find the squadgiest and
freshest of the lot!
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| Our little spot for the night at the 48 hr moorings in Gailey |
So we drag the boat up a few feet out of the shite,
away from the fresh poo. We get talking for ages to some lovely people, Kaz and
Andy, and their dog Pip, but they're off on their travels, up the Shroppie, and
we don't get long enough! We have a real laugh but we will meet again one day I'm
sure, but for now .....
We get the genny fired up and get on with some serious
cleaning, hoovering is number one priorority! Paul cleans out the front well
deck, I sweep the chimney.
We had lunch and found the most amazing walks for Jack
over clover fields and stubble fields and through lovely woodland. We pass some
alpacas in an enclosure who are really interested in Jack and want to follow
and chase him! Jack had the best time ever, he ran and ran and ran like Forrest
Gump! Just because he could!
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| The cute lock keepers tower... now a lovely little canal shop |
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| The view towards the lock, and the lock tower |
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| I spotted these little spaniels cosy and warm in their beds on the roof of their boat as they went up the lock |
We walked round to the lock and had a look in the
round lock house, the bottom floor is a canal trinkets shop. Lovely stuff if
you want a gift but we didn't get anything! We also spoke to a couple of lovely
people, Geoff and Carol, on their boat, Life on Mars.
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| The graphics boat, a great business run by Geoff and Carol from their boat, Life on Mars |
Turns out they print boat graphics on to vinyl. So
after a bit more chat, we decided they would print a Happy Daze in big bold
letters to go on the side of the boat! At last she's going to have the correct
name on! Be ready in a few days!
The rain hammered on the roof of the boat all evening
and night, interrupted only by the plink plonk of the acorns landing loudly on
the roof as the wind blew them off the oak trees we were moored under. But we
were warm and cosy in our little boat!
On Saturday we walked Jack again round the amazing
meadows where again he just ran and ran and ran! After talking again with Geoff
and Carol we arranged with them where we would be in a couple of days time and
we set off on our days cruise.
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| Weaving my way through the hire boats moored up on both sides of the canal |
We wanted to get well out the way of the M6 motorway,
it follows the next part of this canal for at least 6 miles, that includes 10
locks too, so we've got a bit to do today. Luckily the weather is on our side
today, dry and not too cold. The rains not coming till later today, so we set
off at 9.30am past all the moored up hire boats that go right down to our first
lock of 10.
 |
| Entering Gailey Lock, with the watch tower to our left |
It's a really pretty lock with a large round toll keepers
watch tower on the lock.
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| Leaving the lock and heading under the road bridge |
Under the road bridge and were away again, the M6
motorway nearby now for several miles.
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| The M6 runs along the canal for quite a few miles now |
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| The gaggle of grumpy fishermen one side, trees then the M6 the other side! |
After 3 more locks and a gaggle of grumpy
fishermen in a fishing match, the motorway runs right beside the canal now for
nearly a mile with just a line of trees separating the speeding cars from the
slowed down canal boats.
 |
| Waiting to go down the lock, with the M6 right next to the canal! Two different worlds bought together! |
After the next lock we made a quick stop in Penkridge
for maggots from the fishing tackle shop. Paul was only gone 15 mins as it was
conveniently place really near to the canal!
 |
| Our maggot stop in Penkridge |
On our way again and through Penkridge, nice houses and
gardens back on to the canal.
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| Park houses make the most of the canal frontage |
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| Speeding motors dominate the peace and quiet of the canal |
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| We head under the M6 bridge, traffic restrictions indicate a 40 mph limit, our limit on the canals is 4 mph! |
Through the two locks and we're out into the
countryside once again. As we leave Penkridge we go under the M6 bridge, the
motorway has now swapped sides and is over on our left now, traffic noise still
dominating the quiet countryside.
We go on another couple of miles and along the edge of
a village called Acton Trussel where finally the motor way leaves us back into
the peace and quiet of the countryside once more!
 |
| A quiet and peaceful place to stop just before Deptmore Lock |
We pull over and moor up about a mile past Acton
Trussel, just before Deptmore Lock.
We've done enough today, mission accomplished as we've
left the busy noisy motor way behind and entered the peace and tranquility of
our lovely canals once again! The walks for Jack are rubbish here, we managed to
find one field to run about in, but it's not his favourite place, I can tell!
The skies turned a horrid shade of grey in the
afternoon, luckily we were back from our walk before the heavens opened and the
winds started!
 |
It was a beautiful place as whatever little sun there was, began to set. Paul still fishing out the front of the boat
|
So I lit a fire while Paul fished from a small gap in the front
cratch cover, sheltering from the weather. It rained all evening, and all night
too!
On Sunday 20th October we were up and about early, we
wanted to get off and into the days cruise before the forecasted thunder,
lightening and hail storms came! So Paul set off with Jack to the first lock,
and then we were on our way. The walks at our last mooring place were not so
good, so unfortunately Jacks walk thismorning was along the towpath! But a
couple of miles down the canal there's some lovely marshlands just over the
hedge so I pulled over on the side and we walked Jack over the lovely rushy
reedy boggy fields! Well, he got filthy, but had a lovely time anyway!
 |
| Jack loved the muddy fields we found on the way |
The canal here is not quite so beautiful, we skirt
round the town of Baswick, headquarters of RCR. The canal side is still tree
lined and there's not much sign of a town from here.
 |
| The train line dominates the skyline all along the canal way now, coming right up against the canal |
For 2 and a half miles the train
line runs right next to the canal, ugly and noisy. Theres a lovely Park homes
site next to the canal, everyone here's made there little bit of their garden
really nice.
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| The skies are full of rain, and every now and then it lets it all out! |
At last the train line has left us and we head back into the
lovely countryside, going over the River Sow aqueduct. The canal is shallow
here and the prop is getting bunged up again with leaves and debris; the engines
revving its little heart out and were not making much progress.
We go under Tixhall bridge and round the corner is
Tixhall lock.
 |
| Tixhall Bridge, back into the cuteness of the canals we know and love |
But we're not going through, we stop at the ringed moorings and
tie up for the day. There's road access for Geoff the Vinyl man to meet us, but
he phones and says it's going to be Tuesday now, he's had a few difficulties
with my design!
Never mind, it's nice here so we decide to stay.
I light the fire making the boat lovely and cosy as
the rain comes and goes all day, and I make the best apple sponge cake ever,
well, I've never made one before so it was my best one! And it was really
yummy!
We find a lovely walk with Jack over fields and
through woodlands, lots and lots of pheasants about so he had a great time! The
skies were getting greyer and greyer, it was about to chuck down buckets of the
wet stuff and we'd come out without our waterproofs or brollies! And boy did it
rain! The thunder came, then the lightening and then the hail stones, mixed in with
copious amounts of rain. Jack was getting pelleted with large hail stones,
bouncing off his little nose.
 |
| We sheltered under trees, but the hail and heavy rain found us, and soaked us through |
We were all drenched through, right to the skin! So we
headed home, quicker than we headed out! We stripped off once we were in, warm
tea and soup and a hot shower later we were dry and warm and cosy as the rain
continued all afternoon, and again into the night.
On Monday it's raining hard again so Paul takes Jack
out and I light the fire and get the boat warm. They get back, both soaked through
again. Jacks not happy when he's wet and he looked so sad!
It's not going to stop raining today and we want to
move to the Tixhall wides as it's somewhere we really want to moor up at. It's
a part of the canal that was dug out as large as a lake with lots of mooring. 200
years ago the owners of Tixhall Manor would only gave permision for the canal
to go through his land if it was made into a lake as it wouldn't spoil his view
of the beautiful countryside. Now-a-days the Manor has been demolished, only
the gatehouse stands proud on the hill, a wooded area is all that's left where
the Manor used to be.
 |
| Tixhall Lock, and the rain hammers down on us as we make our little journey to the wides |
So we head off in the pouring rain, Paul does the lock
under an umbrella and Jack stays in the boat! He's had enough of being wet!
 |
| Its a bloomin horrible day with the rain banging down on us |
We
only have to go on another mile and were at the wides, and it sure is wide!
When it's calm and sunny I expect this is a lovely place, at the moment the
skies are grey, it's raining continuously and the wind is building up to 20
miles an hour. The towpath is boggy and wellies are the only sensible footwear to
wear now!
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| Dark skies loom over us, the remaining gatehouse in the distance is all thats left in the manor grounds |
But we stop here anyway and keep dry and warm in the
boat. Walks for Jack here are rubbish, we waited till the rain eased off, but it
wasn't for long! We got caught out again, but a soggy Jack is ok as climb over
a chained gate and walk him round a long grassy field in our wellies!
 |
| Our view towards the hill the manor used to stand on, but the skies are so grey there's little enough light to see |
Back at the boat we get dry again and cosy in the boat
out of the wicked rain and gale force winds. In fact the rain and winds kept us
awake most of the night, the rain hammering on the boat, the wind blowing the
boat about against the side.
We'll be moving about all winter, weather allowing, but the adventure really starts again next spring.
We're heading south now, down the Trent & Mersey for a short while, and turning off at Fradley junction to go down the Coventry canal, the North Oxford and the Grand Union.
We're heading eventually down the Grand Union canal, spending winter around Braunston, Norton, Gayton and Milton Keynes.
I'll keep you updated, but these next few months spent on these canals will really be about keeping warm, watered and fed and not too much about our adventures.....
last updated 28th October 2013
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