Hot foot to Hopwas

 

As we set off from Rugeley we passed a young man with three dogs in what I can only describe as a pedalo. He was raising money for Paddle for Paws on a paddle to London. 

A brief glimpse of Spode House, now a wedding venue. 

Back through Armitage Tunnel which is certainly tight fit. 

Men at work on the Armitage Shanks chimney. Brought back memories of Fred Dibner and the TV programmes he starred in. 

A pretty canalside garden in Handsacre. 

A slight problem at Woodend Lock. A pen had entered the lock with her cygnets. We needed to get them out before the boat coming up could enter. 

Meanwhile, the cob was walking along the top of the lock calling to his mate who didn't know how to reach him. Two cyclists managed to herd the cob back down the towpath and the family of swans were flushed out of the lock by opening the gate paddle very gently so they didn't get hurt. 

Having cleared the way it was our turn in the lock. Having opened the gate I was able to step back on the roof and duck down through the bridge. 

And here they are, the family reunited. 

Just about to go down through the middle lock at Fradley and then turn right down the Coventry canal. 

We've now come around the corner and we're just looking back at the swing bridge which is right on the junction. We were lucky when we came up this way because we were able to more between here and New bridge. At the moment there is a no mooring restriction in place because they are resurfacing the towpath. 

Once again new housing creeping closer and closer to the canal. 

Mind you, some of it is quite in keeping with the old style of warehouse that would have been found canal side. 

Thought you might like to see a picture of my pride and joy in the engine room. 

We pushed on to Hopwas and decided to treat ourselves to a meal in the Tame Otter. 

As always the food was first class. This is one of the few pubs where the standard is consistent with each visit. Well done the Tame Otter. 

On to Rugeley

 

We spent most of the morning with the captain sorting out the washing and me getting the computer back online and working on church accounts. 

When we did set off we passed these delightful cottages before arriving at the first lock of the day. 

After the lock, someone had great fun carving a woodpecker out of the remains of a dead tree. 

A family of geese sunbathing on the towpath. 

As you come into Rugeley the mileposts are all golden. I looked it up on Google but there is no reason given as to why they are gold. Strange. 

Found a nice place to moor. 

Over a cuppa the captain was reading her despatches (looking at Google) and discovered that the Atherstone locks are going to be closed from next Tuesday. We need to get through them before that happens. So, a slight change of plan. If we cruise for 6 hours a day we can clear the locks by Sunday evening or Monday morning giving us time to spare. It's also been rumoured that Watford locks may close mid-August. So we will probably need to get back sooner rather than later. 

In light of that decision we popped along to Morrisons for supplies and worked out what else needed doing before setting off in the morning. We also had a long chat with the boater moored behind us who wasn't too worried about stoppages as he tended to pootle backwards and forwards along the same stretch of canal. That's the life. 

Great Haywood

 We set off at around 10:30. 

A last look back at the mooring.

We are at Deptmore Lock. When going down the locks the captain opens the top gate, we swop over and I open the bottom gates. Sometimes, if there's a bridge across or a helper from another boat, the captain works the whole lock. 

Coming up to Stafford Boat Club.

They are based in the old Hazlestrine Arm. 

The signpost is at the old junction for the Stafford Riverway Link. Work is being undertaken to reopen the link down into Stafford.

We have just passed a large mobile home site and the one on the very end had this amazing garden. It has lots of children friendly things. 

Another boater warned us of a tree across the canal but the captain negotiated it with ease. 

Although the railway came after the canals they often follow the same course which is usually on level ground. 

The captain is driving and we are on the aqueduct across the River Sow. 

 

The sign above the door at Tixall Lock. 

And ahead of us is Tixall Wide. When the canal was built, the owner of Tixall Hall only allowed it to cross his land as long as it looked like a lake. It is sometimes called the broads of the canals. 

All that's left of the hall now is the gatehouse. 

Yet another aqueduct over the River Trent. 

Great Haywood Junction where we stopped for lunch. 

We popped across to the Canalside Farm Shop and Café, we thought we deserved it. 

After lunch we moved on through the lock and under the bridge made specifically so that the owners of Shugborough Hall could ride in their carriage to church. 

A perfect end to a perfect day. 

Acton Trussell

 

A different view of the mooring looking away from the pub. 

We decided to walk into the village just to go to the bakery. It's a relatively old village with black and white timbered houses. 

Due to staff shortages the bakers was shut. 

Still, we did a round walk back to the boat and found a butchers selling homemade pies. What's the saying? Man shall not live by bread alone. Well we proved that to be true cos it's lamb chops tonight. 

This is Penkridge Lock. A pub is just by the bridge, one that we have visited before. But not today, we've 5 locks to go through and it's getting hotter. 

Uh oh, it's the M6 getting closer. 

At Park Gate Lock is a boatyard cum marina cum café cum chandlers. You place, you name it, they've got it. 

We've only put this picture of the Moat House in because throughout this trip we keep saying "Where is that posh place where we tried to get supper?" Well, here it is, Acton Trussell. It is in fact a wedding venue and our guide book was old when we picked the boat up. 

After the 5 locks we decided to stop for the night. 

But we didn't take it easy. 

No, out with the soap and the pressure washer to clean the roof. The birds had a field day overnight and the spray from the washer kept us cool. 

As mentioned, scrummy lamb chops with braised cabbage and new potatoes. 

It's not all hardtack and weevils on a narrowboat.