Lichfield here we come

Wednesday and the forecast is for rain all day. Not an exciting prospect. However, we decided that a trip to Lichfield might be a good idea. I'll let you know how we get on later.

So, we're now at Hopwas and, as some of you have gathered, slowly making our way back to base.

Our last blog stop was at Rugeley, so we'll pick up from there.

Monday saw a leisurely start after a quick visit to Aldi and a nearby garage for some petrol. Golden rule, if there's a garage near the canal, top up the petrol. If you remember, diesel isn't a problem but garages are scarce and the reserve generator needs petrol.

A photo of the mooring, a quiet location right opposite a cemetery.

Just before passing Hawkesyard Hall, picture below, we passed Scrooge on the canalside. He's moved since we last came through, he used to be further up in this line of moorings.

Hawkesyard Hall, now a wedding venue, conference centre, etc.

Ahead is a very narrow section of the canal under a road bridge. It's not a tunnel, just looks like one. The advice is to put a crewmember ashore to walk to the far end of the section to stop boats coming through while you make your transit. I think I've only ever known one boat to actually do that. Anyway, we carried on through and, guess what, boat coming the other way.

Not just one boat but three. They hadn't sent a crewmember ahead either but they backed up and let us through.

This is a factory that always makes me smile. It's the Armitage toilet factory. Their yard is full of toilets. I did take a picture but nowadays they are all shrink wrapped and it's not so obvious what they are.

Yet another swathe of country being sacrificed to HS2.

Anyway, stopped Monday night just before Fradley Junction, away from all the gongoozlers and business of the junction itself.

Tuesday and we turned right at the junction onto the Coventry canal. Just looking back at the Mucky Duck, sorry, The Swan.

Very fortunate to have volunteers helping out with the locks and the swing bridge. It saves us a lot of time.

On the Coventry, the bridges have names not numbers.

And here we are moored at Hopwas.

Had a walk around the old village and this is St Chad's Church. We attended evening worship on one of our previous visits here.

Looking along the canal towards our boat and then, in the evening, a visit to the Tame Otter for supper.

Cod loin for the captain.

Lasagne for me.

Well, gotta stoke up if we're going to Lichfield tomorrow.