Sunday, post coronation day of rest

The canal is getting busy today with canal traders setting up their stalls on the cut. Behind us they are selling sweets and cushions, another has fenders and ropework of all kinds and even one called Away with the Fairies. And so it goes on.

We set off to the Parish Church of St Stephen for a Festal Eucharist to Celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III. 

Sounds all very grand but they're a lovely crowd, very welcoming and it was a lovely service. As mentioned earlier, we have been here before and make a point of coming here if we can.

Also, the coffee and cake are excellent.

And here's the captain all dressed up and ready for the walk back to the boat.

At the lock there used to be a lovely little café but all that remains now is the old signage.

We could have stayed for the fête in the afternoon but the forecast was good for the rest of the day with rain forecast tomorrow, so we thought we would set off.

Up to the junction and pull into Anglo Welsh to top up with fuel.

Right, how to explain the next picture!

It's me in my Sunday best overalls, the sun's shining and I'm in the bilges messing about with batteries. I got talking to the guy at Anglo Welsh about the fact that our leisure batteries were going flat overnight. We have 3 leisure batteries which are now over 4 years old and getting tired. So, we bought 3 new ones and here I am changing them over. The good thing is that AW will dispose of the old batteries for us, hence me in the bilges messing about with batteries.

After that a short reverse along the canal so that we could make the turn onto the Staffs and Worcs Canal.

Bye bye Anglo Welsh and thanks for all your time and advice.

The first place of note is Tixall Wide, which is more of a lake than a canal. The landowner objected to the canal going across his land so the canal builders put in the Wide to make it visually more acceptable. 

And to the north is Tixall Gatehouse. The big house is no longer there.

And look, baby Canada geese.

The sun's out, the captain's steering and now you can see why we wear those big floppy hats.

Beside the first lock a reminder of the good old days.

We are crossing the River Sow on an aqueduct - at least, that's what the notice says.

And now, moored for the night near Wildwood. Thought it would be a nice peaceful spot but the Canada geese have got other ideas about that.