Tuesday 30th June

I know that I said it was not a salubrious mooring but that's only because we were adjacent to a lane with a bench on the towpath and youngsters tended to gather there. They weren't any trouble and I had a chat with three of them last evening. It's just the unknown element that can be unsettling. 

Anyway, no problem and, as you can see, the opposite side of the canal was quite charming. 

We remember this particular garden from the last time we came through Rugeley. 

Wow, you need mountain boots and oxygen to get to these gardens. 

Here's a good view of the River Trent. The captain is driving at the moment so I've had time to have a good look around. 

You remember I said that a fallen tree had blocked the canal, well, here it is. 

And here's the poor boat that was underneath it when it came down. 

The canal runs alongside Cannock Chase and it's really beautiful along here. 

We soon arrive at Great Haywood Junction. 

Still heading North we carried straight on towards Weston on Trent. 

The captain doesn't like working the locks going up the canal because she can't step across the lock gates in the way that I can.

Fortunately these locks have a bridge across to save you having to open one gate and then walk all the way round the lock to open the other. Very thoughtful of them. 

After a lovely day's cruising we found a mooring at Weston on Trent and went for a walk around the village village. There are a couple of pubs there but we had already made plans to eat on board.