Sunday 21st September
First day of our trip away. Loaded up boat and ran Pillings Lock to Zouch for night stop and meal at Rose & Crown for our wedding anniversary. Plenty of compliments on the way about the boat and one chap in a canoe even asked if the boat was electrically powered. Gave the engine the once over in view of the recent service to find everything OK. Nice short run so we could go for a meal to celebrate our anniversary but unfortunately no meals owing to staff problems. Ah well fish and chips back at the boat. Slept like logs.
6 Miles 2 Locks
Leaving Zouch lock
Monday 22nd September
Another glorious day, Zouch to Aston lock on the Trent & Mersey. Not a lot to report other than it was a thoroughly enjoyable cruise. Good luck with the locks being able to share or having boats emerge or arrive to save on gate openings.
12 Miles 6 Locks (Not counting 4 flood locks)
The Trent above Sawley locks
Tuesday 23rd September
Aston lock to Willington. Set off for a short day about 09:30 following a CRT tug and work boat. Had to take it steady as we seem to be dragging bottom in places on this pound. Caught up by a charming couple at Weston lock where the CRT men kindly waved us through.. As we were taking our time they went ahead and we stopped to let the dogs off and managed to go hard aground doing so. Sods law prevailed with two boats either way as we were trying to reverse off. Shared the next two locks with a single handed tug who upset Karen by insisting on opening the gate paddles well before the water was up to the cill and these locks are over 10ft deep. Stopped for the night at Willington next to the Derby – Birmingham main line but this didn’t keep us awake. Found the local Co-op andmanaged to get some shopping in..
9 Miles 3 Locks.
Stenson lock
Wednesday 24th September
Willington to Alrewas. A gentle trundle down 4 ½ miles to our first narrow lock in Burton set the scene for the day, still scraping bottom in places. Stopped for water at Barton Turn not so much that we needed it but to pull the bow down in the hope of raising the stern and by and large it seems to have worked unless the following pounds are that bit deeper. Moored up this evening just after Bagnall lock. Can’t get over how fine the weather is for this time of year
13 Miles 7 Locks
First Narrow lock under bridge 32a in Burton
Thursday 25th September
A nice slow start to the day. Karen went shopping in Alrewas and came back full of praise for the village, especially the butchers. While she was away the top got dropped and the towpath side of the boat got a quick sluice down. Up four locks and hard left at Fradley into the Coventry canal. Took it slow again to stop the back end dragging in some of the shallow bits. Touched a boat coming the other way at Bell Bridge after running hard aground on the inside of the bend even when a boat width off.
Noticed a fluctuation in the water gauge as we approached Streethay Wharf. Karen reports no taps dripping so we stopped for lunch just after the bridge beyond the moorings. Passing Streethay saw ‘Centurion’ the boat I did my RYA course on last year.
During lunch I inspected the water system and found a dripping pipe at the water pump. Soon sorted but needed to get about ten gallons of water out of the bilge. Set off again making better time as the pound seems deeper since passing Streethay.
Started looking for a mooring after Whittington but it all either seemed too narrow or too open in the breeze so kept going until the wooded area just after Tamhorn Park Bridge. The off side warns for firing range, so must not upset the neighbours but it is so quiet and peaceful here in the trees. Just sitting here listening to the birds and the breeze in the trees and bit of classical music in the background. Karen is busy at the breakfast bar drawing leaves and hawthorn berries. The dogs have run themselves to a standstill and flaked out. No TV reception but what the heck. Chilling out or what?
9 Miles 4 Locks
Tonight's mooring
Friday 26th September
Tamhorn Park Bridge to Huddlesford via Bonehill Bridge Winding hole.
Late start to the day as we were still chilling and only intended to get as far as Huddlesford for a meal at the Plough where we had dined with old friends Tony and Lesley some 6 years before when we were on a hire boat trip. Both of us had the steak and ale pie which was very reminiscent of the Crossroads at Weedon some 30 years before.
8 Miles 0 Locks.
A view that may jog a few happy memories J
No comments:
Post a Comment