Early(ish) start to get around Autherley Junction and on to Morrisons before finding a mooring for the night. An interesting stretch of canal, with a short very narrow section where the canal builders could only cut a narrow cutting through hard rock, luckily we met no one. The junction was clear so we navigated the hairpin bend and entered the stop lock. Having searched in the grass for rings we eventually moored to go shopping. Stocked up again we moved off a couple a bridges to moor to meet Alison on Monday. Unfortunately the wind was howling and the guide books suggestion of one foot out from the bank was more like three. Bella refused to walk the plank, so after a conference we decided to move on, and arrange for Alison to catch us up by taxi.
14:47 03/07/2010 4.95 miles 1 lock
Good start to the day, Gailey lock was left for us to go through, otherwise its a difficult lock, with the entry under the A5 and invisible in the dark. Then the water point was empty and the rubbish bins clean and tidy. Viking Afloat opposite were busy turning boats around, typical Saturday morning activity for a hire fleet. After leaving Gailey the canal winds in an alarming fashion through the middle of a chemical works past Calf Heath marina and on to Slade Heath for the night.
19:44 02/07/2010 2.2 miles 4 locks We met up with friends from Crick (Evenlode) in the morning so exchanged news, they have had a very exciting journey, including crossing the Mersey! Then we walked around Penkridge before setting off to Gailey.A very pleasant country run, apart from the motorway coming and going beside the canal.
19:37 01/07/2010 4.68 miles 6 locks
Well we cannot sit around all the time so we set sail for Penkridge, 6 locks and plenty of country views, but also of course the M6 motorway in the distance! Stopped at Midland Swindlers (Chandlers) for essential spares as the shower pump was on its last legs! Luckily they had a service kit at a very reasonable price, so I was all prepared for a night of hard work in Penkridge. Our friend Jan lives here and luckily was in, so we went to the pub for lunch and took advantage of her kind offer for a major shop using her car! The evening was spent inside a cupboard mending the shower pump, it certainly sounds a lot more healthy now.
19:36 30/06/2010 Sat around for a day enjoying doing nothing.
19:12 29/06/2010 6.6 miles 1 lock.
On the move again having spent a week enjoying Tixall Wide, we turned around and went for water and gas at the Junction, before heading once again up Tixall Wide and on the the first lock. This was made more interesting by a BW Dredger in the lock mouth, luckily we arrived before he attempted to dredge the lock otherwise we would have been held up for some time. We were soon away and cruised around Baswich, Weeping Cross to our mooring at Wildwood, just before the next lock.
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