Saturday, July 29, 2006

'A frame' house at Alrewas

Now that is some exposed beam!

hair salon at Alrewas


hair salon at Alrewas
Originally uploaded by richard.bignell.
Wonderful village beside the canal, full of very old buildings - unfortunately the day we were there it was also full of Telephone Engineers installing new cable, so the views were limited

oops


oops
Originally uploaded by richard.bignell.
And then the balloon and crew vanish into the tree ( or a field of wheat in this case). I bet the farmer wasn't too pleased.

just a bit more gas


just a bit more gas
Originally uploaded by richard.bignell.
Some times things just do not go right - and youhear the gas burner roaring away.

Coming up


Coming up
Originally uploaded by richard.bignell.
We have seen a lot of these during the calm summer evenings - sometimes all does not go well however.
This is take off.

Saturday, July 22, 2006

Old Barn-Shardlow


Old Barn-Shardlow
Originally uploaded by richard.bignell.
A typical Shardlow building, but not related to the canal. Note the holes in the brickwork, possibily a dovecote?

The Storm!


The Storm!
Originally uploaded by richard.bignell.
And then the heavens opened! luckily we were securely moored up before the thunderstorm arrived, and had completed our walk around the village.

Waterpipe detail-Shardlow


Waterpipe detail-Shardlow
Originally uploaded by richard.bignell.
Shardlow was a very important canal centre with many preserved buildings from the era of the canals.

Wildlife


Wildlife
Originally uploaded by richard.bignell.
The hot sun has meant the wildlife is hatching all the time, a great variety of Damsel flies, and such like, as well as the water teeming with fish.

Trent_Derwent_Trent&Mersey Canal

A crossroads between two rivers and our canal is just below this lock.

Sawley lock


Sawley lock
Originally uploaded by richard.bignell.
The entrance to the Canal - luckily it was all controlled by a push button panel, so no gate to shove!

Soar-Trent Junction


Soar-Trent Junction
Originally uploaded by richard.bignell.
The last time we did this junction it was so wet we couldn't see where we were going. this time it was glorious sunshine, and we saw the labels pointing up the Trent and the North, the Erewash canal, and the Trent and Mersey

Rainbow Bridge-Foxton


Rainbow Bridge-Foxton
Originally uploaded by richard.bignell.
First bridge above Foxton

Staircase-Foxton


Staircase-Foxton
Originally uploaded by richard.bignell.
A few days into the 'Great Trip'. A typical busy day at Foxton flight. Note that we waited until early the next morning when it was more peaceful!

Monday, June 12, 2006

Peace - perfect peace


PICT0254
Originally uploaded by richard.bignell.
This is what retirement is all about, relaxing planning the grand holiday cruise.

Thursday, October 06, 2005

kingfisher facing right


kingfisher facing right
Originally uploaded by richard.bignell.
Nearly our last breakfast, and this beautiful bird perched outside our window - a perfect end to a glorious holiday.

Monday, October 03, 2005

Double Rainbow at Polesworth

This rainbow was a complete arc with just the hint of a second one outside it.

Now we are in to October the days are definitely less warm, although we have not lit the stove yet.

Moored at Ansty tonight, with only Rugby (Tescos) Braunston and then back up to Crick to go.

Learners through Rugeley


Learners through Rugeley
Originally uploaded by richard.bignell.
Coming in to Rugeley to go shopping we met a train of barges being towed by a tug and had to make way for them. Later when moored the remainder of the barges appeared and got in to a pickle trying to avoid moored boats, a boat coming head on at them and the wall! It was interesting watching them extricate themselves. I'm glad we met them all where we did and not at a lock.

Great Haywood Bridge under smoke

Back at Great Haywood we were surrounded by activity, with working boats making their presence felt (heard), there was no mistaking the thump thump thump of the engine making all this smoke.

Danger man at work


Danger man at work
Originally uploaded by richard.bignell.
Almost the only queue of the trip, with five boats waiting to go down the lock. It is getting noticeably quieter now, with fewer hire boats out.