Yesterday we left Stone at a reasonable hour and went to the chandlers to buy another piling hook for mooring and also a chain so that if we are in a dubious area we can use it to moor, utilising one of Paddy's covered wire leads - it makes it harder for little darlings to cut through or untie the boat and leave us drifting in the night or when we leave the boat in the day. We haven't had any problems so far but some areas can be a bit risky.
Unfortunately this isn't very clear from the phone camera but these are boats advertising a boat painter and they are absolutely beautiful - we have vowed that if we win the lottery and have a traditional boat built (which is a dream that really does need a lottery win I'm afraid) then we will have them done by this lady! Yes we are now enamoured with traditional engines and boats and roses and castles - all the things that we weren't interested in when we started all of this. STILL do not mention the awful dolls to me though - saw a boat called 'Josie and Im' and I was overcome with horror!
The locks were all against us again and queues going down with us and very few coming up to help out, so it took a long time to get through them all. The wind sprung up during the day as well, which didn't help at all. We dressed in full jeans, jumpers and jackets and kept taking things off and then putting them back on all day. Awful weather for June.
At Trentham Lock we were stopped by a photographer for the RSPCA who was taking pictures of people and their pets on their boats. We paid £1 and he has sent us 4 nice pictures by e-mail and we can order framed prints if we want - guess what my Mum is getting for Christmas???
I put this on fb to show how changed Paddy is now. He is so used to going through locks with me now that he just lies there, totally unbothered unless we are above ground level and there are people about. One lady wanted to take a picture of him doing his looking over the side bit that he does so well but her camera ran out of batteries - didn't have time to give her the blog address!!!
We moored up just before the rain came in heavy at Great Haywood - only about 1mile from where we had stayed last Sunday in the rain. Our view was over to Shugborough Hall and so in the evening when it stopped raining we walked over to see it a bit closer and also went into the village to have a quick nose around. Quaint little place and we found a lovely bridge going over the river Trent, which runs parallel to the canal along most of it's route.
Back to camera pictures as I took Paddy out to see the bridge again this morning before setting off - it's very narrow and only for pedestrians although we suspect that small carts could have been pushed across it. It's very old but we couldn't find any information about it.
Here you can see it in all it's splendour! The river isn't very deep here but it was flowing very fast.
A bit further on and we actually cross the Trent on an aqueduct that was originally built by Brindley who is a big name in canals - a bit like Telford and Brunel.
I am amazed that this came out so well - I only spotted it at the last moment as there is a very nasty right hand bend just after the aquaduct - photo to follow....
It looks wider here than when you're going around it and naturally, because that's what happens on canals, another boat came along just as we had got around the corner! You cross on the different sides to on a road which meant that he had to take the corner very much on the inside, which can't have been easy!
There are lots of trees growing in unlikely places at strange angles along the canal and here is a good example of it - just a bit before this there is a high sandstone cliff with a Church balancing on top! There are trees growing around rocks in this cliff that make you wonder whether the rocks are supporting the trees or vice-versa!
Just north of Armitage there is an interesting section of canal that was once a tunnel, when it collapsed they had to clear the rubble and re-inforce the sides which makes it too narrow for two boats to cross. One person has to run ahead and see if anythings coming and halt further traffic while the captain waits for the all clear.This is where Mum's Christmas present of walkie-talkies really come into their own! I am about 1/3 of the way along the narrow here, while John waits patiently to be called through.
All was clear so here he is sailing majestically through and about to pick me up again! This is just next to the Plum Pudding mentioned in the blog a week ago!
We had stopped just before this to fill up with water and chatted to boaters while we were there. One boat had 2 couples who were over from the Channel Islands! Shame they didn't bring some of their weather with them - it stayed dry while we were out today but is raining now.
This is the Armitage Shanks factory from the other side - it's actually quite a building as it curves slightly to accomodate the canal. As you get closer it still looks dreary but is apparently still in full production despite broken windows etc.
We fancied fish and chips for lunch and at Handsacre there was a good one listed - unfortunately we got there just too late and it had shut. We had lunch and then it started to rain in earnest, plus I am feeling exhausted from a bad nights sleep so we have stayed here (again). The cunning plan is to have fish and chips for tea instead!
I want an early night and then hopefully and early start in the morning to get through all the Fradley locks so that we get to Alrewas tomorrow. Almost home again - much prefer being out and about but we need to get back so that we are ready for our road trip south at the end of next week! Looking forward to seeing people I must say. Now it's almost time for fish and chips!
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