13th July '16

We had a great meal last night at the Star in Stone. 3 of us had steaks which were superb, cooked exactly right and so tender they just melted in the mouth. I'd definitely go there again if the chance arose. I also had a sticky toffee pudding but had to ask for extra custard. I like custard and I'd asked for lots so when this tiny little jug came I asked for another. They brought me one and it was lovely, but why couldn't they have just brought out a pint jug of the stuff? Otherwise it was all excellent. We chatted on for hours and then Helen and Brian came back to taste some of our 'malt'. Well Brian did. He found it hard to believe that it was made from cheap vodka with the Malt Whiskey Kit that I bought John for Christmas. He is now looking out for the Brew Boat so he can get some as well! 

Strange thing happened this morning. We got woken at 6.30 by an alarm in the boat, but not one that we have, Neither of our phones or iPads make that noise and in any case 6.30......does that SOUND like us (unless we have a flight to catch)? I got up and couldn't find anything and then it stopped. No idea what it was but I hope it doesn't happen again.

We finally woke properly quite a bit later and got ourselves sorted and were ready to leave at 11.00. No sooner were we underway than the rain started, half a mile later we pull in, moor up and put up the canopy. John put his foot down about travelling in the wet. I checked the forecast which said it would be dry by 12 so we kept an eye out and left again a bit before 12 after it had stopped raining for ten minutes.

We had a brilliant day. Even Stoke on Trent was good, all the locks in our favour and the last two had volunteers. We got to Westport before 4,30 and were moored up happily by the lake in no time. I've decided that I've got to get over my negative feelings about Stoke. Just because our first impression was of drunks all over the place, feeling nervous at the locks on my own (despite knowing that Paddy would rip out the throat of anyone who threatened me), and just a general sense of unease, to be honest we haven't had any trouble on subsequent trips and today I actually enjoyed the journey.

Looking down from the locks at Stone, second from top, almost every lock had a boat just coming out so everything went remarkably smoothly. The sun came out although it was still very cold thanks to the wind, that was again in our faces.

Some rather attractive cottages alongside the canal. Can't imagine what they probably cost, but they look wonderful.

The Wedgewood factory from the canal. We stopped and visited it on one of our trips and thoroughly enjoyed it. Such intricate work some of them were doing. Watching them apply gold leaf to plates etc. was unbelievably precise, and as for the hand painting.....just amazing, no wonder it's such a price when you see what's gone into it. I would recommend anyone visiting the place, John found it as interesting as I did. If you're in your boat there are some brilliant moorings just before where I took this and then you just walk over the bridge and up the road.

I took this with a sense of irony, but now I'm beginning to feel more tolerant about the place!

Still in my 'I don't like Stoke' mode, I took this to illustrate how much they don't like boaters. There are long stretches where it would be nice to moor apart from the concrete edges and in many places no areas of grass to put a pin in. This one would be possible at a push, but it just generally feels like they don't want us.

I remembered this from when we were here before. One of the locks in Stoke has quite a few bits like this where the stone has worn away and the woodwork behind is on view. It also means that water gets caught in the gaps and when the lock empties the water continues to dribble or sometimes spout, from the holes! Some of the locks have been upgraded, but obviously they can't be too worried about this one.

Bearing in mind that these locks are in the middle of the industrial heart of Stoke, with a main road running alongside and railways criss-crossing it along the whole length, this is the view from one of the locks. You could be out in the country, anywhere really. I was obviously beginning to soften at this point, having only seen a couple of drunk young men carefully stowing their empty cans discretely in the bushes behind the seat they were using.

Again, getting more friendly by the minute, this is the view back from one of Stokes locks, hard to believe the contrast with what's just the other side of the trees.

So there you are, the shock, horror of this evening's blog is that I'm not going to be nasty about the Stoke section of the canal again. We're going to come up and do the Caldon canal at some point and moor up and visit the Middleport pottery. They say a leopard doesn't change it's spots, but in my case they have certainly become less obvious! Whatever next?

12th July '16

Well the forecast was that today was going to be brighter than yesterday. They lied. There were intermittent showers of rain and in-between them there were downpours of rain. It was fine when we set out, a bit overcast but we'd got up early so that we'd get to Stone early afternoon and so we were off at the crack of 9.00am. After about 15min it had started to drizzle and it didn't really stop for hours.

Never mind we got to Stone, emptied elsan, filled with water and got rid of rubbish then met up with Helen and Brian, even managing to moor next to them. Result.

This was our nice little mooring, Much enjoyed.

\\Most bridges are fairly utilitarian, but this one was rather attractive I thought.

Just one of the seven wet, dripping, leaking locks we've gone up today.

Half way along the Trent and Mersey canal at Aston Lock. Although we're not going the whole way, turning left at Middlewich, it somehow feels like a landmark.

A soggy doggy.......

Helen came and helped us through the last two locks in Stone. Or was she just catching up with John, hard to say as the locks filled so slowly. At least it was dry by now.

Just to show that she was actually really helpful. Just after this we moored up behind their boat and after lunch we went into town to get supplies. Somehow we ended up in a pub sharing boating tales, as you do. Lovely afternoon. Got back in time to feed Paddy, write this, get him out for a quick walk and then off again to the Star to have a meal, and maybe one or two drinks.

We've looked at the map and neither want to stop in Stoke tomorrow so we'll need to have a long day (for us) to try to get to Longport and hope to moor by Westport Lake. If it's wet we'll stay here, at least we now have bread and enough to eat and drink for a few days so no need to panic..... and if the worst comes to the worst there are plenty of pubs here.

11th July '16

We've had a lazy day and stayed here today. The weather has been variable to say the least, at times really hot and sunny and then rain the next minute. We're not in a hurry at the moment and it's nice here so we decided to stay.

I remember my last comments yesterday were about another boat mooring behind us. Well after I'd shut down the computer and turned the internet off, I could still hear shouts from behind, so I had a quick peep and they were right across the canal with someone holding onto the rope on land, and a lot of 'communication' going on. If it had been a decent mooring we'd have gone and given them a hand, but since they were trying to get into the reeds, I sort of ignored them. A few minutes later it all went quiet and John looked out and there was no-one there. This meant that Paddy could continue to run around outside.

This is the salt marsh that we are moored next to, just along from us.

The view in front of us, including one of the few boats heading our way, in one of the respites from the rain.

...and the view to the back.

Yesterday afternoon, John had started to polish the side of the boat and today he got out in one of the nicer parts and finished it off. Even on the photo you can see the difference. Now we need a mooring on the other side of the canal so he can finish the other side that he started a couple of days ago!

Paddy checking to see what I was up to outside and wondering if a walk was on the timetable!

I've been busy getting on with some knitting and crocheting and thoroughly enjoying it. Feeling very motivated.

Tomorrow we are heading to Stone and are going to meet friends Helen and Brian to have a meal out with them. We can also get some more polish for John, now that he's in the mood, also some more wine and beer since he needs some reward for the polishing! I'm into Pimms at the moment, while the lemonade stays fizzy, maybe I'll treat myself to some more. I'm just a fool with my money!

The smells in the boat are fantastic at the moment, I've started a bolognese and the mixture of garlic, herbs and vegetables are amazing. I must go and add the meat and then put it in the thermal cooker so it's perfect for teatime. Tummy's rumbling and it's hours to wait!

10th July '16

We went out for a bit of a walk and I bought myself a portable radio, now I don't need to miss the Archers again! Such relief.

Our mooring in Rugeley was fine apart from the alarm that was going off in the derelict building opposite every couple of minutes. It was a high pitched tone that rang for about 1 minute and then waited for a short interval and then rang again. I know this because I was awake until gone 5am listening to it completely unable to sleep. Warning to boaters. Pull in to visit Tesco or Morrisons or get fish and chips before bridge 66. If you are staying the night move up towards bridge 67 and enjoy a quiet night. unless you have really good earplugs! The lady in the boat behind us thought she'd developed tinnitus!

There was a very brief shower about 9.30 but it only lasted moments, so I popped around to Tesco to get a paper and some bits and pieces that I forgot yesterday. We set off at 10.20 and the sky was pretty overcast.

How's this for an erection? it beats Kev's Christmas decorations on the marina which says something! If you don't know about Kev's erection then I'll put a picture of it on if I remember at Christmas. This is bigger.

For those who have travelled up the Trent and Mersey you will recognise this corner above Rugeley. The first time we met it, John had real problems getting around it, but now, knowing about it and with experience, we went around with ease. There was a lot of traffic coming the other way. We spent much of today's travel avoiding oncoming boats. The wind was strong again and the sun came out, and would then go in again as soon as we took our jumpers off. How does it know?

Another good size family of swans. As I was taking this I hadn't noticed a lady waiting for me to finish, how nice of her. She laughed and said she was avoiding spoiling the picture and then struck a funny pose. It's so nice to come across nice, smiley people, and generally around boats you tend to find them. Mind you when we come across the few boaters who keep eyes completely forward, and avoid meeting your gaze at all costs, we tend to make a face at each other and then fall about laughing. It's the little things in life that make it worthwhile.

From the bottom of Colwich Lock I spotted this beautiful delphinium. I'm not a gardener and never have been but I thought this was beautiful.

Lovely dog rose in another lock, not sure which one but it might have been Hoo Mill (love that name, makes me think of Dr. Seuss).

Spotted these two foals, not a horsey person but these were getting very agitated because the two adults were getting quite violent towards each other across a fence.

A PROPER goose, none of these horrible Canadian interlopers. The native ones are so much nicer. There were a few of these in a field with a flock of white domesticated geese. Lets campaign to annihilate all the Canadian ones - we saw none in Canada and I know why - they all live at Mercia Marina!

This is becoming a livestock blog not a boating one, sorry. Blame the new camera, it's making me try to take shots that I wouldn't have taken before, blame Ian and the camera club as well!

We spotted a small mooring, one of those in the middle of nowhere that are only long enough for one 62' boat, and are usually taken by a 30' boat moored in the centre. Despite it being earlier than planned we decided to moor and almost immediately we had a shower of rain so we felt justified in our decision. The rain didn't come to anything, and I was able to let Paddy have a free run along the towpath because there's no-one anywhere in the vicinity. He was in doggy heaven. When we got back he stayed outside and rolled around in the grass. I love it when he can run free and we don't have to worry about him.

We are alongside the salt marshes between bridges 77 and 78. We have seen 1 boat going past in our direction and about a dozen going the other way. How strange.

Well we have internet, and a radio. We have plenty of food and space for Paddy to run so if the rain comes tomorrow that is forecast, we'll just stay here........as I wrote that a boat went past and has moored behind us...... bugger, poor old Paddy, back on the lead.

9th July '16

No blog yesterday because no internet. Luckily now I have internet and after putting my brain in gear I realised that a, I can put pictures on my computer and b, I can write my blog on my computer. Simples!

Yesterday we travelled from Branston to Fradley where we moored below Junction Lock (and no Norwyn, I didn't fall in).

Photos to tell the tale so far:

We found the missing Mercia Black Swan, It was near the gravel pits so not far from the marina. Very friendly until Paddy saw it!

Speaking of which, this is the house by the Doveside Kennels where he spends his regular holidays! I thought they might like to see the house from the canal, which is probably a view they don't see that often!

Possibly my least favourite narrow lock, Tattenhall, Having the pinch straight after coming out of the lock, plus being at a slightly different angle as well as (not seen in this because of the overhanging greenery) there is an old boat moored by the house and I'm always worried about bumping it, I haven't done so as yet but for some reason it sort of gets to me.

A visitor at Wychnor lock. The red behind it is our lifebelt that sits on the hatch cover, so it was really close and just sat there letting me get the camera right to take this, (I hope Ian's reading this and is impressed, if not can you tell him to read it Birgit?)

The river at Wychnor, quite gentle today despite the awful headwind that slowed us down so that with the current we  hardly seemed to be moving at times!

Right that has got the photos up to date for day one and morning of day two. Not long after the last photo was taken we went through Alrewas Lock. Much to our amazement there were moorings along it and so we decided that although we'd originally planned to go further we'd stop there for lunch. John was on land from doing the lock and I was taking the boat in. To enable him to grab the rope he put the windlass down and we moved along to moor behind the last boat, leaving a good boats length behind us out of politeness. While we were doing this a woman came past on her boat and I thought she was coming in to moor behind us. Once tied up I went off to pick up the windlass.......GONE!

The woman on the boat was by now stuck on the opposite bank, unable to get the boat off - it was very windy. I called out, "Excuse me, have you seen our windlass?" "Yes it's on the roof of the boat." Cheek of the woman. It got better.... because she was having such a problem moving the boat and it was impossible to get over there, John ended up getting our spare windlass, opening the lock, retrieving our original and then helping her through the lock! No explanation of why she bothered to pull in, pick it up and head off, rather than just get herself sorted to go through the lock. I was FURIOUS, still can't get over the cheek of the woman.

Anyway, end of rant. We had lunch and then headed off again. The weather was improving all day and the sun ended up being hot enough to burn my forearms a bit. The wind never gave up though and it was pretty hard going so when we saw a mooring just below Junction Lock at Fradley we moored there for the night. Just along from Wendy Baughn from the marina as it happens. We had a walk around the nature reserve that I'd never really noticed, always being on the way from one lock to the next on the boat while John usually walks through. It's rather nice I thought. We also had a bit of a walk over to the cafe and had an ice cream. There was no internet as already mentioned, nor TV so I got on with crocheting some of the animals, I think I might sell them at the Christmas Market on the marina as Robert is keen for the Craft Group to have a stall. So far I've finished a rabbit I started ages ago and nearly made a panda. I've no stuffing though so am just putting them in bags for a massive stuff and sew when I get back (next craft night I suspect).

Today we awoke to a downpour. It had rained fairly steadily through the night as well I think and showed no signs of stopping, Paddy was not keen on his morning walk!

About 11 it had slowed down to an intermittent drizzle and so I took a walk to see if I could find a paper (I couldn't) and met Wendy, who had internet and had seen the latest forecast which said it would clear up after lunch.

We had an early lunch and set off. Volunteers at the first two locks (wonderful) and then got through the next two fairly easily although they were both leaking so took their time. By the time we got to Wood End the sun was showing distinct signs of appearing and so we had a very enjoyable trip up to Rugeley.

The Armitage Shanks factory, it must have been a real thing of beauty when it was built. Now it had lots of broken windows and looks a bit run down, but is still working. Yes it DOES bend around the canal. it's not a trick of the camera or an optical illusion.

Just after Armitage there's a narrows, and Paddy and I got off to run ahead to stop any boats coming as only one boat can get through at a time. This is Paddy looking in the wrong direction for his dad and the boat, which can just be seen in the distance! Bless him, he was at the back of the queue for brains but in the front for beauty!

Josiah Spode (of pottery fame) left his house to Dominican Monks who built Hawkesyard Priory in the grounds and it is now a venue for conferences and weddings. It always looks nice, apparently there's a golf course in the grounds but luckily we don't have John's clubs on the boat and in any case there's nowhere to moor!

Spotted just in time at Handsacre, young swans.....lots of them! Well done the parents for getting so many to near adult hood. We've seen quite a few fluffy little ducklings as well but I never have the camera ready in time, I must try harder.

No idea what the weather is going to do tomorrow, fingers crossed for dry, sun would be a bonus.

7th July '16

After an 'early' 9.30 start to the morning, we finally got away at 12.30. Time taken to get the chimney off, take the ariel down and all those other bits and pieces that John hadn't done and I didn't mention as I knew he'd see it as 'nagging' as it was I just felt smug!
Then we needed to have a pump out, fill up with diesel, empty the Elson and get a full gas canister. Amazing how long it all takes.
The weather stayed dry although the sky looked threatening for most of the day.
I've got a new camera and have taken loads of pictures and now find that I've left the connector for the computer in my old camera case, which is in the car. (Insert naughty words here, whatever you think appropriate) this means that I'm not going to be able to post any pictures unless I take them with my iPad. Good planning Nancy!
We are now moored at Branston water park and had taken Paddy around it for a walk. John also has a new camera and he was hoping to take some word photos. There were a lot of greylag geese which was nice to see as we have none on the Marina due to the huge numbers of horrible Canada geese, that just see off all the locals.
Going along to the park we happened to go past the Bridge restaurant and they had a sign saying fresh steak and fish every day. So the planned meal is going to be postponed until tomorrow and we will have a shower and make our way back to it, once the Archers are over! We've not been in there for years, certainly since its been an Italian and not since we've had our own boat, so I'm looking forward to it.
Let's hope tomorrow stays dry, as we have Fradley to get through ( and if Norwyn is reading this, I will do my best not to fall in!)

22nd August '15

We had a bit of an 'incident' at Alrewas. We were woken at 12.15 with a series of bangs on the boat. I put the lights on and John went out at the back but whoever it was had disappeared. In the morning it appeared that we'd had apples thrown at us, as they were along the mooring next to the boat. Morons. We've moored all over the place, often where others have told us not to but we've never had anything thrown at us before.

We left after breakfast and had good luck with all the locks but it still seems such a long stretch back to the marina. We came up behind a day boat meandering slowly along, enjoying their day out. We got up fairly close and I went up to the bow, the chap on the boat asked if we'd like to go past, I said that we wouldn't normally overtake, but we'd been out for 11 weeks and were only an hour from home. They happily waved us past and we headed off. Then just as we were coming into Willington, there was a hire boat across the canal with no one aboard. I got up to the bow of ours again and managed to climb aboard the boat, only to find that the middle rope plus the stern rope were both in the water with mooring spikes attached. I got them free but the boat was so badly tied up that I couldn't get to land, so John had to nudge it a bit with ours so that it went towards the shore. That meant that I was able to jump off and pull it in. Without anything to moor it to, I just tied the stern rope to the boat behind it and got back on ours, they could sort it out when they got back.
Getting back onto the marina was lovely, but I'm not so sure about our new mooring, we are no longer next to Keith and Karen and I'm missing them!

We spent Tuesday cleaning the boat, Wednesday John took the motor home to get it's MOT and I cleaned the boat. Thursday we went shopping and Friday the car had it's MOT and I cleaned the boat. We've paid our mooring fees and taxed both vehicles, just the insurance to go. Expensive time.
We're off to London on Monday to celebrate our wedding anniversary, so when we get back I'll hopefully have some pictures and I'll try hard to keep the blog going, but now I'm busy with the book, I want to get on with some patchwork and I've got some dressmaking to catch up with.