We decided to hit Fradley before anyone would even think about it, so set off as dawn broke. Predictably a boat was coming down already, but that meant the locks would be in our favour.
With the modus operandi changed, by getting the butty into the entrance of each lock as the big boat goes in, everything seemed to be working well!
4 locks down and as planned, we pulled around another boat to moor for water outside Fradley BW services. After an hour of waiting for the water tank to fill, we gave it up as a dead loss, with the hope of filling up later in the journey. I went to set up the lock on the junction, whilst Richard steered the boats in. The dog, however, had other plans, as Richard pulled off, the dog had decided to disembark and sunbath on the path, oblivious to everything!
Opening the lock gates, I realised Richard was agitated about something, so ran down to be greeted with a sheepish Scooby, being midfuss by some passers by! As he gets older, he gets more cantankerous!
Fradley, thankfully, out of the way, as it was starting to get busy, we continued straight on on the T & M for Woodend, totally beautiful stretch and moored up at Kings Bromley for the night.
2 loads of washing swung in the sunshine for the rest of the day and Richard's jumper neared it's completion....
Rugeley power station! Should I be excited about this? Apparently so, so there you have it!
Bread deficit was the issue, so we moored at peaceful Handsacre and walked into the village to find a small shop, but ended up asking a randum person, as we couldn't find a village centre etc typical!
For future reference we clocked the chip shop.
I do think this part of the T & M is lovely, but very narrow and windy and there is always oncoming traffic when you least expect it! People cannot comprehend that we are towing another boat, nearly as long as the motor and need perhaps a little more room if they change their mind ie stopping and getting out of the way! So we decided that people in this region can be rude and inconsiderate, but Richard controlled himself being courteous in the face of pure stupidity, I couldn't ask for more!
Armitage tunnel was a challenge as it is very narrow and winds around the rocks for a stretch on exiting, which is one way traffic. A boat was coming behind us, but we carried on at our slow pace, not ruffled by his need to 'press on'!
He passed us at the water point outside very beautiful Spode House, 'You
are getting water then?' - I was very polite back, not 'dur I
am on the water point!
Rugeley was our next port of call in this 'hectic' day! A small shop in Morrisons and a quick spend in the town (a hat for the forum banter!) and we were back to the boat. The gardens are wonderful in Rugeley, leading down to the canal, pure luxury in my view, having a garden overlooking and accessing a historic canal!
Leaving the town, a right angle of a turn leads the boater over Brindley's Trent Aqueduct with pumping station above, gently crossing over the river Trent beneath.
As the sun shone, we moored up, (Kennet and Avon style!3 foot draft on the big boat means we can't get in to the shallow side,so front in, bum sticking out!) at bridge 69 outside Colwich and got the chairs out!
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