Heading north: Day 9

There was a very heavy frost when we woke up this morning.  As we’d approached got the boat ready to go, a balloon drifted over.

At 8am we moved the short distance to the water point at the junction, and did the usual filling and washing machine combination.  About half an hour later, we set off for Hoo Mill Lock, which was due to re-open at 9.  As we approached, a boat was coming out.

They are rebuilding the by-wash at the lock — and a notice came through yesterday of a similar problem at the next lock, Weston, with the by-wash being blocked.  This meant the pound between the two was very short of water.  Progress was rather slow, because of the shallowness, and moored boats were grounded.  It was much better above Weston Lock.  Bridge 82 always gets its photo taken — this side anyway; the other side is much plainer.

Sandon Lock was empty waiting for us, and above Rowington, the share boat which Catherine and Nigel part own was waiting to come down.  We carried on to Aston Marina, where we went in for diesel at the very good price of 92.4p for domestic.  Then it was back out onto the cut and along to Aston Lock.  Above the lock was a Stone hire boat, pretty much across the canal, apparently unable to get into the lock.  Adrian went to lend a hand, firstly by pulling the bow round, and then telling the steerer which way to turn the tiller.  He didn’t, though, possibly because he was a bit hard of hearing, so eventually Adrian got on board, walked along the gunwales, and steered the boat into the lock.  It all took ages.

We had lunch on the move between Aston Lock and the bottom of the Stone flight, then headed up.  The pub where we had our post-Christmas family get together in January looked busy.

There was a slight delay getting to the third lock as one of the permanent moorers was reversing to the water point, and got a little bit aground.  We got there soon enough though.

Above that lock the water was very low again, but it was better above the top lock, which has a novel solution for a replacement balance beam — it appears to be made of scaffolding planks.  Roger Fuller’s yard is also in this pound.

The Meaford flight has also had problems the past couple of days.  A boat coming down told us CRT had been fixing a hole in the canal bed between the top two locks, but the pound was now full again.  The levels were down all through the flight though.

We carried on for an hour after the locks, and moored at Barlaston, not far from the Wedgwood visitor centre, in a very sunny and warm spot.

14 miles, 12 locks.  (108 miles, 54 locks)