Tixall Wide really is a lovely mooring. There was a nice sunset, when I woke in night I could head owls calling to each other, and this morning a hot air balloon drifted over.
We set off at 8am, retracing our steps to the junction where we turned north onto the Trent and Mersey and immediately stopped on the water point. There was already a boat there, but there are two taps. We got a load of washing going while the tank filled. The other boat moved off, to be replaced by another. When we were ready to go, the other boat, a single-handed, rushed to leave ahead of us, shouting that it would be quicker that way. Well, for him, yes. At the first lock, Hoo Mill, we were third in the queue, and the chap came back to explain that he hadn’t been trying to get ahead of us at the locks, it was just that his boat had just been blacked and now went like the clappers even on tickover. I tried not to let the disbelief show on my face, but I’m not sure I succeeded. At each lock we seemed to be further back in the queue as more boats joined. All the boats ahead seemed to be single handlers too. At the second lock, Weston, it was ages before it was us next, but at least it’s a very pretty spot.
Bridge 82 is one that always gets its photo taken because of the brickwork.
It was getting very hot again, with sunshine and no clouds. The landscape through the Trent Valley is typically English, and very pretty without being that remarkable.
Sandon Lock also took an age, but at least there was a boat to come down as we left. I’m sure I’ve taken a photo of cows crossing Bridge 88 in the past, but today it was sheep.
Everything had taken much longer than planned, so we had lunch on the move between Sandon Lock and Aston. Adrian had worked all the single locks, and I was going to do the flights. When we got to Star Lock, the bottom one of the four in Stone, it was the first time we weren’t joining a queue. It still needed turning though. It’s right next to the Star Inn.
One time we came this way they were building the development of the Joules site above Yard Lock. Today it looked very jolly, with umbrellas outside the cafe.
We completed the Stone Locks and went on to Meaford, where we were behind a very slow couple. I helped by setting ahead where I could and opening and closing gates for them. The flight has one of the canal’s pretty turnover bridges, where the towpath changes sides.
At the top lock, the boat which will be the Canal Boat test boat in October was waiting to come down, so I could have a chat with the owners. We carried on to Barlaston, picking a shady spot with a nice wide grass verge between us and the towpath, because we are planning to get the Cobb barbecue out this evening. It’s taken much longer than it should to get here, but on such a lovely day you can’t really complain.
14 miles, 12 locks. (109 miles, 54 locks)
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