To Crick: Day 6

I had a look out of the window at 5.30 this morning when I got up to go to the loo, and Tixall Wide looked so beautiful, with mist rising off the water and the sun just coming up, that I had to take a photo.

We set off about 8.30, and it seemed much further to Tixall Lock than we remembered.  A boat had been passed about 20 minutes before we left so the lock needed turning, but a boat arrived as we were about to leave.  It’s a pretty lock, but the cottage appears to be empty at the moment.

Along the next section the railway is very close. One house has a very elaborate treehouse and even a train for their kids.

Before Baswich, there’s a lot of work going to where the link to Stafford is planned.  At Deptmore Lock, a boat was coming out so we could almost go straight in, and there was another waiting above.

Above the lock is really lovely, although the M6 is beginning to make its presence felt.  It’s a while before you can actually see it though.

We met a whole procession of boats through Acton Trussell, and at the next lock there was again a boat coming out and another waiting above.  But Park Gate Lock needed turning, although a boat turned up just as we were going in.  Above the lock, the Georgie’s Trip Boat was about to set off with a lunchtime afternoon tea cruise, if such a thing exists.  We went under the M6, then at Broom Lock we caught up with the boat ahead.  While they went up and one came down, I quickly made some sandwiches which we ate between there and Penkridge Lock.  There, Adrian went to work the lock and found a couple of CRT volunteers there, who suggested he go ahead and get Filance Lock ready; the boat ahead of us was on the water point.  As I got to the top of the lock, the boat ahead set off for the next lock, so Adrian ended up working it for them as well as us.  The volunteer lock keepers had a nice little set up to work from.

We moored up between the lock and the next bridge.  Adrian had walked ahead to see what spaces were available, and mostly they were on bends.  But the next boat said they were almost finished their lunch and would soon be leaving, so when they’d gone we moved into their space.  Robbie Cumming’s boat, Naughty Lass, is moored a little way back.  We’d seen him go past at Tixall yesterday.

This afternoon we walked in to Penkridge, mostly to go to Jasper’s the baker for something for dessert.  The Tidy’s a due here later and we’re invited for dinner.  We also needed to pick up a delivery from a locker — but that turned out to be at the town’s other Co-op, so we ended up doing a circular walk.

10 miles, 7 locks.  (29 miles, 25 locks)