We were off at 8.30 on a gloomy, blustery morning which even threw in some unforecast showers. The canal is pretty twisty right after our mooring, and there’s also work going on possibly for a new development, just before Gailey. Gailey Lock was the first of the day, overlooked by the Roundhouse.
Below the lock, a boat was making to set off from the moorings just as I left the lock — but fortunately they failed to get their act together before I slipped past! Brick Kiln Lock needed filling, but Bogg’s Lock was already full. Rodbaston Lock, right by the M6, was also full. It’s one with a little bridge at the tail.
A boat had just come up Otherton Lock when we got there, so that was handy. We made a very brief stop at Otherton Boat Haven — brief because we were after coal, and they were waiting for a delivery. We carried on into Penkridge wanting to moor between Filnce Bridge and Filance Lock. The options were a little limited thanks to the poor state of the piling here, but a boat was about to leave so we hung around until he was ready. Even so, I’ve had to swap the mooring hooks for chains, because each time a boat went past the hooks got jammed further into the piling.
This afternoon, my cousin Catherine, Nigel, and Matthew have arrived in their share boat, Rowington. They let us know when they were at Penkridge Lock and I walked down and got Filance Lock ready for them. They’ve moored up, and will be coming round later for a chilli that’s been on the go all afternoon.
5 miles, 5 locks. (51 miles, 34 locks)
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