Bridge 8 to Weston Lock

Bridge 8 to Weston Lock

Yesterday, which was Wednesday 19th August, we arrived at CrossGreen, on the Staffs and Worcs Canal. Our trip took us the final three miles of the Shroppie and through the Stop-Lock at Autherley Junction, where we turned left and made our way to a very narrow stretch of this beautiful canal.

I can find no notes about this narrow stretch but, just like your average, narrow country lane, it does have a couple of passing points. As you would expect, since it does bend a bit, there is certain to be another boat coming from the opposite direction. Fortunately, in our case there was only one. The fun really starts when you arrive at a passing point, only to find two or three boats coming at you. All you can really do is sit and wait until they’ve all filtered through, and hope they are just a wee bit careful.

We arrived here at around 10.30 and settled in for our cuppa before Sheila took pooch for a walk. Our Rusty does tend to pester to go out on arrival at new moorings. It’s not that she’s desperate to spend a penny, she just wants to sniff and investigate, as dog do.

The nearby pub, which is called The Fox and Anchor, is one we’ve visited before and boasts a rather nice patio area with parasols and big, round wooden tables. Thankfully my dicky tummy has now settled down and so, whilst my dearly beloved pops off to the local book shop – she managed to but a bag full of books for £10 last time – I’ll wait for her in the pub. To be honest I’d rather go with her, but I know my knees wouldn’t make it.

On Friday we’ll probably make our way to Gailey Top Lock.

Good afternoon folks. We’re now at Gailey Top Lock on Friday 21st August and, as you have no doubt noticed, I’ve drifted away from the rather regimented way of giving day and date at the start of the day.

Once again we were rather lucky because, having cruised the five miles from Cross Green, it only started to rain a short while after we had moored up. I only hope we’ll be equally lucky when we enter the River Soar on our way to our new moorings. Once again we will pass through Kegworth Shallow Flood Lock, and we all know what happened the last time, which was back in 2007. Can you imagine the shame and ignominy at having to spend another 10 days there due to flooding? I can, and I don’t think I’d be able to hide my face from my new neighbours.

Tomorrow we’re off to Penkridge, where there are very good moorings, and we’ll stay for the weekend.

We had a pretty good weekend, spending Saturday just chilling out and, on Sunday we took advantage of The Bridge pub, although we really weren’t hungry enough to enjoy their delicious meals. Well, that’s what it says on the pub sign, so it must be true I suppose. We returned to the boat to find our neighbour, Keith and his wife busily making rope fenders and knitting small items of kiddies clothing. I leave you to guess who was doing what. I must confess, our Keith makes a rather good home brewed bitter, which didn’t sit too well on top of the Guinness.

It is now Monday 24th August and we’ve moved on from Penkridge, through four locks and four miles. We are just outside a little place called Acton Trussell which, according to Nicholson, is in Staffordshire and boasts a telephone and a store. Apparently the west tower of the local church dates from the 13th C and is topped by a spire that was built in 1562. Apart from those little snippets of info all that can be said of the place, is that it is overwhelmed by modern housing. So much for Acton Trussell.

Next stop Weeping Cross and the Radford Bank pub, which is beside the canal at Radford Bridge, which is designated bridge 98. We may or may not partake of food there, which is served all day, but we’ll certainly take some refreshment.

Good morning from Weeping Cross on this Wednesday 26th of August, where it is, as promised by the nice weather people, absolutely peeing down with rain. Our plan for today was to move on to Tixall Wide, which is a very open and much wider stretch of canal just a short distance before Great Haywood and the Trent and Mersey Canal. But, as there is a pub nearby, that does a rather good Carvery – so I’m told – it looks like we may have to stay for today. With a little luck we the weather will settle down and we can move on later today. But, since we don’t much like travelling late in the day, there’s a very good chance we’ll stay anyway.

Weeping Cross, unfortunately, is yet another small town where the shops are too far away for me to walk to. However, Wifey popped in there yesterday and has managed to book herself in for a haircut, which she’ll have done at 9 o/clock this morning. As for me while she’s away, I’ll give the guitar a plonk or two. I downloaded a new guitar programme yesterday which I’m rather keen to have a go at and so, hopefully, she’ll be away long enough for me to get to grips with a new method of playing. Not that you could call my current, feeble efforts playing, but I do at least try.

If we can’t leave today for Tixall Wide, then we’ll have to pass it by tomorrow and go directly to Great Haywood, where we’ll get pumped out and top up with diesel and water. Alternatively, we may still stop at Tixall Wide, then go on Weston. Our aim is to be at Barlaston by Sunday so as to meet up with Carole on Monday.

For the first time since we started cruising in 2006, we’ve actually managed to find a mooring spot at Tixall Wide, which is an extra wide stretch of the Staffs and Worcs about a mile short of Great Haywood Junction. We stayed for two nights at Weeping Cross, mainly because of high winds and pouring rain but, this morning, Thursday 27th August started out quite bright, with a very light breeze and we managed to set off about 8.15 am.

Most of you probably know and have experienced the wasp menace this summer, as have we. Since they, along with bees and other flying insects, are great pollinators, we don’t kill them when they invade the boat. Instead Wifey usually picks them up with a towel and turns them loose outside. I don’t normally bother because they eventually find their own way out. However, soon after switching on the laptop, one of the little blighters popped in and buzzed around the window next to me. Without more ado I copied Wifey’s habit and promptly picked it up with a towel, with the intention of depositing it through the side hatch. I thought I was doing a good deep, but the wasp thought otherwise and dug its nasty little stinger in my finger. I tried again, with the towel doubled up this time, and was successful. Message to self, ‘be more careful in future’.

Darn me, I’ve just had to dispose of another one! The cooler weather can’t come soon enough for me. Just as well I’m not allergic to their sting I suppose.

Wifey has just left to take a walk down to Great Haywood and the local farm shop, where she’s hoping to find a few bits and pieces. No doubt she’ll buy herself an ice cream but, as it’s almost a mile there, I’ll miss out on the goodies this time.

Tomorrow, weather allowing, we’ll make our way to Weston. Carole has now decided to wait until we get to Pillings Lock before she pays us a visit. This makes sense because, having consulted wit British Rail, she has discovered that it will be much cheaper that way. Our run up to Barlaston is now open to variation of timing, but we’ll still try to be there for the weekend.

We are still on two minds whether to do the Caldon this year. Naturally the weather has a bearing on that decision because, if we get any heavy rain before we get there, we may find a flood situation along the river stretches, and that would never do.

It’s Friday 28th August and the weekend is almost upon us. The weather forecast for today is supposed to be heavy rain and high winds, sweeping across the country from the west. At 06.30 though we have a clear sky and a light breeze rippling the water. With a bit of luck and a tail wind, the latter of which we do have, we’ll make Weston before the nasty stuff hits us. From my reckoning, since we’ll be turning left at the junction, the foul weather will hit us from the port side, but I have every intention of outrunning it, I really do hate to get a soaking when I’m cruising.

The weekend is now here, on Saturday 29th August, and we have a clear sky, with some heavy clouds to the east. The weather men tell us that, of the three bank holiday days today should be the better of them. Today’s plan is a short, four mile cruise to Weston, where we’ll stay for Sunday. We have now abandoned plans to do the Caldon because, rather than keep to their current level of discomfort my legs have decide to attack me at the left hip, so much so that I’m having trouble sitting down, and I can only lie in bed on my right side or my back.

It would take a month, at three miles per day, to get to our moorings if we take in the Caldon as well, so we’re going to go as far as Stone, then turn around and head off down the T&M to the Soar and Pllings Lock, which should take no more than a fortnight. Unfortunately I am now having to take my painkillers again, but I’m keeping them to a minimum. So much for an enjoyable retirement, eh?

Well, it’s now Bank Holiday Monday and the last day of August and, weather permitting, we’ll be setting off towards Stone, which is where Terry and Monica Darlngton live. They are the retired boaters who, a few years ago, took their boat across the channel and cruised down to Carcazonne in France. They followed that a couple of years later with a run down the Intra-coastal waterwayof the USA, braving alligators and such. They are both in their 70’s and quite mad.

We won’t be going quite as far as Stone today because, for one thing, we don’t know which shops will be open and, for another, since the canal breach I spoke of a couple of weeks ago, has still not been repaired, we don’t know how many boats will be moored there. If we can’t moor up, we can’t go shopping, and we badly need supplies. It is rather a long walk into Stone, and I have actually accompanied Sheila before, but I am not able to do so now.

Do you know, out here on the waterways, especially around 6 am, and although it’s a clear sky with the sun about to rise, it’s rather autumnal in the mornings. This morning; Tuesday 1st September; it really is quite chilly.

As you all know, we have six domestic batteries, two of which have only been on charge via a landline for short periods of time. This means that, in order to ensure there is enough power in all the batteries to run the heater, we have to ensure at least five, but preferably six hours of engine run time per day. Yesterday, unfortunately, we only gave it about four hours, with the expected result of me, sitting here in what can only be described as brass monkey conditions.

So, you may tell me, run the engine if that’s all it takes. There are two very sound reasons for not doing so at this ungodly hour. One is that the noise will disturb Wifey and, since she does most of the hard work around here, she needs all the rest she can get. After all, I know I’m old, but she’s only six years behind me. He second reason is that there’s another boat nearby – although I doubt they are close enough to be disturbed – and we are not supposed to run engines before 8 am.

Today we are off to Stone, which is about four miles or so away, and is where Sheila will get some of our necessary supplies. We’ll probably stay overnight then, on Wednesday, go on to the nearest boatyard for diesel and a bottle of gas then, on Thursday, turn around and head for our moorings. I’m pretty sure though, that before we reach them, we’ll have the fire alight. There’s nothing worse than getting up early, or even in the middle of the night, as I often do, only to sit here in the cold.

It’s now Wednesday 2nd September and the mornings are definitely autumnal. We’re still at Stone and will probably stay until tomorrow, when we’ll head back to Weston. We still have about 60 miles to go before we reach our permanent moorings, and almost a month to do it in, so we’ll have to slow down a bit, to about two mile per day.

Over the past few weeks, since just before that nasty tummy upset, I’ve been doing my best to lose some weight. At one point I was almost 15 stone, which is a stone heavier than I’ve ever been in my life. As most people will tell you, it is best to weigh yourself once a week, at the same time and on the same day. I should have weighed myself yesterday morning just as soon as I’d finished my ablutions, but I forgot and so I did so this morning. Alas, where I was 14st 0lb last week, I’m now 14st 2lb. Really, neither of us is eating enough to starve an ant, a loaf of bread is taking several days to get rid of, and the butter seems to last forever now. As for the spuds, we hardly touch them now (Note to self: Must try harder) I must say, I am disappointed though.

Did you see the article about the stall holder at some fete or other? Apparently, because it was very wet underfoot, he put some cardboard down in front of the stall, so as to save his customers getting all muddy. Naturally along came the ‘elf ‘n’ safety idiots and said, “You can’t do that!”
“Why not,” says he.
“You could cause a fire with that down there”
The stallholder immediately pulled out a box of matches and shouted, “A thousand pounds to anyone who can set light to this here cardboard”. At which everybody laughed and the ‘elf ‘n’ safety idiots slunk away with their tails between their legs.
Priceless! You couldn’t make it up. One for Littlejohn I think.

It is now almost 7 am on Thursday 3rd September and it looks like we could be here for another day, because it has been raining most of the night and looks set to carry on doing so for the rest of the day. But, we’re not desperate for anything right now, not even water, so another day won’t hurt.

Yesterday lunchtime we spent in the pub across the bridge, which is called The Swan and is, most definitely a drinkers pub. They do not allow children in at all, they don’t do food, except rolls and pork pies, and they don’t have carpet on the floor, just quarry tiles throughout. My kind of pub!

The other pub, which is called The Star Inn, is right next to the lock and, when we tried it last year, we had to wait ages to be served. In fact, we had one drink then crossed the road to The Swan.

Tomorrow, hopefully, we will be able to make our way back to Weston.

Good afternoon, on a very blustery Friday 4th September, from the top of Weston Lock. Unfortunately the moorings at Weston were chock-a-block, so we had to move on the extra half mile. No problem about that because the spot we’re at has only room enough for one boat, and we’ll be first through the lock in the morning.

From Great Haywood Junction, right through to Stone, has been really busy this past week. This is probably because the breach in the Shroppie was quite severe and, as has been passed along the grapevine, looks set to take a couple of months to repair. As a consequence of that, anyone considering doing the Four Counties Ring, now has to turn back because they can’t go through Shebdon E,bankment on the Shroppie, because that’s where the breach is.

Sheila and I were talking yesterday about moving on this morning, which would necessitate turning around just before the lock at Stone, reversing up for the water point and then, having filled our tank, continue on back to Great Haywood Junction and beyond. There are signs both sides of the winding hole telling boaters not to moor there but, alas, as with all walks of life, there are those who ignore these signs, to the detriment of those wishing to turn about – like us.

Anyway, having received the report from Wifey, about the idiots who were moored there, I thought I would hobble down there and check for myself. Having decided that they didn’t pose a problem, I made my way back to the boat. As I approached the boat in front of ours, I was accosted by the female of the pair, whose name is Caroline. Her partners name is Tim. She asked if I was in pain, a fact that was patently obvious to all but a blind man, and asked if she could help to ease it for me.

Now, I am a rather sceptical bloke when it comes to faith healing, so my immediate reaction was to decline her offer. Instead I found myself accepting her offer and climbed aboard, which is when I discovered she was a Scientologist. I have no truck with Egyptologists, or any other ologists – not even Orangeologists – but, having read some of L. Ron Hubbard’s sci-fi novels and newspaper reports about those who follow is path, including the likes of Tom Cruise, I have to say I was a little apprehensive.

To cut a long story short, Caroline asked me to walk up and down the inside of her boat and asked exactly where it hurt me when I did so. From that point on she proceeded to lightly touch me at different points up and down my legs, feet, arms, hands and spine, advising me that I should concentrate on the area of my knee that was giving me the most pain. After about 10 minutes or so she asked me to walk the walk again and, to my utter astonishment, the pain had eased considerably. No doubt this was simply a case of mind over matter, along with my intense desire for some relief, but I certainly felt a little better.

Caroline herself confessed that the relief could only be temporary but, even so, it certainly did the trick for a short while. The problem I have is that I am unable to take pain killers because my calf muscles tend to swell up. So, having paid nothing for the treatment, and only £3 for her booklet that describes what is happening with this treatment, I think it was money well spent.

Once we get past Great Haywood Junction tomorrow, we’re hoping boat traffic will have eased off somewhat. Some schools are back to normal next week, so that should help ad, since we’ll be going past the junction, whilst those doing the Ring would turn right, we’re pretty sure it will all calm down from this weekend onwards.

Now, I’ve just plugged in my dongle and have successfully got online, so I’ll try to post this blog. Since we’ve now got less than a month before we arrive at our moorings, this will be the penultimate one.

Cheers for now, and enjoy your weekend.

Dave, Sheila and Rusty.