To date : 144 miles, 108 locks, 20 lift bridges, 7 tunnels, 6 aqueducts
How lovely to wake on our first morning out on the cut.... a real sense of freedom. There was ice on the canal and then it started snowing! It didn't last long so we went out for a walk around the village of Weston on Trent. It has an enormous village green with a pub overlooking it. We had a chat with some chooks on the way. There was a very handsome frizzle rooster among them.
When we got back we thought it best to head off as it seems to be windiest in the middle of the day. Before going to bed last night the canal was so still it was like glass.
We enjoy chatting at locks and today there was plenty. The first was a boat coming up as we waited our turn to go down. The fellow (I didn't get his name) said he knew an Australian couple on their boat. The boat had a New Zealand name because the man was originally from New Zealand. I had a sneaking suspicion I'd know the name of that boat! nb Waiouru. Behind us going down the lock was a single hander with a pair of lovely golden retrievers. I stayed back to help him on his way. We met up with him again at the next lock.
We had considered Great Haywood marina when choosing somewhere for the Winter but we're glad now we didn't stay there. The canal before and after is lined with rather messy looking moorings. We much prefer the quiet around Aston Marina. There is an excellent farm shop at Great Haywood and we had a nice walk around the village too. The plan is to stay 2 nights so we can visit Shugborough (National Trust property) tomorrow. We're looking forward to it. I only hope my cold starts to get better. I'm not feeling so good and am tired out by the coughing and nose blowing!
It's turned into a stunning sunny day despite the cold. We're toasty warm inside with the sun streaming in. Our temperature gauge in the cratch says it's 24 degrees out there! The solid fuel stove does a wonderful job of keeping the boat warm and we do sometimes open one of the doors into the cratch to let some heat out. We put a couple of potatoes wrapped in foil in the fire for dinner and they turned out fantastic. We'll do that again.
Photos :
1. Waking to a chilly morning
2. Mr Frizzle the rooster
3. A lovely canalside house - canal to the left, lake to the right
4. Pretty church
5. Weston on Trent village green
6. Lockside cafe/restaurant at Great Haywood
7. For Mick
8. Essex Bridge - narrow little bridge to Shugborough
In the drink to date : Elly - phone charger (retrieved - it floated!), Mick - sunglasses, Mick - hearth brush, Mick - mooring hook (retrieved with sea searcher), Mick - reading glasses, Mick - drill bit (retrieved with sea searcher), Mick - ash bucket, Mick - dishbrush, Mick - colander (retrieved - it floated)
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