Rugeley

Today's Canal : Trent and Mersey

We were promised a fine, sunny day with lots of blue sky - and, for once, it delivered, right from the off.

Yesterday, we moored at Salt but the rain deterred us from taking a photo of the ornate bridge. Perhaps as well as today, in the sunshine, it looked resplendent.

As we neared Weston, we could see in the    distance Weston Hall. Dating, in part, back to 1550 as a Dower House, it was gradually extended and improved by various generations. As it stands now, it was acquired in 2012 by new owners who extensively renovated and converted it into a venue for events, weddings, restaurant and accommodation.

A couple of pics just to show the Staffordshire countryside looking its best in the September sunshine.

Weston Arm, together with Weston Wharf, is currently base of a canal contracting company. The arm seems to have serviced a manure works and other industry as well, possible, as Ingestre Station (on a now disappeared Stafford and Uttoxeter line)

Our schedule for today included four locks, all quite spaced out, the first two before Great Haywood Junction and two below. We normally allow 15 minutes for a single lock - it may be longer if against but then also quicker if set in our favour, especially if left open by an oncoming boat. It was not helpful when we discovered at the first and second locks that there were queues of 4 or 5 boats waiting to descend - almost none coming the other way. The boat in front of us (two brothers who started canal boating in 1956!) and ourselves managed to refill and empty the locks quite efficiently but why the others in front took so long we did not learn. When we arrived at the second, Hoo Mill, the boat that had been at least four ahead of us in the first queue had still not started to go into the lock!

We paused at Great Haywood to empty the elsan and dispose of rubbish but we did not need to set up the water hose pipe this time so it was a quick stop.

We were not held up at all Haywood Lock, except the need to turn it. There were plenty of onlookers but only one felt inclined to help!

After the lock we immediately found a good mooring tom have lunch. We kept the break short as we felt the need to catch up a bit on the lost time.

Close (ish) to the canal is Shugborough Hall but most is hidden by trees. They all seem to have grown since we started to build our picture library 15 years ago. This is all of the Tower of the Winds that we could manage. We could see almost all of it in 2015.

Reviewing the photos when preparing these blogs can sometimes throw up surprises not spotted at the time. Usually we take two or three of the same pic to increase the chances that one comes out OK. This is one of just a run-of-the-mill country lane bridges, nothing special to be seen.

But when we looked at one taken a few seconds later (and we mean a few seconds) see what had surprised us - where did they come from/go to?

Colwich Lock was the last for today and again there was a queue, not helped by a boat pulling out right in front of us along the way! The main reason for delay was that only one top paddle was operational - the dreaded yellow bag strikes yet again. When it was our turn to fill and empty the lock we were able to have a very friendly chat with the next boater whom we had met several times before, mostly at locks and moorings. He is a continuous cruiser and summer waterways trader (ice cream and slush)

A long level stretch now until the centre of Rugeley where we planned to stop. It is often a popular place and so there is always some nervousness about finding a gap near to the shops - in this case also close to Screwfix to let Mike collect a replacement smoke alarm that he ordered a few days ago - the front cabin one had started to complain that it was running out of battery.

We started to see more of the River Trent, now grown to an adult size, here running alongside the canal.

We crossed the same river on the Brindley Aqueduct. This is also a signal that we were now entering the outskirts of Rugeley.

One of the gardens of the houses that adjoin the canal . . . (Trying to outdo Charity Dock?)

Passing several good spaces we crept ever close to the bridge by tesco, giving in at just the right moment. When we walked that way later, after mooring, we realised that we had taken the last available place in our size.

Refreshed by a mug of tea and a jam crumpet, Mike walked to Screwfix - it is only about 100m from where we were moored - as the crow flies - but rather longer by accessible routes! Christine then went to tesco - twice as she decided that we needed some more stores. It will be a while before we are close to another supermarket.

9.6 Miles - 4 Locks