Sixways

Today's Canal - Worcester and Birmingham

We awoke to falling snow. It was persistent but light and rather slushy so did not gather into drifts. More significantly, it was accompanied by strong, very cold, winds.

We put off leaving until almost 10:30, by which time the precipitation had turned into rain. It stayed that way until lunch time.

We came up five locks to above Bilford pair where we moored up, opposite the leisure centre and playing fields. By that time we were very cold and wet through - at least Mike was, especially as the rain turned rather heavy in the time it took to tie up. It took quite a bit of effort to change into dry clothes, make some effort to dry off the worst and eventually to warm through.

Early afternoon the rain stopped and although the promised sunny intervals did not appear we set off to complete our planned route to the bottom of the Offerton flight. When it is dry, we can dress up to keep adequately warm and when we moored alongside the rugby training ground we were not as chilled to the marrow as at lunch time. The fire was lit as quickly as possible!

Mike received an email which meant that the pressure to get back to the marina by late lunchtime was lifted so we have options for tomorrow. Under better weather conditions, it would not be difficult to do that but the forecast is no better than for today. To be continued . . .

4.3 Miles - 7 Locks