Most of Wolverhampton 21

Today's Canal - BCN Main Line

Mike was still very much under the weather this morning whilst Christine is still  not always sure whether her bruises or arthritis are the worse issue! It was touch and go whether we would even move away from the  mooring above the locks. By 11 we decided that, with another washing load on the way, we needed to fill up the water tank. This involved reversing back under Broad Street Bridge where we used all the services.

We were a  bit concerned that we had already had two nights on a 1 day mooring but there was no one else around today. Should we ring CaRT and ask for a special dispensation on medical grounds?

In the end we opted to give it a go, knowing that the first 16 pounds are too short for a sensible overnight stop. By 12.30 we were in the top lock. Going was slow and by the time we stopped for a break just after 2 we had only completed six locks. At this rate we might still be here in a week's time!

However, when we started again we managed to get into a better rhythm and two hours later we had arrived at the top of Lock 17. That felt just a little more like old times but we still adapted our way of working to an easier (less difficult?). Quite a few towpath walkers were more than willing to give a hand.

Although we are just  below one of the railway viaducts that cross the flight, two which Mike used yesterday on the route to Stoke on Trent, it seems reasonably quiet and is one of the few moorable pounds.

Working the locks took all of our available energy so few meaningful pix - in any case it would just have been one lock after another and, apart from the road bridges, there is little variation. We did, however, spot a brick maker that we have not seen before. James Whitehouse made blue bricks in Blomfield, Tipton (not far from Tipton Factory Junction) during the second part of the 19C.

1.5 Miles - 16 Locks