+ WE MAKE EXCELLENT PROGRESS

Along the Trent & Mersey and on to the Coventry Canal

April 17th--27th

Take time to be friendly -- It is the road to happiness.
Take time to dream -- it is hitching your wagon to a star.
Take time to love and be loved -- it is the privilege of the gods.
Take time to look around -- it is too short a day to be selfish.
Take time to laugh -- it is the music of the soul.

Old English

Monday, 17th April
We nearly didn't start at all today. The weather was awful. Trev took the back cover off and the rain lashed down, so he put it back on again and we had another cup of coffee. Then the sun came out so we took it off again, and then the raim poured down! However we decided to go for it, except that we were grounded and it took ages to get off the side. Within a short distance we were at the last lock on the Maccie, the stop lock. We went through, round the sharp bend , over the aqueduct and we were at the junction with the Trent & Mersey, hereafter referred to as the T&M! I went to the front to check nothing was coming, and we turned sharp right and down towards the Harecastle Tunnel. We've really enjoyed the Macclesfield Canal and will definitely be back.

We went along the short distance to the Harecastle Tunnel, and were in luck as there was a convoy just going through. As one goes in, the tunnel keeper asks how many people are on board. The man in front of us said, "Two singles, please!". We were asked to take our chimney down and the hose pipe off the roof and this proved to be excellent advice, as the tunnel was very low in the middle, Trev had to duck right down. I didn't know anything about this, I was cowering below decks! It took fifty minutes to get through the tunnel. The boat in front was in no hurry. I didn't find it as awful an experience as last time. I think this was partly because we didn't have to wait for ages to go through, as we did last time, and also because we were in a group of about seven boats.



INTO THE JAWS OF HELL.....

When we came out at the other end, we went about a mile and then moored up at Westport Park, just before Stoke-on-Trent. It was quite a pretty spot, but there was a feeling that there could be trouble. Young boys, far too young to be riding motorbikes, and without crash hats, came by riding motorbikes at about thirty miles an hour. But we spent a peaceful night, and it served its purpose. That evening we heard on the news that some of the local wildlife had set fire to the old Royal Doulton warehouse, a listed building, and, even as the firemen were fighting the fire, these 'hoodies' ( a horrible phrase) were still throwing stones at the windows. This was not far from where we were moored up.

Moored at Westport Lake, Stoke-on-Trent, on the T&M
6 miles

Tuesday, 18th, Wednesday, 19th April
We went as far as the Royal Doulton outlet shop and moored up. There were so many beautiful things there for sale, but I managed to stop myself! Living on a boat certainly makes one consider long and hard before buying anything unnecessary. There's so little space for 'extras'.

We moved on along the canal, and went through Stoke-on-Trent. No one could possibly describe it as scenic, though some parts are interesting.



ONE OF THE FEW REMAINING BOTTLE KILNS

In the main, though, it's just derelict factories or empty spaces, and rubbish. So much rubbish, in the canal and along the sides. And graffiti, even on the newly built bridges.

At last we moved on in to the country again, and it's so pretty. I suppose S-on-T must have looked like this once. We moored up near the Wedgwood Factory, exactly where we moored three years ago, but this time we're not visiting the factory.



SOME OF THESE LOCKS ARE JOLLY DEEP!

On Wednesday, it poured most of the day, but Trev's cousin Ann and her husband came to visit, so it didn't matter, we weren't travelling anywhere.

Moored by Bridge 104, near Barlaston, on the T&M
2 miles

Thursday, 20th April
Another wet day, but it is April, and I suppose we should be glad we're getting seasonal weather, given the worries about climate change. We set off later in the morning and travelled through Barlaston, and the Meaford Locks. The heavens opened and we were drenched, but we're game old birds, and carried on despite it all.

When we got to Stone we visited Stone boats, which isn't a construction method, but a marina! They are really helpful people in there, I recommend them to boaters. Then on again, and we moored at the top of Aston lock, a peaceful spot, except that a car came by regularly to a nearby house, and each time it passed it went through filthy puddles and splashed the water up the side of our boat, which I had washed and polished only last week!

Moored at Aston Lock, on the T&M
6 miles 6 locks

Friday, 21st April
Today we travelled as far as Great Haywood, where the T&M meets the Staffs and Worcs Canal. We came through some glorious countryside, and the weather was good, which made everywhere look so much better. We were intending to turn along the Staffs & Worcs, to moor in Tixall Wide, one of our favourite mooring places, but we noticed a boat advertising canopy repairs. Now, those of you who are up to speed and have good memories (probably the younger readers in that case!) may recall that I had an argument with a lock on the Tyrley Fight on the Shroppie last December on our way to the Llangollen Canal for the winter. I ripped the zip, and it's been flapping about ever since. So, when we saw canopy repairs advertised, we pulled in. Yes, they could do our canopy, so we moored in front of their boat. Their names are Tim and Lisa Salt, and they seem to charge half of what the land based people charge. They replaced the zip, and repaired another which had seen service in a war zone, and also shortened the whole canopy. It seems to us that it was all too long and flapped around, and this is why it was getting caught as we went through locks. They also adapted the fittings so that the whole thing was more securely fixed. They did an excellent job and at a very reasonable cost--£70. I promised I'd give them an honourable menion in dispatches, so here it is:

Canopy makers and repairers--Lisa and Tim Salt tel: 07761 432 092

Moored at Great Haywood
8 miles 4 locks

Saturday, 22nd April
We were surprised how busy it was at Great Haywood. We were lucky to get in. I t seems a popular spot for weekenders. But there was a feeling there that is was not safe, and this was reinforced by the fact that there were signs around warning of CCTV cameras. Apparently, the previous weekend, there had been vandalism, some boats had been set adrift, and car windows smashed. It's such a pity, as it's a delightful spot.

So, as soon as our canopy was ready, we set off. Now, you'll have to try hard to follow the rather odd route we took over the next few days! I have to go to Shrewsbury Hospital on Monday to see the eye specialist, so coming to Gt. Haywood was really a time filler. We turned the boat round and set off back up towards Stone, where Ann & Graham are going to pick us up. We moored up at the deligthfully named Salt! (Nothing to do with the canopy repairers!) It was a lovely sunny evening and we ate our dinner in the cratch.

Moored by Bridge 82, Salt, on the T&M
4 miles 2 locks

Sunday, 23rd April--St. George's Day
We travelled back to Stone, turned the boat round again, and moved south to moor just below Aston Lock. There is a road bridge near here, where A&G can pick us up tomorrow. As we were travelling, we met Dave on 'Anon'. He had some 'phone connection parts for us, and we'd been looking out for him, we knew he was near. Dave is very knowledgeable about mobile 'phone connections on board. If you need help, ask me for his contact.

Moored by Bridge 89, T&M
7 miles 3 locks

Monday, 24th April
At last the dreaded day arrived. I've not been looking forward to this at all, but am keen to get my eye problem sorted. However, it was good news. there is no problem with my eye, and it shouldn't happen again. Over time, the floater should diminish in size and I will become accustomed to it. I count myself very lucky to have such good news. We all went to eat lunch at La Dolce Vita in Stone, right by the canal, to celebrate! It's a delightful restaurant, good staff and super food! If you're ever in Stone, do give it a try. At lunchtime, they do a two course meal for £6.50, and it's excellent value.

We said goodbye to Ann & Graham. We don't know when we shall see them again. They're hoping to come and visit us on the Thames later in the year.When we got back to the boat we had a snooze to sleep off the effects of the lunch and our early start! Then we moved on to moor at Bridge 78, a lovely mooring all on our own.





Moored by Bridge 78 on the T&M
6 miles 2 locks

Tuesday, 25th April
We had a really good long cruise today, and made excellent progress. We need to be in Atherstone by Thursday evening, as Trev has to go to Solihull on Friday. He'll catch a train, well actually it's a bus, to Tamworth, train to B'ham, walk across the city to change stations and then out to Solihull. Quite a journey! We pulled in to Gt. Haywood for water and then went on through the two locks. There was a little queue at the locks, the first we've encountered this year.



PASSING THE TIME OF DAY

Then we began to get a strange rattle. We pulled in and Trev checked the weedhatch, but it was clear. We continued and so did the rattle. Eventually we stopped again, and checked the weedhatch again. The noise was certainly coming from that area, not the engine. Again there was nothing. This time, when Trev replaced the weedhatch lid, he rotated it through 180 degrees, and when we set off, the noise had stopped. We never did really find out what had caused it.

We passed King's Bromley marina and arrived at Wood End Lock, the first of three which drop the canal down to Fradley Junction. As usual, there were boats everywhere, they seem to moor all over the place at Fradley Junction, three and four abreast. There was even a rowing boat at right angles to the bank, and protruding a couple of feet beyond the narrowboats, good job we spotted it. Then we turned sharp right and were on the Coventry Canal. We moored up eventually near Huddlesford Junction.This used to be where the Wyrley & Essingtom Canal went in to Birmingham, but sadly it's now just a short arm, and the canal is no more.

Moored by Huddlesford Junction on the Coventry Canal
19 miles 7 locks

Wednesday, 26th April
I was still in the shower when Trev decided to start off this morning! Again, the scenery all the way, apart from a few urban areas, was a delight. We saw another duck with her brood of tiny ducklings, but we've seen very few ducklings and no cygnets this year. Everything seems to be much later this spring. We passed through Hopwas, which looks a pretty village. We must investigate it one day.

We stopped at the BW offices in Fazeley to fill up with water. At Fazeley there is a junction with the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, which leads up to the centre of Birmingham. We continued on the Coventry Canal, and met a couple of Braunston boats coming down the Glascote locks. They were out on their summer cruise, on a rather circuitous route to the Severn Estuary, which they intend to cruise. Trev's ears pricked up at this! I just slunk away! We stopped to buy a paper, and Trev noticed a fish and chip shop and brought some for lunch.

Then on again, through Amington and back in to the country. Shortly after, we crossed the border from Staffordshire, Trev's home county, to my home county of Warwickshire, at Alvecote. And then we came in to Polesworth. For some reason, Trev wanted to moor up in Polesworth. Although it's a pretty enough spot I couldn't quite see why we had to moor there. Again, I had 'one of my feelings' about it. But we stopped and moored up. I got on the roof and scrubbed it and polished the brasses, whilst Trev watched snooker on tv. As I was on the roof, a missile came over the hedge high up on the embankment, narrowly missing our boat, and landing in the canal where a boat had been moored a short while ago. That was enough for me and I asked the captain if we could move on. He agreed and we went less than a mile and found a lovely spot, away from town, near a couple of other boats.

Moored by Bridge 50, on the Coventry Canal
13 miles 2 locks

Thursday, 27th April
We had a very peaceful night, and I didn't wake until 9.00. Trev was already up and running a long time before that. We set off around 11.00. We passed Barry Hawkins' yard at Baddesley, and went through the Atherstone flight of ten locks.The weather today was glorious, and we came through more beautiful scenery. I'd always thought of North Warwickshire as coal, mines and slag heaps, and, yes, there are some, but really north of Nuneaton is very pretty. Trev cycled ahead to do the locks, so they were each prepared as I approached them. At lock 3 he went to get a newspaper and came back with three disposable barbecues and a mop! He certainly knows how to spoil a girl! We moored just above the top lock, ready for Trev to catch the train tomorrow.

Whilst we were moored up, a working boat moored behind us, selling diesel, wood, coal, Brasso etc. So Trev asked them to fill us up. The couple on it were young, and had only just started the business up. If you see them, please give them some business, they're such nice people and deserve to succeed.

Alison and Iain tel: 07913 761 871 Their boat is called Gosty Hill and they trade on the Coventry Canal and the Ashby.

Moored at Atherstone top lock
4 miles 10 locks

Cumulative Total since leaving the Llangollen Canal 103 miles 51 locks

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