I shall return, now who said that?

I thought I'd have a change of font.  Ummm, we'll see.

So David went out a biking this morning very early and reported back that there were a few spaces in Fradley.  Now I wanted to go to Fradley  because I wanted to see the Wimbledon finals and I didn't want to risk no signal.  We do have a TV on WaL, the TV system cost a small fortune as we had a split wire which meant that David could watch the cricket in one room and I could watch something else in the fold down mini TV in the bedroom.  This has never happened in the twelve years.  But way back then it was the up to date system.

Anyone want a fold down TV? 

 

I was really upset when some years ago David Lewis got the actual TV working again as I really wanted to convert the cabinet into a drinks cabinet. Now we watch TV only a bit and on either our phones or a iPad.

So back to Fradley, to secure one of the two spaces available big enough for WaL we wanted to leave straight away.

 We did at about 7am,  it's only a hop skip and a jump and we arrived, the first boat the jolly volunteer helped.  He even radioed ahead to see if there were any other moorings further through Fradley at Shade Lock which there were so we were confident of getting in. 

This is the (fairly) new marina at Fradley, I quite liked it, not to big, not a ton of facilities that we would never use, I wonder how it compares price wise...

Action shot of David winding down the paddle on his side.

What a prize Git Gap, the moorings start at the post.

We shoehorned into a gap.  Had breakfast and set off for the post office in Alrewas to return a parcel.  David knew the way on the country lanes, at one point a herd of Mamils came haring towards us, but they were a friendly lot all saying Good Morning.  We arrived in Alrewas.  Now I have to tell you something Reader, it's usually me who says this but today David said Alrewas is lovely I COULD RETIRE HERE!!!!!

I did see a lovely cottage for sale too but it's too far from those priceless Grandchildren. 

My first bike ride since last summer

We cycled into Post Office Road, couldn't see it.  I asked a lady where the post office was please, Oh it was in the Pharmacy but it's gone now.  It's now in South Fradley at the Butchers, next to Co-Op.  So Reader now you know.

The butcher served me sausages and took the parcel.

We got back to WaL.  The plan was to watch the tennis and then go to the pub for supper.

Three of these things with drivers well older than David and myself, or rather they looked much older.  Huge noisey things called "Trikes" evidently they are great fun. 

The Jam Butty was here and we couldn't resist.

Well the tennis was very exciting and we celebrated with a proper afternoon tea.

We'd spent a couple of days here so time to move.  We shifted off at 06:30, as quietly as we could drifted over to the service point for water, it took 25 minutes, David got fed up waiting by then, the tank was only on 8/10,  meanwhile I prepped the lock and was quite convinced another boat would come and I would have to turn it but luckily not.  

Reader don't bother with this water tap.  

Our mooring on the left.  The motorbikes were a bit noisy on the road, but good people watching.

David finally leaving the service and coming along as quietly as possible.  Not a soul about.

The very beginnings of Cannock Chase, a sign to me that we are nearly back.   

O

And here we are at Great Haywood, just done the last lock.

 

So Reader an early departure from cruising for now, there is a good reason.

Frequent Flyers here might remember two years ago that our dearly beloved youngest daughter and her husband have gone to live in New Zealand, the country of his birth and the place she decided to spend the Second Lockdown in when we were all cold.

In August they are expecting their first baby and our 5th Grandchild.

I am flying out to "Lindahand" as we say in our house and David is staying home to help with the school holiday child care and mind my mother.  

He also thinks he'll play golf. Ha!!

So this is all from me for now, I have to pack and cram into a case all she wants me to bring out with me...

It was that man again....

 So it's been a while since we tied up WaL in Barton Marina, due to a bit of a hectic time at home we extended the stay for a few days more.  

I'm glad to say we found the marina by road, not always an easy task, just ask David when he drove from the top of the Tardibigge Flight to meet Amanda who was at Kings Orchard Marina well north of Tamworth.  She was waiting for him to collect her, he was riding around looking for it and having a complete sense of humour failure I was on WaL at Tardibigge 40 miles away when he called me in a state of fury.  Luckily at that time I too had an iPhone and had set up sharing location, I was able to direct him.  Amanda cheered him up nicely before they reached me again.

So off we went, it was in the afternoon, Wimbledon was warming up nicely I wanted the young Italian and the young Spanish guy both to win.

We really only wanted good TV reception via the internet to watch the end of the first match and the whole of the second.  Alrewas was thought to be the place to be....

Reversing out of the pontoon.

The A38 is close-by to the canal here, bit noisy....

Very close!

Bridge 42, this wee bridge opens out onto the A38, this was a Friday afternoon when traffic was whizzing along and this caravan pulled out onto that road, I was quaking in my boots for their personal safety but they did it without a major pileup.  Rather them than me for sure.

This is the short but attractive river section of the river Trent here at Alrewas, when we got off the river at the lock a boat was in the lock, the lady crew said that people seem to be mooring up at 3pm these days, they were setting off for Mercia Marina quite some miles away, past Willington village.  I hardly liked to tell her that our style is to start early and definitely finish early.  But kindly she explained where their mooring had been in the village, we pootled along to the spot only to see that the boat we had been following had zipped in there already.

We carried on looking at snails pace but the village was completely full.  We went through lock 13 and moored up just past a noisy road bridge but that was fine, as we tidied the deck several more boats arrived and moored up too behind and in front of us.

River section looking all rivery.

It looked all calm but there was a tidy pull on the flow, nothing life endangering.

Like a mill pond.

Oh my will you just look at that!

 

We didn't have time to explore Alrewas, the tennis was disappointing as that man won again, you know the one I mean, the one I can't stand.  

Supper was delicious, Keralan creamy curry with salmon, not quite as outstanding as that restaurant in Leicester but bliming good. 

Ladies finals tomorrow.

 

So we left Swarkeston the next morning, hardly any boats if one had passed us at all,  we liked the openness, the emptiness and the water and rubbish point!

The run along towards Burton was very pleasant even if a tad overgrown with bushes, not much to see.

  

We had the last of the big double locks coming up which can be troublesome I know, it was praying on my mind a little.

I couldn't see this one yesterday but here are the lovelies Theresa and Andy

The lovely sunset at Swarkestone that night.

The last of the yellow Flag Irises.

I do love a good sunset.

Moving along from Swarkestone this lane hugs the canal for a good stretch, I would definitely be twitchy .....

We arrived at Stenson Lock, going our way it is the last of the double locks and it is a deep one.  All sorts of horror stories on the forums and social media about boats getting stuck, civilians falling in and major bumps.  The gates weighed a ton, I asked a passing dog walking man if he wouldn't mind helping me with the gates but it turned out his back was far worse than mine, he was seeing a surgeon too so obviously I wouldn't let him touch it.  It took a while but  I did get it closed.    

I let the water in one turn by one turn of the windlass

It was held beautifully in place (Thank you Adam for the tip when we saw you) highly successful lock tackled without any bumps or scrapes to WaL. 

Not many people in the cafe, and even less watching us.

Not completely sure now what David was doing with this rope after the gate was opened but I'm sure it was vital.

Now seeing that this is my blog and it reflects my personal views and not that of anyone else, I have to tell you Reader that I think that this is the Mother of All Ugly Boats.  David says I must stop photographing all the ugly wide beams but Gee Whilickers this one takes the biscuit, in my view Reader and I hope you don't own it.

Oh god here's another.

On arriving at Willington, our destination it was busy, busy with both boats, dog walkers and families all walking and generally milling about.  We took the first mooring available and some distance down the tow path.  I was mystified as to why although it was a warm sunny Saturday.

We walked along to the canalside pub for a drink.  The pub and gardens were heaving, luckily we got a wee table in the sunshine for two.  It was too busy for us so after the one drink we walked to the Co-Op for milk and eggs.   There are several pubs in Willington all were heaving with patrons spilling out onto the pavements

On the way back to WaL I asked a man walking a dog if this was a typical Saturday and he explained that he was on the committee for organising the Raft Race today on the river Trent (Not the canal) and that several times a year the village hosts these sort of events for their community.  So well done Willington.  It was a bit like a carnival.

Back on WaL we had drinks in the quiet sunshine, a nap and supper was warm egg salad with grated cheese using up the remnants of the fridge.

The next day we were in for a treat. Our good friends John and Louise who reside in this general area were coming to collect us for Sunday Lunch at their home.  The arrangements were a tad complex, we drove our car to Barton Marina just a wee bit along the canal.  Its a sister marina now to our home of Great Haywood marina and by agreement we can moor there.  So Louise kindly collected us from the vast complex that is Barton Marina with shops restaurants and the like.  We had the most lovely day with them finishing off by playing cards too and then a taxi back to Willington.  So the next day we only had to pop WaL along moor up, load the car and drive home.  Sounds quick and easy doesn't it?  Two hours later.....

Thank you to Louise for sending this photo and reminding me of it, so you can see how young and glamorous we all are.

Thank you for such a splendid day with delicious food and well your gorgeous selves.

Until we meet again.

The next morning pretty early we pulled the pins and departed Willington.  I really liked the village and I really liked this cottage David if it ever comes up on the open market.....just saying.

Oh yes please.

Just what I learnt to drive in, not many about these days.

A bridge on the narrow side.

  My word what a place.  It's old I am presume it was built somehow linked to the canal, but what a place.

Into Barton Marina and home for a while, see my mother, go boating in France and see my family.

If you are a perfectionist, go now and read the French Holiday post.

More of me later. 

   

 

Out of the Soar and onto the Trent

The next day we left Loughborough.  We had moored on our own fairly centrally to make it easy for Geoff to collect us.  Last evening our locking buddies of yesterday had moored up before Loughborough in the countryside.  

As we got on deck to untie the ropes they came into view around a corner so we joined forces again.

Now be patient Reader, with the passing of time and as I'm currently at home without the benefit of the guide book, plus blogger suffering from a shortage of signal here as all the country is watching Engerland v Netherlands as I type, the photos have uploaded all to cock.  I will do my best but the photos really are telling the story.

Loughborough was pleasant enough from what could be seen of it, but we only cruised through without stopping that day.  No other boats around needless to say.

Geoff had told us of a couple of nice places to moor up on winding bends of the river, peaceful that David and I may have spent a day or so on but in the event we tried both but due to the flooding earlier in the year the bends were very shallow, we thought full of silt, so on we went with NB Gwelo.

One of the last locks of river Soar there was a nice boat already in the lock ascending, the crew closed the lower gates behind them and we chatted.  The boat was only one year old, gleaming and it had been into the local boatyard for some snagging to be completed.  The lady crew approached the paddle and just wound it straight up before their new boat was straight or roped.  I was a tad surprised as it went out of control from side to side but it did narrowly avoid the brick walls of the lock.

She then said for me to "Put my paddle up, yes right up" as the boat was still going from side to side.  

I inched the paddle up.  

They left the lock and WaL entered but NB Gwelo was grounded.  It was only a couple of feet away from WaL but well and truly stuck.

Second attempt WaL managed to heave NB Gwelo out of the mud.

Wall to wall wide beams.  May they exactly as so.

I believe this is Normanton....

It had a air of the Thames with gardens coming right down to the river.

Oh look at this....

Answers on a postcard, or at the bottom of this post.

Ummmmmm...

This is the last lock out of Loughborough.  It's a waterpoint with very short landing, both boats needed water so we had to breast up

This little beauty was at the bottom of someone's garden, I took a quick shot just in case it was an historical wee ship.  It's not a Dunkirk boat but I did "Steal" this shot of Lady Myrtle form Henley Boat Sales but no price.  I do hope she is being looked after, these vintage wooden boats can cost more than a house.

Bit of green here

Oh my word What a Stunner, 

I'm thinking this is Normanton?  It was the view for me of the entire River Soar.

I'd accept this house if I was given it.

Small tree growing out of this lock gate.  Too big for me to pull out.

A landmark but not of the picturesque variety.

A nice sight.  A lock taking us onto the Trent and Mersey canal, it was manned by a cheery volunteer, who also told us all about the pubs in Shardlow.

We had a lovely evening at The New Inn in Shardlow with Theresa and Andy and I hope we will meet up with them again sometime.

The next morning we had a very pleasant run up to Swarkstone where we finally said our goodbyes to NB Gwelo's Theresa and Andy, they had been great company for the past days, they had massively helped me too.

*So that bridge is the one WaL is coming under in the blogs title page.  

That photo was taken by Lesley (NB Yarwood) years ago possibly before I ever blogged when we travelled this way with our daughter Verity.  Lesley and I walked miles that day and she snapped WaL.  Today I would never travel with the cratch sides up lest a leaky lock soaks my cushions, but back then I knew nothing of such things.