Rain, rain and Julie Walters

 A reasonably early start today, it was going to rain this afternoon, with the distance to be covered we reckoned we would be safe.  Except that it rained ten minutes after we untied the ropes.  Bye David......she said as she went in doors.

He loves the rain, why, just look at his face.....

We stopped for water at Tamworth, right opposite the Birmingham to Fazely junction.  A hire boat came around the corner from there obviously wanting water too.  I went to tell them we would only be five minutes. They were decked out in full waterproofs, but smiling, we're in no hurry....  Turns out they were going to do the Black Country Ring but had thought better of it with all the wet forecast this week so had turned around and instead of doing 40,000 locks they were going to do three to get back to Great Hayward.    I didn't blame them at all.

So against my own advice, we made the turn onto the B&F.  

New waters for us.

I can't believe that I haven't noticed this house before we made the turn.

So David has left our car on Watling Street..... somewhere, its a long street.

Nice big mill still here.

Great building but I've forgotten what it is.

Then the canal opened up quickly into open fields, spaces and farmland.  I went in until later when we arrived at the bottom Curdworth Lock with eleven in total. 

Approaching the first lock of the Curdworth Flight

 We did just the three locks when a pub came into view.  The hire boat lady said she had been told its a good one.  I voted for mooring up, tonneau cover on, heating on and let's just go to the pub....  So we did.

An annoying metal ledge here, these wagon wheels were deployed here for the first time, they are four years old.

It was a pub frozen in time.  I would imagine the 1970's....  The barman was probably in his late 80's....  I won't say a lot more but the food was dire and I leave you with this link, a trip down memory lane.  But I say go to The Dog and Doublet and judge for yourselves.... 


HERE 

It rained all afternoon.