Pet hate

Now we all have pet hates don't we?  Here is one of mine.  CART work boats in general, not when they are actually working but when they are not and are moored awaiting being moved further along perhaps.  But Reader how many time have you come across a CART boat moored on a lock landing?  Well I have quite a few times and I find it irritating.  This one below is moored perfectly legally on a CART work boat mooring but just look how short it leaves the waterpoint landing.

Now we didn't need water today but even so.  I do think that there should be space for a full sized boat to moor up on at water points.  I think it would be kind too of CART to put in a few extra water points after they have taken one out of service.

We couldn't have fitted on here with the position of the two boats either end.

Iconic shot of Kidderminister lock.  One day when its not 40C we'll go visit this church.

We made our way from Stourport today, yes leaving very early again.  I had popped into Lidl last evening and enjoyed the air conditioning there so we didn't have to face Sainsbury's here.  In the past the moorings have always been full at Sainsbury's but yes you've guess it not today.

Although we had to wait below this lock for several boats and I had gone up to help, when it was our turn no boats anywhere and no help for me but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

I just wanted to moor up under trees along with most other boaters today, we were heading for Wolverley and The Lock pub.  As we got closer the moorings looked busy but a big tree had a space beneath.  We hopped on it and moored up.  The captain of the boat in front walked back and offered us to go into the lock next as they weren't quite ready....  I declined but thanked him for the offer saying that its was far too hot now to carry on, yes he said we are only going on to Kinver and stopping...  Kinver is a good 2-3 hours on and some shaded moorings which I estimated would be full by the time they got there.  But that's folk for you.

I don't know how I spotted this but I did.

Got it?

I haven't seen a Kingfisher in ages but here is one

I've photographed before of course but I just love these echoes of the former boaters lives, I always put my foot in the worn stones.  

I think the locks had been recently repainted along here, all the anti-vandal locks have gone, hopefully will be replaced. 

This was our mooring this morning! (I took this the following day moving off but can you feel the shade, goodness it was wonderful)

In the late afternoon we strolled up to the pub for late lunch  or early supper.  It was packed still.

The following morning, but you can see that the garden was in full sun with barely any effective shade

Then it dawned on me that the building is white, the umbrellas were white and in the later afternoon gave hardly any shade as the sun had sunk so low.  We sat for a while but gave up pretty quickly and went indoors to the "Dining room" where we had the room to ourselves and waitress service.  What a relief.

Supper was their signature burgers.