Friday 6th May, 2016 at Handsacre.
Awoke to another lovely morning. After breakfast, we walked up the towpath to post a card in Great Haywood village. The last time we were here, M walked half a mile to the post office in the centre of the village - only realising on her return that she had walked past a postbox cunningly set into the wall right beside the canal. This time she used that one!
We sat and had a coffee in the lockside cafe and watched the comings and goings of boaters. We had briefly befriended a couple yesterday on the hireboat "Rosemary" - out on their very first trip, a tad apprehensive but loving it, nonetheless. This morning, they waved cheerfully to us as they came through the lock on their way back to Stone - clearly hooked on this narrowboating lark!
We have always said that one of the best things about boating is the people we meet along the way. Today, we fell into conversation with a delightful old lady called Sandra, out walking her dog Misty. Misty is a rescue dog and Sandra had been told that he "ignored other dogs". As we talked, Misty took off after a passing dog and poor Sandra would have been pulled over if R had not grabbed the lead and held him. This behaviour was repeated with each dog that passed! She lives in the village and gave us her address and invited us to call in for tea next time we are passing through. We will definitely do so in June.
Then a short detour to look at the charming "Essex Bridge" packhorse bridge that crosses the Trent next to Shugborough Hall.
It was built in 1550 and originally had 40 arches, of which 14 survive. It is said to be the longest surviving packhorse bridge in the country.
A truly pastoral scene looking across the River Trent next to our mooring that has probably not changed greatly in the last four centuries.
There was a short delay before we set off as MM was firmly aground. It took a while with the long pole to get her off the side and into the centre of the canal.
The cruising was lovely again. Only one lock today - Colwich - but one of our favourites. We would love this house!
The bridge is often used by cows, who peer over the wall to watch us pass. Sadly, no cows today.
M, who was on lock duty, was intrigued by this hole in the lock balance beam.
But it didn't take long to work out what it could be used for. The first time that we have seen this, but how ingenious - and useful!
The first family of ducklings that we have seen this year.
The canal is very narrow through what used to be Armitage Tunnel, before the roof collapsed. A tight squeeze!
M had remembered that there is a lovely stretch of canal just past Handsacre beside Tuppenhurst Farm where mature oak trees line the waterway.
We found a perfect mooring spot there and then went for an early evening stroll. The banks were carpeted with bluebells and stitchwort and the fields full of lambs. Lovely. R rested while M took pictures of the flowers.
Today: 9 miles, 1 lock and 3.8 hours.
Trip: 17 miles, 4 locks and 8.8 hours.
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