Wednesday 16th September 2020 at Hartshill.
What a lovely morning, blissfully cool after yesterday's sultry heat. We'd decided to "let go" by 7:00am, partly because a boat had come down the nine locks last night (so they should be in our favour) and partly because M in particular loves early morning starts.
It proved a good decision on both counts as we had a "good road" (what the boat folk used to say if the locks were "for" them) and we were treated to a beautiful sunrise as we worked up the flight in the peace of the early morning.
We love these "stand alone" trees, almost invariably mature oaks - probably the last vestige of an old field boundary.
In the middle of the flight, we passed "Eunoia", Mel and Peter's previous boat before they got "Inkling". Still looking very good for its age. We did ask them the origin of the name - but can't remember the answer (nothing new there!!!).
The wooded middle section of the flight is very attractive and quite remote, despite being only a couple of miles from Atherstone.
Not long after dawn, we arrived at Lock 1, the top lock of the flight. C&RT volunteers are usually on duty here, but we were far too early for them. Sluggards!
The visitors' moorings are alongside the poor old former hat factory that helped to make Atherstone known throughout the world, now sadly derelict with barely a window left unbroken. The factory would make fabulous apartments but we suspect that the building may now be structurally unsound. Their hats used to be exported around the world with fez's to India, bush hats to Australia and pith helmets everywhere the sun shone on the British.
As Mother Hubbard's Cupboard needed a "few bits", we walked into town where there is a surprisingly large Co-op (it even has clothes). On the way, this made us smile.
We chose to move on after having some lunch in order to find a mooring in the country, also to free up the mooring space for other boaters wanting to shop in the town.
On the way, we passed a very rare sight these days - a working narrowboat towing a butty. They made a colourful sight with MM passing in the background. The tiller on the butty used to be huge those days.
A long overdue wash of MM's roof and the towpath side, what a difference! Poor MM seemed to be covered in a fine dust. When the towpath changes, we will do the other side.
Tonight's mooring out in the countryside. No sun this evening.
Today: 3 miles, 9 locks and 2.7 hours
Trip: 61 miles, 29 locks and 37.2 hours.
Love the pic of the lock in the woods. Sounds like you had a lovely day xx
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