The End of our Summer Cruise 2022.

 Tuesday 23rd and Wednesday 24th August 2022 back in Aston Marina.

We took the day off on Tuesday as we don't need to be back in the Marina until Wednesday and so have plenty of time. Another lovely sunrise over St Andrew's Church in Weston.

We are moored outside Peter and Bridgett's house and their beautiful garden. We spent quite a lot of time chatting over tea and coffee, and they very kindly invited us over for dinner. As ever, the delightful conversations roamed about many random subjects, constantly darting from one to another. There is never a dull moment with Peter and Bridgett!

On Wednesday morning, we set off on our final day's cruising back to Aston Marina, passing under the ornate Sandon Bridge, built to appease the owners of nearby Sandon Hall.

The final lock of this year, Sandon Lock. It is exactly four months to the day since we arrived at Aston and we have actually done the Four Counties Ring - but with detours to Yorkshire and Chester!

 As we approach the Marina, we always look forward to this bridge, as it mostly has sheep walking across it. Only one more bridge after this.

As we have had to cut our cruising short, due to water shortages and closures, MM's normal berth is still occupied by a temporary moorer, nb "Strawberry Fields". The owners are due to move at the weekend, so we have had to moor in A25 until we come back up next month to close MM down for the winter, and then we will move her back to her normal A22 berth.

R backed MM into the mooring, watched by a young lady who asked many questions about how to get a boat into a mooring backwards. (note from M - as always, R made it look so easy!).

For the time being, MM is on the end of the row of berths, so we have a lovely open aspect. M said she wouldn't mind having this mooring all the time!

First order of the day was to check in with Nick, the Marina Manager, then we treated ourselves to a light lunch at No.26 as M was very hungry due to her current 16/8 regime.

Tonight, we have been invited to have dinner with our good friends Mel and Peter, who live nearby,  and then tomorrow we will take the train back home to Surrey.

It has been a fantastic four months of travelling. Yorkshire, Nantwich and Chester were all delights and we always love the Shropshire Union Canal. The weather has been extraordinary with more sunshine than any other year. As always, the highlights have been the old and new friends that we have met and made. Truly, "Many Meetings" reflects the joy of friendship.

Sadly, that is the end of this summer's cruising, so we will sign off until we start again next spring, God willing. In the meantime, keep safe and be happy!

Today: 5 miles, 1 lock and 3.6 hours.

Trip: 391 miles, 239 locks and 216.6 hours.

Since MM was launched: 5,220 miles, 3,224 locks and 3,470.7 hours.

Weston-upon-Trent.

 Monday 22nd Auguat 2022 at Weston-upon-Trent.

This year, we have had some glorious weather and this morning was no exception. We were greeted by a beautiful sunrise.

First order of the day was breakfast in the Canalside Café as soon as it opened. And jolly good it was, too!

We liked the motto on the sauce carriers in the café. Very true!

After breakfast, we walked up to the village Post Office. We passed the new "No Frills" campground opposite the canal junction. The "facilities" are arrowed on the left - a single tap (and two waste bins). No toilets that we could see, either! Not exactly "glamping".

We set off north at midday and cruised through some very attractive scenery. Happy and sad that we are approaching the end of this summer's cruise.

At Weston, we moored up outside Peter and Bridgett's house and they kindly invited us in for tea and coffee. It was lovely to see them again and to catch up with their news.

Today: 3 miles, 2 locks and 2.6 hours.

Trip: 386 miles, 238 locks and 213.0hours.

The Stafford Riverway Link

 Friday 19th to Sunday 21st August 2022 at Great Haywood

M went home on Friday morning with Mel and Kyron, who very kindly picked her up in their car and drove her home from door to door. We had such a great day with them yesterday, even if things did not go as planned! But it was great fun and we hope that they will join us again next year.

In the meantime, R and MM set off towards Baswich where he moored up for the night close to Aldi so that he could acquire a "few bits" (note from M - it was probably all chocolate!) (note from R - not all, but some!).

On Saturday, R continued on towards Great Haywood and on the way he passed the Stafford Riverway Link. This is a project to restore the link from the Staffs & Worcs Canal to the centre of Stafford via the River Sow. As MM went past, it was clear that a lot of work has been done in the past year.

From the air, it is clear that the basin between the Staffs & Worcs Canal and the lock down to the River Sow is almost complete. Work continues to line the bottom of the basin.

Eventually, the lock will take the link down to the River Sow, which can be made navigable again into a terminus basin next to Queensway Bridge in Stafford. It is so very pleasing and encouraging to see such progress in a restoration movement and, when complete, it will bring much needed trade and visitors to Stafford.

As R continued, he passed Lucas' favourite garden ornament, a full sized train!

R moored MM at Great Haywood overnight in order to wait for M to return on Sunday. Despite the knock-on effects of the previous day's railway strike, she arrived in good time at 1pm. In the afternoon, our friends Mel and Peter dropped in for a visit, it was lovely to see them and to have a catch up.

As M had not had any lunch, we all went to the Great Haywood Canalside Cafe for an early supper. The cafe has an outstanding display of agapanthus in its border.

3 Days: 7 miles, 2 locks and 3.2 hours.

Trip: 383 miles, 236 locks and 210.4 hours.

The Bottom was too close to the Top - Again!

 Thursday 18th August 2022 at Acton Trussell.

Today, we were anticipating a visit from our neighbours Mel and Kyron, who were driving all the way up from Reigate to spend the day with us. They duly arrived in Penkridge, parked their car at the Littleton Hotel and walked up to the canal. After tea and a quick tour of MM, we set off through the first lock at Penkridge.

They both were very quick to understand how a lock works and the things to watch out for.

Soon they were pitching in and helping with the paddles and gates, although some were easier than others, as ever! The tough ones always give rise to a lot of laughter!

In between locks they relaxed as we cruised along and chatted. Life at three miles an hour certainly seemed to appeal.

By the time we reached the last of the four locks that we planned to do today, before we turned to go back to Penkridge, they were just about doing them on their own.

Even if occasionally they looked a bit unsure of what to do next, they managed very well indeed!

The plan, after the fourth lock, was to turn around and then head back to Penkridge to get them back to their car and the hotel where they had booked for the night.

Winding went well, although it was clear that the canal was very shallow and the water level was down. MM frequently was scraping the bottom.

The best laid plans and all that ...! Setting off to the south again, we only got a few hundred yards before MM ran firmly aground in the middle of the canal. Another boat came up behind us and we thought that he might be able to give us a tow - right up to the point that he ran aground as well next to us. Both boats were stuck right in the middle of the Cut.

R managed to back MM off the shallows and eventually got MM close enough to the side so that M, Mel and Kyron could get off. They walked back to the previous lock with the intention of letting some water down. Meanwhile, after half an hour of struggling, the boat that got stuck beside us managed to get through.

Up at the lock, M reported that a C&RT employee had appeared and was working hard to send more water down - but this is a long pound and it made little, if any, difference.

R tried three times to get across the shallow part without success and he watched three more boats fighting to get through. They all had shallower draft than MM but even they had to work hard to make it using their engine and long poles. It was clear that M, with Mel and Kyron, couldn't do a great deal more up at the lock and, leaving the C&RT chap in charge, they set off walking back to MM

Eventually, we decided to give up the struggle. R turned MM around again (very carefully) and we limped further north until we found a mooring, where we finally had a very delayed lunch, or was it dinner? Prosecco to celebrate Mel and Kyron's recent wedding!

As we were now a few miles from Penkridge, we had to order a taxi to pick Mel and Kyron up from nearby Acton Trussell. R walked them back to the next bridge, where the taxi picked them up very soon after.

Tomorrow, M has to go home to help with baby sitting and Mel and Kyron have very kindly said that they will pick her up and drive her back with them. R will stay on MM and M will come back Sunday to nearby Stafford. So, we should be back posting on Monday.

ps. When writing up our log in the Nicholson's Guide, R noticed that we passed here on our first hire boat "Emma" in April 2010 and there was an asterisk on the exact spot that we ran aground today - and the note said "Aground!". Nothing changes in 12 years!

Today: 4 miles, 4 locks and 3.4 hours.

Trip: 376 miles, 234 locks and 207.2 hours.

Locks Alongside the M6 and Penkridge.

 Wednesday 17th August 2022 in Penkridge.

Finally, the weather broke last night and it rained hard all night and well into the morning. Because we were moored under trees, the rain brought down all sorts of detritus - twigs, leaves and black filth - frustrating, as Robin had spent ages yesterday washing MM down!

As soon as the rain stopped, we set off through the lock at Gailey.

The round tower at Gailey is so distinctive and the last one now remaining on the waterways.  An elderly lady and her daughter used to live in the top and run a shop on the ground floor. There were signs that someone was living there, but it looked like the shop was closed. We hope that the two ladies are okay, as they were so much fun to talk to.

M spotted this bird's nest on the outside of one of the bottom gates. It seemed a very risky place to nest!

Boggs Lock out in the country is pretty, but the M6 passes very close so it is noisy!

Rodbaston Lock is right next to the M6, as witnessed by the blue sign in the background. M used to like "Eddie" spotting from the lock, but that was before Covid which rather put paid to identifying Eddies from a distance (the company removed the "app" to discourage folk from gathering at popular spotting sites).

Just past Rodbaston Lock is a disused railway bridge that was once part of  Littleton Colliery. To the west it is now a footpath but to the east its path is truncated by the M6 immediately at the end of the bridge.

When we arrived in Penkridge, R was dispatched to get rid of the rubbish (left arrow) while M checked out the Convenience Shop (right arrow). In the end, we found a brand new Co-op food shop in town as well as an excellent baker - Jaspers - so we didn't ned to use the convenience shop.

Tomorrow, we have visitors so we will go through Penkridge Lock and three more, turn and then head back to here. This lock is unusual in that it has a "horse" tunnel under the road. In the days of  horse drawn boats, the boat people always referred to their horse as "The Hoss"!

We walked into the town to do some reconnaissance and passed this very attractive cottage whose porch was supporting a very healthy crop of grapes. Clearly, a good season for vines.

Our mooring is just above Penkridge Lock, so ideal to meet our visitors tomorrow.

Because of the closures across the canal system due to water shortages, we are now planning to return MM to her winter mooring in eight days - as there is a distinct possibility that the closures will be extended to Great Haywood by the end of the month. Unfortunately, the heavy rain last night will not be enough to solve the water shortage; it would need prolonged rain for days or weeks to make any dent in the shortages.

Today:3 miles, 6 locks and 2.4 hours.

Trip: 372 miles, 230 locks and 203.8 hours.

Back on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal.

 Tuesday 16th Augut 2022 in Gailey.

M, rising early as usual, drew back the curtains and was overjoyed to see a kingfisher flitting to and fro on the far side of the canal opposite.  After two nights moored at Autherley Junction it was time to move on so we walked into Morrisons for a final "few bits", topped off MM with water and headed off through the stop lock.

Sadly, our friends Annie and Peter, who run the Napton Narrowboats hire base, were off for the day, so we didn't have a chance to say goodbye and to thank them for their hospitality. We will have to send them a card instead. We took one last look back through the bridge and then turned right to go south to top up with diesel at Oxley Marina.

At Aldersley Junction, we winded where the BCN joins the Staffs & Worcs Canal.

As we turned, we looked up to the first lock in the Wolverhampton flight of 21 locks. The one time we wanted to do this flight it was closed because a lock wall had collapsed, so we still haven't done it - but it's always good to have something to look forward to another time....

On the north side of the junction is a very attractive bridge. It has a "horse arch", that seemed to link to old (now bricked up) stables.

On the way back up to Autherley Junction we passed under these four bridges carrying roads and trains. Quite impressive as you pass underneath.

The owner of this boat was surprised when M was able to translate its name. He said that she was the first person who actually knew what it says. His narrowboat has a "Lister" diesel engine and the motto reads: "Lister drives this boat everywhere!"

Just north of Autherley Junction is a very narrow section where the canal was cut through hard rock. There was a boat in front of us and he had pulled into one of the laybys to let an oncoming boat pass. R also had to back MM into another layby behind us to let the same boat pass. It's tight! For novices hiring their first ever boat from Napton's, this stretch is certainly a baptism of fire!

The hot weather is beginning to have an effect on the trees. These trees have turned colour and their leaves are visibly wilting.

This group of young canoeists had just had a race and there was a great deal of crowing going on from the winners, who were ribbing the losers! R blew MM's horn in celebration which caused much merriment. Marvellous to see youngsters out doing something energetic and having fun in the process.

A pair of damsel flies landed on MM's roof and were quite unpeturbed to have an interested audience watching the mating process. Not being a devotee of the Damsel Fly Karma Sutra, we could only surmise that he was holding her by the neck with his tail while she got what she needed into her tail from his abdomen. Copies of the movie version are available in plain brown envelopes to any damsel fly with a credit card!

Finally, we arrived in Gailey and moored up just before the lock. It was here that we moored on 17th April 2010 on our first night on the first ever boat, nb "Emma", that we hired. Happy memories!

Today: 9 miles, 1 lock and 5.5 hours (including power).

Trip: 369 Miles, 224 locks and 201.4 hours.

RAF Cosford Museum

 Monday 15th August 2022 at RAF Cosford Museum.

Today, we had a day off and took a taxi to the nearby RAF Cosford Muesum. The last time we visited was in 2016 and it was so brilliant that we've always planned to go back.

First order of the day was breakfast in their café. At 10am, it was fairly quiet but by early afternoon, it was heaving!

The first hangar is full of one off test aircraft made in the UK in the 1950s and 1960s, a time when UK aviation manufacturers led the world. The first aircraft in the hangar is one of two Fairey Delta 2 high speed test aircraft that were built in 1954. In 1956, Peter Twiss flew this one's sister aircraft from RAF Tangmere to capture the world speed record at 1,132mph. At that time, R was at school not far from the end of the runway and the whole school turned out to watch the Fairey Delta 2 take off on its successful record attempt. (M: how lucky was R to see that!)

The test hangar is one of R's favourites because every aircraft in it is iconic. Such a shame that all that expertise was thrown away or given away by successive governments.

The next hangar covers the Second World War and included this Bolton Paul Defiant. Not a very successful aircraft, as it was too slow and could really only shoot backwards or upwards; however, it did have a fairly successful career as a night fighter. Its special place here is because it was built in a factory next to the canal just a couple of miles north of where we are moored now.

The large Lincoln bomber, never had quite the impact of the Lancaster but served with destinction in the war. And it's HUGE!

This family wanted to be photographed in the Lincoln's bomb bay. Mum, three boys and a fourth boy on the way, due on R's birthday!

The third hangar is called the Cold War Hangar as it documents the post war Cold War period. Even from the outside it is very impressive.

As many vistors weren't born by the time of the Cold War, it has a series of tableaux that describe the differences at the time between East and West. Each tableau looks at a different aspect such as Sport, the Arts, Science, Education, Family Life, Media, Space, Government etc. This (below) was something of a summary, West and East. Sadly, currently one might also say: the US Constitution on the left and Trump on the right!

There was also indications of "Detente" such as Rudolf Nureyev dancing with Margot Fonteyn in 1962. A Russian defector teaming up with a Reigate girl!

Impressively, as you enter, there is a Valiant, Victor and Vulcan tucked in the corner with a Hunter, Sabre and Lightning above them. The Lightning, appropriately, is going straight up, as it could actually go supersonic in a vertical climb - amazing!

The Victor tanker was named "Maid Marian" and the Maid was displaying rather more than her dignity. R ribbed M about it!

The last hangar had some more modern aircraft including the most famous Chinook helicopter in the RAF. It was one of four sent to the Falklands. The other three were lost on the "Atlantic Conveyor", so this was the only one to survive and was very much used. Pilots flying this helicopter in the Falklands at various times earned three DFC medals for their bravery.

The Harrier is one of M's favourites, this one also served in the Falklands War.

Finally, there was James May's Spitfire. This was made by James and a bunch of school children for a TV programme. It was made in three days from a "plastic kit" of parts just like an Airfix model, but full size! There is even a full sized "model" of James May sitting in the foreground.

Just a wonderful day out and a fantastic museum, well worth a visit if anyone is anywhere near it. There is no entry charge (a rarity these days), although there is a charge if you want to park your car. And for any gardening enthusiasts, David Austin Roses and its fabulous gardens, is only a mile or so away!

Today MM had the day off.