What a difference a day makes

After all the wind and rain yesterday, we had clear blue skies today. We went into Penkridge first thing and made our way to the market. We picked up a few Christmas presents and some tools for Derwent6. Del got a new woolly hat and Al got some new gloves. We got back to Derwent6 to find someone had come up the locks, our call to go. We went down the next few locks and soon got to Acton Trussell. It was so beautiful cruising on such an autumnal day. At one of the locks, Midland Chandlers is right next door, so it was a good opportunity to get the heavy items like engine oil and waste tank fluid back to Derwent6. We had a hint that the weather was not going to be so kind tomorrow so we pressed on to Tixall. You could see Cannock Chase in the foreground.We managed to moor up with only one other boat here so it feels we have it all to ourselves. We got the fire going and settled down in the warm to watch telly.

Windy, but had the itch

It was very windy overnight and still very windy in the morning, but we had the itch to move so we did. We had the wind behind us on the way down to Alderley Junction and the leaves had been blown to the sides, so we had a clear run. We couldn't get water as someone was on the water point so we turned onto the Staffs and Worcester. With the wind now in our faces, we made our way through the cutting luckily not meeting another boat. We then took in the fantastic scenery... We must be in for a bad winter, just look at the berries on this holly bush. The Kingfishers were following us through the trees as we dodged the leaves. We got to Gailey and stopped to fill with water. We then did the six locks in front of us till we got to Penkridge. It started to rain at the last lock and we did get very wet by the time we moored up.

We lit the fire and settled down for the night just warming up from travelling all day. It looks like we may be in for a very cold evening and a frost.

We Need More Sleep

We had planned to move today but the weather is just awful, so we just pulled up the bed sheets and didn't rise till 10.00am. We know, all we can say is "We must have needed it"

With the day half gone we could only watch the rain out the potholes and do a few small jobs in and around Derwent6. Del played his guitar most of the day while Al started the Christmas lists, as we snuggled up round the fire. We did have a small spell where the rain stopped, so Del chopped up more wood and put some more on the roof. In the evening we (you won't believe this) had an early night!!!!

Sunday, the day of rest.

We decided to stay put another day here as we have a very good tv signal and 3G. We had rain overnight but the sun has come out so it was a good time to leather Derwent6 off. We also chopped more wood for the next cold snap, there is loads around here! In the afternoon it was the Grand Prix and the telly stayed on for the rest of the day.

Can you believe it!

We were up quite early as five boats had already gone past us by 8.00am. Del opened the back doors, and can you believe it, the door hinge snapped off again. It was the same one as before and this is the third time it has snapped. The good news it that we had a spare and it came out very easy because they are well greased. Job sorted. When Steve and Erica came up a couple of weeks ago they very kindly brought us up some wood cuttings so the next job was to turn it into a couple of bags of kindling. Thanks guys!

We then went for a walk through the woods to Chillington Hall, but a wedding was in progress and we couldn't go and have a close look, but it was a nice walk. We had to get back for 4 o' clock to see the Qualifying of the Grand Prix. We then had a lovely dinner and Al watched Strictly, X Factor, and Bon Jovi.....say no more!!!!!!

Chimney Cleaning day

We had a lot to do today and decided to stay where we are for a bit. We had breakfast and then Del cleaned the chimney. We sheeted Derwent6 up and run the brush up and down a few times. Small bits go everywhere and it takes a lot of cleaning up afterwards but it's worth it. We then chopped up the rest of the wood on the roof and got it in the locker to dry. Then it was on the hunt for more wood and we found a little bit but will have to go a bit further tomorrow. It then started to rain again so it was back to jobs to inside. Al made some scones and cakes and fed this little fellow some bread.
The fire got lit, and we stayed cosy for the rest of the evening.

Like a Fairy Tale

Strong winds and rain last night and we woke up again to strong winds... Shall we go or shan't we! Ummmm. Well we were moored close to the winding hole (turn around point) so someone was going to clout us anyway so we decided to move. We slowly made our way up to the lock, we say slow because with even more leaves in the canal we were still travelling in soup. We came out the lock and it was so pretty through the trees with all the colours and the Kingfishers were flying along side us. We were all sheltered from the winds. It was like travelling through a fairy tale land!!

We went over the A5 on the Aqueduct and then got to Brewood (pronounced Brood). We moored up and then had a walk into the village. We went to the local Greengrocer and the Butcher and picked up some pasties and some fresh bread from the Bakers. We popped into the Co-Op to get some firelighters and matches before getting back to Derwent6. Rain looked on the horizon and we moved on a couple of bridges before mooring up in the countryside. Del then chopped up some wood which we had on the roof before it poured hard. We tuned up the music in the afternoon and Del watched the football while Al played her game in the evening.

Cruising In Soup

After a night of heavy winds and rain we woke up to bright sunshine, so we got away at about 8.30am. Al did some boaty jobs inside while Del took Derwent6 down the narrow cutting of Woodseaves. This stretch goes between faces of rock and has some passing places, and it is amazing how this was cut out all those years ago. It was lovely going through the trees with all their colours but after last nights winds the canal was a carpet of leaves. Derwent6 and the Axiom prop really struggled to get through this. It was only by dropping the gearbox into neutral every 2oo metres that we made progress. It was like cruising in a thick soup. We were also running low on diesel as we wanted to try to make Wheaton Aston for some fair priced fuel. We took it very steady through Shebdon passing the Anchor Pub which is someones house. Great Idea! The Derwent6 Pub!!!!!!

We soon got to Norbury Junction which was very busy with boats and it was a tight squeeze to get through. We then went through Cowley tunnel and another cutting (full of leaves), just as it started to rain. We arrived at Wheaton Aston and managed to get diesel at Turner's garage at 58.9p. We made the most of it because Derwent6 was running on air by the time we got there. We then moored up as the light was fading. We managed to get a TV signal and settled down to watch the footy in the evening.

Twenty five locks and getting dark

We felt we needed to make the most of the good weather as the forecast for the end of the week doesn't look good, so we set off at 9.30am and made our way up the fifteen locks of the Audlem flight. Every lock but one was against us and it took two and a half hours ( which we didn't think was bad) When we got to the top the weather started to change and the wind picked up. The trees are really starting to change and the towpath is turning to carpets of leaves. It's great just to go through them kicking them up just like you used to as a kid. They were playing havoc with the prop though.We soon got to the Adderley flight of five locks and it started to spit with rain. We went through Market Drayton and the wind and rain just got worse. We don't do rain but we had already done twenty locks so we thought lets get them out the way and do all twenty five. When we got to the top of Tyrley locks, we were wet, exhausted and aching all over so we moored up in the first spot we saw. It was also getting dark. We were surprised to get a telly signal and 3G as we are surrounded by trees. We lit the fire and listened to the wind while we dried off.

Locks and Keys

We were woken up this morning by a tap on the window at 7.15am. It was Andy Russell (our signwriter on Derwent6) who wanted to show Del a few bits and pieces. We should have been woken up by the light this morning, but the blackout bungs did their job.

We wanted to get away early anyway and we soon got Derwent6 ready to sail, and Del then went over to find Andy.

Andy is a mad Colditz freak and Del is much the same. Andy wanted to show Del that he had in his possession some of the castle's keys which were used on the prison camp by the German SS in the Second World War. He also had a key made by a locksmith prisoner of war (POW), made from a bucket handle, that could have helped Airey Neave's plot to escape. They were like a couple of kids in a sweet shop...

We said our goodbyes and left the marina and soon got to the next lock. We then got to the junction of Burbridge and were then back on the Shroppie heading south. The sun had come out after a very misty start and the hats and gloves came off in the warm sunshine. We managed to get through Hack Green locks which will be closing on the 8th November for repairs and are on the winter stoppages program. At 2.00pm we decided to stop to enjoy the rest of the afternoon as it gets so dark so quickly now. We had a walk into Audlem and picked up some bread and milk and a few treats, before lighting the fire and keeping warm. It soon got dark and it started to rain. The wind had really got up as well so it was a good job we stopped.

In the evening it was a Folk Jamming night at the Shroppie Fly Pub, so we went along for a couple of pints. This is where people just turn up with their instruments and play together. We had a great time jamming with all the guys, and it ended up not only being a couple of pints!