Hilary returned to Essex via Stanstead Airport  from Atherstone whilst I travelled on to Hawkesbury picking some Blackberries when Moored up.

Then on to the marina and then back to Braintree where tonight Ray has a Blackberry and Apple pie for dessert.

After Hilary having a haircut we travelled up the last five locks at Atherstone to moor at the top in preparation for Hilary to return to Braintree to pick up the car and then I will cruise on to the Marina.

The first picture was taken from Facebook this morning showing a lock problem between lock 8 - 9, we struggled with lack of water for the remaining locks until we reached lock 5 to moor up.

 

This morning we decided to move on to Atherstone but in the high heat of the morning.

Because of the hot weather we had a late start and moved on to just before Alvecote Marina ensuring we moored in the shade.

In my last post I said we were in Peels Wharf On the Coventry Canal where HS2 is making it's mark in a couple of places.

Whilst moored in Peels Wharf we upgraded the T.V. to aSmart one and thanks to Hilary's Stepsister giving us lift to get it back to the boat..

After many attempts Yvonne and Daves and our paths crossed and we managed to get together and enjoy an Indian Meal in Fazely.

Apart of yesterday's five hour journey was to pass through the single file former site of the Armitage or Plumb Pudding Tunnel which was opened up because of subsidence caused by coal mining.

We crossed over the Sow Aquaduct heading towards Tixall Wide which was full of moored boats due to being a weekend and the number of boats on the Staffs and Worcester 

We just managed to get a mooring as boat was leaving just as we were about to cruise past.

After the misinformation emailed to us last night we looked at what we needed to do to get through the locks before being closed.

So after a five hour journey passing the restoration of the link between the Staffs and Worcester Canal and Stafford we arrived in Great Haywood.

When we arrived at Penkridge Paul contacted us to arrange a get together tonight with his son Ian, Ian's wife and two of Paul's grandchildren.

We also learnt tonight that Atherstone locks will be closed on the 12th so Plan No. 5 was put together tonight.

We carried on our journey today to Penkridge passing a very large Chemical works where you are not allowed to moor between certain points

We were very suprised by the number of boats heading in the opposite direction.

The road bridge that carries the M54 that cuts through the tree lined canal has some impressive graffity.

I always hate this stretch of water it's called the Pendeford Rockin which is a very narrow cutting through a solid belt of sandstone and roughly the width of the boat.

Today we completed our journey on the Shroppie and started our journey along the Staffs. & Worcester Canal.

Today we have stayed at Brewood and on the way to the shops we saw the carriage with two horses.

Also we saw Speedwell Castle apparently it was built after a  race horse owner that had never won a race stated if it ever won he would build a castle so Speedwell Castle was built.

Last night we caught up with Cherry and Neil and had an evening in the Hartley Arms in Wheaton Aston.

This morning dieseled up at £1.29 per litre when it was £1.34 when we travelled through last time.

As per Plan four we moored in Gnosall last night to move on to Wheaton Aston today.