Turn Right at Fazeley.

Starting off Wednessday morning we cruised down to Wittington where we walked over to the post office to send off a parcel. After lunch we carried on to Hopwas. This is all familiar ground we have cruised before, normally we would call for a drink at the Tame Otter, However I have not been well for a few days so I'm off the drink till i recover. Stopping at Sutton Road bridge on Thursday morning and walked to a retail park on the edge of Tamworth to do some shopping,I'd been told about this by a woman we met at Rugeley. Stocked up again we went on to Fazeley Junction where we turned right onto the Birmingham to Fazeley Canal, this is new ground for us.
Just after turning you pass Drayton Manor Leisure Park and Zoo. That night we moored at Drayton Brick Bridge, opposite some old Gravel Pits. Having had no locks since Fradley we had three on Friday, this brought us to the Dog in a Doublet where we moored last night.
A bright and sunny start this morning so we took a walk round Kingsbury Water Park, another set of flooded gravel pits. Feeling better we called at the pub for a lunch time pint, first for a week.Pictures are Mooring and a sign next to the field at the side of the pub, seems a bit of over kill as all it says is Dog field.

Connection problems still.

Still having problems getting online. On the first of April we left the boat at Wolseley Bridge and took the bus to Lichfield then on to Birmingham where we caught the Train to Theale(which is near Reading) then took the bus to our son Stephens.
We spent a few days with him and the boys then went into London and took our trip on the London Eye which our daughter Pamela gave us for Christmas. This was on the fith of April,our 42nd Wedding Anniversary. We stayed the night in London before returning to Doublefracture on the 6th.
On our way to Fradley Junction we moored just above Kings Bromley marina where we met Marie and Ray. Arriving at Fradly on Friday we moored and waited for the arrivAl of our other son Richard and his wife Gill and little Duncan. Sunday morning we cruised down to Alrewas to turn round then back to Fradly, in the evening they went home and we stayed over night. Yesterday we moved down the Coventry Canal to bridge 90 where we moored for the night.

Where did March go.

Well it's nearly a month since my last offering, what with the work on the boat and not being able to get online the month has just gone. Can I start by saying good luck to the couple who sent me the comment and who are just starting out on their journey and blog, good look may see you on the cut.
Right we returned to Doublefracture after the new shower, which looks great. Olso with us on our return were Pamela and Archie. They spent the week with us. Leaving the Marina at Shobnal we stopped our first night at Branston, then went up through Alrewas and Fradley, finally mooring at Great Hayward on the Thursday. We stopped on route at a nature Reserve at Wolseley Bridge, great for children. On Friday we spent the day at Shugborough Hall the former home of Lord Lichfield. The farm and little train ride for Archie and the Hall for us grown ups it was a perfect day out, even the weather was good.
Our final destination for the week was Stone on Saturday(yes Dave we went for a drink in the Star). So on Sunday Nathan came for Pamela and Archie and we stayed another night in Stone before Heading back the way we came. We moored at Weston upon Trent on Tuesday night and are now back at Great Haywood. Hopefully I should have better luck getting online from now on. Pictures were taken At Wolseley Bridge Nature reserve.

Time for an oil change.

We arrived back at the boat on Sunday night as planned. On Monday morning we turned the boat and headed back toward Burton on Trent.The weather was bright,sunny and quite warm. While I steered the boat Marlene caught up with the washing. Making good time through Aston Lock then up through Weston Lock. By lunch time we were moored near bridge nine and the washing was out drying. For the rest of the day we relaxed in the sun. It feels good to be on the move again.
This morning was very frosty, however by ten o clock the sun was quite warm again,just a bit chilly to your hands and face, As we cruised along we could see all the small birds, including some Longtail Tits. At Swarkestone lock we past the boat (Best of Mates) of some friends we have met a few times since we first met them in 2005. Further on a British Waterways crew were working on a bridge wall that looked as though it had been hit by a lorry. Once again we were moored up by lunch time. After lunch I changed the Engine oil and oil filter. While Marlene did some baking(a carrot cake) I took the boat the short distance to the moorings at Willington where we are now moored for the night. Pictures are A frosty Morning And Weston Church.

Start of season three.

On Tuesday first of March at 10 o clock we left our winter mooring at Barton Marina for the start of our third season cruising the canals. We turned left and headed down the Trent and Mersey heading for Shardlow. First though we stopped at the mooring near Morrisons supermarket to do some shopping. on the way down we had collected some wood for the stove so that evening I cut it into pieces and stored it on the top of the boat. I then set up the satellite dish and settled down for the night.
Next morning we didn't wake up till a quarter to nine, but who cares. We took a steady run down to Willington where we were mooring for the night. After a walk we put on our glad rags and went to the Greenman for a meal and a few pints. The meal was rather large, when he placed it in front of Marlene he wished her luck. It was a good night out.
Thursday was cold as we set off for Shardlow, the locks today would be large to fit two boats. This is much heavier going than the narrow locks of the last two days. It was 4 o clock when we moored opposite Dobsons Wharf in Shardlow. On Friday morning we caught the bus into Derby Station, then took a train to Pamela's for the weekend.
This is where I am writing this posting as I have been unable to get on line on the trip to Shardlow. Marlene and I return to the boat today(Sunday) to do the return trip to Shobnal Marina where we are having our shower re-tiled on the 14th. While this is done we are coming back to Pamela's. If I have trouble posting the blog on the way back I will bring you up to date then.

Return to Barton Marina.

Our plan was to move up to Alrewas come Saturday, after catching up on washing and shopping. Than on Friday we discovered that the whole section from Barton lock to Wychnor lock was to close today until the 26th of this month. This would mean we would be stuck at Alrewas for nearly a month. This would make getting rid of rubbish in this time impossible, as there are no bins in Alrewas. With this in mind I phoned Barton Marina where we were due to over winter from the 1st of December and asked if we could go in early. They kindly agreed, so on Saturday morning we entered the marina for the winter. This is the end of our second season, in which we visited the southern rivers and canals. To sum up, the Thames was a pleasure to cruise even the tidal section from Brentford to Teddington Lock. We had mixed feelings about the Kennet and Avon canal. There is some lovely scenery and some nice places. On the down side it is hard work in parts and some of the locks neared some work to make them work as they should, add to this the sections that are down to the width of one narrowboat due to over grown reeds. If something isn't done soon we will loose this canal and that would be a great shame. The Oxford canal was a chance to relax again after clearing the lines of permanently moored boats from Sheepwash to Dukes Cut. I know this makes money for British Waterways but too many spoil a nice canal. So now it's baton down the hatches and sit out the bad weather until March, when once again we will leave Barton and do all the little bits in the Midlands that we have missed, Like the Caldon, Sratford on avon, Worcester an Biirmingham canals and of course the BCN.

A Trip to Yorkshire.

Alot of dashing about since my last posting. We left Barton Turns on the Saturday and went down to Shobnell Marina, where we got a quote for our shower re-tiling and an extractor fan putting in the bathroom. Then we moored at Shobnal Fields so we could meet our son Richard and grandson Aaron at Burton on Trent station on Sunday, they were stopping with us till the Wednesday. On Monday we went down to Willington, returning to Shobnal on the Tuesday. After Richard and Aaron had left on the 11-27 from Burton, Marlene and I took the Doublefracture back up to Barton turns.

Then on the Thursday we took a train from Burton to Wakefield, then a bus to my mothers in Allerton Bywater. More visiting on Friday when we went across to Featherstone to see Marlene's sisters. After a quiet day with mother on Saturday, and a visit from my sister Carol and her partner, complete with Halloween masks(see picture) we went out for a meal with my sister Jennifer and her husband. A restful Sunday then on Monday morning we took a bus to Leeds, then the number 36 to Ripon via Harogate to see Richard and Gill and the other Grandchildren(Louise, Luke,Megan & Duncan) Returning to mothers on Tuesday. Thank goodness for free bus passes.

That leaves today, when once again we took to the buses and trains and returned to the boat.