Fradley Junction.

Thursday morning we left Great Haywood heading for Fradley Junction. First though we stopped off in Rugeley to do some shopping.The town is small but has most of what a traveler might need,including a market on Thursdays,although it was a very small market. Lunch was late after wandering round town and the supermarket was busy.Leaving Rugeley past the power station and on to Armitage. Before arriving at Armitage we past through a narrow section of canal that used to be Armitage Tunnel,now the top has been taken off the tunnel. It was getting late and due to the dark nights we moored up just before bridge 59 at Handsacre.
This morning after cutting up some logs we continued on our way to Fradley Junction. We moored just before the top lock at Fradley,in the open so Marlene could dry some washing. In the afternoon we walked down to the junction then along the Coventry Canal to the first bridge, where we took the road back to Fradley. As we past the Swan inn Marlene went into the shop next door and bought us an ice cream.
Tomorrow is the day we head in to our winter mooring at Barton Marina.

Third Time Lucky.

On Tuesday we waited at the mooring in Great Haywood for the arrival of our son Richard,his wife Gill and the four grandchildren. They arrived about 4-o-clock,and the kids started to put up two tents for them to sleep in. It was nearly dark by the time they had finished. We played Scrabble while we waited for 11pm so we could phone the flight line to see if the balloon flight was on. I phoned and was told the morning was off but to phone at 11am today to see if it was good for the afternoon.
This morning we all went for a walk round Shrugborough Hall until it was time to phone,we left the tents up to dry out. Arriving back we had a note from British Waterways telling us to take the tents down,we did.Then it was time to phone, it was good news, the flight was on for 2pm at Amerton Farm near Weston. We finally lifted off at 3-20pm. It was a lovely experience, flying at a height of 2,600ft over the Staffordshire countryside, below we saw a lorry overturned and a very large traffic jam. After 55mins we landed in a field near Sudbury 22kilometers from our launch site. the landing was good and the basket stayed upright, showing the skill of our pilot Max.Back at the boat we had some tea then Richard and Gill and the kids left for home. The end of a perfect day.

Darker Evenings.

Yesterday we headed back up the Staffs and Worcester as far as Tixell Wide where we moored for the night. It's a lovely peaceful mooring away from roads and trains. Now the clocks have gone back we are using more power,as a consequence the solar panels are struggling to keep our batteries topped up,so we have to run the engine even when we don't move for a day.We are also collecting wood so we can have a fire in the evenings.
Today we only travelled as far as Great Haywood,where we had to queue to top up our water. As we turned out of the junction onto the Trent and Mersey there were three boats at the water point and another one waiting, so we held the boat midstream while two boats left then moored for water.
Our intention was to go back to Western ready for our balloon flight,however, Great Haywood is only 15mins away from the launch site so we moored there.

A Trip into Stafford.

This morning we left Great Haywood and turned down the Staffs and Worcester Canal. It was a morning of showers but only short ones. We past through Tixall Wide, a broad stretch of water. Next we went up Tixall Lock,then round the large sweeping curve round Walton-on-the-Hill until we reached bridge ninety eight(Radford Bridge). Mooring just before the bridge,we then walked the mile and a half into Stafford.
After visiting the bank and doing a bit of shopping we decided to have lunch at the local Weatherspoons pub. It is an interesting pub,as it used to be a cinema. This grade two listed building has been very tastefully restored inside while still remaining like a cinema. After walking back we took the boat down the canal to a winding hole then turned ready to make the trip back to Great Haywood tomorrow.It's been a nice day and Stafford is a very nice town.

A Day at Shrugborough Hall.

On Monday we moved from the 48hr moorings onto the five day moorings,these were below Star lock rather than above. Staying there till Wednesday we had a quiet time reading and driving our selves mad with a jigsaw.We traveled down to Weston on Wednesday staying near the Saracens Head,where on our way up country we had had a meal when my sister Jennifer and husband Malcolm came to see us.
Moving down to Great Haywood Junction yesterday we moored just past the junction,our intention,to visit Shrugborough Hall.On the way down we past a Gipsy caravan near some moorings. So today we walked to the hall,where we spent the whole day looking round the house and Park Farm,a great day out.While there we met one of the guides, a lady who was a boater from Rugeley.We spent some time talking about the canals. I as was looking for a branch of Alliance and Leicester so she suggested a trip into Stafford.The tower in the pictures is the Tower of the Winds,completed in 1765 this replica water clock was once used as a dairy(downstairs) and as a gambling den (upstairs). It stands in the grounds of Shrugborough Hall.

Back in Stone.

On Friday we arrived back in Stone,it is a pleasant town and has a laundrette so we can do a large wash instead of little bits each day. We moored above Star lock which is a 48hr mooring. Yesterday we did our shopping and looked round town. Then in the evening we had a meal and a few drinks in the Star.The choice of real ale was good I finally decided on Marsdons Ploughman's bitter, a dark full bodied ale,just right for an Autumn evening.
This morning after attending church we moved down to the 5day mooring below star lock. We intend to stay here for another three days as we are killing some time before our third attempt at our balloon ride at Amerton Farm near Weston, about five mile from Stone.We intend passing through Weston to Great Haywood for a few days, will keep posting every few days but not doing alot at the moment so wont post every day.

Fifty foot down the Stoke Flight.

Staying at Westport Lake on Tuesday we walked into the nearest town to find a Post Office, we needed to post some birthday cards.Later we walked round the lake and called at the new visitors centre and cafe for a coffee.The centre looks a bit like the ark from one side.In the afternoon we walked back into town(Tunstal)to get our passports sent off as they run out in January.On our return we got talking to a couple from Tasmania who had been here for three years cruising the canals. They were heading to Llangollen for the winter, before heading home next year.
On Wednesday we travelled down through Stoke on Trent, Five locks dropping 50ft. When we got to the third lock it was over run by Japanese tourists,cameras clicked and Doublefracture became the back drop for photos.Clearing Stoke we carried on and moored near the Wedgewood factory,as we had on our journey up this way in June.
Today we had to move as the mooring we were on was only a 24hr mooring.Before we left the mooring while drinking our morning cuppa, we were hit by a hire boat. They were very apologetic.There was no damage to Doublefracture.About ten minutes after leaving us the man came back and gave us a bottle of wine to say sorry. We didn't go far, just to the other side of Barlston,about two mile. It has been a damp and cloudy day.