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Going South for the Summer
Day 11, Wednesday 27th July 2011 - Josh leaves on his bike
Josh leaving on his bike.
Josh leaves on his bike - Stone to Common Lock.
Late start this morning as Josh is leaving on his bike to meet his friends from University (they are coming down from Wigan) to go to WOMAD.
Josh setting of for WOMAD. Select a picture to see it full size.
We set off late, as with most days we had no location in mind where we might end up, we usually start thinking about it some time during the afternoon.
During the morning we covered the miles as there were not many locks to queue for. We passed Great Haywood junction in the late morning and pressed on for Fradley. Coming through Great Haywood there was some waiting at the locks, but we quickly moved on.
On coming to Fradley there are 3 locks, it was still not 4 o'clock in the afternoon, so we thought to early to stop yet so we pressed on. The first involved some waiting, but now we were committed to keep going to Fradley. After the lock, we noticed one of the preceding boats had forced it self on the to shallow side of the canal, and was trying to moor up. We wondered, should we try to do the same? NO we would go on!
The next two locks took an hour each! there was a steam powered boat with a butty (one with out an engine.) and in the gentle breeze, they where having problems getting the butty through the locks and re-connected the the other (steam powered boat, to carry on.
We eventual managed to get through to Fradley, but it was literally heaving with boats, boats were moored every where, boats where doing 36 point turns, boats were turning of the Trent and Mersey, yet others were queuing to get on to the Trent and Mersey.
We moved down and queued for the next lock, if we took any bodies place we apologies. We decide that we would stop at the first place free, so we ended up on a gently bend between Fradley and Alrewas. (Just before Common Lock.) The butty stopped for the night behind us, and we decide that there was going to be no way they were going to be in front of us in the morning. We aimed to be up by seven.
Time to relax, unwind and have food, fun, drinks and so to bed.
Notes on progress. Structures we go through Locks a few! About 14 - lost count.
Places we go by Aston Sandon Western-Upon-Trent Great Haywood Junction for - Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal - (Go down there on the way back.) Little Haywood Rugley Armitage Handsacre Fradley Junction - Moored for the night.
the continuing story.
to day 12
to Fradley