Back at Tixall Wide

I think that this is one of my favorite places so far on the canals.  I love the wide canal here, feels like being on a pond and surrounded by fields.

Unfortunately there was no barn owl around this time, but it is still lovely and quiet even though there are rather a lot of boats moored here.

But back to yesterdays travels.  We eventually made it through the 2 locks in Tamworth.  There was a bit of a queue as the paddles on the second lock were not closing properly due to a car tyre getting in the way.  C&RT (Canal and River Trust who look after the canals) arrived while we were waiting for the first lock and were able to clear the obstruction, helping speed up the waiting queues from both sides.  I was hoping to stop for the day by the Hopwas Forest but the only mooring spots were all taken up. As we continued on, the rain started. Raining on and off for the remainder of the day.  Eventually Andrew moored up, at least 40 minutes after he said he would!  But it did not worry me, I was quite dry and warm inside :)

Fazeley Junction, Tamworth

Just had to get a shot of this baby narrowboat  so cute

Bath Time

in the communal bath

Heading into the sun

the only bit of yellow we have really seen in a few days now

We left our mooring near Streethey Wharf this morning arriving at Fradley Junction in another queue of boats waiting for the locks.  Lucky for us, and a couple of others, it turned out that we were only behind the first 3 of a group of 20 boats :)   It only took 2 hours to get through 3 locks.  I really do not know what those people were doing, we got through the Atherstone Flight of 11 locks a couple of days before in less time than that!

As usual our plans changed on the fly and instead of stopping in Rugeley for provisions we continued for another hour or so to Tixall Wide :)  This is not on the canal we want to be on but I really wanted to stay the night here.  We will turn around tomorrow and go back to Great Hayward, stock up at the farm shop and continue to wherever we feel like stopping tomorrow.

another Pheasant

still no decent sunset - Tixall Wide