Christmas catch up.

Christmas Eve:

It wasn’t a great start, my timings were all wrong again. I walked through an absolute downpour to get my provisions, I think the staff in Morrisons must have thought me insane, I was dripping water all over the store.

Back at the boat and dried off and it cleared up a bit, but I put the waterproofs on anyway (better late than never) and set off about 10am, I wanted to do a short hop which included 5 locks and look for a nice quiet spot to moor for tomorrow.

Just a little way along from my mooring were these flats and houses with private moorings, a lot were unoccupied but some had boats on them.

I have heard of this boat through other blogs and thought I’d share the humor with you.

As I was approaching the first of the flight of five Adderley locks the heavens opened again, it was cold, wet, slippery around the locks and muddy on the towpath, at lock 3 it began to hailstone, lovely, what more could you want, oh yes, the boat got caught on the lock landing as the level  in the pound dropped, it was lodged solid and I could not get the centre line untied, ho hum.......ever wish you’d stayed in bed?

So with a lot of pushing and shoving on muddy slippery towpath and no luck I tried reversing and to my joy and relief she eased off the bottom and the rope slackened and I was away again.

At lock 5 the last for today the wind was almost blowing me off my feet, I could see my mooring spot ahead and could not wait to get to it, but this would be the worst time to try to rush, the stone edgings around the locks were treacherously slippery and I did not fancy ending up in the water.

So as I left the lock the sun came out, I could not believe it, the afternoon has been bright and sunny although still a bit blustery. I am moored at Adderley visitor moorings just after the locks.

Christmas Break Mooring

Look at that bright Sun.

My view for Christmas.

Total travel 24^th: 4 miles : 5 locks

Christmas day was quiet, as I intended it to be, I washed the roof, cooked a roast dinner and uncorked a nice bottle of Red I had treated myself to, I was halfway through eating dinner when I realised I’d forgotten the Yorkshire puds, how can you have a roast without them! Well I had no choice my brain was not on the dinner as I was dripping over Morrisons floor.

Yesterday it was back to howling winds and a rocking boat, good job I neither wanted nor needed to move.

Today was much better, no wind although a dampish feel as the sun wasn’t out when I set off for a short but physical cruise, I wanted to get through the 15 locks that make up the Audlem flight.

Just about a mile to the first lock through lovely countryside.

 And then the work begins, first lock.

They were all against me today, I had some joy when two boats came up the flight following each other, it meant those two locks were in my favour, but because of leakage the rest had drained before I reached them.

Looking down the flight, lock 4, I think.

I also had some nice walkers offer to close the bottom gates for me at three of the locks, that helps, some people are lovely.

Lovely former lock keepers cottage

I stopped in the pound after lock 11 and had a cuppa and a sandwich before setting off for the last 4 locks, passing The Shroppie Fly pub.

And then after about 4 hours the sight I was waiting for.

Final lock ahead.

I had intended to moor after this lock but did not like it so I carried on, passing more lovely vistas.

And then the fairly new Overwater Marina, it's another big one, I think the farmers must make a killing selling their land for these.

Beneath bridge 80 and a nice section of empty piling with nice open fields and that was me done for the day, you may gather I prefer to be out in the countryside moored up when I can, it's just peaceful compared to the more popular venues. 

Tonights mooring.

Totals Today: 4 miles : 15 locks