Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal

I was just getting ready to leave this morning when Rod (N.b. Tilly Mint) passed by travelling towards Rugeley, a quick hello and goodbye before I finished getting sorted and cast off.

Just a few hundred yards to the Haywood Junction where I turned left leaving the Trent and Mersey canal and joining the Staffs & Worcs canal passing the Anglo Welsh hire centre with all their ‘resting’ boats.

Then across the aqueduct over the river Trent.

Beneath this nicely named bridge.

 At Tixall wide the canal opens up (hence the name) to become quite vast, there is a difference of opinions about why, some say the land owner wanted it like this for aesthetic reasons and others are of the opinion they was possibly a lake there before the canal was built, whatever, it does catch the eye and I’ve heard a number of narrow boaters like to do a few ‘doughnuts’ just to say they have.

Across from the ‘broadwater’ can be seen Tixall Gatehouse, Tixall Hall has long gone but the gatehouse remains and is now used for holiday lets.

Tixall Gatehouse in the centre

A closer view

 After leaving the wide I soon found Tixall lock(43), which was very muddy and slippery around it, but another lovely lock, only 4’ 3” deep and the paddles and gates working well and easy to move.

Entering Tixall lock

Nice lock Cottage, while I am waiting for the lock to fill

Then across the aqueduct over the river Sow.

Winter stoppages at Otherton lock(36) are not due to finish until 12^th December so again I am in no rush and I intended to moor at Milford, but when I arrived I found the mainline railway runs very close to the canal and decided to head on further to Baswick and that is where I have moored, the grass  between the boat and the towpath is very stodgy and muddy but the Wi-fi is good, everything's a compromise J

Tonights mooring

Total today : 3 miles : 1 lock