Journeying & Arriving

Tuesday 23rd May – 9½miles & 7 locks

I collected Sue & Quentin from their accommodation after breakfast and by 9:30 we were underway and at York Street lock soon after; being waved off by Barry & Julia .

All the locks were in our favour and we were in Kidderminster  by lunchtime where I stocked up with reduced price Avocados at Sainsburys while Sue produced sandwiches.

At Wolverley Lock we met Leigh & Malc for hugs & goodbyes.

S & Q walked between many of the locks leaving me just to do the steering.
We carried on to moor at Whittington Lock which was one of Joy’s favourite spots. Jer and Louise joined us about 5pm and we all shared pizza.

 

Wednesday 24th May – 13¾ miles & 20 locks

Yesterday was our first & last short day, We reckoned we could easily reach The Bratch Locks. We were told there was a new Sainsburys at  Wombourne so another short stop to get milk as our tea consumption was making it essential. S & Q came back with that, biscuits and a bottle of beer for me.

We easily reached The Bratch and thought it would be a shame to waste the daylight and so carried on through another 5 locks to Compton where we moored for the night.

A Steak and Ale pie was put in the oven while Quentin and myself were dispatched to Peps Plaice to purchase some of their famous ‘Orange Chips’ (chunky chips deep-fried in a thick orange-coloured batter) a Black Country delicacy said to date back to World War II and rationing. A time when out-of-the-box thinking was needed to make boring potatoes somewhat more palatable during those bleak times. [credit https://secretbirmingham.com/orange-chips-black-country/]

These were a complete revelation to my crew but they agreed that they were delicious, evens Sue’s no-potato diet was broken to sample a few.

Thursday 25th May –  15½miles & 22 locks

An 8:00 am start this morning and I had to dissuade my crew from walking the couple of miles to  Aldersley Junction as they would need all their energy to tackle the 21 locks which climb into Wolverhampton.

There were a few issues with low water levels on the way up but they were overcome and we developed a routine of entering one lock, and while rising Quentin would walk on to set the next lock, and as we were ready to exit I would hop off to close the offside paddle while Sue opened the gate. Sometimes there was a boat coming down and we could leave the gate open for them.

By midday we were at the top and a decision was made to press on to my new mooring, a 5 hour cruise but no locks at all so Quentin & I shared the steering while Sue kept us supplied with tea & sandwiches

There were a few issues with weed and other rubbish entangling itself about the propeller and I spent more time than I would have liked lying on my stomach to remove it, one job that made Quentin pleased that they no longer had their boat.

We rolled into Engine Arm soon after 5pm and were greeted by the residents.

Not content with a 9 hour day already Sue & Quentin had decided they would like to be home before the Bank Holiday Weekend so walked to Rolfe Street Station to catch a train into Birmingham & thence to Plymouth. Quentin is an ex-railwayman and so they  get free rail travel.

After that a combination of bus and ferry took them back to their home in Torpoint arriving about midnight. Understandably they didn’t rise never early the next day.

I am so blessed to have such good (and energetic) friends and I thank them with all my heart.