Wednesday 29th June – Shugborough to Rugeley
I forgot to say that, yesterday, at Great Haywood Junction we joined the Trent and Mersey Canal.
Just a short hop into Rugeley this morning with only Colwich Lock to work through, I tried to get a photo of Shugborough Hall as we passed but it hid shyly behind the trees.
Going into Rugeley we noticed the family of manikins was growing at Naomi’s Landing and the fake speed camera was still there to deter speeding boats.
After some lunch we went shopping at Morrisons & the greengrocers then debated whether to spend the night here. We did and it was relatively peaceful for a town centre location only being disturbed by one group ‘shouting the odds’ in the early hours.
Thursday 30th June – Rugeley to Handsacre
We decided to move on to Handsacre this morning where we anticipated a good internet signal for Joy’s art class this afternoon.
We stopped to fill our watertank at Spode House moorings and tagged on behind nb Gordon Bennett to go through ‘Armitage Tunnel’ which isn’t a tunnel at all anymore but is only wide enough for one boat.
The Armitage-Shanks brand of ‘sanitary ware’ might be familiar to some of you, we passed their factory and soon arrived at Handsacre where there was a mooring conveniently opposite The Crown Inn, which we visited after lunch.
Joy’s art task today was a black & white portrait of Susan Hayward, a 40s film star. Stuffed peppers where cooking for tea while she was thus engaged and Micheal’s Fish Shop provided some chips to accompany before the rain set in for the night.
Friday 1st July – Handsacre to Fazeley
We set off at 8:20 this morning as we wanted to reach Fazeley today, so by 9:30 we arrived at Wood End Lock just as a boat was exiting so we went straight in and the crew of nb Dunslavin kindly closed the gates after us.
Help was given at the next locks by volunteer lock-keepers and by 10:15 we were turning onto the Coventry Canal. From thereon there were no more locks today.
Streethay Wharf, Huddlesford Junction, Hopwas all came and went and by 3:30pm we were moored at Fazeley avoiding the forecast rain.
Within a few minutes we were chatting to our friend Peter who lives canalside and have already arranged to share a Chinese meal with them tomorrow.
We will be staying here for a few days so you’ll have to wait for the next episode.
7 hours to do 15 miles & 3 Locks, phew!