GO-FOR-IT: on our way to the mont

Sunday we left Fradley junction about 8.30 after filling up with water it was already starting to get busy we got through 4 locks without waiting to long and headed for Handsacre were we moored up for the night that was 4 mile 4 locks not bad for a days work
Monday another sunny day we have been so lucky with the weather this year but you can see the water levels in the canals dropping we left Handsacre. Just after Handsacre we came across a large factory and wonder what was being made in there it was not till you go pass do you see all the toilets stacked up it was Armitage shanks

we were hoping to get to bridge 70 today but when we got there the mooring were full so we kept going a bit more and in the end we moored just before Colwich lock when we moored there were not many boats about but within a hour there was quee for the lock both ways some one told us some of the working boat that were at the IWA festival were on thier way up first to come up was mat on Tench

Next to arrive at the lock was Mr and Mrs Pinnock on nb Alder

Then came a working pair the motor was nb clover and the butty was Fazeley

NO weed hatch

David ray on clover

On Tuesday we got the Great Haywood and turned left on to Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal we saw this old gate house

Tixall

we carried on and moored just after bridge 98 that was 6.5 miles 3 locks as we were meeting family at Penkridge we slowed down so on Wednesday we just did nearly 3 miles and 1 lock and then on Thursday we got to Penkridge after doing 2.5 miles 3 locks , once we moored up we went into the town and did some shopping on the way back we heard a steam whistle which had to be off nb President and butty Kildare

http://www.nb-president.org.uk/index.php

steaming into lock

full steam out of lock

pulling Kildare into lock

President engine

fire box

away they go

Friday Tina's bother and his family came to see us they came all the way from southern Ireland

all of us (thanks chris for taking photo)

mat and Quillian

boat full

as they were going up to Scotland they did not stay for long and as the weather was ok we set off again we moored up just after bridge 73 which was 7 miles 6 locks, on Saturday we set off again and it was not long before we had to turn right onto the Shropshire Canal at Autherley junction we carried on to bridge 14 Brewood and moored up that was 9 miles 1 lock . Had a look around the village

Sunday we only went a short way as i wanted to set tv up for the football in the afternoon so we did 3 miles 1 lock and stopped at Wheaton aston ( good afternoon watching football 3-2 we won )

Monday we heading for Norbury Junction were we are going the have the engine service the hours are clocking up fast on the engine 700 hours now in 6 months we did 7.5 miles today .on the way to Norbury junction we saw four buzzards flying over the top of us

buzzards