Throw in a boot

Sunday 9^th October; Stoke Pound to below Astwood bottom lock

We were up and about earlier than usual to maximise the chances of getting our Sunday newspaper of choice at the little shop in Ryebank Road at Stoke Works, so we were on our way to start the descent of  Stoke locks before 9.  Staff at the Queen’s Head were already onto the cleaning.  We were cosy in the bar area last night, thinking the people in the marquee outside would be very cold.  There are what look like sheepskins draped over the chairs to keep them cosy.

No-one moving on the canal though, or so we thought....  Hah!  There was a crew already opening the bottom gates on the top Stoke lock, though it was a while before their boat came round the corner.  They told us Arthur Owl was ahead of us too.   But with another boat coming up further down the flight, Arthur Owl had disappeared by the time we reached the bottom lock, on a mission for Sunday lunch at the Eagle and Sun at Hanbury Junction.   We disposed of rubbish at Stoke Bottom lock, where a decorated stone had been left on the bench. 

Throw in a boot to give your potion a kick

You see painted stones around the place occasionally, but this is the best I have seen.  Shame I didn't get the focus right!  We pulled in at the visitor mooring at bridge 42 a bit further on.  There used to be a decrepit fence along the towpath here, with overgrown waste ground behind it.  House building started a while ago further back towards the locks, and now there is a large estate with a wall and ornamental fence along the towpath.

I strode off to the shop.  It’s almost 15 minutes away, and if there was a bus – which there never has been at the right time – I could have ridden most of the way.  The bus shelter has been smartened up, with a painting which includes a narrowboat – but the construction of the shelter made it almost impossible to photograph.  I tried, but I can't work out which way up the photo should be, let alone where the narrowboat is!

The little shop, next door to The Butcheress, is small but useful, and they still had the paper I wanted.  Back at the boat I got the kettle on before we set off again.  Lunch would be a little late, once we had got down the Astwood flight.  Yet another lock beam is sporting a running repair – this is one of the upper locks, possibly the top.

Metal patches and a wooden sleeve

We made good time down the flight.  I always like to have a nose over the fence into the garden at the second to bottom lock.  The path and the gnomes are spruced up all ready for winter.

But the season is not over yet – their runner beans are looking magnificent in spite of the dry summer and are still cropping in October.

Below the bottom lock is one of our favourite mooring spots.  We chose the last patch of sun before the reeds and had lunch.  Then there were jobs to be done and a dog to be walked.  I took Meg along the footpath from the bottom lock to the grounds of Hanbury Hall, now owned by the National Trust.

The park is a popular area for families and there are several footpaths in the area for circular walks taking in the canal.  Large trees that have fallen in the past have been left, providing habitat for creatures, a playground for children and a good subject for a photograph.

Gentle decay

You need knees and hips in good working order for the walk we did.  The stiles are high and vertical and I was grateful for something to hang onto to help me over.  They all have handholds of some kind, all worn smooth and splinter-free by hundreds of hands.

Smooooth hand-hold

Back at the boat, Dave had been working on the woodwork on the cratch. It was originally all varnished, which we have always thought looked a bit odd.  He had made up a board as he did for Chuffed, though he's not happy with the diamonds.  As most of the varnish had flaked away it didn’t take long for him to rub the rest down ready for some paint, and was getting a coat of primer on as we returned.  But what colour to use as a topcoat? 

Probably red.  Or grey, as the undercoat looks quite nice.

It wasn’t particularly cold so we didn’t bother with the fire.

At the top lock at the Camp Hill flight, the steerer of the hire boat was fishing out some bits of branch above the top gate, and nearly went in the canal when he put his foot down a hole.  I reported it a couple of days ago and got an email from CRT today telling me it had been filled and made safe.

3 miles, 12 locks