Turning chilly

Sunday 29^th September; Haywood junction to Handsacre.

We took our time getting up and weren’t away till after ten.  The morning light showed off Dave’s labours from yesterday.

Nicely blacked above the rubbing strake

Jess and I took a bag of rubbish and the recycling up to the bins while Dave brought Bonjour up to the junction.  The old junction bridge is very steep on one side and the stones can be slippery.

Pretty steep

There were no boats on the move as we made the turn towards Haywood lock, though one soon appeared on the bend, the reeds on the offside having obscured him till the last moment.  A boat was on its way up the lock, and another was waiting below, everyone well wrapped up against the chilly morning.  Haywood lock is another where the balance beam of the top has needed a steel framework to hold it together.  Colwich lock is in even worse condition, with the top ground paddle out of action too.

The yellow bag covering the ground paddle says ‘this structure is undergoing repair’.  I should cocoa.

Work done, I went below to change into my lined trousers.  Cold weather is one thing, but with a biting wind as well, it was gloves on, hot drinks in insulated mugs and I added my waterproof jacket to keep the wind off.

Variation on a theme

Along the stretch past the Taft we were accompanied by a kingfisher, the second in two days.  We had some excellent views of the lovely bird, though sadly none of my photos were any use.  As it flew off back the way we had come, a large group of starlings arrived, briefly landed on the wire and took off again.  The UK population is boosted by visitors from Europe in the winter, and one year we were lucky enough to be moored on Tixall Wide in late autumn to see the wonderful murmuration, where huge numbers gather and swoop in twittering and shape-shifting clouds, the rush of their wings clearly audible, till they suddenly dive down en masse into the reeds to roost, and silence descends in an instant.

Starlings

Before long we were entering the outskirts of Rugeley, past the houses with the impossibly steep back gardens above Brindley Bank, and then another garden decorated with mannikins.

I believe this is known as Naomi’s Landing

Arrr

Although the sun showed its face now and then, it was still bitterly cold and we were relieved to find the moorings for Tesco nearly empty.  After a quick shop and some lunch we moved on, wanting to get out of the built-up area if we could.  There were plenty of toilets stacked up outside the Armitage Shanks factory, but with my thick gloves on I fumbled the camera controls and missed the best opportunity for a photograph.   Then it was through the non-tunnel, where there was nobody coming through.

As other bloggers have pointed out, there is not much point to this notice – what is needed is an instruction to send someone ahead to look out for oncoming craft!

We really wanted to get moored up soon, as it was miserably cold and grey (and Dave wants to watch football at 4.30!)  We rejected the first spot, as the wind was strong by now and the crack willows on the offside were swaying and leaning alarmingly.  We found a much better spot just before the Handsacre winding hole.  There are houses opposite but it’s a good open situation away from trees.  While Dave watched Spurs beat Manchester United I took Jess off for a run, but had to cut it short as it started to rain – not because I am a wimp, but I had left the cratch sides up to try and get the towels to dry.  In my haste to get back quickly I tripped on a root and now I have a grazed knee too.  But the fire was lit, and after a hot shower, a glass of wine and a delicious roast dinner (chicken from the Canal Shop) I felt pretty good.  So did Dave as his team had had a good win.  The rain carried on all evening and into the night – and the forecast for tomorrow is terrible.

8½ miles, 2 locks