Onto the Staffs and Worcester canal

Sunday 30^th August; Salt to Tixall Wide

The road and railway soon quietened down last night and didn’t disturb us at all.  With heavy showers and the risk of thunderstorms forecast from midday we were away before 9, in glorious sunshine.

Salt bridge in the early sun

There were no other boats moving on the two miles or so to Weston lock, the first of two for today.

But there were a lot of Canada Geese grazing over the field.  Hope they leave some grass for the livestock.

There was a stoppage for a few days due to low water levels from Aston lock to Weston shortly after we got home from our last trip, and then a week or two ago, Weston lock was closed for a day for repairs to the top gate to reduce leakage.  It must have been the gate paddle, which had been leaking badly, as the notice we saw last time instructing users to force the paddle closed had gone.  The balance beam, still reinforced with the metal rods and bolts, is unfortunately not on the winter stoppage list.

The lock still took ages to fill

Hoo Mill lock had been on restricted hours when we came up a month or so ago, for the culvert to be rebuilt after it collapsed.  The work is all done now and the bywash operating normally, but the channel between the culvert and canal looks unfinished.

Sorry about my finger at the top

Luckily there was a space to moor before Haywood Junction so we could pop over to the Canal Shop.  They had fresh oatcakes on sale, so I got a packet of those and also some of the oatcake mix to take home with us.  There was heavy cloud and we decided to move on before lunch to get moored up before the forecast heavy rain arrived.

Our last crossing of the Trent this year

There were some spaces along the Broad Water but they were overhung with trees and we didn’t want drips on the roof all night, so moved on to the far end where it starts to narrow again.  There was a very light shower as we finished tying up, but after lunch the sun came out so I decided to walk back to the junction with Jess to dispose of the recycling and have a look at a trading boat moored near the junction.  It was selling honey, which we hardly use, so we carried on to Haywood lock and then down to the Trent at Essex Bridge so Jess could play in the water.

Come on Mum, the water’s lovely

On the way back I stopped at the Cheese Boat for some cheese.  I think it’s the same one we met at Windmill End last year, but the current owner has only had her for 6 months.  We came back round the junction with still no sign of the promised rain.

The parapet of the junction bridge runs right down to the ground to stop towropes snagging

As we walked back towards the boat we passed Halsall, the fuel boat, on the way to the junction.  Dave had heard his horn, and while he was stopped for the boat ahead of us to take on fuel Dave changed the gas bottle which had run out yesterday.  £40.  In the early evening there was a heavy downpour, and another after dark, but the threatened thunderstorm didn’t materialise.

5½ miles, 2 locks, Trent aqueduct.