The boat yard where we were waiting to get a pump out.
Dubious though we were, we had an undisturbed night. We had finished with the pump out, topped up with diesel - as Lawrence said "out one end and in the other"- and 72.50 pounds lighter in the pocket we were away at 8.45. In 200 metres we were passing Autherley Junction.
This sign post brings back memories; the end of our narrowboat trip last year.
And just up there, through bridge and past the stop lock is the start of the Shropshire Union Canal and where our 2014 narrowboat adventure with Betty and Geoff began.
Over the next few days Aqua Life will be retracing, albeit in the opposite direction, the last few days of our trip aboard NB Emily last year. This is for all the bull terrier lovers out there, so it's really just for Lawrence and me.
Pendeford Rockin, the old boat men's name for a shallow and alarmingly narrow cutting hewn by Brindleys navvies through a layer of sandstone.
The cutting, something over half a mile long has a couple of passing places, like a parking bay for boats who meet each other head on. Luckily on this trip, as on the last one, we met no-one, so no decision needed to be made as to who would do the backing! Although somewhat nerve wracking for Lawrence the cutting is very attractive.
It was so quiet down there, the only sound was the engine purring away on tickover and the singing of the birds.
Passed some very well kept houses and gardens
And 'mooring' proud narrowboats
This is one for Betty and Geoff, do you remember?
Passed some attractive countryside. I'd wager some hunting horses are pleased fox hunting has been banned now they no longer have to jump ditches and hedges like this.
Have been trying to get a photo of one of these herons for ages however they always fly off. This one elected to walk off which gave me a chance. They stand about 1 metre high.
We are going through a large, still functioning, industrial area on this next photo and we were hardly aware of it.
Then we were rural again.
We met this woman at Gailey Wharf where we stopped for a water fill (did I tell you, that after many attempts, Lawrence has solved the leaking tap attachment problem, he was very determined)'and a rubbish disposal. An interesting person, she has been on her own for several years now and travels the canals most of the year, leaving the boat, which is tiny, only for the winter months. She copes with most of the locks on her own however if she is faced with a long flight, eg the flight up from Addersley Junction, then one of her family come to help her lock through.
Gailey Wharf round house, originally a toll keepers watch tower. My 10 miles of idleness ends here. Now we start locking down to the Trent and Mersey
It was while Aqua Life and Lawrence were descending into the gloom of the lock that I met by chance a couple who are interested in buying Aqua Life. So apologising for the mess, I gave Lynn a tour when Lawrence exited the lock. I need not have worried, Lyn gave me a tour of their hire boat while it was still in the lock and it was even messier. I tried my best for Justin, but I don't think they were really serious, or if they had been, something's put them off and it wasn't our mess because the husband didn't even bother to moor up and have a look through.
Boggs Lock, I think it was here that I met an Englishman that not only had rellies in Melbourne, but those rellies had taken him to Eden and Greencape, he happily told me all about Old Tom while we waited for the lock to empty.
We moored up after Boggs Lock for a late lunch and a snooze for Lawrence. We got going again at 3.00 and wended our way down through four more locks to moor up the night just after Penkridge Lock. The Boat, a pub is just 100 metres back up the towpath. An outdoor market, held every Saturday, beside the River Penk, also comes highly recommended. So that's tonight's and tomorrow mornings activites taken care of.
We had another excellent boating day, not weather wise, but at least it didn't start spitting until near the end. We met no one in Pendeford Rockin, we had a few close shaves when meeting oncoming boats on tight corners, but Lawrence 'greased' us through like a pro, all bar one lock were in our favour and on most a boat was waiting to come up so I didn't have to close the two bottom gates and last but not least whatever it was that two budding little hooligans hurled at us from the bridge as we came into Penkridge missed.
10 1/2 miles, 7 locks, 5 hours.
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