Thursday 20/10. Bridge 69 to Branston Water Park

We managed it! We cast off at 8.00am as Lawrence had decreed.

Autumn colours are really only just starting - too late for us

Going through Rugeley we spotted this guy in his back yard and what was on his arm made us all fall over each other as we scrambled for cameras

Formerly the Armitage (as in dummies - we had just passed the factory) Tunnel. Subsidence caused by coal mining necessitated the removal of the top of the tunnel

I love this bridge

And another bridge

Some more autumn colour

A squirrel, I hope you can see him. They are tricky little fellas to photograph

A peaceful stretch through Ravenshaw Wood

And then this little gem of a montage in the garden of Shade House at the lock of the same name

It was after the last photo was taken that the iPad informed me its memory was full and it wasn't going to take any more pictures however many times I depressed the shutter button :( 

After a bit of tantrum throwing (on my part)  we worked our way down through two more locks and moored up and walked back to Fradley Junction to have lunch at The Swan.  I spent most of lunch deleting heaps of photos between mouthfuls of food but I was only able to squeeze a few more photos out of the iPad.

We are well and truely back in the flat lands

Tim and Mike working Aqua Life through Alrewas Lock with Tim being 'easily' distracted, this time by his fan club.

We had decided to push on today as far as we could so we can have an easy day of it tomorrow.

Just below Alrewas Lock the Canal joins the River Trent for a short stretch and this is where it leaves us again

Crisi go up to where we moored on our last night last year. Stopping was briefly discussed but Lawrence opted to go on

We were only a little further along when it started to rain. We had a cold and wet 15 mins and thankfully it stopped because we had another couple of miles to do.

With the rain gone and some late sun appearing, the evening light was superb, but wouldn't you l ow it, the iPad was refusing to cooperate again.

Went down through Tatenhill Lock and unfortunately no one was at home when I returned Julia's cool back and ice brick she had kindly lent us.

We moored up around 6.00, hanging off the end of the Branston Waterpark visitor moorings, with our stern 3 feet out from the bank. Lawrence has put in a mammoth effort today. 9 hours at the tiller and except for the odd quick nature break, or waiting on a lock landing, the only time off for him was lunch.

While Tim cobbled together a very decent meal from fridge remains I deleted more photos and a few apps. I don't understand the math; I deleted over 100 pics at lunch time, but the iPad only let me take 4 more :(

Anyway, hopefully with what I've deleted tonight the iPad will let me take a few photos tomorrow of our last day on Aqua Life. If not this will be the end of the blog.

16miles, 12 locks in 10 hours