Wednesday 19/10 pt 2

Eventually the water tank was full and we cruised past the junction to the village of Great Haywood

After mooring in front of the boat in the previous photo, we walked over the Essex Bridge to the grounds of Shugborough Hall. Tim and Mike

Unfortunately the house and gardens are closed to the public for winter and as the whole shebang is being transferred from the Staffordshire County to The National Trust. However we had a very pleasant loop walk through a mixture of park and farm, catching glimpses of the stately from afar

As we walked through the farm

Two longhorn cows to whom Tim spent an age talking

Sheep in the fields. Thank god our walk didn't take us that way, we'd have never got Tim out of the paddock

Tim and Mike talking to the heifers this time, as we followed a trail along the banks of the Trent

Cruising once more as L wanted to put a few more miles behind us. Canalside cottages above Colwich Lock

Leaving Colwich Lock, with four boats waiting their turn to go through the lock

With the Trent running alongside us, the section of the canal is very attractive

We moored up at 4.30, again with a train line, but at least it's a field away, not in our laps like last nights! Sunset from our mooring

I was on cooking duty tonight. Snags, rhubarb and cherry pie and ice cream from the farmshop. Accompanied by an attempt at caramelised leeks and smashed veg. I think I may be giving Australian cuisine a bad name. Polite inquiry fromTim " Oh, is this how you eat veg in Australia, Margy?"

We have two days to go and 25 miles to do. So a resolution was made for an early start tomorrow. We aim to be away by 8

7 1/2 miles, 4 locks, lots of stops in 7 hours