Our nearest neighbours were also starting to rouse
A mother duck and her brood were already busy finding breakfast
11 ducklings - she must be a very good Mum. Usually by the time the ducklings have got to this size, there are only about 4-6 left.
Eventually everyone was up and dressed, and after breakfast there was, much to Lawrence's disgust, a long toilet discussion about which of the four buttons on offer and in which sequence to press them were best to dispose of No. 2's. L, particularly squeamish regarding matters of an alimentary nature quickly left to get Aqua Beatha ready for departure. At 8.30am we cast off from our quiet mooring and began the days travel.
Passing The Armitage factory, famous makers of dunnies and sundry 'sanitary ware' (how apt after the morning discussion!) . They have been operating from this site since 1817.
As soon as we passed the factory the canal turned rustic once more.
Negotiating what was once the Armitage Tunnel, an unlined bore through rockface. However subsidence, caused by coal mining, necessitated the 'deroofing' of the tunnel. Being only one way working, Tim and I walked ahead to make sure no boats were coming.
Here he comes
Nesting swans. Their choices of nesting sites being somewhat limited in urban areas, we've passed nests in the bottom of people's gardens.
We do enjoy English garden decorations!
After stopping in Rugeley for a Tesco shop - a scary portend of things to come in Australian supermarkets, finding a product not Tesco branded was nearly impossible and for a company advertising itself as supporting English farmers, non of the stuff we wanted from the fruit and veg section came from the uk with the exception of the cos lettuce. Thank god Tim, a staunch supporter of buy British, didn't accompany Mike and I, his blood pressure could not have handled it.
Rugeley is best known for being the home town of the notorious Victorian poisoner, William Palmer, who was accused and convicted on very flimsy evidence of the murder of his wife and several other. AND of being the site of the 1839 canal murder by two bargemen of one Christina Collins. Both events make for interesting google research.
Turning onto the Brindley Bank Aqueduct over the Trent River. Designed by the famous canal builder, James Brindley
Sheep in the field one side of the canal
Cheeky Chops :)
And on the other a view to the flanks of Cannock Chase
Yet another bridge
Everyone knows I like a good reflection
A swan, meeting us head on, to escort us off his territory
With the river now running along side us once more we are closing in on our days destination. These little ducklings have already learnt that approaching narrowboat = possible food source and came charging toward us, and yes, they were duly rewarded.
more sheep making for another bucolic scene
We reached Great Haywood at 1.30pm, planning for lunch in the canal side cafe only to find it closed for renovations. So Tim saved the day, whipping up a delicious risotto for lunch. 'Whipping' being a bit of an exaggeration, lunch wasn't finished until 3.30pm so we decided to stay put for the night so Tim and Mike could visit the National Trust's Shugborough Hall on the morrow.
After lunch, while L had his nana nap, Tim, Mike and I went to discover the delights of Great Haywood - not a lot, in did a circular walk through the village and back down the canal to the boat.
Tim and Mike then departed to walk the grounds of Shugborough Hall. In the evening, whilst dinner was being prepared (Tim and Mike having vetoed, after inspection, dinner at the local pub) L and I, too, took a turn over the lovely packhorse bridge into the Park. So once again we didn't cover a lot of distance today.
Great Haywood mooring.
8 miles, 2 locks
Beautiful photos!
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