We have now met everyone we had planned to on our trip and have begun the slow meander home. As we are ahead of schedule we can cruise less and stop more.
Last night in the unexpected heat we went for a walk around Fradley water park. The lake was created do the Trent and Mersey kept their water and it didn't go into the Coventry. Highly inventive. On the way to the water park we passed this dog who knew how to deal with the heat.
We filled up with water this morning whilst Alison took advantage of the proper showers available. Both took ages but at least it was concurrently.
When we finally set off we had to negotiate several locks with these bridges. Luckily the chimney passed through all with ease.
We were rapidly running out of money so decided to stop in Rugeley for a cash point. We tried to pull in at the visitor moorings but grounded a full metre from the bank! Not very good visitor moorings. The boat passing us going the other way also grounded level with us. We poled off eventually but cannot believe the shallow depth of canal here and will not try to stop at Rugeley visitor moorings again. A little later we found a lovely mooring spot and managed to get to the bank with ease.
Disaster. Somebody spotted my ratchet windlass and asked what it was. I eagerly picked it up to demonstrate one to find out the the part that changes the ratchet from one direction to the other has fallen off and it now is a non-ratchet windlass! Much sulking ensued. Upon further checking lots of the screws were loose so I tightened these with my ratchet screwdriver. I tightened them too much and broke the screwdriver. Even more sulking followed.
In Rugeley I found a hardware shop and managed to buy a bolt that will work the ratchet so now have a customised windlass with no loose screws, but alas no ratchet screwdriver any more.
After we left Rugeley we cruised across the Trent aqueduct.
And finally moored in Little Haywood.
A beautiful spot with a picnic bench just by us.
We are not sure why Buddha is in the field by the bench but he looks content enough.
The view here is excellent, there is a railway on either side. We will come back here
And when we got into the village there are two pubs and a general store so the crew are happy too. Everyone's a winner.
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