Progress to Tamhorn

A little progress yesterday to Tamhorn, now on the Birmingham and Fazeley section of the Coventry Canal. 

This is a great mooring for a train spotter. 

Enjoying Fazeley

We have now been moored near Fazeley for three days. 

Tesco is about 30 minutes walk away and the weather has been pleasant so no rush to move on. 

Yesterday we walked to Middleton Hall. 

The building itself is still closed due to Covid-19. 

But the courtyard shops are open and we enjoyed a lovely Flat White. 

Then a nice walk home, passing Aston Villa's training facilities and Kingsbury Water Park. 

And stopping at the Dog and Doublet in Bodymoor Heath for our first canalside pint of the year. 

Leaving the city

10 hours at the tiller today as we travelled the full length of the Birmingham and Fazeley canal. 

A 7AM set off meant no queue at the locks. 

But industrial canals with their own beauty did mean a trip down the weed hatch to remove several plastic bags and some underwear!

I'll show you the workers instead. 

The railway and tramway bridge is a superb photo opportunity. 

Although we have had lockdown, cruising listening to TMS is a sure sign it is summer. 

Now well into the country. 

And a well earned rest. 

Made it to the Drawbridge

4 hours cruising today and 4 locks. 

There are also 2 manual lift bridges and one electric one. 

The electric one broke but we are safely through. Then food at a pub. That's a novelty. 

More boats about

We have not moved far today. Up the Grand Union and then onto the Stratford Canal. 

Up the Lapworth flight and all moored up before lunch. 

Restrictions eased

Not much to report today. The canal has been busier but we just stayed moored up near Rowington and watched the world go by. 

Emerging from lockdown

We can now go out on the boat and from tomorrow virtually all restrictions are lifted. 

Day trips are permitted now as long as we don't stay on the boat overnight. But the boat does not need returning to it's home mooring so can stay canalside overnight unoccupied. I still find it absurd that when we are moored miles from anywhere it is deemed safer for us to walk to the nearest conurbation, get somebody to drive to our location, pick us up, drive us home or to use public transport and then to make the return journey the following morning. But the plus side is that by doing all the journeys we know we have checked our eyesight!

Here we are on the Stockton flight

Cape of Good Hope

Hatton flight

 and finally resting.