Day four - journey to Nottingham

We prepared to leave our overnight mooring near to Willington at noon with a plan to reach Cramfleet on the river Trent by the end of cruising today. After having to give the starter motor a whack! with a wrench to get the engine started we are thinking this part will need replacing at some point. But we were on our way without too much fretting.

We pulled into the first marina on route as we knew that the diesel needed a top up. Leigh did a sterling job at swinging all 65foot of steel round and into the tiny entrance to the marina.


It was a huge marina, like a mega shopping centre, not my idea of fun. We filled up and set off towards Stenson.


The landscape was vast...


and the sun was shining sweetly. We went though Stenson lock , the first of the deep double locks so far on our journey. It was quite an experience!







Phew! We carried on towards the village of Swarkestone. After another lock it was three miles to Weston Upon Trent and another couple of big heavy locks.


We reached Shardlow and were looking forward to the rivers ahead.


I took the tiller at Shardlow and Leigh worked the lock helping a couple of hire-boaters who were as unsure as when we first started out.


Shardlow is a picturesque village to cruise, though it is a bit tight going round bends especially when boats are doubled up.


With some lovely helpers at Derwent mouth lock we were out on the river heading towards Trent Lock. It is amazing how the area opens up, it makes the boat feel really small.


The sun was shining beautifully and we got into the speed of cruising the river.


We passed under the M1 bridge...



and had reached Trent Lock in no time. We were heading for the River Trent (North) and had reached Cramfleet but it was still light with the sun high in the sky. We decided to plough on...


through Cramfleet lock on to the river.

Along this section the wildlife were becoming more interesting, with what I think are Cormorants and a Grebe.



As we were getting closer to Nottingham it was getting darker.


We hoped to get to the centre before dark, so every minuted mattered.


We finally made it and at 10pm we were moored up, chained up (this is the city after all) and wandering off to get some pizza for dinner. We were both frazzled, on our third winds and beaming with our achievement of 22miles in one day.

Day three - journey to Nottingham

It has drizzled for most of the day so we were kitted out in full wet weather gear today. Leigh looked like a pro, I looked like I was dressed in my dad's clothes - all a few sizes too big. The wet weather does make maneuvering along the gunwhales and jumping off a bit precarious but with the new gritted paint work on the edges we were a lot safer in doing so.

We passed through the idilic village of Alrewas.


which has some astonishing and beautiful homes


with gardens reaching right to the canal edge.


After passing through Alrewas lock we were on the river section of the Trent and Mersey


and headling along a wide stretch to Wychnor lock.


We were then heading on the canal again towards Barton Under-Needwood. After navigating through the smallest of bridges we were heading to Branston.


We were on a roll and planned to get through Burton Upon Trent before stopping today so it was lunch and cups of tea on the go.We passed a few more locks including Dallow Lock in the heart of Burton Upon Trent.


Just before the village of Willington we found a lovely spot to moor farthest from the train track and the A road (both which follow the line of the canal all the way to Shardlow). In comparison to our journey we made in the opposite direction, we have travelled twice as far per day, so looks like we have really got a hang of things!

Day two - journey to Nottingham

We left our woodland mooring outside Tamworth at Alvecote by around noon today and were looking forward to a full day of cruising the next stretch of the Coventry canal. We were passing bushes of these lovely yellow flowers lining the canal and an abundance of elderflowers and blooms due to become rosehips.


It's been a blustery and grey day on the whole but with Leigh's tiller skills we skirted round bends and passed moored boats with ease whilst I took over a space on the roof and wrapped up warm with my beautiful cloak.


We went through Tamworth and had our first two locks of the day.


They are rather deep but only wide enough for the one narrow boat. We took turns with one boat going down and one boat coming up. With people helping each other we all get through with no problems at all.




The little cottage facing the second lock is rather quaint.


We set off again, leaving behind a lovely wash don't you think?


A short distance along at Fazeley Junction we took a left towards Whittington. The right goes into the heart of Birmingham, which we shall be doing in November time.

Next up was Hopwas village.

And the lovely woodland stretch of the Birmingham and Fazeley canal which has a military area on one side.


On this stretch I spotted something - Eanie meanie minie...


mo.


This is quite possibly the smallest and cutest narrow boat I have seen!

We continued to Whittington...


and found a lovely mooring as the rains were getting a bit too heavy and I was feeling worse for wear.

After a pit stop for a lovely curry at dinner time, the rain had stopped and the sun was out. It seemed only right to give it another bash at cruising this lovely canal.


We passed a group of boats having a bbq with mock awning stretched across the towpath to keep the rains off. Boaters sure are inventive lots!

We were on the steady approach to Fradley Junction a major point joining the Trent and Mersey.


Having an hour and a half until it was due to get dark we decided to give the locks a go. With it being late in the day there mightn't be a queue either, but you never know what the situation is until you arrive.


We were in luck. Everyone appeared to have moored for the night so the locks were ours. They needed refilling but with a bit of help from folk watching from the pub we were in and out the first lock in a blinking of a eye.


And so on to the second of four in this small stretch.


We have been doing a fair bit of tag teaming today, switching over roles to improve our skills in areas and here I am about to board the stern and take over manouvering the boat into the lock (which is harder than it initally seems). I handed Leigh the windlass to work the gates and paddles.


So I was heading into Hunts Lock....


she is in with a bit of a bash to one side...


and with the paddles wound open she starts going down...


down...


and ready to leave. I picked Leigh up from the towpath after he closed the paddles and gates and we set off for the final lock and to moor before it really did get dark.

Today we managed a whopping 16miles which is our most impressive day of cruising yet! And are we feeling it? We sure are!