Sun 14th June
Stenson to Willington
After more than 24 hours of persistent rain, it was good to
wake up to sunshine this morning. We
had planned for the Webasto to come on to heat some water, but the battery
levels were evidently too low. We had to start the engine to enable the water
heater to work so we could both have showers.
We cruised the short distance to Willington, and found a
good mooring spot with rings, just past the winding hole. This was as close as
we could get to the church we planned to visit, Willington Baptist Church.
Moored in Willington
Today was very different to the usual as it was a Sunday
School special, and we sang children’s songs, and were entertained by a magic
man who did tricks with a gospel message.
It was good to see so many children in a small church, and they were
very enthusiastic. We were given a warm
welcome.
Enthusiastic kids at
Willington Baptist Church
We went to the Co-op for some milk, but found that it had
apparently closed down. Looking at the website later, there was nothing to
indicate that it had closed, so perhaps it was just a temporary staffing
problem.
Thankfully the little post office opposite was open and they
also sold milk, so we were soon back at the boat.
The facilities block was not being used, so we reversed the
short distance to fill up with water and empty cassettes and rubbish. A Canal Club hire boat was confused as to
which side of us to pass. They ended up mooring on the winding hole, using
mooring pins, despite there being several mooring rings available on the
adjacent visitor moorings.
When our chores were complete, we moved on again, and moored
up before bridge 25, a little further away from the railway, but also within
the sound from the busy A38 road nearby.
The ground was very soft so we hoped the mooring pins would
hold. A number of boats went past, but the spikes stayed put. On one boat was
the lady who was a volunteer at Stenson when we gave them coffee.
Our mooring near
bridge 25
Sadly we never saw the barn owl that we were told was
somewhere near here. However we did spot an oyster catcher flying overhead. There was also one of the Trent and Mersey mileage markers that tells you how far you have travelled and how far there is still to go.
Mileage marker
0 locks, 3 miles
Mon 15th June
Willington to Burton upon Trent
We had a leisurely departure this morning, after seeing Eric
and Sue go past on Remus.
We crossed seven aqueducts in just over a mile, the most
important one being that of the River Dove, just before it joins the River
Trent.
Crossing the River
Dove
Our first pause was at Horninglow where we emptied a
cassette. We moved on to Dallow Lock,
the first narrow lock for us since Foxton. It lies under a railway bridge, and
it seems it no longer requires a C&RT key.
Dallow Lock
We moored at Shobnall Fields, where we noticed that instead
of closely mown grass, there is now a band of wild flowers and plants between
the moorings and the playing fields.
Shobnall Fields
We walked to Shobnall Road where we hoped to catch a number
5 bus. There was no timetable displayed, so we took the first bus that came
along which was a 310. It took us to Sainsburys, and we walked from there to
the launderette in Uxbridge Street. We
needed to wash our carpet runners, which are too big for our washing machine.
While the washing was going round we found a pub for a drink
and a kebab outlet for a meal.
Walking back to the centre of town we passed another
launderette which would have been more convenient if we had known about
it. We caught a number 3 bus back to
Shobnal Street, and walked back over the footbridge. A couple on the same bus
were moored immediately behind us: John and Jeanette on Wellander.
We laid the carpets on the roof of the boat to dry. Andrew
and Gail Spolton went past on Emmaus, heading for Sawley and Redhill.
They paused briefly for a chat.
Andrew and Gail going by on Emmaus
The carpets weren’t quite dry, so we rolled them up and took
them in again.
1 lock, 4 miles
Tue 16th June
Burton to Alrewas
A fairly early start to travel just over a mile to Branston,
where we moored on the visitor mooring rings, and walked through the business
park to get to Morrison’s. We first had a cooked breakfast in their café, and
then filled a trolley with goodies. It may be a while before we have access
again to a large supermarket.
It was blazing hot, so when we returned to the boat we put
the damp carpets back on the roof, and set off again, past Branston Water Park
and Barton Turn, alongside the noisy A38.
At the picturesque Tatenhill Lock there was an historic
boat, and in the garden we spotted some boundary markers with MR on. People of
Facebook think it meant Midland Region. Many canals were bought or taken over
by railway companies.
Tatenhill Lock
MR boundary marker
We were following a single guy, and we were followed by Repose,
a boat with a couple with two Dalmatians aboard. After Wychnor Lock we spotted Ultreya moored up. We were
tempted to join them, but the road was a bit too noisy for us, so we decided to
moor as planned in Alrewas.
St Leonard’s Church
at Wychnor
We continued on through the section which crosses the River
Trent, pleased to note that it had not been affected by the torrential rain on
Saturday.
Boating across the
Trent at Alrewas
On arrival at Alrewas Lock, we were beckoned in by the
single guy so we did as we were told and jumped the queue.
We would have liked a shady mooring, but the only place
available was in the sun, on a bend, so that’s where we went.
Hugo for some reason was very pleased with the place, and
rolled around on the grass in delight.
Our hot mooring on a bend in
Alrewas
Hugo having a wriggle
in the sun
There was a beautiful garden opposite with an unusual
purplish shrub with pink flowers. Does anyone know what this is?
The mysterious shrub. What is it please?
5 locks, 7 miles
Tomorrow: into the Coventry Canal at Fradley Junction,
aiming for Hopwas by Thursday for the folk club, the day before the mission
starts.
I, too, went to the closed down Co-Op in Willington, but I spotted a notice indicating that it had moved round the corner, under the railway bridge. I went there and found all I wanted.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased to have (re?)discovered your blog.