Stone to Rugeley

Thu 6^th July  Stone to Great Haywood

As we left Stone, we saw Skyfall moored up a bit further along. We arrived at Aston Lock, where Rowan was going down in front of us. They were travelling slowly, and they allowed us to pass before we reached Sandon Lock. Here we had a slight holdup, with the boat about to come up in the lock. The lady crew member got her windlass jammed on the spindle of the ground paddle. She had used a square socket, rather than the tapered one she should have used. There were other boats waiting to come up, and soon a queue had built up behind us to go down. Various people tried to get the windlass off, and eventually James gave it a hefty bang sideways, and it shifted.

After this came a section alongside the railway, through the ornate and solid looking Salt Bridge, followed by Weston upon Trent, Weston Lock and Hoo Mill Lock.

At Great Haywood Junction we were pleased to find that the water point was vacant. We disposed of rubbish and emptied a cassette down the horrible hole in the floor that they call an elsan point. At least they don’t charge for this privilege any more.

We had one more lock, Haywood Lock, and we paused briefly on the lock bollards below while James went to post Greg’s birthday card in the village.

We moored a little further on, in sight of Shugborough Hall, which appeared to be undergoing some work, with scaffolding.

Aston Lock

Ancient hut by Aston Lock

Sandon Lock after queues had built up

Solidly built Salt Bridge

The ornate south face of Salt Bridge

Romany caravan

Great Haywood Junction

5 locks, 9 miles. Dep 0940, arr 1420

Fri 7^th July  Great Haywood to Rugeley

We left at a leisurely hour as we didn’t have far to go before a lunch appointment at the Taft, where our friends Peter and Julie Thorn live. We only had one lock to do, but there were four boats in front of us in a lock queue. Two were day boats, who could have shared the lock, and they were very slow, as they were novices. After an hour queuing, we were away, and we arrived at the Taft just in time. Peter helped us get moored up on their quayside, which was heavily silted up. We enjoyed a pleasant lunch with them, socially distanced as they are still isolating due to Julie’s health.

In the afternoon we cruised the short distance into Rugeley, where we found a quiet mooring soon after Bridge 67. We were pleased to have a brief chat with BCF friends  Trevor and Janet Thornally as they passed on their boat Grace.

Moored at Great Haywood

Shugborough Hall

Cannock Chase

Lock queue at Colwich Lock

Colwich Lock at last

At the Taft

Julie and Peter

The aqueduct over the Trent

Moored in Rugeley

1 lock, 5 miles. Dep 1005, arr Taft 1200. Dep 1410, arr 1500 Rugeley Br 67.

Sat 8^th July  Rugeley

As heavy rain was forecast and we were near trees, we moved the boat a little further down, where we had more daylight for the solar panels.

We spent the day nosing around the shops. We enjoyed an all day breakfast in Morrisons Café. Sadly, Morrisons did not have our hedgehog mugs.

Later on, heavy rain and thunder arrived, as forecast.

We had a bit of trouble with our water pump, which runs on too long at times, and there is sometimes knocking in the pipes near our calorifier. Turning on a tap stops the knocking. We need to find a boat plumber.

Our new mooring site in the rain

0 locks, 0 miles. Dep 0810, arr 0820.

Next: a visit to Victory Church in the morning, and then heading for Fradley and Fazeley on the Coventry Canal, with progress depending on the weather.