On the move at 9:00 and onwards up the Trent & Mersey. We climbed upto (yes upto) the Trent at Wychnor Lock after checking the flood status indicator. It was at Green, so no problems. The flow was still quite strong but Denise had no difficulty guiding the boat through to the other end of the river section at Alrewas lock.
We moored just above the lock at 11:45 as we wanted to go again to the excellent butcher. After buying some very good looking free range pork we walked around the village visiting the much restored church and investigating the pub food situation. Couple of reasonable looking options and the possibility of an Indian, though that could have been closed, so we will stay here for the rest of the day.
Back home tomorrow so probably the last blog for this year.
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Monday, October 04, 2010
Branston again
A misty morning in SwarkestoneYet again the weather alternated. After appalling weather for much of yesterday, today has been glorious after the morning mist cleared.
We left Swarkestone at 9:20, passed through the deep Stenson Lock where we paired up with another boat and stopped at Willington to fill up with water and post a card. After lunch moored in the outskirts of Burton on Trent we moved on to Morrisons for a bit of shopping for what will probably be our last day on the boat this year. We are now moored back at Branston (where the pickle was invented allegedly) just before the waterpark.
A comma butterfly feeding on ivyWe are a bit concerned at the moment about the section of the Trent & Mersey we will be travelling tomorrow which shares a short stretch with the Trent. We have heard that the river is currently on Amber but if it rises much more the canal may be closed. Hopefully the absence of rain today will reduce the chances of this happening.
Saturday, October 02, 2010
Homeward Bound
We are now back in Swarkestone. It seems weeks ago when we were last here but it's only 10 days.
The weather continued alternating - yesterday was awful, today was very nice. We started at 9:30, the first job being to fill up with water, which we hadnt done since we first moored in the Great Northern Basin. We normally like to fill up every other day, but facilities on the Erewash are only available at each end of the canal.
After fillng the tank we dropped through Trent Lock onto the river. After the recent rains the water level was on "amber" which means that passage is allowed but caution required. The flow was certainly fairly strong, but it didnt cause us any problems as we travelled the 2 miles to Shardlow where we left the river Trent to join the Trent & Mersey Canal.
Here we stopped as we needed to get our Saturday Guardian, the only newspaper we ever buy, as we like to do the Prize Crossword. Unfortunately we found that there are no shops in Shardlow, and nothing else til we reach Willington which should be tomorrow. So no crossword this week.
After Shardlow we passed through the large locks at Aston, Weston and Swarkestone to reach our intended mooring at 15:30.
We went through the Shardlow, Aston and Weston Locks with "Tig" a mini-narrowboat, perhaps 25 foot long max. Despite it's diminutive size, it apparently has a gas oven/hob, shower, hot water supply and a double bed which needs to be dismantled when not in use as it fills the cabin. So it has all the facilities one needs, indeed apparently it was previously owned by a couple who used it as a permanent home for themselves and their Alsation!
Weather for tomorrow looking not so good again, so the alternation continues.
The weather continued alternating - yesterday was awful, today was very nice. We started at 9:30, the first job being to fill up with water, which we hadnt done since we first moored in the Great Northern Basin. We normally like to fill up every other day, but facilities on the Erewash are only available at each end of the canal.
After fillng the tank we dropped through Trent Lock onto the river. After the recent rains the water level was on "amber" which means that passage is allowed but caution required. The flow was certainly fairly strong, but it didnt cause us any problems as we travelled the 2 miles to Shardlow where we left the river Trent to join the Trent & Mersey Canal.
Here we stopped as we needed to get our Saturday Guardian, the only newspaper we ever buy, as we like to do the Prize Crossword. Unfortunately we found that there are no shops in Shardlow, and nothing else til we reach Willington which should be tomorrow. So no crossword this week.
After Shardlow we passed through the large locks at Aston, Weston and Swarkestone to reach our intended mooring at 15:30.
We went through the Shardlow, Aston and Weston Locks with "Tig" a mini-narrowboat, perhaps 25 foot long max. Despite it's diminutive size, it apparently has a gas oven/hob, shower, hot water supply and a double bed which needs to be dismantled when not in use as it fills the cabin. So it has all the facilities one needs, indeed apparently it was previously owned by a couple who used it as a permanent home for themselves and their Alsation!
Weather for tomorrow looking not so good again, so the alternation continues.
Friday, October 01, 2010
No movement again
Two storey luxury houseboat on the Erewash
Weather today just like wednesday's, cold and wet, with the addition of strong winds. Not the conditions for enjoyable boating so we have lit the fire and will be staying here today on the Erewash just before the junction with the River Trent.
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