Getting Wet Again

Yesterday had it's dry patches, even some sunny ones, but we did get pretty wet one way and another. Shame when we have our nieces staying.Today hasn't been any better. Tonight we have had the fire alight, to dry out shoes and clothes and the dog!

Travelling along the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal we came to Calf Heath, here  the sun was shining, and we felt warm as we stopped to take a look at the junction of the Hatherton Canal.  There are two locks in water, with moorings along the cut.

The Lichfield and Hatherton Canal Trust are working towards opening up the route through to Birmingham.

The round lock house at Gailey is impressive and worth a look. There is a canal shop on the ground floor, with lots of canal nik-naks, basic food supplies and treats. Even though it was wet there, we still had ice creams.

Running through the horse tunnel to catch up with Tacet after taking a look and choosing the ice creams.
At Penkridge we stopped to do a bit of grocery shopping, also letting a heavy shower pass over before moving on again.  There have been quite a number of boats on the move along the Staffs and Worc., many of them hire boats who have a schedule to keep to.
We moored for the night at Radford Bridge, all rather damp, except one of the girls who was soaked, after taking a dip as she stepped back onto the boat after the last lock. Oops!

This morning we caught a bus into Stafford, just a short ride away, and had a wander round the town.  Along the main street is Ancient High House, and Elizabethan house made of oak and the largest wooden framed house in England. Charles I visited Stafford and stayed at the Ancient High House in 1643, not long after raising the Royal Standard at Nottingham, the feudal signal to call his loyal subjects to arms - this act was seen as the start of the English Civil War.

It is now a musem, with rooms decorated from the period of the civil war, Victorian and Edwardian eras.
In Victoria Park we had fun in the playground, no-one else was out in the damp drizzle, so we all made the most of it.

balancing on the spinning ring

spidermen

dodging the fountains

being a big kid

Waiting for the bus back we had time to admire The Picture House, now a restaurant. The glass name frontage was lovely.

Once back on Tacet we set off again, in the rain again and worked our way to Great Haywood Junction,

passing through Tixall Wide on the way

and crossing the rivers Sow and Trent via aqueducts.

At the juction we turned towards the Potteries,

and tonight we are moored at Weston upon Trent, it just got too wet to carry on. We're warm and cosy now, and the wet clothes are drying out, two girls are asleep, and we'll soon follow.

Wednesday
14 miles, 11 locks
Thursday
8 miles, 3 locks