We were later off as we were waiting for Tesco's to open to buy the Sunday Paper but were off by 1030.
Once over the aqueduct the suburbs of Rugeley are left behind and the country is unadulterated other than the West Coast Main Line that is.
Sheep see med to favour the east bank of the canal, and cattle the west. I'm not sure if there is less favourable pasture for the sheep or why it seemed to be organised that way. Maybe just coincidence.
The views up to the heights of Cannock Chase are always appealing, however today the sight of big black clouds rolling over the uplands wasn't a good sign, and soon after the rain started.
As we approached Bishton Hall there was a creche of Canada geese. This was about half of them as there were about the same number the other side of the tree on the right.
We were surprised when we approached Colwich Lock as unusually there was nobody ahead of us. However there was a boat just coming into the lock. By the time we were in the lock there was a hire boat waiting to come down. They had hired the same boat for 20 years. I'm surprised that hire company's keep their boats that long. When we left there were two boats waiting to come up after us. I have no idea why some locks seem to have queues at all times and others not. It must be like the surges of traffic on motorways!
The towpath is closed from Bridge 72 right the way to the junction. They are surfacing the towpath. It is such a long length as there are no exits from it between as the Trent is on the towpath side.
We wanted to fill up with water but there was no room at the services and the bridge over the Staffs. and Worcs. was blocked off due to the towpath surfacing (the fencing was very effectively rigged so that you couldn't hop round) so we hung a rope on the corner and hoped that nobody would decide to take our spot. They didn't and we were relatively quickly full again and heading through the bridge and on to the Staffs and Worcs.
There were a few spaces on Tixall Wide but we carried onward. At the far end of the wide was the boat Helen and fortuitously Helen popped her head out of the hatch at the right time. Shame our surname isn't Kinver!
We had a short wait at Tixall Lock but we were soon up and away, leaving boats above and below us. The rain has started again by now. There was little wind and it was still warm so no impediment to cruising.
I told Helen that the bloke at the Sow Aqueduct, sitting there, was a poet employed by C&RT to recite a poem for you. He was there as the aqueduct meant that you were close enough to chat. I'm not sure how long she believed me as the got up and left before we got there. I may pitch the idea to C&RT as it is the sort of thing they might do.
There always seems to be more progress at Baswich Junction, where the planned lock reinstatement and basin down into the river Sow, to give access to the centre of Stafford, no matter how small. I'm not sure what work needs doing at the other end? Maybe a wharf mooring and I wonder about dredging too.
We kept going and we seemed to collect boats, maybe as the decided to continue after the latest shower had abated. There were a couple above Deptmore lock and a couple waiting below when we left. We moored up with plenty of other boats before Acton Trussell with open views and low hedges to make the most of any remaining sun. The weather had been showery but still pleasant for cruising. Tomorrow is supposed to be even better tomorrow.
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