It rained in the night but was a nice if blustery day when we got up. We went for a walk into Stone to go to the local 'stack it high sell em cheap' shop. We had called as we passed the evening before but it was closed. And it was closed again. They had big packets of Garibaldi biscuits and it is something our son likes so we were going to get him some to take away to sea with him when he goes away again next month. We will have to think of something else now.
As we lowered down Limekiln Lock, I think it was, the bridge had a roller like this on each corner of the bridge. They are in disrepair and it wont be too long before they drop to pieces. Do you think the C&RT would replace this sort of thing? If it isn't Listed, and it no longer serves a useful purpose to keep the waterways running why would then. However I think that this sort of thing is important to preserve as it is entirely in context and once gone will never be the same. I love to see the rope scars on the rock of the bridges and on the iron protectors too. I suppose there is the argument that if they replace the stone work they wouldn't be expected to put false rope cuts in the new stone. Mind you plenty of people pay good money to have false rivets on their modern boats! I have never understood that myself.
I have always assumed that weed in the water is a sign of good water quality. I'm not sure if that is true but some of the Stone Locks have plenty of it. I wonder if a survey has been undertaken to see what the habitat of a lock includes. It must be fairly specialised as it is alternatively submerged and then dry. Like the inter tidal zone. I took the photo really to show that the sun had been shining, just in case it was the last we saw of it. It wasn't. I also noticed that the statue of Cristina Collins at the bottom of Yard lock is falling to bits. As it was wood it is hardly surprising really. The death of Cristina Collins was exceedingly big news in 1839 when she was raped and murdered by the crew of a fly boat on the way to London. She told the lock keeper here in Stone that she was cared of what may happen to her, but she was told to report the crew when she got to the other end. Her body was found by the Trent viaduct just before Rugeley. I wonder if the statue will be replaced?
As we approached Aston the storm clouds in the distance contrasted nicely with sun shining on the bridge and the trees.
The nice white cottage just before Aston Lock was part of a Flint Mill in 1880. There was another building at right angles to the blank walled on closer to the camera and leading away from the canal. It was disused by 1900.
Helen was doing the locks again, despite them bring 'down hill' as her Fitbit wrist thingy was telling her she needed to do more steps. I have caught her pacing up and down the boat just trying to satisfy this inanimate object she can do another 70 steps in the hour! It is weird how addictive it seems these things can become. It helps me to understand how some get radicalised as terrorists, as repeating the message often enough seems to cause you do some thing that you wouldn't normally do. Not quite a perfect analogy as Helen would normally do exercise, but maybe no be bothered about exactly how many steps. Why is 10,000 steps that much better than 9,999? Yes, I know you can change the targets. The photo was taken as Helen was having to do high hurdles as well as walk as when the gets at Aston Lock are open they are pretty high and the handrails stop you walking round the beams. There is no option to haul yourself over them, or close the gate again.
There were lots of groups of Canada Geese along the canal today. It seems that in each big group of these geese resided one or two other species. In this group it was a lone grey lag goose, in another it was a lone Aylesbury type duck etc. Does this mean that the Canada geese are very inclusive and tolerant of outsiders, or that the loner has perpetrated some heinous crime in their own community and is seeking protection from their own kind among these thugs? I also wonder what proportion of the Canada geese now reside in the UK and how many still commute to foreign climes.
The old station at Sandon is a private home, but still has the large covered area at the front, or porte cochere where the folk from the big house could drive their carriage under and alight in the dry. I noticed the diamond patterns in the brick and thought they look a little random and not really adding to the whole. It seems this type of brickwork is called 'diapering'! It comes from the Greek dia for cross or diamond
We are a week or two early to get the best out of the trees, but along this stretch by the railway and Sandon Park the trees are very varied and provide a good mix of clours already. They also give a mix of textures too. I suppose this will be down to the mix of trees planted for the family of native and foreign trees.
Just another photo showing off the the dark clouds ahead against the sunlight on the trees and boat. I only had to put my coat ion once and as I could see it coming I had plenty of time to don it. It didn't last long either.
By the time |I had got to the end of the moorings of the last photo the black clouds had blown away and we were back to the sun once again. I think the Union Flag should be flown more, but I suppose when we lose Scotland and possibly Wales we will have to design a new flag. Any ideas?
We moored up at Weston on Trent, not the one towards Shardlow, that would have been a good days run. As soon as we slowed down these cygnets were begging. These are obviously the offspring of the pair that can be seen opposite the moorings taking food from the low hung bird feeders holding fat balls. I wonder why Mum and Dad haven't taught them that skill yet? Maybe they are still a little short of neck just at the moment. When does a cygnet become a swan? It takes them 4 to 10 months to learn to fly well enough to leave their parents. They start out grey and slowly turn brown over the next few months by the time they are one year old they are white but still have the grey/pink beak. They go off and live with other swans until they reach maturity at about 4 years old and then find a mate.
We went for a meal at the Saracens Head which is just by the moorings. I hadn't been for a few years and the last time it was a bit of a run down pub that sold larger and fizzy beer, and not a place to linger. It has changed, a lot! It was steak night so Helen had a gammon and I a sirloin that was lovely, arrived quickly etc etc. We really enjoyed the night, and the food and wandered back to the boat to watch a bit of tele, well contented.
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