We got there in the end.

 After a pop to Tesco's and a visit to Tool Station just around the corner we were away by 1015.

In a small way the north end is starting to look a little like Charity dock on the Coventry. It would see impossible to cram anymore 'stuff into this back garden and a little way further on are the manaquins at the Little ewe moorings.

WE had caught somebody up ahead as we crossed over the Brindley Aqueduct over the Trent. He disappeared round a corner and was then seen winding just after bridge 68. He waved us past and we were on our way.

A little further on a Rothern Group tug and pan were on the off side near a culvert. It looked like they were strengthening the bank.

It seems that coir rolls are not good enough now. I assume that these coir mats are impregnated with seeds etc so as to establish quickly the vegetation that will stabilise the bank.

As we approached Wolseley Bridge the sky started to look threatening but it didn't amount to any more than a little spitting.

Needless to say there was a queue at Colwich Lock. I'm not sure whey, but there is invariably a queue here. There were four boats ahead when we arrived and still the same number when we left the lock. I am always surprised by the number of folk that don't lend a hand at a lock. Maybe just turn up when they are next in the line, but some, seem to only appear when they are due up next. 

Every boat that passed us was telling us how tight it was at Great Haywood. I took this to mean that there were few moorings but it may also have meant that the canal is quieter narrow passing so boats with the vegetation on the off side.

There were mooring spaces before and after Great Haywood lock so we have seen it much busier than this. Also there was no scrum at the juntion and the water point was vacant so we stopped for a top up. Last time we had come this way they were just setting up the loading bay on the offside. It is for loading the pans to take around to Tixall where they are improving yet another footpath. There were a fair few miffed boaters who couldn't find a spot on Tixall Wide.

There were one or two creches of Canadian Geese. One near Aston Marina looked like there had been slaughter of the birds as there were feathers everywhere. However I think they must be molting as the birds were in the water around the exit of the marina.

The Trent and Mersey Canal comes close to the western edge of the river's flood plain and I like the outlook of this farm on the hill, Ox Hill Farm.

There always seems to be some animal walking over this bridge when we pass, sometimes a sheep, but this time a cow. She stopped to see what was going on.

We managed to make a boat leaving Aston Lock that they should leave the gates open for us. They had just picked it up from the hire base at Stone and already they were arguing about the right and wrong way to do everything!

By now it was past six o'clock. We normally head up the locks for a mooring but as it was so late we decided that if there was a mooring below Star Lock we would take it. There was, right outside the sewage pumping station. We moored up and had a lovely tea before heading out into town for a pint.

With the beautiful weather everybody was out and the numerous cocktail lounges and pubs were heaving. We Headed to the Royal Exchange for a Titanic pint, apt after this weeks ructions near the site of the wreck. It was fairly quiet so it was a Plum Porter followed by a White Star, a packet of scratchings and a natter then we were off back to the boat. Bed is calling us both.