Another beautiful day dawned and a few of those boats went past early trying to miss the heat, after we have waited so long for it to arrive too.
We have been past this hill when it has been a riot of poppies but now has been planted up with maize. There seems to be many fields of maize. I wonder if it is for feed or bio-fuel.
The boat ahead of us stopped for water and we carried on to the bottom of the Atherstone Locks, as in the above picture. The first seven were empty and we crossed with three or four. In the short pound with the bridge in the middle, between Lock 8 and 9, I came out of 9 a little before one out of 9 so I pulled to allow her through the bridge. She seemed to be a bit distraught that I was blocking her way into the lock but once through the bridge I could move ahead and all was well. She had a lot off to Helen but not to me. I wondered if she was that worried by it all why didn't she pull over in her part of the pound.
I see that certain lock flights are now reducing hours of opening due to lack of water already. The Atherstone locks all have side pounds. I wonder how much it would be to reinstate them against how much water they would save. There would have to be some education about their use too.
The paddle gear seem to all have dates cast into them. This was 1914. I think I saw the earliest one of 1898 and the latest of 1919. They have lasted well.
Merevale Hall is in view from much of the flight. This current hall was built in 1840 and the Stratford Dugdale family also own the nearby Blyth Hall. In the 1880 concerts were held just about every year for good causes. In 1882 there was a fire at the nearby Baddesley Colliery and 9 men were trapped below. 33 men went to rescue them and there was a massive explosion that must have killed all 42. William Stratford Dugdale was one of those that went to assist and was killed aged 51. There were fires in the workings and the pit was ordered to be closed to extinguish them and put hundreds out of work, and no money for many families for several weeks. Much fund raising took place in the area. 11 pit ponies were also lost.
We stopped before lock 5 to do a bit of shopping and when we set off again we went ahead of a boat that was just leaving Lock 6. We stopped for water just above Lock 5 and let them pass as we filled.
The hat factory is getting worse and worse. It would be lovely if something could be done with it, not for the canal side facade, but the one from the road that you can partly see in this photo.
Rothen's seem to be getting larger and going from strength to strength. Lots of new plant and newly painted and were just getting ready to put this in the water near the old stone wharf at bridge 36.
We moored up in a nice quiet spot before Hartshill after another lovely day on the canal.
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