Tamworth

We were delayed setting off this morning as the shower pump didn't work. It has been working  intermittently but I thought I had fixed it. Anyway took it to bits and back together again as nothing unusual found and it worked okay. I have my fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Pooley Hall and Miners Memorial.

Just round the bend from Polesworth is Pooley Hall. Just a little further was the Pooley Hall Colliery that closed in 1987. wrought iron pagoda is a memorial to the colliery men who fell in WWI. (or if not it is  around there somewhere). There is very little to show of the mine as we passed. It made me think that since Coventry we have been passing through areas of heavy engineering, quarrying and mining, and there is basically nothing to see of it now. It is amazing to think that a younger generation will have no idea of what has gone before and how different the life and environment was. I'm not saying the 'good old days' but days of different values I think.

25 year old waste tip.

The stretch of canal from Polesworth was very rural now and in the sun today was very pleasant boating. It would have been very different 30 years ago. The mine closed in 1987 and you would be hard pressed to tell the waste tip was there now.

Tamworth Castle and gardens from the River Anker walk.

I thought we would have to walk alongside busy roads to get into the town centre of Tamworth but there was a very pretty walk under all the roads and alongside the river with a park and gardens to the Castle. With it being sunny there were plenty of people out and about too. I had not seen a sedum statue before but thought it was a good idea. It will look good when it is all grown over.

Sir sedum!

Sir Robert Peel and Market Hall.

We had to go to the station to collect Helen's tickets for when she goes home later in the month. You can collect them from any station with a machine and she is going from Stone with no machine so as we were passing through Tamworth we chose here. When I was booking them the first price was £75 one way. After a bit of digging etc I got it for £48 both ways. The town is a funny mixture of old and new. There only seemed to be one green grocer and one butcher in the place, but I think the centre is surrounded by retail parks so maybe too much competition for them.

Roses around a thorn.

Not a good quote really as they aren't roses and I'm more grumpy than thorney, but I am sporting my new No.2 haircut! We are staying here tomorrow as we can catch the bus to Sutton Coldfield from Fazeley Junction on Saturday.