Friday 30 March 2012

No winding here then!

Lie in today, didn't wake until 8am!
Not to worry though, short journey today to Penkridge - wind (turn) above the lock and down again ...
 ... we left our mooring below Gailey bottom lock at 10:15 ...
 ... the round house must be photographed by every boater passing through here!
 Ahh, but, the best laid plans as they say - this is the winding hole - with 6 hire boats abreast each having their water tanks filled prior to the Easter hirers arrival probably later today or tomorrow. 
So, no winding here then!
 We continue under Bridge 78 Gravelly Way which is rather tatty round the edges - this is the first bridge the hire boaters meet when leaving Gailey travelling north - and you can see the damage to the left-hand arch - there would almost certainly have been damage to boats too!
To enable us to turn now we must travel a further 2 miles to Hatherton Junction, wind, and then the 2 miles back again.
 It was 12:30 when we got back to Gailey and the situation was not much better ...
 ... and so we continued our cruise into Penkridge and see these two vans by the water point - the one behind is the Fabrication and Welding van is BW/May Gurney (contractors) ...
... they have fixed a permanent rail across the bottom gates - for elfin safety purposes I suppose!
3pm and we're now moored above Longford Lock just outside Penkridge.
We were so glad to arrive and moor-up; it's been so cold today on the back deck, but as I write this blog (16:43) the sun has broken up the clouds and the temperature reading on the top of Rock n Roll is a very decent 25.4 degrees!

Thursday 29 March 2012

BBQ Birthdays Celebration

The Birthdays ...
... George 64 March 26 ...
... Ed 11 March 28 ...
... Lucy 14 today ...
 ... watching Miranda, one of her birthday DVD's before going to school ...
 ... and last but by no means least, Ange whose birthday is tomorrow!
Happy Birthday everyone - and thanks for inviting us to the family birthday BBQ - brilliant as always!

From -1 to +21 in 9 hours

Tuesday at 10 past 8 and we're off, reversing back to the junction ...
 ... and winding (turning), leaving the Trent and Mersey Canal ...
 ... and entering the Staffs and Worcester Canal. The temperature is minus 1 ...
 ... as we pass over the river Trent ...
 ... there's frost on the grass ...
 ... but the sun is promising something good!
 Looks peacefull on Tixal Wide but plenty of boats were moored along the towpath.
 First of 11 locks today - Tixal Lock Cottage ...
 ... and the second aqueduct - over the river Sow.
We just pipped NB Starcross at Walton Bridge 104 - thanks Jim for waiting.
 Keeping the place tidy is a full time job!
 With Molly, I walked for a couple of miles to Acton Trussell and waited for Rock n Roll to pick us up
Shutt Hill Lock - one coming down, one waiting, then it's my turn! 
 We stopped for lunch at Park Hill Lock and spent a fortune at Midland Chandlers!
 It's now 1:30pm and it's hot, hot, hot!
 Filling the water tank above Penkridge Lock ...
... and passing canal traders - FMC Monarch and butty just past the Cross Keys pub
 I was rather distracted by this pair - doing what pairs do - on the top of the boat and then on the inside of the lock wall ...
 ... but very pretty!
Our mooring for the next 2 nights - Geoff would be disgusted here - wood shavings all over the towpath to bring into the boat on your shoes - and lots of other boat bloggers and non-bloggers would be disgusted too at the amount of doggy doos that haven't been cleaned up!

 We arrived at Gailey at 10 past 5 and the temperature - still over 20 degrees!

We left Rock n Roll here on Wednesday night as there is a BBQ waiting for us - watch this space!

A taste of Shugborough Hall

Shugborough Hall - home of the Anson family since 1624 until 1960 when it was gifted to the National Trust in lieu of death duties although the family continued to live in the Hall.
Click on any of the photos to enlarge.



 These miniature portraits are exquisite - the details of the lace on the lady and hair on the child are perfect!

 Following the death of Patrick Anson ( known as Patrick Lichfield) the 5th Earl of Lichfield in November 2005, his son Thomas resided in the private apartments of the Hall until March 2010 when upon his marriage he moved out. These apartments are now open to the public for the first time.


When Thomas Anson moved out of Shurgborough he took with him all the family furniture and the apartment is now furnished in 1960 style.



 Presumably the kitchen was not removed - very 1980's!

The photographs displayed below were taken by Lord Lichfield, most of which have not been on public display before ... can you guess who they are?










 ... and back outside in the grounds ...

 ... where George and Molly are waiting for me ...
 ... so cute!
 Budding gardeners in the walled kitchen garden? ...
 ... and Jez Bates the Blacksmith (07876 072324) ...
 ... at work...
... and Molly at play!