Hartshill yard to Limekiln bridge 51, Polesworth

30 August - Lock day, haven't seen many for awhile

A slowish start to the day with a load of washing done before we moved off. After 2 miles we arrived at Atherstone Top lock where we unloaded rubbish and loaded water, there followed 11 descending locks with short pounds in between them, some with boats coming up and some not, but lots of boats on the move so help at most locks.

 Pete spotting lots of interesting things on the side of the canal - yeah right ;-)

Mum on guard while the babies sleep

We followed Nb Tixall for most of the way - another Steam powered boat set up, very similar as Whistle Down the Wind, who we ran with on the Leeds Liverpool canal all those months ago. Except Tixall burns wood blocks - sort of wood chip compressed into bricks that seems to burn very clean and hot.This was the 1st time that the crew on Tixall had done a lock flight and at the bottom were pleased how it had gone, lots of stopping and starting, as opposed to straight  running. Tixall was built in 1986 but the current owners only took her over this year, though they have had boats for 30 years - just not steam.

Tixall allowed us to pass earlier as they were obviously enjoying plodding along. shortly after we passed another boat with solar panels on its roof. We asked if they were selling back to the grid and they said nearly. We think this maybe an electric boat. Boats can be powered differently.

Shortly after we arrived at Atherstone which is the start of the locks for the day. Unfortunately we needed to get rid of rubbish and fill up with water and who comes in - Tixall they take the lock - oh well you win some and you lose some.

 2nd lock of the day and lucky last - 2 hours later

 The weather was slowly getting worse and the Harvesters in the Wheat fields were stopping and parking up and the forecast is not good for the next 20 hours.

We moored up at 3.30pm and Vicki was stung by a wasp again this time on the leg, those wasps have it in for her, it happened as she stepped off with the rope, we moved 100 metres up and found a wasp free spot,  hopefully. Rain slowly starting constant by midnight

TOTAL - 7 miles, 11 locks, 1 wasp and 1 load of washing

31 August - awoke to rain - day off

Raining on and off all day, quite cool today also so we are having a day off. My leg is really swollen now and with a few aches from yesterdays locks can honestly say I am glad. A day being very lazy.
Boat turned on at 11.30am to charge batteries and toys and heat water.

TOTAL 0 miles - cold and raining