Wolseley bridge 70 to Ingestre Bridge - Great Haywood

4 September - Service day

Up and off towards Great Haywood up 2 locks with boats coming both ways so plenty of lock operators about and soon arrived at the junction with the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal that turn we missed all those weeks ago.

Set off in beautiful sunshine but cold

 And around a few corners we meet our first lock - Colwich which has a queue already. Boats are coming up and going down on each lock so it takes awhile but with fine weather it is pleasant way to waste some time.

 Cattle being shifted across the old bridge some of them complaining as they didn't like being told to go that way and lots of people watching.

 Finally it is our turn, took us about an hour to get to this point but this is boat time, we don't have to be at Great Haywood until 12

 Check out the paint work on these two boats - Potteries said that will be a fiver as we passed

 Not looking bad as we come into Haywood Lock, only one before us and it doesn't take us long before we get through

As we approached a hire boat came out from under the bridge and carried straight on across the canal and nose first into the bank, there followed a slow and painful exhibition of how not to turn a narrow boat, given the space available you must just shake your head that they let them out at all.

 We moved on to the next marina for pump out, Diesel, and a engine service, also 2 gas bottles needed changing.

 We were finished at 3 pm and went back to the junction for water and rubbish disposal and shopping at the highly recommended farm shop. That done we moved on upstream through 1 more lock and moored in quiet countryside at 5.45 for the night. With TV reception for a change

 I did a quick trip into town to get a top up for the dongle as they wont let me top up on line because our credit card is not connected to a UK bank account. I could have sworn a credit card was a credit card which you can use the world over, obviously not in the UK especially if you are doing a prepaid package. Yeah Right that one sounds like a Tui ad. Anyway was a cute little town.

 Spotted another Tui boat that must be the 3rd one we have seen with that name

 Our view for the night was very peaceful just pass Hoo Mill Lock

TOTAL - 4 miles, 3 locks, 1 water fill, 1 engine service, 2 gas bottles, 1 diesel fill, 1 pump out, more Wi Fi and TV reception,1 small farm shop