Pooley Park Nature Reserve to Tamhorn Park Bridge, Birmingham and Fazeley Canal
Acorns! We had acorns falling on the roof off and on last night. At least it was better than the cockerel at Atherstone at 4am sounding like someone was trying to throttle it but not succeeding.
Today was going to be windy. Mick wondered if we should push off before breakfast to hopefully miss the worst wind around lunchtime, but that just didn’t happen. As we got ready to push off another boat had pulled in, ready to jump in our grave. Hopefully they would be able to pull in to make the most of the solar unlike us, but then we are quite deep.
Not far round the bend to Alvecote, one day we will coincide with NB Harnser and actually get to meet Brian and Diana to talk to rather than just passing.
We pootled on through Tamworth. I wonder which house it was that the lady would wave at us when we were in area for Tilly’s first jabs when she was a brand new boat cat. The garden with the immaculate lawn and ornaments hadn’t been out to hoover up the few leaves that had fallen overnight, I suspect there would be more before the day was out.
What time is a reasonable time to wait to hear about exam results when you are an aunt? GCSE’s I think I lasted into the afternoon before enquiring. Today I lasted till just before 11am. Josh, my nephew, replied quarter of an hour later. A*, A and another A! He’s been accepted to Manchester University. Brilliant! Well done Josh! I quickly asked if he’d be willing to help us with the Rochdale 9 next time. I haven’t mentioned as yet the Ashton Canal, or the Rochdale up to the Rose of Lancaster or even helping us up Wigan, but there’s three years worth of nephew boating duties on the cards. Needless to say Andrew and Jac are very proud parents, I’m also rather proud of him too.
Under the last bridge before the Glascote Locks, we pulled in for an early lunch avoiding joining the queue and I bobbed up to the co-op for a couple of things. Our pause was perfect as a boat was just exiting the lock as we approached, so we could go straight in, the wind now a touch extra blowy. A boat arrived behind us, our timing even better as now there was someone else who could open and close a bottom gate.
The bottom lock required filling luckily the wind just allowed me to pull in, then a lull allowed me to get back on board before Oleanna was pushed to the off side. The lock cottage has scaffolding up, the owners aiming to restore it to it’s former Georgian glory.
Thankfully the throat of the bottom lock is quite long, so Oleanna could lurk without the wind catching her as Mick closed up behind and lifted a paddle to start filling the lock for the boat behind us.
Two years ago we’d been iced in at Alvecote Marina and when we eventually escaped, the worst of the ice remained over the Tame Aqueduct. Today nothing of the sort, just wind constantly trying to adjust our line. At Fazeley Junction we carried straight on, or is that actually a right? At one point last week we’d considered a route up the Curdworth Flight and up the Tame Valley, Perry Barr, Rushall, the Curley Wurley to Wolverhampton, but right now that isn’t possible because of the chemical spill near Walsall, the canals closed to contain the pollution. We’d decided against it anyway as the rail links wouldn’t be helpful.
We now wanted a mooring without much tree cover and suitable for Tilly. Hopwas maybe, the woods, too woody. A little further on we found some armco, the depth was good, we pulled in a big gap between trees. Tilly was given the rest of the afternoon shore leave just as it started to rain!
The amount of friendly cover kept her busy. So much so that when she did return for some Dreamies it almost looked like she’d taken a dip! It rained for much of the rest of the day, proper really wet rain. Glad we’d stopped when we did.
Sock photos taken, packages packed and labels printed ready for the next post box. I could now move on to cast on this weeks pair. A lady from Dementia UK has been in touch wanting to know if I’d like to write something about my fund raising to be added to a page on their website. Just need to catch up with myself first.
A little after we moored Mick spotted that the passing boat was NB Scholar Gypsy, not Simon on board. This will be the third time we’ve been passed by them this year.
2 locks, 8 miles, 1 right, 62 acorns, 3 red onions, 1 blowy day, 2 many trees, 1 firing range firing, 1 soggy moggy, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.
Just as well you did not aim to get a train from Polesworth. Only a Parluamentary train!
Yes Mick was telling me about that the other day. One train a day only in one direction!
Well done Josh!