Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2000 19:14:04 +0100 From: Ann Harvey Reply-To: Canals To: Canals Subject: Re: Amos's trip report - Part 1 [ The following text is in the "iso-8859-1" character set. ] [ Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set. ] [ Some characters may be displayed incorrectly. ] Saturday 15 July We were too tired to make an early start after the night we spent in the club last night with our fellow boaters. Tom Berridge, our neighbour on Lost Diamonds, assisted us by leaping on the front and grabbing the pole and declaring his intention of coming with us. He poled us out to the point where we could turn in front of the chalet and trudged back, and we turned onto the Staffs and Worcs main canal at 11.00 am. The weather is alternately sunny and cloudy but quite warm and a bit windy. We arrived at Swindon at 12 noon and passed Giggetty Wharf at 1.00 pm. We moored up below Bratch and Ken went up to assess the situation. Ken came back to say that we were next up, and at 2.00 pm we entered Bratch bottom lock. We emerged from the top one at 2.20 pm and on through Awbridge. I got a shower from the ground as I wound up the paddle at Ebstree lock at 3.00. I was expecting the vent to blow, and was ready to move ^Ö but not far enough or fast enough. However the warm sunshine and light wind soon dried me off. Dimmingsdale lock was unexpectedly full. The others had all been empty after Greensforge. As we cruised the long pound up to Wightwick the clouds rolled in and it got cooler. We were getting tired now. First day of the holiday and the adrenaline is fading and we^Òre into ^Ócanal mode^Ô well and truly. We haven^Òt hurried, but been economical with our efforts. Empty locks enabled us to push the bow into the bridge hole and I stepped off the counter to work the lock. A gentle nudge helped the other gate open, and when the lock was full Ken could get off and close the other ground paddle, before leaving the lock, saving me an extra couple of crossings. There were not many boats about ^Ö perhaps that^Òs why all the fisherpersons have smiled and said "good morning^Ô. The fact that we seemed to be pushing a shoal of fish in front of us may have helped. We saw one after another pulling out quite large fish as we passed ^Ö at least 6 of them. At 4.30 pm we tied up at Compton, just before bridge 59 outside the restaurant, after ascertaining that the moorings the other side were full. The sun has come out and gone in several times since Wightwick but now seems to have disappeared for the day. We went to The Swan for a drink. A group of men were sitting round a table, soon joined by anther bringing a curious looking box. Soon another came in with a similar box. Ken said they were pigeon clocks. (I prefer a cuckoo clock myself.) Soon they were too many for the table and moved off into the other room. A nice little earner for a local pub, having the pigeon fanciers and fliers congregating after a race. Compton has: Launderette (still open on Saturday evening and again on Sunday morning) Spar ^Ö quite a big one with a Post Office Optician Freezer centre Pharmacy Chinese takeaway/chip shop Foody pub, and a good ^Ñlocal^Ò pub, VERY pricey restaurant, (we^Òre told that it^Òs very good but needs a very special occasion to justify the cost) Boatyard ^Ö Limekiln boats which has a large chandlery, diesel and pumpout. Sunday 16 July We started the engine at 11.15 as the Archers ended. Compton lock was full but we made good steady progress, passing Wildside Activity Centre at 12 noon and Aldersley Junction at 12.15. We found a boat just ready to come out of ^Ñcut end^Ò lock as we turned in at 12.25 and were soon on our way up the Shroppie. Water Travel had 9 large boats moored up with no sign of activity. Things must be dire in the hireboat industry. The weather is warm and periodically sunny. I saw swans, yesterday a water vole, as well as a lone seagull and all the usual water fowl. Swallows were dipping and swooping, herons waiting till the last possible moment as the boat drew level with them, then lazily flapping off, circling and coming back to the same spot when we had passed. This is a beautiful canal. I sat on the roof and polished the brass mushrooms, which are now shining in the sun. We arrived at Brewood at 2.10 and were just beaten to a sunny mooring by another boat. We had to moor at the end of the visitor moorings in the shade. We needed lights on in the cabin, the contrast is so great from the bright sun. As we were mooring up Achieved (our last cruiser) passed us. I waved to it. Ken discouraged this, saying that it may not have the same owners now and they^Òd think I was mad. Then the occupants saw us and realised who we were. The boat looks well cared for and they look as if they are still enjoying themselves with her. After a quick grease of the stern gland we set off to go to the village for a drink at (another) The Swan. We had a lovely drink or 3 then we strolled back in the sunshine admiring all the lovely patio tubs and hanging baskets. I believe they still have the ^ÑBest kept Village^Ò award. On our return we saw the boat in front preparing to move off so we pulled forward when they did so, into the sunshine. Ken had a nap while I read my computer mag and prepared the veg for tea. After a sleepy half hour of my own, Ken cooked and dished up the meal. It was delicious with a bottle of wine. We went back later to the Swan to check that the standard hadn^Òt dropped since lunchtime. It hadn^Òt and we had another few there, chatting to the landlady and a local (who used to work about half a mile from our house). It was unusually quiet early on but when it suddenly filled up we left, having had an ample sufficiency. It was still light at 10.30 as we strolled back, and we didn^Òt need a torch on the towpath. Only one boat in the row had a light on inside ^Ö where is everyone? ---