Penkridge

 

Here I am Rune

Distance 2.1 miles

Total 4975 Locks  359 Tunnels

Running total mileage 7,426 miles

 

After completing the weekly shop in Cannock, we had lunch and then moved on from Gailey to Penkridge, which is an easy afternoon cruise incorporating just 5 locks. Still unfortunately within earshot of the M6 motorway, but since it is a constant drone it doesn’t disturb too much.

Not sure whether we’ll move on from Penkridge tomorrow, or stay for a couple of days. Unlike Gailey it is accessible since there is a bus service so we could go into Stafford if we wanted to. The plan will be to make sure the water tank is full and the Thetford cassettes are empty then we can stay in Tixall wide for a few days.

Gailey

 

Here I am Rune

Distance 7.7 miles

Total 4970 Locks  359 Tunnels

Running total mileage 7,423.9 miles

 

Compared to yesterday, a gentle relaxing day today, no locks and about 8 miles of easy cruising. We are now seeing one or two more boats on the move, funny how you always seem to meet them on a bridge or corner (or both). The Staffs and Worcester canal doesn’t seem to have the same problem that the BCN have with depth and crud gathering around the propeller either.

Not sure of the plan for tomorrow, we usually do our shopping on a Friday but the only way to get to the nearest shops (Cannock) is going to be to get the bike out, we’ll see what the weather is like.

Autherley Junction

 

Here I am Rune

Distance 4 miles

Total 4970 Locks  359 Tunnels

Running total mileage 7,416.2 miles

 

As planned, we headed off down the Wolverhampton 21 lock flight passing through it in a reasonably creditable time of 4 and a quarter hours. Since you cannot really pass a boat on the flight and we caught up with the boats ahead of us, there was no way (nor any reason) to go down it any quicker. The weather sort of held up with only a couple of showers as we went down. The boats that we caught up with were two who had been in Hawne Basin at the conclusion of the BCN Challenge ‘Misty Blue’ and ‘Axolotl’, ‘Misty Blue’ apparently heading off up the Shroppie and ‘Axolotl’ going on towards Great Haywood.

A slightly more relaxed day tomorrow, expecting a cruise to Gailey so about 8 miles or so.