Trains and Boats and Planes.

We left Fuerteventura on Monday, with great thanks to our friend Manel for the brilliant time.  The Ryanair flight (which we were very impressed with as it was our first time with them) took off mid morning and, after landing in Birmingham then train and taxi to Brinklow Marina ……….

……. we were back on the canal and heading North by 5 o’ clock n the afternoon.  Weird!  The green of All Oaks Wood was in stark contrast to the beautiful but barren landscape of Fuerteventura.

Further on we cruised under the M6 and at the same time a Virgin high speed Pendalino train roared past in the other direction.  Where would we all be without trains and boats and planes? 

After a  lovely evening cruise we moored up just past Ansty and slept very well indeed.

Extraordinary as it sounds, we were awake and on our way just after 6:30 this morning.  The first lock of the day was the stop lock at “Sutton Stop” (the old name for Hawkesbury Junction).  With only a few inches drop it didn’t test our resources too much at such an early hour.

After negotiating the unusually clean canal through Nuneaton we arrived at the eleven locks at Atherstone where we came across canal friend Tony who was moored up on nb “Lydia”.  We had a good chat with him as he helped us through the first lock – thanks Tony.

There were some lovely canal side cottages and gardens to look at as we passed through Amington on our way to the two Glascote locks ……….

…… and, once through the locks we had the River Tame aqueduct as an extra bit of excitement.

We’d been travelling for just over ten hours, hoping to make Fradley, but with a delay at Glascote locks due to a broken top paddle, we decided to call it a (long) day and stop at a favourite spot of ours just north of Hopwas Woods.

So here we are at 6 o’ clock in the evening – after the earlier rain decided to clear up, with the sunshine out ……..

……. and a wonderful view over the Staffordshire countryside.  Tomorrow will not be such a long day!