Narrowboat Just Heaven

We left soon after nine to drive to the NEC for the “Boat & Caravan Show”.
It should be called “The lots and lots of caravans and a few boats if you look very hard show”.
From an inland waterways point of view it was very disappointing. There were five halls, four large and one small. The boating element was in the small one! Even within the boating hall there was little of interest for canal boaters. There were lots of sea going boats, canoes, kayaks, jet skis etc, but there was more space taken up with cars than with narrowboats.
Even with entry price discounted with the token from Canal Boat mag it wasn’t good value for money. We wont be going again!

It wasn’t a complete waste of time though, we bought a new tent!

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The weather was a bit cold today, though not wet. So it was a pleasant, slowish journey down to the winding hole by Whittington Horse Bridge, then back up to the Kinver services block for a pumpout and top up with water. We loaded up most of the stuff into the car so that we have less to do tomorrow as we want to be away by nine to the Boat & caravan Show at the NEC.

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Only a short way today, just 2 miles & 3 locks. This morning we went on a walk to the pretty village of Trysull. We went up to Awbridge lock. Then along the lane and across the fields to the village.

After turning left at the church we picked up a footpath that led via Woodford Grange to come back to the canal at Giggetty bridge. A very pleasant walk in the sunshine. The only problem was a marshy area rather oddly on the top of a hill.

After lunch a short chug down to Br 43 and a quick shopping trip to the new Sainsbury’s.

Through the Botterham staircase then round the corner to moor for the night just above Marsh Lock.

We chose here as we thought it would be a good place to try tuning the new TV for the first time. However it said no digital signal. Haven’t they gone digital in this part of the world yet?

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We are back at the same place, facing the same way as yesterday !
We went up to Aldersley junction, winded then back to Limekiln at Compton to top up with fuel. We were going to have a pumpout, but their machine is broke. I wanted to get some diesel bug killer as well, but they had sold out. So only one out of three.
When we got back here we turned at the winding hole and came back up to the mooring facing north again. I have some work to to tomorrow on the replacement perspex for the side hatch, and it’s easier to work on it this way round.
I treated the roof with Jeyes Fluid as it had attracted mould, fungi and lichen over the winter.

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We’ve moved at last! Due to stoppages, ice and time commitments we hadn’t moved since the 1st of November.
We arrived last night at around 5:30. The solar panel had done it’s job and the battery was topped up. I lit the fire, we had a glass of wine a meal and watched a DVD of Foyles War.
The weather this morning was clear and dry, but quite cold. We chugged slowly up to the mooring by the picnic site at the bottom of Bratch Locks (one of our favourite moorings). I have a few odd jobs to do and it’s convenient here as I can use the picnic bench to work on.
A walk into Wombourne to get some mushrooms for tomorrow’s breakfast then settle down for the evening.

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