Belvide nature reserve

Another long walk today which took us around Belvide Reservoir and included an illegal entry into the nature reserve there, you are meant to apply for a permit to enter but not having the foresight or wherewithal we tiptoed in and all I can say is that it was well worth it. We did get caught coming out as the gates were locked and we had to climb over the fence, to a loud refrain from behind us of ‘are you members?’ Apparently it only cost £20 a year for membership and had we lived in the area we would join in a flash, it was such a magical experience. We spent ages watching finches, tits and the occasional nuthatches feeding from the bird feeder, all the while listening to the bird song that was all around us. We were also watching a creature which I thought was a rat but Frances thinks it was a vole, or if it was a rat it was a gentrified country rat.

I changed the water filter today, why is it that these things are located in the darkest recesses of the boat? Its ok I know why. I had such a job getting the old one off, if Frances was writing this blog it would go something along the lines that we often get from Lynne about Paul on Piston Broke, but alas I am writing the blog so suffice it to say I was a bit annoyed with the difficulty I encountered removing the old filter.

Tomorrow we set off for our journey proper along the Shroppie, we do tend to get stuck in places don’t we? Still we do get to know the walks around the places we stay in and oh yes we also did another couple of Geocaches today.

Bird Feeders

Shroppie

Statistics so far:-

1020.86 Miles, 714 Locks, 74 Swing Bridges, 48 Lift Bridges, 7 Tunnel

Bubble Stove

An early start this morning, but not as early as Debdale, they went past us as we were having our morning coffee. We thought that we would have a walk and do some geocaching while it wasn’t raining. By the time we had run the engine and done our local shop it was 11am when we set off for our walk, which took in part of the Stafford Way and the Avenues of Chillington Hall. We had a pleasant walk but by the time we were coming back in the late afternoon it was dull and miserable. Once back on the boat we had the fire lit and are sitting cosy watching the All Blacks playing Wales.

We have a diesel fire which we like as it is easy to use and control, it came with the boat and we have never experienced a solid fuel fire so I cannot really comment on the comparisons of either type. We recently discovered that you can no longer get a Bubble corner stove as users had so much trouble with them that they have ceased supplying it. I am not sure what the problems were but we have no serious problem other than the installation which should really have the fuel tank up by the fire.

Towing a working boat

The Avenue

Frances dwarfed by beech trees

Statistics so far:-

1020.86 Miles, 714 Locks, 74 Swing Bridges, 48 Lift Bridges, 7 Tunnel

Not exactly a canal

We had our first Tesco delivery today, we thought that we should try it as the Shroppie is decidedly lacking in food outlets, I think. We have to say that we are very impressed and Frances would like to thank Sue from NB No Problem for her very helpful guide that she gives on her blog. Much like NB Epiphany the goods arrived just before the allotted time and the driver was most helpful in getting the stuff onto the boat.

Just as the stuff was being delivered we met up with five ladies with their cameras, they questioned us about our life on the boat and had me posing at the keyboard for a photograph. It must be something about this area.

I have some photos from our party visit, the views are from the caravan we were staying in, I used wide angle and zoom lenses.

Statistics so far:-

1020.86 Miles, 714 Locks, 74 Swing Bridges, 48 Lift Bridges, 7 Tunnel

Birthday Bash

Well we are back on the boat after going to my Dad’s birthday do yesterday. He was 87 last week along with his twin sister; she claims to be one hour older and therefore the boss. It was great seeing all the family although a little less drink may have been more beneficial for the head today. We braved the Green line bus to Wolverhampton which was fine but a grumpier bus driver (we had him in both directions) you are unlikely to meet, he didn’t approve of the bus pass. Tough.

The Birthday Twins

Statistics so far:-

1020.86 Miles, 714 Locks, 74 Swing Bridges, 48 Lift Bridges, 7 Tunnel

I love to boogie

I started playing jazz on the keyboard some months ago, actually it was after Bones had a go on our keyboard that I thought I would expand my repertoire from early classical and renaissance to a more modern genre. In doing this I have discovered that our grandson loves to boogie. So I am now playing walking bass boogies and blues pieces for the sole entertainment of the junior member of our family, he stomps around shaking his maracas in time to the music. Well so there I was practising for my next visit home when I looked up and caught sight of a pair of bopping legs, so being somewhat embarrassed the music ground to a halt. A middle aged head appears at the window and says carry on we were enjoying that. Byrd and Back never commanded such a response; I need to work on that. The joys of being retired and living on a narrowboat.

Statistics so far:-

1020.86 Miles, 714 Locks, 74 Swing Bridges, 48 Lift Bridges, 7 Tunnels.

A walk around Brewood

Not a very pleasant day today so I was quite glad that I took some photos when we arrived in finer weather. Brewood is another pleasant village with a good stock of public houses for us to try out as well as a good bus service into Wolverhampton which we may try out in a day or two.

Brewood Church

Another Quaint House

Quiet Street 1

Quiet Street 2

Statistics so far:-

1020.86 Miles, 714 Locks, 74 Swing Bridges, 48 Lift Bridges, 7 Tunnels.

It’s not all plain sailing

I didn’t say yesterday why we set off so late for Brewood. Well as we came up to the junction to the Shroppie, we had a large rattling sound from the prop and then it went quiet. I thought that we must have ran over something and we continued into the lock but when I put the boat in reverse we got a large rattling noise. So the upshot of it was that we moored up a little earlier than planned. I had a quick look into the weed hatch but unfortunately the spectacular sunset meant very poor visibility, so as is my want I thought lets wait until the morning and I can sort it out then.

Come the morning the dreaded dead could be put off no longer so there I am in my normal position up to my upper arms in murk. I am sure that the last time I did this sort of thing I had no problem with accessing the prop, for some reason no matter where I positioned myself my arms were just not long enough, is this an age thing? Anyway with my trousers hooked on to the exhaust hook and my left leg carefully positioned around the grease gland feeder pipe I managed to get to the prop. After extracting the remains of a large black plastic bag I discovered the cause of the loud noise it was a very thick wire wrapped around the shaft, there was absolutely no way of cutting it with the tools that we had. So with some lateral thinking I decided to unwind it after all it was only two revolutions. Easier said than done, I did have several moments when I thought that maybe this was impossible but perseverance and a lump of wood with a slot in the end resulted in the successful removal of the offending article along with several layers of knuckle skin.

We have been quite fortunate as we travel around the system in the surprisingly small amount of debris that we have picked up on the prop.

Nasty wire

Statistics so far:-

1020.86 Miles, 714 Locks, 74 Swing Bridges, 48 Lift Bridges, 7 Tunnels.

Brewood

I can see why a lot of people rate this canal and we have only just entered it, last night we had our first experience of the under water ledge, I will have to find some suitable weights for the fenders so we can keep the boat off the ledge. As it was it wasn’t too bad because we moored up with slack lines as it was a particularly wide section of canal.

We are really looking forward to exploring this canal, we felt that we have rushed the last couple of days to get here and maybe could have stopped at Compton. I don’t know how some boats can speed so quickly through the canal system, but I guess others are at a loss to understand how we can travel so slowly.

Avenue Bridge was made ornamental because the landlord of Chillington Hall wanted the bridge disguised so that the carriages riding to the hall would not have sight of the industrial transport passing through his land. I wonder what he would think of motorways?

Avenue Bridge

Avenue Bridge – looking back

Bridge 11

Today we did 3.39 Miles

Statistics so far:-

1020.86 Miles, 714 Locks, 74 Swing Bridges, 48 Lift Bridges, 7 Tunnels.

On to the Shroppie

I could not leave Bratch locks without a picture of the pumping station, this was built in 1895 and it looks like it should be located in Central Europe somewhere not middle England. Unfortunately I took a photo last night when it was too dark and I was out without a tripod but I thought fair enough I will take one in the morning. Well we didn’t have much time as we had planned to travel vast distances today which would also incorporate a laundry wash and dry, we were on a mission. Anyway I walk down to the lock to take a photo of the castle, sorry I mean pumping station and just as I arrive the sun burns a hole through the cloud directly over the castle and the photo was the best I could manage. I have included it as I think that it is something special.

Yesterday was a day of locks and today was a day of junctions with alternative routes, the first junction gave us the option of Birmingham and Wolverhampton or Great Haywood, we had already decided to go on the Shroppie so we ignored the pull of the big cities and pressed on to the next junction with the option of Chester or Great Haywood. We are not sure if we will make it to Chester due to winter closures but we are now on the Shropshire Union Canal and a fine looking canal it is so far. Post Script: Apparently we are going to Chester.

Bratch Pumping Station – Evening

Bratch Pumping Station – Morning

Frog Graffiti

Current Location

Cloud Location

Today we did 8.05 Miles and 7 Locks

Statistics so far:-

1017.47 Miles, 714 Locks, 74 Swing Bridges, 48 Lift Bridges, 7 Tunnels.

Bratch Locks

I forgot to say the other day that we had gone over the 1000 mile mark, although it was commented upon by Colin. This works out at a handsome 2 miles per day since June 2008, now you might think that we are getting to know the country that we are travelling through and you would be right. We have come across, discovered and explored some fine English country side which we would have otherwise bypassed and missed travelling in any other form of transport. Oh the glories of narrowboating.

Today was a day of unusual locks, first we had Botterham staircase lock which for those non boating followers is a combination of locks without a pound i.e. the joined locks share a common gate. In this case there was only two conjoined locks, a boater coming the other way was not aware of this and wondered why we were filling the top lock while the bottom lock was still empty. Right I bet you that has confused you, it did me. The top lock water is needed to fill the bottom lock so there you have it.

The second set of locks with a difference was Bratch locks which may look from a distance vaguely staircase in nature, but rest assured they are not. It is not for nothing that these locks are manned by a lock keeper, the instructions are enough to make your eyes bleed and your mind take a long over due sabbatical in some distant desert region like the Sahara, where there is not the remotest chance of coming across still water let alone water that moves down through locks. The locks are separated by about a metre and require some mystic paddle manoeuvres involving the colours Red and Blue.

We are now moored up at the top of these locks at a very picturesque though pictureless location.

I have added a photo of an unusual Phone Base Station location, Frances’ says that there isn’t the remotest chance that anyone would be interested in this; I am of a different opinion.

Botterham Staircase Lock

Coming into Bratch Lock

Bratch Lock second stage

Bratch Lock Keepers hut

Phone Base station Pylon

Today we did 3.45 Miles and 9 Locks

Statistics so far:-

1009.42 Miles, 707 Locks, 74 Swing Bridges, 48 Lift Bridges, 7 Tunnels.