Great Haywood

The day started well as well set off in good time and made short work of the first four locks, beginning with Gailey and its distinctive tower. It was chilly and overcast so exercise was needed to keep warm. Overnight we had identified a problem with the plumbing - for some time we suspected a leak as the water pump would intermittently trigger during the night. Eventually Christine realised that it was under the wash basin in the bathroom and Andrew tracked it down to a particular joint.

We aimed to use the services at Penkridge - unfortunately a boat was already at the water point. However, Andrew set off to the local hardware store (and some other provisions) but, although successful with the 'extra'items, the main purpose of a tee-piece was not. The boat filling with water was so slow that he returned before we had even started on out fill!

Eventually we were off again, keeping an eye out for possible chandlery. At Park gate Lock. home of Teddesley Boats, Andrew succeeded in finding the required part and also made contact with a 'new' boat painter, complete with indoor workshop. We spent some time talking with them about a possible re-paint: July seems a possibility.

Below the lock, Andrew set about fixing the leak which proved more troublesome that we had anticipated. In the end another trip to the chandlers for some Leak Fix promised at least a stemming of the growing flood! (Not the best of pix but it was a snatched shot by Christine when andrew was not looking!)

As a result of these unplanned delays, lunch was 'on the go' - by now the weather was improving, sunshine emerged and it was tolerably warm - but out of direct sun it could be surprisingly chilly still.

Deptmore Lock with the cottage undergoing restoration as a modern home.

We crossed the River Sow on a low aqueduct - initially visible as we approached around a sharp bend - and soon after the canal widened out into Tixall Broad comes just ahead of Great Haywood, looking splendid in the late afternoon sunshine. Just before Tixall Lock we had a slight scare - a strange noise came from the engine and prop but, even though we stopped and looked in the weed hatch we could find no explanation and once we re-started the problem - whatever it was - had disappeared.

By now it was a bright sunny afternoon, which lasted until a fine evening.

At the junction we turned north back once more onto the Trent and Mersey Canal.

Although the canal runs close to the railway line it is not particularly disturbing. Some of the locks still have the footbridges with a slit in the middle so that the tow rope did not have to be detached from the boat in order to pull the boat into the lock.

With such a fine evening we carried on until we were above Sandon Lock - our first attempt at mooring had to be abandoned when the water's edge proved too shallow. Time now for a chilli and movie.