King's Norton Junction

These photos of Norton Junction were taken when Lesley and I walked the dogs up from Warstock - there is a distinct shortage of footpath's around here and, because the walks are uninspiring (up and down the towing paths basically), so we are not getting enough exercise to walk off the beer! This is the wooden guillotine lock - the old stop lock, no longer in use.

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Looking South down the Worcester & Birmingham Canal.

Stop lock gate at t'other end - looking quit majestic in the autumn sun.

Tariff showing cost per mile per ton of carrying different products.

Lesley and the boys having a quick pose. Below, to the left, looking North up the Worcester and B'ham and, to the right, looking back down the Stratford towards Brandwood Tunnel.

Morris Dancers at Kings Norton

We're hanging around a bit waiting to take delivery of our new mattress at Lyons Boatyard at Warstock, so we wandered up onto the Worcester & Birmingham Canal  to Kings Norton last  Friday.

Woke on the Saturday to glorious sunshine and wandered up into the town to find, not only a farmers market,

but also to find that morris dancers were in town; dancing in front of the old Saracens building and the 14thC church.

This old Lambretta stirred some old memories of the "enemy" although no furry aerials in sight! More a leathers and big engines girl me.

I was careful to say Morris Dancers rather than 'Men' as, apart from the musicians, only two of the dancers were men - they are clearly struggling to keep up membership and I think we should enrol Graham & Joe.

Very special - England at it's finest.

Kings Norton Junction and very welcome visitors

Last  night just before I went to bed I received a message to say that my Cousin Mark  and Lynne were in Stratford upon Avon and where were we? A couple of phone calls later this morning and we had very welcome visitors.

Mark learning the right way to ENTER 'MR'

Baxter taking up his usual position on a visitors Lap

Lynne in the background nattering to Jill whilst Mark and I watch the Grand Prix.

Daisy is offering Nemo swimming lessons

Slobbing out on the boat this morning, G saw a Border Collie hit our bow followed by ripples extending out where Daisy over-shot her safe haven and went straight in on the other side. G shot out into the well deck and I hit the waterside hatches - no trace of her! We were both thinking she'd gone straight down when we saw the sunlight catching drops of water off the stern deck!!!!! In the time it took me to open the side hatches, she'd swam 66ft of boat and exited via the rear tipcat (should it be called an exitcat?) and was shaking water off of her coat. She's always been a strong swimmer, but that was impressive. Now David and Sue on NB Beefur have recently acquired a kitten called Nemo who seems to be finding difficulty in staying out of the water. I've had a word with Daisy and she's happy to teach Nemo the basics (ie crawl, breaststroke and butterfly) plus exit techniques  using fenders, tipcats, branches, dogs tails, etc..

This was our mooring at Dickens Heath as we left today in the sunshine. We needed water and we needed to make arrangements for delivery of our new mattress, so we moved up to Warstock to see if Lyons Boatyard would let us have it delivered there. They kindly said that we could. A pint in the dog friendly local also revealed a quiz tomorrow night, so we, weather permitting, might just give it a go if we can keep Lesley up late enough.

G taking MR under Shirley lift bridge. I liked this one, all it takes is the twist of a key and the push of a button to drop the barriers, lift the bridge and stop the traffic and joggers. POWER; I love it.

Dickens Heath

The Management company who run this complex think that it's a little down market to call the Stratford Canal a canal, instead they call it the Stratford on Avon Waterway, 1 bedroom apartments start a £116,000

 4 Bedroomed town houses £350,000

 Unfortunately this development is like a ghost town, talking to a local some of these units(many of them) have been unsold for at least 2 years.

However, there is a handy Tesco Express and wine bar available!

Stratford on Avon to Wilmcote ( not all kids are bad!)

We pulled pins at 8.15am, WHAT, yes, b....y ..ll. watered and started our climb out of the lovely Stratford. 17  Locks later we were moored up at Wilmcote, but not without incident.

After 5 locks I started to get a rumble from the engine hole, not again pleeeease. Thankfully no, but for some reason the lock nuts on the stuffing box had worked their way loose, probably as a result of last weeks engine leg problem, after adjustments to the stuffing box and re-tightening the lock nuts all now appears to be OK. keeping my fingies and toes crossed.

Once under-way Jill was joined by a Grandfather and three of his Grandsons, they all started to help her turn the locks and our ascent was achieved much more quickly than usual, two of the lads asked whether they could have a ride on the boat, well I couldn't refuse. So a 9 year old and a 14 year old joined me on the back of 'MR'.

Thank you guys.