There was 9 year old Elissa, her friend Chloe, her dad John, and her Grandad who owns the boat. Now Elissa is not a common name. In fact I know only one other girl called Elissa, and she's also 9, and she's my granddaughter! And she and Sam are coming to see us on Erin Mae in August, and we can't wait!
Something else special happened today. We started down a totally new part of the network.
On the left is Oxley Marine, the people who fixed our alternator. Ahead is Oxley Moor Bridge – pastures new, the gateway to who knows what. After half a mile we passed Aldersley Junction,
with the first lock into the Birmingham Canal Navigations,
but that's for another day. We pushed on to Compton Lock,
which, says Nicholson's Guide, was "the first that James Brindley built on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal in the late 1760s".
and have tied up in the evening sunshine at Wightwick.
Hang out the washing, have a cuppa, brush out the boat, rustle up a stir-fry, get out the accordion…
The western end of the Staffs and Worcs is a delight.
ReplyDeleteCaptain Ahab is right. That end of the Staffs and Worcs is a favourite of mine. And if you're a National Trust member (and I suppose even if you're not) Wightwick Manor is well worth a visit.
ReplyDeleteCap'n, Adam, thanks for these comments. I think it was a series of posts by Sue on NB No Problem that first alerted us to the joys of this canal, and we're really looking forward to it. And yes, Adam, we've planned for a visit to Wightwick Manor first thing in the morning.
ReplyDeleteMartin