Saturday 5 July 2014

In the weeds

The Staffs and Worcs has been very pretty so far.  However in some places it is very twisty with some very tight turns.  For the first time I have had Fi in the bows with a radio acting as early warning in case someone is coming the other way.  We would have had at least two collisions if we hadn't done this.  One of them with an idiot who thought it was a good idea to go flat out down narrow and overgrown sections.  And that's the real issue with the canal.  The towpath is horribly overgrown.  We've spoken to several CRT staff and they all tell us that a contractor is meant to cut them and hasn't.   One has to ask why they aren't being held to account.  Until now we have had virtually no television as the canal is steep sided with rock or trees or both.  Dammit we have even had to resort to talking to each other!!  However we are now above Bratch locks, with full TV (British GP tomorrow), a pub in walking distance (Sunday lunch tomorrow) and  a field for Tigger to chase his ball in - narrow boat perfection.


A rare sight of the boat through a gap in the towpath weeds!
 

Entering the first of three Bratch locks.  Originally a staircase which means they opened onto each other, they wasted too much water and so large side ponds were dug and now they are three locks that operate as normal but with a gap of about three feet between them - very odd when you first see them and also very deep.


 
And through the power of atomic fusion, up we go - the sun is fusion powered and creates the heat to warm the water and cause the rain that goes into the canals to lift us up -so there!!
 

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