My narrow escape (Home)

At Great Haywood Junction we joined the Trent & Mersey Canal. The Staffs & Worcs and the Trent & Mersey have quite different characters. The Staffs & Worcs is often framed by woods and runs in cool shady cuttings, which was very nice in this hot weather. The Trent & Mersey on the other hand runs through the Trent river valley in this area, which means wide views over the valley and its water meadows, a very peaceful scenery. River valley with wildlife White geese (or ducks?) for a change Water meadows Part of this journey was going through the little town of Stone with its eight locks. The locks were OK, but deep and they had very narrow bridges over them. My mild bridge anxiety was back. Unnecessarily as they were all high enough. And fortunately the width of narrowboats is standardised. Bridge at lock entrance Locking in Stone with an audience Stone lock with turnover bridge Canalside brewery in Stone We had a

This post covers the stretch from the previously mentioned junction of the Staffs & Worcs with the Wolverhampton Branch (Aldersely Junction) to Great Haywood Junction where the Staffs & Worcs meets the Trent & Mersey Canal. It was a relatively uneventful stretch in boating terms with beautiful scenery and quite relaxing. The canal often runs in wooded cuttings, which are relatively cool in this hot weather. Having a competent crew on board for a while gave me the opportunity to sit in the bow (under the parasol!) and let the world glide by without much engine noise. Plus there were no locks on a very long stretch. Bliss! Especially in heat like this. Letting the world glide by ... ... in the shade Reflections The only excitement in canal terms was a very narrow cutting, not much wider than the boat, like a single-lane road with passing places. Of course we met about four boats and had to manoeuvre carefully around everybody. A very narrow bit Pas