Rugeley to Stone.

Travelled 14.8 miles, worked 10 locks in a time of 7 hours 35 minutes.

I was in bed by 9.30pm last night, because I was shattered, I left Keith watching 'The day the earth stood still'. This morning I woke at 6am and got up and made us a cup of tea and got the back cabin stove going, from its night time slumber where I had it dampened down. A rake out and some air, away it went.

We set off from Rugeley at 8am, it was an overcast start to the day and the sun never did put in an appearance through out the day.

At the Brindley Bank Aqueduct we passed Sheila steering NB Sanity Again. We exchanged "hello's" and our plans, it was lovely to see her again. Bruce must have been hiding LOL.

Autumn is taking hold as the leaves show off their colours.

Colwich Lock was our first lock of the day and just as we approached it a boat was leaving it and had left the gates open, what a result. Normally there is a queue at Colwich Lock no matter the time of day.

We passed Ilford at Shugborough, she was waiting to be collected.

Up through Great Haywood Lock, we stopped at the sanitary station to top the water tank up. I have been amazed at how quiet the Trent and Mersey has been today, normally it lives up to the name the Trent and Motorway, but not today.

The fields were full of Pheasants wandering aimlessly around, marvelling at their freedom from their breeding pens. But little do they know what is about to happen to them over the next few weeks and months, because the shooting season has started and runs till the beginning of February.

At Weston we had a quick chat with Phyllis and Henry on Perch, Roger then passed us on his way to collect Ilford. It seemed like no time at all and we were in Stone once more. Stone always feels like home to me because we spent over three years here whilst our boat was being built. 

Up through Newcastle Road Lock and Lime Kiln Lock and we passed Roger Fuller's Boat Yard.

The birthplace of our beautiful boat and always somewhere we enjoy coming back to.

Just past Roger's yard there is a row of Willow tree's and they have always been over grown, but not today. Someone has given them a hair cut at long last.

We moored up the other side of the Bridge 96 the main road bridge and this is where we will stay for a few days.

The Stone Food and Drinks Festival is on over the weekend, so we will have to give it a look. The last time I went Keith and I were the official photographers for the event. 

It is nice to be back in Stone and I am sure we will have a lot of catching up to do with the friends we have here. 

Beauty of the day.

Boat painting of the day on NB Bob Cat.