Cruising past Horninglow Basin we spotted two Buttons, nb Granny Buttons and Belly Button moored up. Just after that the we let a boat pass us as he kept catching us up. We wished we hadn’t though as we briefly ran aground on the shallow edge as he sped by. Then the steering became erratic so we pulled over for Bottle to investigate down the weed hatch. Using our sharp IKEA breadknife he cut the offending article off, it was a large well shredded nylon flag!
We passed by the playing field which will be the site of the Waterways Festival at the end of the month. It was already full with moored boats, but we managed to moor up near Shobnall Marina to go to Morrison's on a trolley run for food. Golly it was hot after walking along so we sat in their cafe and had some fresh sandwiches with salad and small bag of crisps with drinks all for just under six quid, a bargain we thought. The canal towpath is wide and immaculately kept all through Burton. In fact one of the residents was mowing his patch and tipping the grass cuttings into the canal for the swan family to eat as we passed by. The old Marston's Brewery exterior appeared unspoilt through the hedge as we left going under the bridge with their advert on it.
Unfortunately there were no spaces left for mooring by the popular Branston Water park where we wanted to spend the weekend.
When we reached Branston lock we were pleased to be back to the narrow locks again after heaving on all those broad lock gates for so long.
At the shallow lock at Tatenhill we queued for the first time in ages and exchanged with a family from Spain who were enjoying their Canal-time holiday, although they said the weather was colder over here. Bridge 35 at the foot of the lock is a ‘turnover’ bridge, where the towpath passes to the opposite side. Our mooring is right by the old Roman Road of Ryknild Street, A38, a bit noisy but we were too tied to carry on. Yes, it did rain in the evening of Saint Swithin’s Day, so are we in for more over the next 40 days I wonder?
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