intrepid pony: boat versus lorry

overshadowed by the railway for a short time...

before lovely view from the Sow aqueduct

Tixall Lock

It was a bright sunny morning with lots of boats cruising towards us. I did most of the locking as the Captain’s shoulder was still troubling him but they were not heavy and often a boat was just coming out as we arrived.

For a couple of miles the M6 motorway runs alongside the canal disturbing the peace as traffic thunders by. Today the traffic heading our way was moving at walking pace. Our little boat managed to overtake several lorries though they crept past her as she descended the lock. On the long straight our boat caught and passed a bread lorry and stayed ahead of it until we reached the next lock.

We passed our hire boat friends moored in Penkridge. When we saw the motorway on the far side of the town the traffic was moving normally. I guess there had been an accident to cause such a jam.

The day grew warmer. Lottie lay at our feet on a deck sunbathing but grew so hot that she searched for a place to paddle. She eventually found a by wash to cool down in. I am always worried that she will slip on the steep slopes but she stays away from them.

Our hire boat friends passed us as we had lunch. The afternoon was hot but a breeze kept us from baking.

Tixall Wide

When I rejoined the boat at Tixall lock Lottie refused to follow me so the Captain jumped off to walk with her. Well it was time for her constitutional. After she had relieved herself he tried to re-board the boat and was not amused when the wind blew the boat off as he tried to get on. The wind always whips across Tixall wide so he had to walk all the way in the heat. He was grumpy when he finally got back on board.

The mooring were all full above Great Haywood lock so we had to go through it. We moored up for the night with a splendid view across Shrugborough Park. The towpath was bustling near the lock but down below it was peaceful, just the way the Captain likes it.