Seyella's Journey

Today dawned overcast and drizzly, but improved as it went on. We moved off around 10:30, and by 11:30 were on the visitor moorings in the middle of Rugeley. When we came down the T&M last July, there was a continuous mile of boats here, today we were the only one when we arrived. It’s so handy for the town centre, and there’s a Morrisons only 5 minutes away.

By the time we’d filled the larder, then gone back up into town for some Christmas shopping, it was half past 2, so instead of aiming to get to Shadehouse lock at the top of the Fradley locks, we decided to just go to Handsacre instead. It was nearly 4 by the time we got here, so Shadehouse, another 3 miles, would have been out of the question before dark.

Not far from bridge 68 there’s a family of Mute Swans. Nothing unusual in that, but latched onto them is a Bewick’s Swan. At least I think it’s a Bewick’s, I reckon the beak is wrong for a Whooper. Either way, it’s the first I’ve see on a canal.

Bewick’s Swan on the bank.
Oh, and I stand corrected. Yesterdays photo of a working narrowboat used for mobile pump-out is NOT the first we've seen. I'd forgotten about the boat at Anderton Marina. It's called, would you believe, "Two Loos Lautrec"! I've not been able to get a descent picture, this is the best I've got, from last May.

Two Loos Lautrec at Anderton
Locks none, miles 5